In this segment of Learning Off the Syllabus, Farnaz and Vanessa (MA, English Literature) have an open conversation about what it means to support student learning in the GenAI era. They unpack the shift from resistance to adaptation in educational spaces and the challenges of assessing student work in meaningful ways. They also reflect on how AI is reshaping writing support services, with students both relying on and bypassing human tutoring in different ways. The episode surfaces deeper questions about what we value in student writing, and how educators might rethink their approaches without losing sight of learning itself.

Vanessa Nino is an educator and instructional designer specializing in English language teaching, academic writing, and adult learning. She has taught English for Academic Purposes (EAP) and communications at Sheridan College and Humber College as well as ESL at Acheve's LINC Home Study, supporting multilingual learners in developing general English, academic literacy and professional communication skills. Earlier in her career, she contributed to the TESL community as Communications Officer for TESL Toronto and supported social media engagement for TESL Ontario. She currently leads the English and Writing Tutoring team at Sheridan College’s Library and Learning Services, where she advances inclusive, student-centred writing support through innovative practice and Universal Design for Learning (UDL).

Literature mentioned in⁠⁠ the episode:

The Em Dash Dilemma: How a Punctuation Mark Became AI’s Stubborn Signature

Saunders, G. L., & Boldt, N. (2026). Avoid, Adopt, Adapt: Positions on GenAI in Canadian Writing Centres. Discourse and Writing/Rédactologie, 35, 156–184. https://doi.org/10.31468/dwr.1139

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Theme music:

Periscope by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Artist: http://audionautix.com/