The age of AI brings instructors new versions of old challenges, such as finding new ways to measure student learning and checking the veracity and authenticity of the work they submit. Many instructors have turned to writing as a tool to address these challenges because of writing’s capacity to demonstrate thinking, but how do we get students writing for our classes when AI sings to students like sirens to sailors? 

Writing Across the Curriculum, colloquially known as WAC, is a member of the CTRW and one of the many instructional support programs available to UW–Madison instructors. What makes WAC unique is its specific focus on writing as a tool for student learning across disciplines. More specifically, WAC Director Emily Hall and Associate Director Abby Letak’s goal is “to foster an inclusive academic community around the teaching of writing so that all students have opportunities to write in their majors and across their academic careers.” In service of this goal, WAC offers multiple resources to the UW–Madison community, including one-on-one consultations with instructors who want to use writing in their classes, training and workshops on writing pedagogy, and online resources such as the WAC Pressbook, Communicating Across the Curriculum: Resources for High-Impact Teaching with Writing at UW–Madison. Earlier this semester, I had the opportunity to talk with Hall about the WAC Pressbook and its recent updates.

The Pressbook is the newest iteration of a beloved resource for UW–Madison teachers who use writing as part of their instruction. Originally created by Brad Hughes, former Writing Center and WAC Director, the WAC Sourcebook was a printed and bound compendium of sample assignments and advice for teaching with writing across disciplines, the contents of which were submitted by UW–Madison instructors for other instructors to adapt to their own teaching contexts. Copies were distributed each year to every new Comm-B teaching assistants and to faculty and instructional staff across campus and became prized resources across campus. 

In 2020, Hall guided the transition from print copies to a fully searchable digital book. These prized WAC resources are not limited to the printed page anymore! Anyone with an interest in using writing for student learning can access the WAC Pressbook, browse its contents, search for specific key terms with Pressbook’s search function, and navigate using the collapsible menu and clickable links. In our conversation, Hall also explained that this format means that the Pressbook’s contents remain relevant, with chapters constantly being updated to respond to emerging needs. 

Broadly speaking, the Pressbook is organized around the research-backed idea that writing is a high-impact activity with measurable benefits for students. The first chapter introduces this idea and orients readers to the Pressbook, while subsequent chapters jump into specific learning environments, types of writing assignments, and considerations for equitable writing instruction and assessment. Instead of merely presenting readers with sample assignments, each chapter explains what the chapter’s main concept is, why it’s important, how to implement it, and what generic and locally sourced examples instructors may use. For example, someone interested in scaffolding their writing assignments to promote idea development and revision could take a look at Chapter VII: Sequencing and Scaffolding Writing Assignments or Chapters IX and X, which walk instructors through peer review and student-teacher conferencing. 

As many instructors turn to low-stakes writing to deter AI use, they might be interested in Chapter IV: Low-Stakes Informal Writing Activities and Assignments. This chapter situates low-stakes writing, or writing that promotes “discovery, questioning, and exploration” with very little impact on the students’ grades, into existing classes. In addition to explaining the what, why, and how of low-stakes writing, this chapter includes a bounty of sample assignments and activities. Readers can choose from generic practices such as “write-pair-share” or “one-minute essay,” which are timed, in-class activities that promote student engagement with the content at hand, or locally sourced examples, such as Curriculum and Instruction Professor Kate Vieira’s “50-word writing assignment,” or Biology Professor David Abbott’s “100-word response,” both of which prompt students to synthesize assigned readings to demonstrate knowledge of key course concepts. Such activities promote learning by presenting students with reasonably challenging—but still bite-sized—opportunities for engagement, making them less likely to turn to AI. 

Instructors who are grappling with AI in students’ writing assignments may also be interested in Chapter II: Teaching with Writing in the Age of AI. In its current form, the chapter walks instructors through why students may be using AI in their classes, what effects this use may have, and how they can respond with pedagogical interventions, such as an AI policy or assignments that either include the use of AI as part of the learning process or explain how to disclose its use upon reflection. There are a number of sample assignments available in this chapter as well, such as one from Engineering Professor Nathan Jung that instructs students on how to brainstorm with AI. While all of the information in this chapter is helpful, WAC is updating it with even more material that will be available by the end of the semester thanks to graduate Assistant Director Theo Campbell, so check back soon for even more helpful information! 

As a graduate instructor, the WAC Pressbook is an invaluable resource for me as I revise my writing assignments and assessment practices to further emphasize evidence of student learning. For each of us who feel the challenge of teaching with writing during this seemingly antagonistic time, Hall and Letak are eager to support instructors across campus. As Hall said when reflecting on her position, “I want to teach you everything I can about teaching writing!” If you’re interested in teaching with writing, or if you want to revamp your existing materials, you’re invited to read the Pressbook and request a WAC consultation.

About the author: Erin Miller is a graduate student in the composition and rhetoric program at UW–Madison.