Ai-RACE as a Framework for Writing Assignment Design in Higher Education

Higher education continues to encounter the challenge of redesigning writing pedagogy beyond the rapid adoption of emerging technologies. This challenge is particularly evident in English writing courses, which play a role in developing students’ writing and research skills in universities across th...

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محفوظ في:
التفاصيل البيبلوغرافية
المؤلف الرئيسي: El-Soussi, Amira (author)
مؤلفون آخرون: Yousef, Dima (author)
التنسيق: article
منشور في: 2026
الموضوعات:
الوصول للمادة أونلاين:https://hdl.handle.net/11073/33108
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author El-Soussi, Amira
author2 Yousef, Dima
author2_role author
author_facet El-Soussi, Amira
Yousef, Dima
author_role author
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv El-Soussi, Amira
Yousef, Dima
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2026-01-27T08:33:02Z
2026-01-27T08:33:02Z
2026-01
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv application/pdf
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv El-Soussi, A., & Yousef, D. (2026). Ai-RACE as a Framework for Writing Assignment Design in Higher Education. Education Sciences, 16(1), 119. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci16010119
2227-7102
https://hdl.handle.net/11073/33108
10.3390/educsci16010119
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv en_US
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv MDPI
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci16010119
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv Authentic assessment
Critical thinking
Writing pedagogy
Multimodality
Technology-enhanced learning
Generative AI
Higher education
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Ai-RACE as a Framework for Writing Assignment Design in Higher Education
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv Peer-Reviewed
Published version
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
info:eu-repo/semantics/article
description Higher education continues to encounter the challenge of redesigning writing pedagogy beyond the rapid adoption of emerging technologies. This challenge is particularly evident in English writing courses, which play a role in developing students’ writing and research skills in universities across the United Arab Emirates (UAE). While generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools offer practical affordances for writing instruction, their growing use has also raised concerns about academic integrity, authenticity, and critical engagement. Although early discourse has focused on the risks and potential of GenAI, there remains a clear dearth of frameworks to guide instructors in designing meaningful and engaging writing assignments. This paper introduces Ai-RACE, an adaptable pedagogical framework for designing purposeful and innovative writing tasks. Grounded in classroom-based insights, principles of writing pedagogy, constructivist and multimodal learning theories, Ai-RACE conceptualises assignment design around five interconnected components: AI integration, Relevance, Authenticity, the 4Cs, and Engagement. Employing a design-focused qualitative approach, the study uses instructional practices and student reflections to examine the implementation of Ai-RACE in writing contexts. Although situated within a specific institutional context, the study offers transferable guidelines for designing writing assignments across international higher education settings. By positioning Ai-RACE as a design heuristic, the study demonstrates its potential in supporting engagement, critical thinking, writing skills and ethical use of AI, and highlights the importance of rethinking writing pedagogy and the professional development in AI- influenced contexts.
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identifier_str_mv El-Soussi, A., & Yousef, D. (2026). Ai-RACE as a Framework for Writing Assignment Design in Higher Education. Education Sciences, 16(1), 119. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci16010119
2227-7102
10.3390/educsci16010119
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spelling Ai-RACE as a Framework for Writing Assignment Design in Higher EducationEl-Soussi, AmiraYousef, DimaAuthentic assessmentCritical thinkingWriting pedagogyMultimodalityTechnology-enhanced learningGenerative AIHigher educationHigher education continues to encounter the challenge of redesigning writing pedagogy beyond the rapid adoption of emerging technologies. This challenge is particularly evident in English writing courses, which play a role in developing students’ writing and research skills in universities across the United Arab Emirates (UAE). While generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools offer practical affordances for writing instruction, their growing use has also raised concerns about academic integrity, authenticity, and critical engagement. Although early discourse has focused on the risks and potential of GenAI, there remains a clear dearth of frameworks to guide instructors in designing meaningful and engaging writing assignments. This paper introduces Ai-RACE, an adaptable pedagogical framework for designing purposeful and innovative writing tasks. Grounded in classroom-based insights, principles of writing pedagogy, constructivist and multimodal learning theories, Ai-RACE conceptualises assignment design around five interconnected components: AI integration, Relevance, Authenticity, the 4Cs, and Engagement. Employing a design-focused qualitative approach, the study uses instructional practices and student reflections to examine the implementation of Ai-RACE in writing contexts. Although situated within a specific institutional context, the study offers transferable guidelines for designing writing assignments across international higher education settings. By positioning Ai-RACE as a design heuristic, the study demonstrates its potential in supporting engagement, critical thinking, writing skills and ethical use of AI, and highlights the importance of rethinking writing pedagogy and the professional development in AI- influenced contexts.MDPI2026-01-27T08:33:02Z2026-01-27T08:33:02Z2026-01Peer-ReviewedPublished versioninfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersioninfo:eu-repo/semantics/articleapplication/pdfEl-Soussi, A., & Yousef, D. (2026). Ai-RACE as a Framework for Writing Assignment Design in Higher Education. Education Sciences, 16(1), 119. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci160101192227-7102https://hdl.handle.net/11073/3310810.3390/educsci16010119en_UShttps://doi.org/10.3390/educsci16010119oai:repository.aus.edu:11073/331082026-01-28T08:57:51Z
spellingShingle Ai-RACE as a Framework for Writing Assignment Design in Higher Education
El-Soussi, Amira
Authentic assessment
Critical thinking
Writing pedagogy
Multimodality
Technology-enhanced learning
Generative AI
Higher education
status_str publishedVersion
title Ai-RACE as a Framework for Writing Assignment Design in Higher Education
title_full Ai-RACE as a Framework for Writing Assignment Design in Higher Education
title_fullStr Ai-RACE as a Framework for Writing Assignment Design in Higher Education
title_full_unstemmed Ai-RACE as a Framework for Writing Assignment Design in Higher Education
title_short Ai-RACE as a Framework for Writing Assignment Design in Higher Education
title_sort Ai-RACE as a Framework for Writing Assignment Design in Higher Education
topic Authentic assessment
Critical thinking
Writing pedagogy
Multimodality
Technology-enhanced learning
Generative AI
Higher education
url https://hdl.handle.net/11073/33108