Not Cheating, Just Changing: A Professor’s Case for AI-Enhanced Learning

Amy Hamilton
Jul 9, 2025
4 min read

“If they can craft an essay using AI tools and I am unable to tell the difference—that is the goal, not the problem.”

Metamorphosis

The journey from caterpillars (rudimentary writing) to butterflies (sophisticated digital tools) in the realm of writing and knowledge has been nothing short of transformative. Digital advancements have profoundly reshaped how we create, refine, share, and manage information.

In 1989, I had a Brother word processor 500, which weighed over twenty pounds and was deemed portable. To earn some money, I rented out this bulky machine to my dormmates, who preferred working on our floor rather than trekking to the computer lab or Kinkos during chilly Michigan nights. For the average college student, the ability to save information and make instant corrections was just beginning to emerge.

During that period, there was a debate among writers regarding the use of word processing software, with many believing that using anything other than a typewriter was akin to cheating. Fast forward to 2025, and hardly anyone is still writing on a typewriter. Technology evolves and transforms our lives, making it essential to adapt and learn how to effectively utilize these tools for success.

The Evolution of Technology and Writing

From Physical to Digital Text: The Dawn of Word Processing

Early Days

Before digital tools, writing was a physical process. The rock and chisel gave way to thin quill pens, ink, paper.. Editing involved messy cross-outs, sanding paper, or using correction fluid. Knowledge was primarily stored in physical libraries, archives, and personal notes.

The Typewriter Revolution

The typewriter introduced speed and legibility, but corrections remained a laborious task.

The Birth of Word Processing (1970s onwards):

This was the true turning point. Software like Electric Pencil (1976), WordStar (1978), and later WordPerfect and Microsoft Word, revolutionized the writing process.

Easy Editing: Writers could now effortlessly insert, delete, move, and copy text without retyping entire documents. This fostered a more fluid and iterative writing process, encouraging revision and refinement.
Formatting and Presentation: Digital tools brought features like different fonts, sizes, styles, and eventually, the ability to incorporate images and multimedia. This allowed for greater control over the visual presentation of written work.
Digital Storage: Documents could be saved electronically, eliminating the need for vast physical filing systems and making retrieval much faster.

The Internet and Collaboration: Connecting Writers and Knowledge

Correspondence Tools: The rise of email, chat, bulletin boards, and forums in the 1980s and beyond transformed communication, enabling quick sharing of ideas and information. While often ephemeral, these tools laid the groundwork for more robust collaboration.
Real-time Collaboration: Tools like Google Docs, introduced in the mid-2000s, brought real-time collaborative writing to the forefront. Multiple users can now work on the same document simultaneously, seeing each other's changes instantly. This has revolutionized team writing, editing, and feedback processes, making them far more efficient and interactive.
Online Platforms and Communities: The internet fostered the growth of online writing groups, forums, and social media platforms. These spaces allow writers to share their work, receive feedback, and connect with a global audience, breaking down the traditional solitary nature of writing.
Research Accessibility: The internet, with its vast repositories of information, has become an invaluable research tool. Writers can access a limitless supply of facts, data, and examples with just a few clicks, enriching their content and broadening the scope of what they can write about.

Advanced Tools for Enhanced Writing and Knowledge Management

Grammar and Style Checkers: Tools like Grammarly and Hemingway Editor provide real-time suggestions for grammar, spelling, punctuation, and even stylistic improvements, helping writers refine their prose and enhance readability.
Outline Generators and Brainstorming Tools: Digital tools assist with the pre-writing phase, helping writers structure their ideas, develop outlines, and brainstorm concepts more effectively.
Speech-to-Text Applications: These tools convert spoken words into text, offering a new method of input that can be particularly helpful for accessibility or for writers who prefer to dictate their thoughts.
Content Management Systems (CMS) and Knowledge Bases: For organizations and individuals, CMS platforms (like WordPress) and dedicated knowledge management systems (like Confluence, Notion, Guru) have become crucial. They allow for:
Structured Organization: Storing, organizing, and retrieving vast amounts of information efficiently.
Version Control: Tracking changes and ensuring that the latest versions of documents are always available from multiple authors.
Searchability: Powerful search functions enable quick retrieval of specific information within large knowledge repositories.
Information Dissemination: Facilitating easy sharing of knowledge across teams and with external audiences.

“These tools aren’t replacing the writer. They’re expanding the possibilities of how—and where—our ideas come to life.”

The AI Frontier: The Future of Writing and Knowledge

AI Writing Assistants: The most recent leap involves AI-powered writing assistants. These tools can go beyond grammar checks, offering stylistic advice, generating content based on prompts, suggesting ideas, and even helping to overcome writer's block.
Intelligent Search and Automation: AI is being integrated into knowledge management to provide intelligent search, automated content tagging, and chatbots that can instantly answer questions by drawing from a company's knowledge base.
Personalized Feedback and Content Creation: The future promises even more sophisticated AI that can adapt to individual writing styles, offer tailored advice, and potentially create content in a writer's unique voice.

In essence, digital tools have transformed writing from a linear, often solitary, and labor-intensive process into a dynamic, collaborative, and increasingly intelligent endeavor. This evolution has not only boosted productivity and efficiency but has also profoundly impacted how we create, share, and leverage knowledge in the digital age, much like a caterpillar transforming into a vibrant butterfly, capable of new heights.

What we’re seeing now isn’t just smarter tools—it’s a shift in how we create. With large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, CoPilot and Gemini entering the scene, they are not just proofreading—they are co-thinking, co-drafting, and reimagining what productivity looks like for writers, educators, and storytellers. These tools aren’t replacing the writer. They’re expanding the possibilities of how—and where—our ideas come to life.

“In 1989, my Brother word processor was a portable workout to carry. In 2025, I carry a thinking partner in my pocket.—A testimony to how far we—and our tools—have come."

Fast forward from being a student in 1993, to a professor in 2025. I have to redesign my assessments to ensure I am measuring the right aspect of student learning. Students are not cheating if they use AI. If they can craft an essay using AI Tools and I am unable to tell the difference, that is the goal, not the problem.

*Images created by WIX and CoPilot AI