Time is wearing me down. Yep. We, as community college educators, are facing an evolving challenge: how do we equip students with the skills to thrive in a world that increasingly blends traditional methods with cutting-edge technologies? I’ve written about Packback before with its innovative way of engaging students in asynchronous discussion boards. Today, I want to talk about Packback’s new Writing Lab. They boast they are here to bridge that gap, offering a solution that doesn’t just use AI for convenience but actively teaches students how to write more effectively, with and without AI assistance. Seems ideal, doesn’t it?

So what is Writing Lab? Writing Lab is a “direct-to-student AI-powered platform” designed to help students refine their writing skills independently. Unlike traditional AI tools that “write for you,” Writing Lab focuses on pedagogy and mastery-based learning. It provides real-time feedback on grammar, structure, readability, and logic, making it a supportive writing companion for students working on essays, research papers, or even creative pieces. I could never provide real-time feedback to my students like that. But here’s where it gets interesting. Writing Lab is available to students at GCC who are in Packback-integrated classrooms. So if you adopt Packback (it’s free – district pays), you can just set up your class to let students access Writing Lab independently. It’s like sending them to the Writing Center.

Let’s face it. AI tools like ChatGPT, Grammarly, and the 10+ other bots out there have thrown a curveball at academic writing. Some of us are grappling with questions about how to maintain high standards and integrity in the writing process while embracing these new technologies. If Writing Lab can help students build AI literacy while fostering foundational writing skills, it’s a “best of both worlds” approach that recognizes AI as a partner, not a crutch. I’ve got my rose-colored glasses on here and fingers crossed.

I like the idea that Writing Lab flags issues like logical fallacies or unsupported claims, offering explanations rather than just corrections. This encourages critical thinking and helps students understand why revisions are necessary. It also claims to help students with source credibility and citation support. Students receive feedback on the reliability of their sources and can generate citations in APA, MLA, or Chicago styles. It even assigns “Credibility Scores” to sources, helping students discern quality research. The more I read about Packback’s Writing Lab, the more I see my retirement future. I can’t wait to try this out this spring. Another feature I like is it’s plagiarism prevention. Instead of punishing plagiarism, Writing Lab proactively alerts students to potentially uncredited text and prompts them to cite appropriately. It even guides them on citing AI-generated suggestions transparently, a skill becoming increasingly relevant in academic and professional writing. Pretty cool, no?

Okay, I’m starting to sound like an ad for Packback. Truth is, I’m torn between wanting to prepare students not just for their current courses but for the realities of the professional world. AI is not going away, and I’m already seeing more and more student use, and that’s not permitted use. We’ve got to find a balance for ethical use of AI, where tools like Writing Lab can hopefully serve as an extension of our classroom and not a means to cheat. Students using it could gain confidence and competence, reducing the time I spend grading and marking basic errors and allowing me to focus on higher-level feedback. Ah, that would be really nice. I can’t wait to try it. For more information, send me an email, and I’ll forward it to our Packback Curriculum Consultant, Naomi Campbell (not the British fashion model, I’m sure), who is standing in for our regular support person, Katie Horan.

Additional Information

• Quick Overview from Packback
• Preserving Student Voice in the Age of AI-Assisted Learning: Unveiling Packback’s Writing Lab