Ai-RACE as a Framework for Writing Assignment Design in Higher Education

Higher education continues to encounter the challenge of redesigning writing pedagogy beyond the rapid adoption of emerging technologies. This challenge is particularly evident in English writing courses, which play a role in developing students’ writing and research skills in universities across the United Arab Emirates (UAE). While generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools offer practical affordances for writing instruction, their growing use has also raised concerns about academic integrity, authenticity, and critical engagement. Although early discourse has focused on the risks and potential of GenAI, there remains a clear dearth of frameworks to guide instructors in designing meaningful and engaging writing assignments. This paper introduces Ai-RACE, an adaptable pedagogical framework for designing purposeful and innovative writing tasks. Grounded in classroom-based insights, principles of writing pedagogy, constructivist and multimodal learning theories, Ai-RACE conceptualises assignment design around five interconnected components: AI integration, Relevance, Authenticity, the 4Cs, and Engagement. Employing a design-focused qualitative approach, the study uses instructional practices and student reflections to examine the implementation of Ai-RACE in writing contexts. Although situated within a specific institutional context, the study offers transferable guidelines for designing writing assignments across international higher education settings. By positioning Ai-RACE as a design heuristic, the study demonstrates its potential in supporting engagement, critical thinking, writing skills and ethical use of AI, and highlights the importance of rethinking writing pedagogy and the professional development in AI- influenced contexts.