Student Perceptions and Use of GenAI for Writing: 'Great Tool' or 'Pandora's Box'?
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| Title: | Student Perceptions and Use of GenAI for Writing: 'Great Tool' or 'Pandora's Box'? |
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| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Cheryl H. Duffy, Rose Helens-Hart, Stephanie M. Weigel |
| Source: | Across the Disciplines. 2026 22(3-4):178-197. |
| Availability: | WAC Clearinghouse. Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523. Tel: 970-491-3132; Web site: https://wacclearinghouse.org/ |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 20 |
| Publication Date: | 2026 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Education Level: | Higher Education Postsecondary Education |
| Descriptors: | Student Attitudes, Artificial Intelligence, Intellectual Disciplines, Writing (Composition), Barriers, Technology Uses in Education, Writing Across the Curriculum, Content Area Writing, Universities, Writing Processes, Undergraduate Students, Graduate Students, Student Behavior |
| DOI: | 10.37514/ATD-J.2026.22.3-4.05 |
| ISSN: | 1554-8244 |
| Abstract: | WAC/WID programs are uniquely positioned to lead the response to generative AI (GenAI) in student writing--not by policing its use, but by guiding ethical, effective integration across and in the disciplines. This study shares findings from a spring 2024 survey of 226 students at a midwestern university, exploring how students use GenAI in their writing, what they perceive as its benefits and risks, and whether they're receiving instruction on how to use it well. Students reported frequent use of GenAI for brainstorming and revising but noted limited faculty guidance. Many expressed nuanced views: they recognized GenAI's potential to support learning but remain aware of its flaws--especially the risk of inaccuracy, plagiarism, and loss of voice. Use varied by college, with education and business students reporting the most classroom integration and future use. Despite the tool's growing role in students' writing practices, faculty across campus had largely not adapted their pedagogy or policies to meet this shift. Students, meanwhile, asked for clear, thoughtful instruction rather than blanket bans. These findings reveal a disconnect between students' needs and faculty readiness, and they offer a timely call for WAC/WID programs to help bridge that gap. We recommend supporting faculty with discipline-specific resources, emphasizing writing as process, and centering critical thinking in classroom conversations about GenAI. We further recommend that WAC/WID programs collaborate across campus when providing AI-related faculty development, striving for the interconnectivity promoted in the Whole Systems Approach for sustainability. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1494924 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | WAC/WID programs are uniquely positioned to lead the response to generative AI (GenAI) in student writing--not by policing its use, but by guiding ethical, effective integration across and in the disciplines. This study shares findings from a spring 2024 survey of 226 students at a midwestern university, exploring how students use GenAI in their writing, what they perceive as its benefits and risks, and whether they're receiving instruction on how to use it well. Students reported frequent use of GenAI for brainstorming and revising but noted limited faculty guidance. Many expressed nuanced views: they recognized GenAI's potential to support learning but remain aware of its flaws--especially the risk of inaccuracy, plagiarism, and loss of voice. Use varied by college, with education and business students reporting the most classroom integration and future use. Despite the tool's growing role in students' writing practices, faculty across campus had largely not adapted their pedagogy or policies to meet this shift. Students, meanwhile, asked for clear, thoughtful instruction rather than blanket bans. These findings reveal a disconnect between students' needs and faculty readiness, and they offer a timely call for WAC/WID programs to help bridge that gap. We recommend supporting faculty with discipline-specific resources, emphasizing writing as process, and centering critical thinking in classroom conversations about GenAI. We further recommend that WAC/WID programs collaborate across campus when providing AI-related faculty development, striving for the interconnectivity promoted in the Whole Systems Approach for sustainability. |
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| ISSN: | 1554-8244 |
| DOI: | 10.37514/ATD-J.2026.22.3-4.05 |
