Poster Presentation Making the Writing Process Visible: Role-Restricted AI Use in a Newspaper Project more

This classroom-based inquiry explores the use of generative AI to support, rather than replace, the writing process in a first-year university reading and writing class. While AI tools are often criticized for collapsing planning, drafting, and revision into a single output, this project examined the question: How does restricting AI to specific roles within the writing process influence student engagement with planning, drafting, and editing? Over a four-lesson newspaper project, students created three texts using role-restricted AI functions: generating and outlining ideas (planning), modeling genre (drafting), and improving language (editing). Students documented prompts, AI outputs, revisions, and reflections throughout the project. Teacher observations, reflections, and informal student feedback were considered to identify patterns in AI use and writing development. The outcomes suggested that role-restricted AI use supported idea development, genre awareness, and revision depth. However, challenges included over-reliance on AI-generated phrasing and limited critical evaluation of edits. These findings offer practical guidance for integrating AI into writing instruction while maintaining learner agency, transparency, and process-oriented pedagogy.