The interactive workshop Advancing OER Through Metaliteracy and AI Integration, presented by Prof. Tom Mackey of Empire State University, explored the application of metaliteracy and artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the design of Open Educational Resources (OER). This online session was organized by Prof. Dorothy Laubscher, UNESCO Chair at North-West University (NWU) in South Africa, and was featured as part of the NWU OER Fellows and the SADiLaR Digital Humanities OER Champions Project.
The workshop introduced key concepts from metaliteracy and emphasized the updated Metaliteracy Goals and Learning Objectives to address the challenges and opportunities of AI for teaching and learning. Participants engaged in several interactive surveys and two workshop activities that emphasized ethical, creative, and collaborative applications of AI in open learning environments. The session illustrated how careful planning and inclusive engagement reinforce the learning experience through the development of sustainable OER.
Real-world examples from the Digital Media Arts program at Empire State University illustrated how metaliteracy supports self-directed and multimodal learning in AI-driven environments.
The video recording from the session is now available:
Video recording of OER + Metaliteracy + AI Workshop
Watch the video to learn how to integrate AI and metaliteracy to support effective OER development. Try the workshop activities or adapt them to your OER projects. We invite you to share the outcome of your work via this blog, and we’ll gladly support you in doing so. If you have any questions, let us know!
At the Faculty360.org 2025 Summit, hosted virtually by Zayed University in the United Arab Emirates, Tom Mackey delivered a presentation titled “Developing Metaliterate Learners for Generative AI.” The summit theme, Beyond the AI Hype: Faculty Futures in a Changing World, provided the context for a session that introduced metaliteracy as a holistic pedagogical framework for teaching and learning with generative AI. The presentation examined how the model supports critical thinking, knowledge production, and collaborative learning in AI environments.
The talk outlined the key elements of the metaliteracy framework and illustrated how its learner domains, roles, and characteristics guide effective engagement with generative AI. The 2025 revision of the Metaliteracy Goals and Learning Objectives was discussed as a transferable resource for educators seeking to support ethical, reflective, and empowered engagement with AI across disciplines.
Several examples of learning activities from the Digital Media Arts program at Empire State University illustrated how the integration of AI and metaliteracy can foster creativity, critical reflection, and informed decision-making. The session also introduced new versions of the metaliteracy diagrams, offering updated visualizations that show how the framework enhances multiple modality learning in a wide range of educational settings.
The slide deck from this presentation is now available and can be accessed below.
If you would like to contribute your own take on these ideas, particularly as they relate to the metaliteracy framework and the updated Metaliteracy Goals and Learning Objectives, we would be glad to work with you on a guest blog post.
Framed around the idea of learners as “humans in the loop” (Wu, et. al., 2022), the session highlighted diverse case studies that offered practical strategies for empowering individuals to engage with AI critically, ethically, and collaboratively.
Representing the team in person were Matt Moyo (North-West University, South Africa), Kristine N. Stewart (Zayed University, United Arab Emirates), and Tom Mackey (Empire State University, USA), (all pictured above). The panel also drew on the important contributions of Brenda Van Wyk (University of Pretoria, South Africa), Megan Eberhardt-Alstot (Pepperdine Graduate School of Education and Psychology, USA), and Kristen Schuster (University of Southampton, UK).
The case studies showcased during the session reflected a wide range of perspectives and areas of inquiry, including Generative AI and the Metaliterate Learner, Responsible Use of AI in Postgraduate Research, Misrepresentation in AI, Inclusive Curriculum Design, and the Ethics of AI in Digital Media Arts. Together, these themes underscored the value of metaliteracy as a framework for engaging with AI while emphasizing the human capacity for metacognitive reflection, ethical responsibility, and collaborative knowledge construction.
If you would like to share your own explorations with AI and Metaliteracy, feel free to reach out to us and we would be happy to share via our Metaliteracy.org blog.
Tom and Trudi
Reference
Wu, X., Xiao, L., Sun, Y., Zhang, J., Ma, T., & He, L. (2022). A survey of human-in-the-loop for machine learning. Future Generation Computer Systems, 135, 364–381. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.future.2022.05.014
We are excited to invite contributions to our forthcoming book, “AI and Metaliteracy: Empowering Learners for the Generative Revolution” edited by Dr. Nicola Marae Allain and Dr. Thomas P. Mackey. This new volume will be published in fall 2025 for the Innovations in Information Literacy series edited by Trudi E. Jacobson for Bloomsbury Publishing (Rowman & Littlefield).
This pioneering book will feature theories and case studies about empowering learners with metaliteracy as reflective producers, informed writers, and active participants for the technological, pedagogical, and cultural revolution inspired by generative AI (Heaven, 2022, Mackey & Jacobson, 2011, 2022).
We are interested in groundbreaking approaches to metaliteracy education that encourage learners to engage with innovative AI tools such as ChatGPT and DALL-E, among many others, for creating artistic, literary, scientific, and scholarly forms of generative text, image, and video. Each chapter will focus on developing ethical metaliterate learners with autonomy and agency who are capable of producing individual and collaborative knowledge with AI (Mackey & Jacobson, 2011, 2022). We encourage imaginative chapters about the effective use of AI through the lens of metaliteracy and related literacy models, such as the ACRL Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education and the ACRL Visual Literacy Framework.
We welcome proposals from educators and practitioners, including librarians, teachers and professors worldwide, particularly those offering case studies with solid theoretical foundations and transferrable pedagogical strategies. We are seeking authors from wide-ranging disciplines, such as the Arts and Humanities, Digital Media Arts, Social Sciences, Composition Studies, Library and Information Science, Nursing, Business, and STEM. Chapter themes will also address the relevance of AI and metaliteracy to adult learning and workforce development and the importance of designing inclusive AI-driven learning experiences to advance digital equity, and accessibility for students with disabilities. The book will present methods for assessing the effectiveness of teaching metaliteracy competencies and highlight collaborative, interdisciplinary projects. We aim to provide international perspectives on the challenges and opportunities of empowering learners with generative AI and metaliteracy, exploring innovative theories and case studies that provide future directions for AI-driven learning environments.
Submission Guidelines
Proposals should include the following information:
Title: The concise and descriptive title for your proposed chapter.
Abstract: A summary (300-500 words) outlining the main objectives, theoretical foundation, metaliteracy components, generative AI tools, assessment methodology, and expected contributions of your chapter.
Author Information: Names, affiliations, and contact details of all authors.
Biographical Note: A brief biography (150-200 words) of each author highlighting relevant expertise and experience.
Please submit your proposals by December 15, 2024, to Tom.Mackey@sunyempire.edu. Selected authors will be notified by February 1, 2024, and full chapters will be due by May 1, 2025. Final chapters should be between 20 and 25 pages (double-spaced) and follow the formatting guidelines that will be provided upon acceptance.
Important Dates
Proposal Submission Deadline: December 15, 2024
Notification of Acceptance: February 1, 2025
Full Chapter Submission Deadline: May 1, 2025
Expected Publication Date: November 1, 2025
We look forward to receiving your innovative and insightful contributions that will help shape the future of metaliteracy for the generative AI revolution. For any inquiries or further information, please contact Nicola Marae Allain at Nicola.Allain@sunyempire.edu or Tom Mackey at Tom.Mackey@sunyempire.edu.
Join us in this groundbreaking project to advance education and empower learners with metaliteracy worldwide for the generative AI revolution!
Editors
Nicola Marae Allain, Ph.D. is the Dean of the School of Arts and Humanities at SUNY Empire State University, where she has held faculty (tenured) and administrative roles since 2002. Her research and leadership have focused on digital learning, immersive and virtual environments, and emerging technologies. She holds a PhD in Media and Communication from the European Graduate School, a MA in Dramatic Art, Dance and Music from the University of California, and a BA in English from the University of Ottawa. Allain’s interdisciplinary background in arts and humanities complements expertise in higher education technologies and systems, digital media arts, visual pedagogy, and digital communication. Throughout her career, Allain has demonstrated a commitment to developing an aptitude for lifelong learning among students and faculty, while supporting the agency and autonomy of learners within active and authentic learning environments. Her leadership in faculty development and curriculum design has modeled innovative strategies that scale across disciplines, and were widely adopted by SUNY Empire and institutions in New Zealand. Her decade-long role on the SUNY Innovative Instruction Research Council led to collaborations with the SUNY Faculty and Teaching with Technology (FACT2) Committee AI Task Group. Allain co-authored the SUNY FACT² Guide “Optimizing AI in Higher Education” (May 2024), for which she contributed sections on the social impact and creative applications of AI. She has previously collaborated on metaliteracy initiatives, courses and publications. Her recent articles focus on curriculum innovations in digital humanities, mindfulness, and leadership in higher education settings. Fluent in several languages, Allain is also a translator of French poetry and Classical Chinese literary texts.
Thomas P. Mackey, Ph.D. is Professor of Arts and Media and Program Coordinator for the BA and BS programs in Digital Media Arts at Empire State University. He is Academic Coordinator for online courses in Arts and Media. Dr. Mackey is the recipient of the Chancellor’s Award for Scholarship and Creative Activities (2022) and the Dr. Susan H Turben Chair in Mentoring (2021–2022). He has an honorary appointment as Extraordinary Professor, Research Unit Self- Directed Learning, Faculty of Education, North-West University, South Africa. Dr. Mackey originated the metaliteracy framework with Prof. Trudi E. Jacobson to prepare learners as individual and collaborative producers of new knowledge. He has published four books with Prof. Jacobson on metaliteracy, including the first co-authored manuscript on this topic entitled Metaliteracy: Reinventing Information Literacy as a Metaliteracy (2014). They co-edited two volumes Metaliteracy in Practice (2016) and Metaliterate Learning for the Post-Truth World (2019). Their most recent book Metaliteracy in a Connected World: Developing Learners as Producers (2022) is the recipient of the 2024 Divergent Publication Award for Excellence in Literacy in a Digital Age Research. Dr. Mackey’s latest book is a co-edited volume with Dr. Sheila Marie Aird entitled Teaching Digital Storytelling: Inspiring Voices through Online Narratives (2024). He has presented both nationally and internationally about metaliteracy and generative AI and has designed learning assignments in several courses to engage learners in the generative AI revolution.
ACRL Association of College and Research Libraries. (2015). Framework for information literacy for higher education. American Library Association. Retrieved July 20, 2024, from http://www.ala.org/acrl/standards/ilframework.
Mackey, T. P., & Jacobson, T. E. (2011). Reframing information literacy as a metaliteracy. College & Research Libraries, 72(1), 62–78. https://doi.org/10.5860/crl-76r1.
Mackey, T. P., & Jacobson, T. E. (2022). Metaliteracy in a Connected World: Developing Learners as Producers. ALA Neal-Schuman.
Book image created in DALL-E using the prompt: “Visualize a dynamic book cover for AI and Metaliteracy: Empowering Learners for the Generative Revolution” (October 28, 2024).
We welcome this guest post from Heloisa Helena Lopes Rodrigues Galiza, Instructional Designer for the edtech company DOT Digital Group in Brazil, who recently completed our Cousera MOOC Metaliteracy: Empowering Yourself in a Connected World.
During the Coursera MOOC, Metaliteracy: Empowering Yourself in a Connected World I realized that I have been a metaliterate citizen for a very long time. All the knowledge I’ve gained through this MOOC makes sense not only in the digital world but also within collaborative communities, where sharing, creating, and evaluating information are essential for collective growth and learning.
As someone who produces, publishes, and holds the authorship of the shared content, I also take on the role of a researcher, seeking reliable sources to support my work while being mindful of copyrights and open licenses. At this moment, I reflect on the characteristics of a metaliterate learner, remaining open to new perspectives and seeking the origins of information to ensure that I am not perpetuating biases. I also consider the need to be adaptable to the digital world, taking care to protect data and respect copyrights when sharing digital content. For example, when publishing in collaborative communities, I am aware that people from all over the world may consume the information I share, so it is crucial to present accurate, unbiased content that adheres to legal and ethical standards.
As a communicator, translator, or even someone who is teaching something, it is important to maintain critical and active engagement, while ensuring that my participation in the process preserves the originality of the information. At this moment, it is important to recognize that we are always learning and teaching, being collaborative in this digital world, and assuming the role of a co-creator of the knowledge shared. As an instructional designer, when I translate or adapt educational content for different audiences, I make sure to retain the core message while adjusting the language and context to suit the target audience. This helps to preserve the integrity of the information while making it accessible and relevant to a broader range of learners.
As a participant and collaborator in the digital world, and aware that everything is constantly changing, I reflect on my civic minded and social responsibility by sharing information that contributes to important debates within my community, whether in a personal or professional context. I understand that the content I share can reach diverse audiences globally, so I strive to ensure that it is accurate, respectful, and fosters meaningful discussions.
Above all, I see myself as someone who thinks a lot about my own learning, always trying to satisfy my curiosity about different topics. I also want to learn new ways of learning and understand how important self-awareness is to stay true to what I learn and teach. This mindset was further strengthened by the insights I gained through the MOOC Metaliteracy: Empowering Yourself in a Connected World, which emphasized the value of self-reflection, adaptability, and critical thinking in the learning process, both as a learner and an educator. It also helped me understand the importance of sharing information in the most accurate and responsible way, while being fully aware of my role as a metaliterate citizen.
References
O’Brien, K., Forte, M., Mackey, T. P., & Jacobson, T. (2019). Metaliteracy: Empowering yourself in a connected world [Course]. Coursera. https://www.coursera.org/learn/metaliteracy
Teaching information literacy and metaliteracy in a world of generative artificial intelligence (AI) was discussed among a global team of educators at the University of Hildesheim from August 5 to 9, 2024, The grant-funded meeting of the Intercultural Perspectives on Information Literacy and Metaliteracy (IPILM) facilitators further strengthened cooperation in teaching and research related to these themes. This was the first time the entire IPILM team was brought together in person for research and planning about the IPILM virtual exchange and related research agenda. Participants of the workshop included: Tessy Thadathil (Symbiosis College of Arts & Commerce Pune, India), Tom Mackey (Empire State University, USA), Emina Adilović (University of Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina), Stefan Dreisiebner (Carinthia University of Applied Sciences, Austria), Joachim Griesbaum (University of Hildesheim, Germany), Justyna Berniak-Woźny (Tischner European University, Poland), and Subarna Bhattacharya (Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology, India). The meetings were supported by Ms. Magdalena Dresler, a student from the University of Hildesheim.
Funding for this in-person workshop was provided by the Lower Saxony Ministry for Science and Culture through the INTENSIV funding format, which supports European and international cooperation in science and research. During the meetings, the teaching collaboration among this global team was assessed and opportunities for sustainable improvement, scalability, and institutional anchoring was discussed. The team evaluated the most recent IPILM virtual exchange in the summer of 2024 and developed plans for the 2024-25 academic year. Additionally, the team developed a research agenda for the next two years to advance cooperative research among the partner institutions.
The grant-funded workshop provided participants with a platform to discuss the challenges and opportunities of teaching topics related to generative artificial intelligence (AI) through the lens of information literacy and metaliteracy. Information literacy, understood as the ability to effectively identify, evaluate, and use information, is of great importance in the face of increasing digitization and the spread of misinformation. Metaliteracy emphasizes the learner as an active producer and ethical participant in social information environments (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metaliteracy).
The IPILM workshop is part of the ongoing commitment at the University of Hildesheim to promote international education and research in these critical competency areas. It supports the innovative virtual exchange initiated by Prof. Griesbaum and Professor Thadathil and developed by this international team. The IPILM team members and participating institutions are similarly committed to this global partnership and support the further development of this innovative collaboration.
To learn more about this initiative, read the peer-reviewed article by members of the IPILM team:
Griesbaum, J., Dreisiebner, S., Mackey, T. P., Jacobson, T. E., Thadathil, T., Bhattacharya, S., & Adilović, E. (2023). Teaching Internationally, Learning Collaboratively: Intercultural Perspectives on Information Literacy and Metaliteracy (IPILM). Communications in Information Literacy, 17 (1), 260–278. https://doi.org/10.15760/comminfolit.2023.17.1.4
Keynote Welcome to the XI INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON CURRICULUM AND EDUCATIONAL POLICIES
The international symposium is presented by the The Universidad del Magdalena and the Vice-Rectorate for Research, through the Faculty of Education Sciences. According to the conference organizers:
Our main objective is to disseminate the results and advances of educational research and innovations in the fields of theory and curricular development, as well as in educational policies. We seek to foster collaboration between academic communities at national and international level and contribute to the ongoing debate and reflection in the constant search for high-quality education.
Registration for the symposium is now open and call for proposals is available until 08/20/2024. Both in person and virtual participation options are available.
Register today for the upcoming virtual event Developing Metaliteracy to Teach and Learn with Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) presented by Tom Mackey on April 24 (1pm CDT and 2pm EDT) at the Alabama Association of College & Research Libraries (AACRL) Annual Meeting. Registration is free and open so sign up today for this engaging and interactive conversation about metaliteracy in a world of GenAI.
As generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) transforms higher education, how do we prepare learners for this rapidly evolving technology? How do librarians, faculty, and learners analyze the ethical dimension of GenAI? What does it mean to be an active producer and participant in these dynamic information environments? How does metaliteracy prepare reflective metaliterate learners to address such revolutionary changes to our learning communities?
Thanks to Jennifer Long, Vice-President of the Alabama Association of College & Research Libraries (AACRL) and the Executive Board of the Alabama ACRL Chapter for the invitation to present!
The new book edited by Dr. Sheila Marie Aird and Dr. Thomas P. Mackey Teaching Digital Storytelling: Inspiring Voices Through Online Narratives has been published by Rowman & Littlefield. The editors worked with an exceptional team of authors from SUNY schools, Temple University, and universities in South Africa to share their narratives about teaching with digital storytelling through the lens of information literacy and metaliteracy. The new book features a Foreword written by futurist and digital storytelling pioneer Dr. Bryan Alexander. This is the newest book to be included in Trudi Jacobson’sInnovations in Information Literacy Series at Rowman & Littlefield.
This book project emerged from the collaborative teaching by the Drs. Aird and Mackey to design a fully online course in Digital Storytelling to unite Empire State University students studying in Prague, Czech Republic and the United States. This course fully integrates the metaliteracy framework and features learning objects available at the metaliteracy.org blog. The editors wrote the framing chapter about this case study Metaliteracy and Global Digital Storytelling: Building Shared Learning Communities.
As noted in the book overview and description:
This book presents the stories of educators who through digital storytelling inspire students from diverse communities to construct their empowering digital narratives. Educators from a wide range of disciplines present innovative case studies of teaching digital storytelling through the lens of personal narratives, metaliteracy, and information literacy. They describe how teaching students to tell their personal digital stories prepares them as learners who are reflective while playing active learner roles such as producer, publisher, and collaborator.
Metaliteracy.org 