Among their many efforts in the Fall 2023 semester, Composition faculty and staff engaged in timely crucial dialogues about Artificial Intelligence and linguistic diversity among other issues facing Mason students.
Hyunyoung Cho and Christina Grieco facilitated a conversation on October 20th, 2023 to discuss how to apply the program’s language diversity statement in their classrooms. Sharon Doetsch-Kidder, Ariel Goldenthal, and Dean Taciuch guided a faculty conversation on November 3rd, 2023 to address the effects of AI on writing and the teaching of/with writing.
Reflecting on the faculty-led discussions above, Associate Chair of Composition Courtney Wooten noted, “As we continue our work with linguistic diversity and inclusion and develop approaches to AI that recognize its potential value as a writing tool, [there is] a need for us and students to be critical about the ethics and limits of the use of AI and to integrate approaches to language that support the writing development of students and value their linguistic experiences.”
College of Humanities and Social Sciences students. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Creative Services/George Mason University
Composition faculty also spearheaded workshops about supporting student writers across Mason at the 15th Innovation in Teaching and Learning Conference, prepared new English teachers in collaboration with Northern Virginia Community College, and introduced their students to prolific authors at George Mason’s Fall for the Book Festival.
The composition program offices will be closed from December 18th, 2023 to January 2nd, 2024. Classes will resume on January 16th, 2024. Until then, the Composition faculty and staff wish you a safe break and, if you celebrate, Happy Bodhi Day, Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas, Happy Kwanzaa, and Happy New Year!
December 01, 2023