Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Western Governors University Selects AI Writing Assistance Partner

  • By Matt Jones
  • 05/22/24

Online university Western Governors University recently announced a partnership with AI writing assistance provider Grammarly, according to a news release. The university will provide access to Grammarly’s real-time writing support services—and new Writing Score API—to all faculty and students. The goal of the collaboration is to empower the university’s working adult and remote students to build critical communication skills.

The Writing Score API provides real-time quality checks on documents to provide feedback and suggestions that ensure correct, clear, and engaging writing, the news release reports. The service will be deployed to WGU students over the summer and to the education market at large later in 2024.

“Even in the generative AI–connected workforce, writing is as essential as ever, with knowledge workers spending 19 hours per week on written communication,” said Jenny Maxwell, Head of Grammarly for Education. “To ensure students are prepared to succeed in today’s workplace, they must learn effective writing and editing skills. Grammarly’s partnership with WGU will empower students to improve their writing skills, increase the likelihood of earning a degree, and ultimately maximize their career opportunities.”

The service will allow students to submit written assignments with a minimum of 30 words and receive a writing score on a 1–100 scale. The score reflects potential improvements to grammar, spelling, punctuation, sentence clarity, word choice variety, and tone, according to the news release. The Writing Score API expands existing writing score technology to a wider variety of its applications.

“WGU is thrilled to partner with Grammarly and pilot the Writing Score API at scale,” said WGU Senior Vice President of Academic Delivery Debbie Fowler. “WGU makes higher education and professional career advancement attainable for everyone by identifying system-wide barriers and investing in solutions to eliminate them. We are excited to embed this in-the-moment feedback into how we teach while our instructors remain student-centric. By incorporating this AI technology, we can provide truly personalized learning and meet students where they are.”

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Can AI Help Build Stronger Communities in Student Housing?

    Student housing success is shifting from operational performance to student experience, with belonging now at the center. A recent 2025 report underscores a growing emphasis on student well-being, community, and engagement, signaling that expectations now extend beyond logistics to ensure students feel supported in their living environments. AI is enabling that shift by reducing administrative workload and giving teams more time to focus on meaningful student engagement.

  • Johns Hopkins Starts Construction on New Residence Hall, Dining Facility

    The Homewood Campus of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Md., recently began construction on a new residence hall and dining facility, according to university news. The work involves demolishing the existing Alumni Memorial Residence Hall I, which was built in 1923, to make room for the new facility.

  • UT-San Antonio Begins Residence Hall Renovations

    The University of Texas at San Antonio recently began a $6-million renovation project to one of its residence halls, according to a news release. Originally completed in 1986, Chisolm Hall measures in at 120,860 square feet and is the oldest and largest residence hall on campus.

  • St. John Fisher University

    Classroom Revitalization – Basil Hall Room 216

    Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. St. John Fisher University's Basil Hall Room 216 Classroom Revitalization has been recognized with an EDS 2026 Project of Distinction award in the category of Spaces.