Originally published in edublogs, Writing for Learner Engagement. Part of the Class Home Room Blog from a course at the U of T. Posted under Always Something More to Learn, URL
Quoting the incomparable Taylor Swift, Antihero
Sometimes it seems like I am the only one who worries about things. I have been excused of being antiquated and out of touch with technology. Am I the problem? If we circle back to my earlier post about Writing Being Under Attack, I wonder if we all really want to sound the same? In my opinion, part of communication is about the unique uses of language. How I might phrase something is completely different from how someone else might do it. Some of the things that make my writing unique are my purposefully negation of contractions, use of Canadian spellings, and my conversational academic tone, which aims for professionalism, but is also friendly, approachable, and polite. I am a firm believer in reading things out loud and triple checking before submitting or hitting send.
There are many useful tools that help us write. I have come to rely on spell and grammar checkers that are built into Word, PPT, and Outlook. Predictive text on my iPhone helps me craft a text with one hand while I pet my dog with the other. Having struggled with language arts as a younger child, I often feel at a significant disadvantage in the grammar department. Another compelling reason to incorporate writing aids.
Yet what happens when we let artificial intelligence “correct” our work or even “write for us”. Think for us, do the work for us. Do we analyze the text, or trust the machine? As someone who has been in the work world for decades, I feel like I have a strong foundation of knowledge. I recognize potentially fraudulent information, incorrect use of terminology, information that does not make sense, or lacks evidence. What happens to those who are entering post-secondary education or the work world. Do they have this same discretion? Do they question what they find online, or are they easily swayed by a provocative headline? Is this true? Here is an article on the rampant spread of misinformation on social media.
Case in point, here is an example from an email that I sent out earlier today. I was wondering if the individual had a preference for date and time when we should meet.
The editor in Outlook wanted to change this to ‘Do you prefer date/time?’ Without a list of options, this does not make sense.
So, what is the solution? Be discerning. Verify information from multiple sources. Trust reliable sources. Trust your instincts, and find your own voice. Use evidence to back up your opinions. Not sure about a grammatical rule, double check on Google. Use the tools, but also learn from them.
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