Generative AI and Ethical Boundaries for Multilingual Writers - Project Summary

This research explores how writing teachers' and multilingual students' use of AI can shape their perceptions of ethics in composition.

Multilingual English students often encounter difficulty writing research in English. In their first year, they must develop sufficient proficiency to attribute words and ideas to other sources, while learning the culturally defined ethical binaries regarding originality vs. plagiarism. A coping strategy for them is to use AI tools to explore how to write, and how to use feedback to revise. But where is the boundary between using AI to promote vs. replace learning? And how does using AI shape students' perceptions of their own writing processes? To address these two questions, an exploratory ethnographic study following a group of multilingual students in their first year at university in writing courses (fall and spring semesters 2024-2025) is needed, a course where teachers guide students in AI use. The current research involves pre/post-instruction surveys and writing samples, class observations, analysis of student essays, and discussion groups to explore teacher's instructional use of generative AI and its impact on freshman students' perceptions of and engagement with the writing process. The intended outcome of the present research is a list of 8-10 effective class writing activities using AI with explanations and suggestions for composition teachers to consider.