Literacies in the Age of AI

An innovative resource for understanding and teaching literacy in a digital and AI-powered world

Literacies in the Age of AI: Teaching and Learning in the Digital Era responds to a critical need in contemporary education by redefining literacy in light of digital transformation and the rise of generative AI. Moving beyond traditional definitions of reading and writing, this innovative volume situates literacy as a complex, multimodal practice involving text, image, sound, space, and gesture. Through a compelling historical and theoretical account of literacy's evolution—spanning from oral traditions and early writing systems to today's AI-integrated learning environments—the text equips readers to navigate a shifting communicative landscape shaped by emerging technologies.

Written by a team of leading educators and researchers, Literacies in the Age of AI proposes a reflexive pedagogical framework that synthesizes didactic, authentic, functional, and critical approaches. Eight accessible yet detailed chapters explore how learners co-construct meaning within diverse social, cultural, and technological contexts. The authors critically address challenges such as algorithmic bias, fabricated content, and privacy while emphasizing the transformative potential of GenAI in education, including its role in assessment, inclusion, and personalized learning.

Empowering educators to design learning environments that support critical thinking, creativity, and equity, this valuable book:

• Integrates theoretical insights from literacy studies, AI research, and multimodal communication in a single comprehensive framework
• Discusses timely and complex ethical issues in AI, including data privacy, algorithmic bias, and content authenticity
• Highlights the role of educators as co-designers of meaning-making practices in rapidly evolving digital landscapes
• Features exceptional multimodal illustrations and AI-generated visual content to deepen conceptual understanding
• Includes concrete strategies, research-informed practices, and structured activities throughout

Bridging the gap between research and classroom practice with interdisciplinary applications suitable for a wide range of learning contexts, Literacies in the Age of AI: Teaching and Learning in the Digital Era is ideal for undergraduate and graduate courses in literacy education, curriculum and instruction, educational technology, and media studies. It is particularly well-suited for teacher preparation programs and digital literacy modules in education and applied linguistics programs.

Gabriela C. Zapata is Associate Professor of Education at the University of Nottingham. She specializes in AI literacy, multiliteracies-based instruction, and inclusive pedagogical design. Zapata is the author of five books and multiple peer-reviewed articles and co-edits Diversity & Inclusion Research.

Bill Cope is Professor of Education at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. His research focuses on learning design, multimodal meaning, educational technology, and artificial intelligence. He has authored numerous influential works, including New Learning and the two volumes multimodal grammar, Making Sense and Adding Sense.

Mary Kalantzis is Professor in the College of Education at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. An internationally recognized leader in literacy and education studies, she has co-authored foundational texts including New Learning and A Pedagogy of Multiliteracies.