Student Assistants' Perceived Leadership Impact of Artificial Intelligence on the Reading and Writing Landscape

This study explores learners' adaptation to blended learning using a Artificial Intelligence (AI), with its concomitant rapid development, is most likely to heavily influence the order of business in Higher Education. Among other spheres, academic support will undoubtedly be impacted as students can easily present AI generated works as their own personally generated works. This paper researched on perceived leadership influence of AI on the reading and writing (R&W) support given by Language Consultants (LCs) at one university in South Africa. LCs are senior students appointed through the university's Students Employment Policy working in the Reading and Writing Centre (RWC). These appointees, equipped through various training, assist the university community on R&W matters. As such, the LCs become leaders on R&W among their peers. However, given numerous available AI related word-based applications, and the fact that the majority of the potential RWC users are the Gen Zs, one wonders if these digital natives (i.e., Gen Zs) will continue using the services of RWC. With this in mind, LCs were asked in a leadership workshop to respond to questions on possible AI influence on their R&W leadership platform. This paper presents responses emanating from that engagement. In brief, an analysis of questionnaire responses of 44 respondents indicated the following: (a) with exception of a few, most LCs do not see AI as a threat that may make them redundant; (b) although appreciation of generative AI is acknowledged, LCs are note that much reskilling is needed on their part to take full advantage of AI abilities; and (c) most LCs lament the disabling nature with regards to creativity and critical thinking among students, and the promotion of laxity and plagiarism.