(De)grading the literary value?: a reflective study of the design and quantitative effectiveness of literary strolling

This article critically reflects on the disciplinary friction between creative writing pedagogy and social science-oriented educational assessment. To bridge this gap, the author proposes a mixed-methods research design evaluating a school-based writer-in-residence program. The framework pairs quantitative metrics, such as the Territory-wide System Assessment (TSA) standards and quasi-experimental control groups, with qualitative methods including ethnographic observation, structured interviews, and subjective literary textual analysis. Drawing on pilot experiments conducted in both secondary and university settings, the study highlights the limitations of purely statistical assessments. While quantitative data can track engagement and basic language proficiency, it frequently fails to capture profound artistic achievements, such as a student’s structurally inventive visual poetry or the emotional depth of site-specific, documentary-style prose. Ultimately, the article argues that utilizing quantitative methodologies for funding and educational proposals does not inherently degrade literary value, provided these metrics are continually anchored by qualitative, humanistic analysis. Maintaining this balanced, interdisciplinary approach is vital not only for accurately assessing literary programs but also for defending human subjectivity and authentic experiential writing against the standardizing, algorithmic influences of artificial intelligence in modern creative education.