AI in Writing Classes: Exploring and Scaffolding Multilingual Students’ Agency and Critical Thinking Skills

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Thursday 1:45 pm Four Seasons Ballroom 4
  In Roundtable Session: AI and Teaching and Learning (Table 1)

Abstract

This study investigated the impact of integrating ChatGPT into multilingual students’ English writing classes. It explores how AI can enhance student agency and engagement, fostering more effective writing practices, while looking into ways students purposefully interact with the tool. This study also examines the role of ChatGPT in providing personalized writing support and facilitating self-directed learning. Using a combination of discourse analysis and constant comparison method, data from 26 multilingual students’ interactions with ChatGPT were analyzed. The findings highlight the potential of AI to support critical thinking and autonomous learning, while also identifying gaps in understanding AI’s role in writing instruction. It particularly contributes valuable insights into optimizing AI integration in educational contexts and its implications for teaching and learning.

Authors

• Hannah Park, University of Wisconsin - Madison

• Jiaxuan Zong, University of Maryland