Students can try something new with creative course formats. Designed by faculty who like to innovate and collaborate, these courses invite students to do the same.
Boston Now
Boston Now is a Writing Program curricular initiative that focuses on outside-the-classroom experiences and place-based learning. Every semester, students in our seminars explore a variety of sites and events throughout the city of Boston. When students read and write about Boston’s natural landscapes, public spaces, museums, and live performances in connection with traditional texts, they become more versatile thinkers, communicators, writers, and researchers. Boston Now has a longstanding connection to the BU Arts Initiative and is always eager to build connections with other BU faculty, initiatives, programs, and departments.
AI-intensive Writing, Research & Inquiry classes
We are grateful to the Shipley Center for funding and supporting AI-intensive Writing, Research & Inquiry classes. In 2024 and 2025, the Writing Program is offering a small number of WR 151, 152, and 153 classes to support teachers and students as they explore how emerging generative AI tools can serve their teaching and learning goals. Participating faculty have opportunity to learn about how students are currently using AI and about the kinds of support they need to use it well. They work together to develop class policies, assignments, lessons, and activities that help students understand the benefits and risks of using AI as part of the writing and research process, with the aim of informing program guidelines and pedagogies around AI going forward. They also each work with their own AI affiliate–an undergraduate who has completed the courses and can support enrolled students in practicing ethical and meaningful AI-mediated writing and research. . The affiliates also collaborate with instructors to experiment and troubleshoot assignments and activities and participate in library workshops on using AI in the research process.
This initiative was featured in the 2024 EDUCAUSE Horizon Report | Teaching and Learning Edition (May 2024)