An innovative resource for understanding and teaching literacy in a digital and AI-powered world
Literacies: Learning and Teaching in the Age of Digital Media and Artificial Intelligence 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 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: Learning and Teaching in the Age of Digital Media and Artificial Intelligence 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 in Education at the University of Nottingham. She specializes in Generative AI in higher education teaching, learning, and assessment, AI literacy, multiliteracies-based language instruction, and inclusive pedagogy. She is the author of four books, peer-reviewed articles, and book chapters on bilingualism, second and heritage language pedagogy, multimodal social semiotics, and teacher cognition and practice. She is the co-editor of the journal Diversity & Inclusion Research.
Bill Cope is Professor of Education Policy at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. His research focuses on learning design, educational technology, and multimodal meaning. He has authored numerous influential works, including New Learning and Ubiquitous Learning, and has led major research projects funded by the Institute of Education Sciences, the Gates Foundation, and the National Science Foundation.
Mary Kalantzis is Professor in the Department of Education at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. An internationally recognized leader in literacy and diversity studies, she has co-authored foundational texts including Multiliteracies, New Learning, and Ubiquitous Learning. Her research spans multimodal communication, educational equity, and curriculum innovation.
