Generative AI from a Writing Coach’s Perspective

By Dave Harris

Following last week’s conversation circle, I was thinking about the fear that AI may take our jobs. Professionally, as a writing coach, this struck me because fear is one of the great dangers to a writer. Personally, however, I’m not interested in using AI as a tool because I have my own ideas to explore and writing, teaching, and research all help me develop those ideas. My internal curiosity won’t disappear if some AI takes my job, nor will my need to find good ways to occupy my time. For those reasons, I will continue my work as a writing coach, teacher, and researcher.

If you have fears about AI taking your job, I want to encourage you to keep writing, teaching, and researching because it’s worth it. It’s worth it to keep writing because:

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Using an Epoxy Glue Analogy to Explain the Usefulness of Generative AI

By J. Anomdeplume

As to AI, here is the Epoxy Analogy. Wood-joiners have always required skill & patience. They use angled cuts & precise drilling to join wood for furniture and more. Then came epoxy glue.

Even at the private-workshop level, not in any factory, speed of production increased. It was a parallel to the Industrial Revolution. With, say, 24 hours of set time, wood-joiners now went on to other Projects, having invested only 10 percent of their “before the advent of epoxy” time on Project One. Economy of scale blossomed.

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New TAA eBook on Artificial Intelligence & Authoring Now Available

TAA recently published a new eBook, “Artificial Intelligence & Authoring: How Textbook & Academic Authors Are Navigating AI Tools Like ChatGPT,” that includes the results of two TAA surveys on AI and authoring and several articles showcasing how TAA members are utilizing AI tools.

AI tools like ChatGPT are being used by textbook and academic authors to increase productivity, generate first drafts, organize research, and more.

Download

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Oxford University Press Conducting Survey on Academic Researchers’ Use of AI

Oxford University Press is conducting a survey of academic researchers to find out about their views of Artificial Intelligence in academic research. The focus of the survey is on researchers’ “academic research journey – from the beginnings of your research project through the publishing process and onwards dissemination and communication.”

The anonymous 15-minute survey, “How and why you are using AI in your research?”, can be completed here. The deadline for completing the survey is April 2, 2024.

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4/9 TAA Webinar on Artificial Intelligence

AI is impacting many areas of higher education, and textbook and academic authors want to know more. Caitlin O’Brien, an expert in this ever-changing field, will provide an overview of AI, its capabilities and limitations, and what authors need to know to use these tools safely and ethically.

Join us Tuesday, April 9 from 3-4 p.m. ET for the TAA webinar, “Artificial Intelligence 101 – Basics for Textbook and Academic Authors,” presented by Caitlin O’Brien, Director of Permissions for XanEdu Publishing.

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Macmillan Learning’s Susan Winslow to Give Inaugural Michael Sullivan Lecture on Textbook and Academic Authoring

Susan Winslow, from Macmillan Learning, has been selected to give the inaugural Michael Sullivan Lecture on Textbook & Academic Authoring as Opening Keynote at the 2024 TAA Conference on Textbook & Academic Authoring in Nashville, TN June 21-22. Her presentation, “The Very Human Experience of Learning,” will dig deep into the moments that make learning special: the emotions, the bonds we form, the aha! moments, and those big motivations that stick with us for life.

As AI becomes a bigger part of education, we can’t forget that at its core, learning is a human thing. It’s all about finding the right mix of tech and touch. The session will help us to understand the different ways to blend modern tech with the timeless human side of learning to help engage and inspire students.

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