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Did They or Didn’t They?: The RWC’s Perspective on Artificial Intelligence in an Age of Anxiety
Posted by anne.grey | Start the discussion
Title: Facilitating Conversations about AI Ethics in Reading and Writing Centers
Presenters: Kim Gardner, RWC Coordinator & Instructor, and Katherine Landwehr, RWC Coordinator & Instructor
Executive Summary
In this presentation, Reading and Writing Center (RWC) coordinators Kim Gardner and Katherine Landwehr explore how tutoring, reading, and writing are evolving with the rise of generative artificial intelligence. Moving between the roles of writing composition instructors and tutoring coordinators, they address the complexities, anxieties, and institutional challenges surrounding AI in higher education.
Rather than acting as surveillance agents or explicitly modeling AI tools, the PCC Reading and Writing Centers position themselves as supportive, student-centered learning spaces. The presenters outline core principles grounded in linguistic justice, equity, and cognitive development. They share practical strategies and conversational scripts designed to help tutors center student voice, build writer agency, and foster metacognition—ensuring students retain authentic ownership of their work regardless of their starting point.
Presentation Outcomes
After reviewing this presentation, participants will be able to:
- Understand the current landscape and varied expectations surrounding AI within academic writing spaces.
- Distinguish the Reading and Writing Center’s non-policing, learning-centered approach from surveillance or automated tool instruction.
- Recognize how AI detectors and inconsistent policies disproportionately affect multilingual, first-generation, and returning students.
- Apply practical, conversational scripts to foster metacognition and rhetorical awareness without questioning a writer’s integrity.
- Encourage authentic student voice, agency, and skill acquisition in both classroom and tutoring contexts.
Keywords
Generative AI, Reading and Writing Center, Writing Pedagogy, Metacognition, Student Agency, Rhetorical Awareness, Academic Integrity, Equity in Education, Tutor Training, Portland Community College
Summary was generated by Google Gemini on 7/28/26
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