In response to the spread of generative AI, colleges and universities are recognizing the necessity of ensuring that students learn how to responsibly use AI and think critically about its role in society. However, defining and implementing AI literacy is complicated by rapidly evolving technologies and the difficulty of foreseeing the magnitude and variety of AI’s effects on teaching and learning, career readiness, and civic life. Creating institutionally specific frameworks for AI literacy and building the programming and resources necessary to integrate it into undergraduate education will require contributions from across the university.

Libraries are well positioned to be campus and even national leaders in these efforts. They employ experts in the information sciences, and at many institutions have long histories as key providers of instruction about other essential modern information literacies such as data literacy or digital literacy. Ithaka S+R is excited to announce a new cohort project, sponsored in part by JSTOR, focused on helping libraries meet the challenge of AI literacy.

How will the project work?

Ithaka S+R will organize a cohort of 15 colleges and universities with deep commitments in promoting AI literacy as a core learning outcome. During the exploration phase of the project, participating institutions will meet for structured conversation and information sharing to situate their AI literacy goals in relation to existing AI and information literacy frameworks. Participants will collaborate with Ithaka S+R to create and customize an interview guide designed to better understand the expectations, experiences, and needs of students and faculty.

In the project’s research phase, local research teams will conduct interviews with campus communities. Ithaka S+R will consult with each participating institution to  finalize the instruments, assist in developing a sampling and recruiting strategy for student and instructor interviews, and provide support throughout the interview process. In the project’s sharing phase, participants will share findings from their interviews and work collaboratively to ideate on new service offerings or revisions to existing services at an internal symposium. Ithaka S+R will publish a final report based on aggregated analysis of the interviews conducted throughout the project.

We are thrilled to announce that the following institutions have confirmed their participation:

Alfred University
Buffalo State University
Chapman University
Montana State University
Santa Clara University
SUNY-Empire State
Virginia Tech

The project will launch this spring, and we can include an additional eight institutions in the cohort. If you are interested in learning more about the project or participating in it, please contact Ruby MacDougall (ruby.macdougall@ithaka.org) by February 28, 2025.