The Rise of AI Literacy: A Personal Experience
As a mother of 12-year-old twins, I’ve watched with both pride and astonishment as they navigate the world of artificial intelligence (AI) with remarkable fluency. They’ve created music using AI, transformed our family photos into dreamy Van Gogh-like portraits, and even developed a chatbot that reflects the personalities of their favorite anime characters. While it would be easy to attribute their skills to sheer brilliance, the reality tells a more complex, critical story.
The Foundation of AI Literacy
My children’s proficiency in AI is built on a fortunate mixture of circumstances that highlight the importance of privilege and opportunity. My husband and I both hold graduate degrees and engage in jobs that require high levels of computer literacy. Moreover, they attend Haverford Middle School, part of a district that consistently ranks among the top in Pennsylvania. This school benefits from stable funding, dedicated educators, and a robust IT department, which collectively promote discussions about AI in their classrooms.
The Knowledge Gap in Education
In stark contrast, my experience as a professor at Delaware County Community College exposes me to students who often emerge from underperforming educational backgrounds. Many of my adult learners come to class with limited exposure to modern technology. One returning student, surprised by the capabilities of AI, remarked after a brief demonstration of ChatGPT, “Well, now I understand why my daughter is finishing her homework so quickly.”
This knowledge gap is not merely technological; it encompasses generational, socioeconomic, and institutional dimensions that threaten to widen continuously. If educators don’t proactively address these disparities, we risk leaving our most vulnerable students behind.
Taking Proactive Steps
Realizing the urgency of the situation, I felt compelled to act. Over the past six months, I dedicated more than 150 hours to building my fluency with various large language models. This journey has entailed a deep dive into AI’s terminology, ethics, and mechanics while leaning on the IT expertise within my own family. I immersed myself in relevant literature, listened to podcasts, and engaged deeply with colleagues about what equitable and ethical AI could look like within our courses.
With this newfound understanding, I secured a grant to provide my Composition I students with access to ChatGPT subscriptions. These students will have the luxury of meeting in a computer lab, allowing us to explore AI tools in a collaborative setting. With OpenAI access, they will gain faster responses, diverse learning tools, and the ability to use Sora, OpenAI’s image and video generator, thus amplifying their engagement with our readings.
Implementing AI Tools for Enhanced Learning
As a part of my commitment to bridge the educational gap, I integrated Pangram, an AI-detection tool, into my Composition II course this summer. In contrast to traditional methods of scrutinizing student writing for potential dishonesty, Pangram’s transparent findings foster a collaborative environment between instructor and students. Unlike previous detectors, Pangram can identify subtly humanized AI-generated writing, potentially curtailing the tendency of students to rely on quick-fix solutions instead of engaging with the laborious, yet essential, growth required in their writing processes.
The most effective educational tool I’ve implemented is the AI Transparency Journal, a shared Google Doc where students log every interaction with AI during the semester. This journal allows them to track each prompt, AI responses, areas of surprise, and moments of struggle while cultivating a richer understanding of their learning journey.
Initial Experiments: AI and Personal Reflection
In a recent assignment, I had my students upload our syllabus to ChatGPT, introduce themselves with a custom prompt detailing their backgrounds and writing experiences, and then ask the AI for insights on what they might enjoy or find challenging in the course. The results were enlightening. Students reported feeling more prepared and reflective even before engaging with the first assigned text. Skeptics were taken aback by the personalized nature and unexpected insightfulness of the AI’s responses.
Some students shared reflections that deeply resonated with me:
- One noted that the AI response “understood both the good and the hard stuff about me,” while linking their love for reading the Quran to the diverse literature we’d explore.
- Another felt the AI’s suggestion of keeping a personal phrase list for vocabulary enhancement would significantly alter their approach to the course.
- A student humorously compared the response to a horoscope — “but more useful.” They found it clarified the syllabus better than their initial reading.
This exercise fostered metacognition and reflection even before delving into our literary texts, a critical step for personal learning and growth.
Engagement Through Creative Assignments
Fast-forwarding to my current summer Composition II course, my students were tasked with selecting their favorite passage from either Langston Hughes’ “Let America Be America Again” or Dunya Mikhail’s “The War Works Hard” and using the AI to generate an image that encapsulated its themes. The responses to this assignment revealed the power of AI in the learning process. Many students were captivated by the generated images, and their journal responses were double the length required. Even those disappointed with the image were enthusiastic about discussing their thoughts.
A Shift in Student Engagement Metrics
As I evaluate students from this semester against those from last year, the differences are striking. Starting with 37 students this summer, 29 are actively submitting work, and 24 of them are earning A’s or B’s—an almost exponential increase in retention and performance compared to last summer when only 17 out of 38 students finished with a passing grade.
Navigating Challenges with AI Integration
Despite the improvements, I have faced challenges with the wide-scale integration of AI tools. Frequently, I find myself on Zoom calls guiding students who are less tech-savvy through the many interfaces required. However, students have not complained. One student, in her 50s, expressed gratitude after a longer video call, stating, “I never understood what all this AI stuff was before. I never thought I’d learn how to do this in an English class!”
Creating a Vibrant Learning Community
Underneath all the trial and error, a unique atmosphere is emerging in my classroom: one filled with engagement, community, and a palpable energy. This positive undercurrent transforms the learning space, even in virtual classes, leading to intentional and motivated learning experiences.
Through this journey, I’m reminded of the critical responsibility educators have to guide students in navigating new technologies. If we ignore the ethical and responsible use of AI in our curriculums, we risk not only widening the skills gap but also reinforcing the very equity gaps many educators strive to eliminate.
Let’s shift the conversation from fear to responsibility. Our students are ready. It’s time we meet them where they are and guide them into this new landscape of learning.
