Bringing AI Literacy into School Libraries: A DRAFT Hands-On Workshop for Teacher Librarians
Sharing my initial outline and draft of ideas
Hello, educators,
For this newsletter, I thought I would share differently. There are plenty of excellent links and ideas posted below, but thought I woudl post a initial thinking concept instead of a reflective piece to hear your thoughts.
I’ve been invited to lead a two-hour interactive workshop for teacher librarians and media specialists on AI in education—specifically, how to make it engaging, practical, and directly applicable to students of all ages with lessons, activities, and intentional ways to integrate into the current teaching..
From exploring AI tools for elementary learners to tackling misinformation, digital literacy, and librarian standards, this workshop is designed to be hands-on, thought-provoking, and collaborative.
I have decided to share my very rough first outline and a hexagonal thinking activity designed to help librarians connect AI literacy with the core work they already do. I’d love your thoughts and ideas on what you think about the flow and if I am missing anything crucial!
Workshop Overview: AI in the Library
Theme: Bridging AI Literacy with Media & Digital Literacy for Student Learning
Workshop Agenda (2 Hours)
Warm-Up (15 min)
Make Your Own AI Funko! – A playful activity using AI-generated avatars to spark discussion on AI’s role in digital media. Try it out here:
Wakelet Funko Generator
AI Foundations & Updates (20 min)
AI-powered research assistants, tools, and ethical dilemmas.
Pew Research: Teen ChatGPT Use Doubled in 2024 – What does this mean for educators?
AI’s role in education, media, and misinformation.
Learn about AI Agents and OpenAI’s latest Operator release
Hands-On Stations (45 min - Rotating Groups)
AI for Elementary Students – Best AI tools and engaging lessons for upper elementary.
AI & Misinformation – How AI shapes fake news, deepfakes, and online credibility.
AI Ethics & Librarianship – AI policies, ethics, and student digital responsibility.
Hexagonal Thinking Activity (25 min)
Connecting AI literacy, digital literacy, media literacy, and librarian standards to create actionable steps.
Wrap-Up (15 min)
Sharing insights, next steps, and open Q&A.
Feature Activity: Hexagonal Thinking on AI Literacy & Libraries
One of the biggest challenges librarians face is figuring out how AI fits into their teaching. This hexagonal thinking activity helps connect AI literacy with existing library priorities—from media literacy to digital citizenship.
How It Works:
Each team receives hexagonal cards labeled with the following initial concepts as follows(subject to change as I continue to think on the terms are listed below)
Participants arrange hexagons to show how AI literacy connects to their library standards.
They label connections and discuss implications for their school libraries.
Finally, they brainstorm one concrete action step to integrate AI literacy into their work.
If you'd like to try this activity in your own setting, I'll be creating a printable template and slides to go with the hexagonal cards. If interested let me know and I can share when completed.
AI Literacy (Blue Cards)
Understanding AI (What it is & how it works)
AI Ethics (Bias, fairness, accountability)
AI in Education (Tools & teaching strategies)
AI & Misinformation (Fake news, deepfakes)
AI’s Role in Research (Academic integrity, citation)
Media Literacy (Green Cards)
6. Identifying Misinformation vs. Disinformation
7. Evaluating Credibility of Sources
8. Deepfakes & Synthetic Media
9. Algorithms & Information Bubbles
10. Fact-Checking Strategies
Digital Literacy (Yellow Cards)
11. Digital Citizenship & Online Safety
12. Privacy & Data Ethics
13. Understanding Search Algorithms
14. Social Media & Information Flow
15. Digital Footprint & Reputation Management
Librarian Standards & Practices (Orange Cards)
16. AASL Standards & Inquiry-Based Learning
17. Teaching Students to be Critical Consumers of AI
18. The Role of Librarians as AI Literacy Leaders
19. Collaboration with Teachers for AI Integration
20. AI Tools for Library Research
Your Turn: What Would You Add?
This is just a starting point, and I’d love to hear from you:
What challenges are you facing in bringing AI into your school library/classroom?
What AI literacy lessons have worked for you?
How can librarians lead the conversation on AI in education?
Let’s collaborate! Share your thoughts by replying to this newsletter or leaving a comment.
Looking forward to the conversation over coffee