In November 2022, generative artificial intelligence (AI) burst into everyday life in homes, classrooms, workplaces, and communities. For education, the rapid acceleration of this technology provided new opportunities that could transform assessments, personalize learning, and support instruction, but it also raised uncertainty and concerns about policies that would impact professional development, access and equity, data privacy, and student safety. Questions have also emerged about what counts as digital literacy, AI literacy, and even how both relate to computer science. This brief explores these questions through a literature review, stakeholder interviews, a focus group of educators and students, and a 50-state scan of the digital literacy skills landscape. The work affirms that digital literacy is as fundamental as reading, writing, and math. Stakeholders in education describe digital literacy as a foundation that everyone needs, AI literacy as a major core component of digital literacy, and CS as a discipline that contributes computational concepts and practices to strengthen AI literacy. Taken together, the United States needs a comprehensive national digital literacy skills framework with measurable outcomes, and aligned systems and policies that integrate digital literacy, AI literacy, and CS.

Source link