Impact of Automated Writing Evaluation (AWE) on Middle School Students’ Writing Outcomes

This study used a randomized, controlled trial to assess the impact of the automated writing evaluation system MI Write on middle school students from traditionally underserved groups, including Black and Hispanic/Latinx students and those experiencing poverty. The research focused on whether students who used MI Write for one school year (n = 1,260) showed improved argumentative writing performance, increased self-efficacy, greater enjoyment of writing, and stronger beliefs in the recursive nature of writing compared with those who did not use MI Write (n = 1,227) . No significant overall treatment effects were found, but significant treatment by district interactions emerged. Perceptions of MI Write were positive overall but varied by district. Findings reveal the limitations and promise of automated writing evaluation.