Over the past couple of months, a new book club brought fresh ideas and vital dialogue to the Vanguard campus. A group of faculty and staff gathered for three sessions to explore More Than Words: How to Think About Writing in the Age of AI, by John Warner—a timely and thought-provoking book on the evolving relationship between writing, education, and artificial intelligence.
Outside of the three scheduled meetings, members of the book club had the opportunity to read John Warner’s More Than Words: How to Think About Writing in the Age of AI and reflect using a reading guide. They could also connect further through a Canvas course designed to support discussion anytime and from anywhere. The book club was developed by the Teaching + Learning team to foster flexible engagement among participants and included the option to join in dialogue on campus or via Zoom during the scheduled sessions.
More Than Words states early on that we should view AI as “not a threat but an opportunity,” and Warner maintains that same perspective throughout the book. He urges readers not to throw in the towel on their students or their hope in humanity’s ability to write. Warner explores this further on page 12:
Deep down, I believe that ChatGPT by itself cannot kill anything worth preserving. My concern is that out of convenience, or expedience, or through carelessness, we may allow these meaningful things to be lost or reduced to the province of a select few rather than being accessible to all.
To Warner, the use of ChatGPT illustrates how the focus on writing in educational institutions has often placed value on the end result rather than on the process and practice of writing. As the book unfolds, John Warner analyzes how that “practice” informs what it means to write, to be human, and how those two things are fundamentally different from anything that AI can produce.
While the reading done on our own was edifying, discussing these topics as a community added such richness to John Warner’s insights. Each session began with lunch and an examen prayer, led by Jim Darlack. Many participants came with experiences of students using ChatGPT in their classes, along with questions about how to move forward with Warner’s advice. As the content of each section was discussed, every person was met with understanding and encouragement from the group.
Much like the final chapter of Warner’s More Than Words, the end of this book club is not the end of the discussion. Warner writes:
This is merely the end to a book, not the completion of a quest. I wish I could say there is a finish line to this work, but it is an ongoing process. We never get to stop exploring, nor should we wish to.
The Teaching + Learning team is excited to continue exploring AI in the Vanguard community. Though adapting to the ever-changing landscape of higher education can be challenging, we are not alone—and there are always new resources waiting to be discovered.
