January 22, 2026
Meghan O'Toole
Carla Arnell proposes a new model for writing instruction for Inside Higher Ed
Associate Dean of the Faculty and Professor of English Carla Arnell recently penned an opinion piece for the higher education publication Inside Higher Ed. In her article, “Bio Lab, Chem Lab, Writing Lab?,” Arnell pitches a new approach to teaching writing in the wake of AI.
Writing is a skill that every college promises students will walk away with. For centuries, the teaching of writing has been synonymous with the teaching of critical thinking. As students write, they create new pathways in their brain and begin to articulate their lines of thought.
In the age of artificial intelligence, many students are using AI to complete essay assignments, resulting in atrophied writing skills.
Arnell, who is also the Director of the Office of Faculty Development, argues that colleges should not abandon writing programs, as the skill remains important to the values of higher education and the development of individual thinking. Rather, Arnell proposes the introduction of writing labs.
Arnell argues that “...colleges need to restructure traditional models of writing instruction so that students have ample time to practice writing in the classroom, with a community of human peers and under the supervision of a writing guide. Only in, with and under those circumstances will students be able to rediscover writing as a true labor of love.”
The idea borrows a concept from the science classroom. We are all familiar with chemistry labs and biology labs. Much like these lab hours, which are scheduled outside of lecture time, a writing lab would offer supervised writing time with hands-on human mentorship during which students can practice key skills. Arnell notes, though, that if the word “lab" sounds too “scientific” for learning the craft of writing, “workshops" or “practica” might be viable alternative names.
Insofar as Arnell’s essay was inspired by her work in the Office of Faculty Development, she remarked, “I feel fortunate to teach at a liberal arts college where pedagogical responsiveness to technological innovation is encouraged and where we’ve been able to host visiting scholars like John Warner, who are in the vanguard of thinking about how to teach writing in the age of AI.”
Krebs Provost and Dean of the Faculty and Vice President for Academic Affairs Tara Natarajan shared insight on the College’s strides toward creating an AI-savvy campus. “As an educational institution, it is both our responsibility and presents a significant opportunity to understand the power and impact of artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies, both negative and positive as they are transforming every facet of society, and certainly higher education,” she shared.
“Lake Forest College is an AI-savvy campus because we are actively engaged in faculty development programs devoted to teaching, learning, pedagogy, creative work and scholarship in the age of AI. Dr. Arnell’s opinion piece is a perfect example of how faculty are actively engaged in doubling down on imparting writing skills as they are fundamental to developing critical thinking skills.”
Read Arnell's full story at Inside Higher Ed.