Digital/AI Literacy

Read more about students’ ability to use technology, including artificial intelligence, to discover, evaluate, and utilize information

Explainer

Ava reads at Indian Run Elementary School in Dublin, Ohio. The school integrates iPads, laptops, and books into reading time.
What Is Digital Literacy?
For educators, digital literacy means much more than learning to read online. Here's a guide to understanding it.
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A group of 98 high school students representing all 50 states who spent three days in Boston creating, debating, and voting on a framework for what they believe AI use in schools should look like.“America’s Youth AI Festival,” took place July 17-19 and was hosted by nonprofit Day of AI; MIT RAISE; AASA, The School Superintendents Association; and the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the U.S. Senate.
A group of 98 high school students representing all 50 states spent three days in Boston July 17-19 creating, debating, and voting on a framework for what they believe AI use in schools should look like. Some experts say educators should get students more involved in helping craft AI policies for schools.
Eric Haynes/Edward M. Kennedy Institute
Artificial Intelligence Students Created a National AI Policy Framework. Here’s What It Includes
Nearly 100 students from across the country collaborated to set guardrails around AI use in schools.
Lauraine Langreo, August 7, 2026
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8 min read
Benjimon Kelly, center, a 19-year-old industrial maintenance student at Texas State Technical College, speaks with WSP recruiters Jeff Caraway, right, senior VP project management, and Charles Schoubroek, left, department manager Texas region, during a spring job fair at the campus in Red Oak on Tuesday, March 24, 2026. Teens share how they feel about AI impacting the job market, a new survey shows.
Benjimon Kelly, center, a 19-year-old industrial maintenance student at Texas State Technical College, speaks with recruiters during a spring job fair at the campus in Red Oak on March 24, 2026. High school and college students are increasingly concerned about the impact AI will likely have on their future job opportunities.
Angela Piazza/The Dallas Morning News via TNS
College & Workforce Readiness How Well Are Schools Preparing Students for an AI-Driven World? Teens Weigh In
Most teens say they learn best when they can apply what they're learning to real-world situations.
Jennifer Vilcarino, July 31, 2026
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2 min read
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Hundreds attend the ISTELive 26 + ASCD annual conference at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla. on June 29, 2026. Some educators at the conference discussed how they introduce AI to elementary students, breaking down specific lessons to illustrate the technology's potential and limitations, and boost students' AI literacy.
Marvin Joseph/Education Week
Artificial Intelligence Lessons on AI for Elementary Students: 'Teach Them Good Habits Now'
Teachers want to help their youngest students become familiar with AI's potential—and its limits.
Arianna Prothero, July 8, 2026
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7 min read
Illustration of four shrinking human brains with a circuit board texture and binary code in the background.
Illustration by Emily Wright for Education Week + Getty
Artificial Intelligence 3 Ways Teachers Can Help Students Think Critically About AI
Student use of AI should always end with human reflection and analysis. Here's how to do that.
Jennifer Vilcarino, July 8, 2026
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3 min read
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Attendees at the ISTELive 26 + ASCD annual conference listen as Kate Meyer, left, an English teacher and instructional innovation coach for the Mount Desert Island, Maine, school district, discusses how she and other Maine educators are addressing teachers' concerns about AI use. Meyer and colleagues presented at the conference, held at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla., on July 1, 2026.
Marvin Joseph/Education Week
Artificial Intelligence How Educators Can Encourage AI Skill-Building Without Being Tech Cheerleaders
State education leaders outline how they've tried to ease anxieties about the fast-evolving technology.
Lauraine Langreo, July 1, 2026
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3 min read
Tight crop of a white computer keyboard with a cyan blue button labeled "AI"
iStock/Getty
School & District Management Staffing, Mentoring, Strategy: Can AI Solve Big Problems at School?
One of the sessions at the ISTE conference focused using AI for strategic questions facing schools.
Arianna Prothero, June 30, 2026
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5 min read
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Roberta Freitas presents at the ISTELive 26 + ASCD Annual Conference in Orlando, Fla., on June 29. Freitas spoke about the concept of unplugged AI, in which educators teach students about the fundamentals of the tech without immersing them in it.
Marvin Joseph/Education Week
Artificial Intelligence Q&A How to Use Paper to Teach About AI and Cutting-Edge Tech
Low-tech activities can help students develop a richer understanding of implications and mechanics of AI.
Arianna Prothero, June 30, 2026
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3 min read
Top View of an Elementary School Classroom: Children Sitting at their School Desks Using Personal Computers and Digital Tablets for Assignments.
iStock/Getty Images Plus
Curriculum Digital Literacy Isn't a One-Off Lesson. How Teachers Can Build Students' Skills
The ability to navigate the torrent requires social-emotional skill, not just fact-checking, a researcher says.
Arianna Prothero, June 29, 2026
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4 min read
Timothy Rimke reads during Casey Cuny's English class at Valencia High School in Santa Clarita, Calif., on Aug. 27, 2025.
Timothy Rimke reads during Casey Cuny's English class at Valencia High School in Santa Clarita, Calif., on Aug. 27, 2025. Teachers face the challenge of helping students become writers with their own voices in the presence of generative AI tools.
Jae C. Hong/AP
Artificial Intelligence Q&A How an English Teacher Helps Students Find Their Voices in the Age of AI
Students' voices are lost when AI does most of the thinking, a teacher says.
Lauraine Langreo, June 29, 2026
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3 min read
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Artificial Intelligence Video What AI Use Guidelines Should Look Like for Schools
Many teachers say they are not getting good guidance on how to use AI responsibly and effectively.
Lauraine Langreo & Marvin Joseph, June 26, 2026
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1 min read
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Teachers participate in a team exercise at the first training session of the National Academy for AI Instruction on March 18, 2026, at UFT headquarters in New York City. Experts say teachers need more professional development opportunities around how to use AI to improve instruction.
Salwan Georges for Education Week
Artificial Intelligence Q&A Educators Offer Advice on AI's Role in Workforce Development
Teachers’ use of AI varies widely, based on how much training and guidance they’ve received.
Lauraine Langreo, June 25, 2026
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4 min read
A student uses a laptop during a science class on Aug. 28, 2024, in Aurora, Colo.
A student uses a computer during a class on Aug. 28, 2024, in Aurora, Colo. One big concern among many students who are interested in computer science careers and people already working in the field is that AI can write code on its own.
Godofredo A. Vásquez/AP
Artificial Intelligence Q&A Momentum Builds to Expand Coding Education to Learning About AI 'Under the Hood'
CodeAI CEO talks about artificial intelligence and the future of computer science education.
Lauraine Langreo, June 17, 2026
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6 min read
First Lady Melania Trump leaves the East Room after hosting the Inaugural Presidential AI Challenge National Champion Awards Ceremony at the White House on Tuesday, June 9, 2026, in Washington.
First lady Melania Trump leaves the East Room after hosting the inaugural Presidential AI Challenge National Champion Awards Ceremony at the White House on June 9, 2026, in Washington.
John McDonnell/AP
Artificial Intelligence White House Honors AI Challenge Winners as Tech Backlash Grows
Students and teachers submitted projects that use AI to solve problems in their schools and communities.
Lauraine Langreo & Arianna Prothero, June 11, 2026
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5 min read
Student doing homework at home
Laura Baker/Education Week + Getty
Artificial Intelligence Kids Are Turning to AI Before Adults for Homework Help
Students increasingly turn to AI first for school help, raising trust and safety concerns.
Arianna Prothero, June 8, 2026
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5 min read