Cultivating (Gen)AI Literacy: Moving Past AI Pedagogy’s Hype

By Gwen Nguyen, advisor, Learning and Teaching, BCcampus

Picture this: you walk into your classroom and instead of rows of eager (or maybe sleepy) students you’re greeted by a sea of screens, each displaying an Artificial Intelligence (AI) chatbot ready to learn or teach at lightning speed. Even though I’m not a technophobic dinosaur, I sincerely hope this is never the case.

The buzz around the impact or disturbance of AI in higher education is undeniable. However, as much as I am excited and quite optimistic about advocating for the ethical and creative use of Generative AI (GenAI)in teaching and learning, I also believe that there is no such thing as AI pedagogy. Whatever way we try to use or think about the power of those platforms in education, they are only tools, and tools are not pedagogy.

In this second post of the Digital Pedagogy Toolbox (DPT) series, I aim to reflect and review what pedagogy really means in the age of AI. From those insights, I’ll discuss how educators in teaching practice can approach these tools without losing sight of what truly matters: the human elements of teaching and learning.

There is no such thing as AI pedagogy

Revisiting the essence of pedagogy

Let’s start by unpacking the term pedagogy. At its core, pedagogy is the art or the science of teaching. It’s a complex concept that has evolved far beyond its etymological roots of “leading children” as in the Greek word “paidagōgeō” or Latin-derived word “pedagogue” (Shah, 2021). Today, pedagogy may include a broader scope incorporating teachers’ beliefs and perspectives, ethical considerations in education, the interplay between culture and learning, and various instructional strategies and approaches.

Pedagogy is not just about instructional approaches or outcomes. As Friesen & Su (2023) argue, it’s an ethically informed practical perspective that is shaped by cultural contexts and the dynamic tensions within educational settings. It’s a discipline that applies to everyday life and various cultures.

When I first entered my doctoral program, one of my professors suggested understanding pedagogy as “the art of walking alongside learners.” This concept deeply resonated with my teaching philosophy, and I’ve always tried to embody this idea throughout my teaching career. It emphasizes the importance of listening to, respecting, supporting, and guiding learners wherever they are in their journey.

The evolution of digital pedagogy

As we navigate the digital age, our understanding of pedagogy has naturally evolved to include new technologies. However, digital pedagogy isn’t simply about using the latest tools in the classroom. Digital pedagogy, though a newer field, emphasizes the thoughtful integration of digital tools to enhance educational experiences, providing meaningful, flexible and accessible learning opportunities for everyone. (Sadiku et al., 2019; Dangwal & Srivastava, 2016).

What does this look like in practice? Väätäjä & Ruokamo (2021) propose a three-dimensional model: pedagogical orientation, pedagogical practices, and digital pedagogical competencies. This model suggests that effective digital pedagogy is often socio-constructivist and student-centered, fostering collaboration and social knowledge construction. Implementing digital pedagogy successfully isn’t as simple as making slideshows, handing out tablets, or setting up a class website. Beyond technological know-how, educators need a deep understanding of pedagogical approaches, content expertise, high self-efficacy, and strong peer-collaboration skills (Väätäjä & Ruokamo, 2021).

Jesse Stommel and Sean Michael Morris, on the open-access and peer-reviewed journal of Hybrid Pedagogy, remind us that digital pedagogy is “precisely not about using digital technologies for teaching and, rather, about approaching those tools from a critical pedagogical perspective. So, it is as much about using digital tools thoughtfully as it is about deciding when not to use digital tools, and about paying attention to the impact of digital tools on learning.”

Why AI tools are not pedagogy

In light of these perspectives of digital pedagogy, the term AI pedagogy appears to be reductive. AI tools, while useful and transformative, are just that—tools. They do not embody and cannot replace the essence of teaching. Pedagogy remains a human endeavour, which is deeply rooted in ethical, social, historical, and cultural practices. Therefore, I argue that there’s no such thing as AI pedagogy.

Consider the following examples that illustrate the limitations of AI in replicating true pedagogical practice:

A student visits your office to share their struggles with the course’s required readings. While an AI chatbot can certainly help by modifying the readings to make them more accessible or by suggesting alternative ways to represent the information, it cannot provide the immediate empathy and understanding that a human teacher can. The first, crucial reaction to the student’s vulnerability should be a human one that offers emotional support and validation before diving into solutions.

Some GenAI tools can generate personalized learning paths based on student data, potentially enhancing the efficiency of learning. However, AI lacks the capacity for deep ethical reasoning about crucial issues such as student data protection and privacy in tech-infused learning environments. Moreover, AI cannot engage in nuanced discussions about ethics, culture, and human experiences that are fundamental to many disciplines. These conversations require human insight, lived experience, and the ability to navigate complex moral landscapes.

While AI can assist in grading students’ work based on predefined criteria, this raises significant ethical questions. Is it ethical to put students’ intellectual property to these systems (with or without their consent)? More importantly, no AI can fully appreciate the creativity, original thinking, or emotional experience that students might bring in their work. AI also does not understand that students should retain complete ownership of their work at all stages of the learning process.

These examples illustrate that while AI tools can enhance certain aspects of teaching, they cannot replace the holistic, human-centered approach that defines true pedagogy.

Cultivate GenAI literacy: the first step for educators

Following our previous reflection on digital pedagogy, I propose reimagining what effective digital pedagogy looks like in practice in the age of AI. The first step for educators during this critical time is cultivating GenAI Literacy within our communities. By this I mean that we need to develop our own GenAI literacy and support our peers and learners in this process.

While numerous frameworks on GenAI literacy exist for educators and students, (for example, the AI literacy framework provides a conceptual foundation for AI education and programming initiatives within higher education contexts), it’s critical to focus on necessary competencies required in different contexts. Rather than trying to understand every detail about AI, machine learning, or their historical backgrounds, educators should prioritize practical skills relevant to teaching and learning, especially within their own fields.

In my previous DPT blog post in 2023, I examined the meaning of GenAI literacy and its connection to the BC Post-Secondary Digital Literacy Competency framework. Here, I aim to narrow the focus and delve deeper into the subskills that educators should cultivate to enhance their teaching practices and support learners in effectively engaging with these tools. In essence, effective digital pedagogy in the age of AI encompasses the following areas:

Understanding GenAI

Acknowledge AI’s presence in education.

Learn how GenAI tools work and differ from other AI technologies.

Understand the potential and limitations of GenAI.

Grapple with the ethical concerns that GenAI raises.

Exploring GenAI

Create GenAI sandboxes for experimentation.

Gain practical experience with GenAI platforms.

Critically assess each tool’s capabilities and limitations.

Develop “prompting literacy” or the ability to effectively interact with these tools.

Mindfully using GenAI

Carefully consider how to incorporate GenAI tools into course design and delivery.

Develop clear policies on GenAI use in your courses.

Use AI to enhance some core values, such as connection, collaboration, critical thinking, and compassion.

Continuously reflecting and responding to GenAI

Regularly review and reflect on AI output, as well as all resources related to GenAI and their roles teaching and learning.

Be prepared to address challenges like algorithmic bias and over-reliance on AI.

Creating a (new) world with GenAI

Learn to develop custom GenAI (assistants/models) that could help your work.

Create learning frameworks that incorporate GenAI in your context.

Build communities to share insights and concerns about AI in teaching and learning contexts.

Personal reflections

While I no longer serve directly in classroom settings, my experiences as a classroom instructor have shaped my perspective on GenAI in teaching and learning. Here are some practical examples:

On day one, I discussed AI tools with my students, sharing how I use GenAI for creating review quizzes or redesigning rubrics. I clearly outlined which parts of the course allowed for GenAI use and which do not.

I found GenAI tools particularly useful in making course materials more accessible. For instance, I used GenAI to generate transcripts of video lectures and to create simplified versions of complex texts for learners who needed additional support.

I used AI-generated content as a starting point for critical analysis. For example, I might present students with an AI-written essay on a topic and ask them to evaluate its strengths and weaknesses, fact-check its claims, and improve upon its arguments.

With teacher candidates, I encouraged open conversations about the ethical implications of AI in education. We’d discuss different scenarios: “If an AI can write a perfect essay on any particular topic or if a GenAI work could be B- work, what does that mean for how we assess student learning in in this new learning era?” These discussions led to critical thinking exercises where students and I (as reflective practitioners) could question the ethical implications of AI in education, its impact on creativity, and how it might shape our future professional paths and preparation for those new roles.

Moving forward

My teaching journey began years ago as a tutor and teaching assistant, eventually leading to a role as a university instructor just as the internet was becoming ubiquitous. I remember those early days, entering classrooms armed with only papers, pencils, and stickers. Over time, I’ve witnessed firsthand how technological advancements have supported and transformed learning. Yet, through all these changes, I still believe that the essence of teaching and learning always begins with us—the teachers, learners, and other academic community members—and our shared values.

Rather than creating new buzzwords like AI pedagogy, let’s focus on evolving our existing pedagogical practices to thoughtfully engage with AI tools, starting with cultivating GenAI literacy among our communities. I invite all educators to embrace continuous learning about AI and its educational application: engage in open dialogues with colleagues and students about the role of AI in education; experiment with AI tools critically, consider their impact on teaching, learning, and our well-being; and advocate for institutional guidelines that strategically support ethical and effective AI integration in education.

Exciting news! To support educators in this journey, we’re launching the BCcampus GenAI in Teaching and Learning Toolkit at the end of the month. This resource aims to inspire and guide you through everything from foundational understanding of GenAI to practical integration strategies for your classroom. Stay tuned!

References

Dangwal, K. L., & Srivastava, S. (2016). Digital pedagogy in teacher education. International Journal of Information Science and Computing, 3(2), 67-72, doi:10.5958/2454-9533.2016.00008.9

Friesen N., & Su, H. (2023) What is Pedagogy? Discovering the Hidden Pedagogical Dimension. Educational Theory, 73(1), https://doi.org/10.1111/edth.12569

Hibbert M., Altman E., Shippen, T., & Wright, M. (2024) A Framework for AI Literacy. EDUCAUSE Review https://er.educause.edu/articles/2024/6/a-framework-for-ai-literacy

Hybrid Pedagogy (n.d.) What is Digital Pedagogy? https://hybridpedagogy.org/tag/what-is-digital-pedagogy/

Sadiku, M. N. O., Adebo, P. O., & Musa, S. M. (2018). Online teaching and learning. International Journal of Advanced Research in Computer Science and Software Engineering, 8(2), 73–75. https://doi.org/10.23956/ijarcsse.v8i2.549

Shah, R. (2021). Conceptualizing and defining pedagogy. IOSR Journal of
Research & Method in Education, 11(1), 6–29. https://doi.org/10.9790/7388-1101020629

Väätäjä, J. O., & Ruokamo, H. (2021). Conceptualizing dimensions and a model for digital pedagogy. Journal of Pacific Rim Psychology, 15, 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1177/1834490921995395