Year Capstone Completed

2024

ENG997 & ENG998 Instructor

Zachary Garrett, D.A.

Abstract

English educators face a unique problem since the end of 2022: what to do with generative AI, how to handle it in the classroom in a meaningful and ethical way, and whether to be worried about it or instead embrace it. This paper looks at the current state of English composition education in California community colleges, how it has changed with the implementation of Assembly Bills 705 and 1705, which was intended to streamline the path of non-native speaker students to completion of their required English courses, and how it could change further with the possible implementation of generative AI as an educational tool. A literature review is provided to paint a picture of the history of college composition and the current landscape of composition education, including the use of generative AI in it. A comparison of three composition classes, two for native speakers and one for non-native speakers, is offered, along with a possible solution in the form of a course design that incorporates elements of all three original classes to form a course that is specifically tailored to the needs of students who are non-native speakers of English. The new course utilizes generative AI to help the instructor and students succeed in a highly demanding course. The goal is to ensure that non-native speakers are ready for academic writing and future employment at the same level as their native-speaker peers. Recommendations for fellow educators with examples of assignments, a course contract, a detailed syllabus, and a rubric incorporating AI use are also provided.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License.

Download

Share

COinS