Is learning to write obsolete, or more important than ever? If machines can “write”, what might humans do and learn? What would a meaningful, relevant and useful contemporary writing education be?
This free, provocative and participatory hybrid symposium is for all English/Literacy teachers, teacher educators and academics who are interested in the impacts of generative AI on the teaching of writing.
The symposium:
- shares the findings of a four year (2022-2025) Australian Research Council study on the teaching of digital writing, including the latest research.
- provides practical learnings from the development of digital writing labs that are applicable to both schools and higher education.
- offers opportunities to express and address concerns through debate and collaborative development of pedagogy in workshops.
And ultimately:
- culminates in the collaborative development of a manifesto for the teaching of writing in the AI age, for presentation to the Australian Education Research Organisation (AERO).
Speakers
Speakers/workshop leaders include:
- Associate Professor Lucinda McKnight, lead researcher in the Teaching Digital Writing project
- Mr Leon Furze, project PhD candidate and consultant expert in teaching with generative AI
- Professor Julian Sefton-Green, Professor of New Media, Deakin University
- Professor Jo O’Mara, Professor of Language and Literacy, Deakin University
- Professor Kevin Leander, Professor of Literacy Education, Vanderbilt University
Program
9.00 am Welcome and Acknowledgement of Country
Associate Professor Lucinda McKnight, Deakin University
Associate Professor Lucinda McKnight, Deakin University
9.15 am Opening/setting the scene
Professor Julian Sefton-Green, Professor of New Media, Deakin University
Professor Julian Sefton-Green, Professor of New Media, Deakin University
9.45 am Data script reading
Professor Jo O’Mara, Professor of Language and Literacy, Deakin University
Professor Jo O’Mara, Professor of Language and Literacy, Deakin University
10.00 am Guest speaker/three questions
Professor Kevin Leander, Professor of Literacy Education, Vanderbilt University
Professor Kevin Leander, Professor of Literacy Education, Vanderbilt University
10.45 am Morning tea break
11.15 am Teaching Digital Writing project findings
Associate Professor Lucinda McKnight, Deakin University
Associate Professor Lucinda McKnight, Deakin University
12.15 pm Lunch break
1.15 pm The teacher as digital writer in the age of AI
Mr Leon Furze, PhD candidate, Deakin University
Mr Leon Furze, PhD candidate, Deakin University
2.00 pm Plenary: Why teach writing in the age of AI?
2.30 pm Final Comments
3.00 pm Close
3.00 pm Close