Exploring disciplinary academics’ perspectives and practices regarding student academic writing in the age of GenAI

Abstract

As generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools become increasingly accessible, disciplinary academics in higher education are faced with challenges in how they approach the teaching and assessment of academic writing and adapt their practices to integrate GenAI. Drawing on an exploratory research project, this paper examines the perspectives and practices of academics across a range of disciplines at an Australian metropolitan university. Through surveys of 58 academics across all faculties, we seek to understand diverse responses to the pedagogical and ethical considerations concerning student use of GenAI to produce academic writing. Our findings reveal how GenAI is reshaping approaches to academic writing, its influence on teaching and assessment practices, and the resultant challenges and opportunities for disciplinary learning. Participants were invited to reflect on GenAI use in academic writing, with a focus on its impact on assessment design and teaching practices. These responses are influenced by the specific contexts of each discipline, prompting reflection on the evolving role of Academic Language and Learning (ALL) practitioners in supporting ethical and effective integration of GenAI into higher education academic writing practices