Pay attention to the chatbot behind the curtain when AI ‘is no place like home’ : A framework and toolkit for integrating critical thinking and information literacy in educational and professional settings
Abstract
Over the past three decades, the evolution of technology has dramatically reshaped the information landscape, making it easier to access and simultaneously easier to distort. The advent of artificial intelligence (AI), particularly generative tools like ChatGPT and CoPilot, has further complicated the pursuit of information literacy, posing significant challenges for educators, librarians and students alike. This paper explores the implications of integrating generative AI (GenAI) tools into educational and professional settings, emphasising the necessity of critical thinking and the development of robust information literacy skills to discern the credibility and authority of AI-generated content. By examining the Association of College and Research Libraries’ (ACRL) ‘Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education’, this paper provides strategies to identify risk areas related to AI integration as well as produce use cases for large language model (LLM) GenAI tools, including a flowchart for determining when to make use of GenAI, a toolkit for positive/effective use cases, and a rubric for assessing information literacy and critical thinking. While AI tools can offer valuable educational opportunities, their propensity to generate misleading or inaccurate information necessitates a careful and informed approach to their use. This paper concludes with a call for ongoing vigilance in maintaining academic integrity and underscores the importance of continuously questioning the reliability of AI outputs in educational contexts.
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Author's Biography
Araminta Star Matthews MFA, GCDF, DC, has both her MFA (a terminal degree) and BFA in creative writing, and certifications in digital curation, teaching, global career development facilitation, and women and gender studies. By day, she is a Senior Instructional Designer for Kennebec Valley Community College, and by night she is adjunct graduate faculty teaching instructional design for the University of Maine and methods of teaching art in the K-12 Classroom for Maine Educator Consortium, as well as adjunct undergraduate faculty teaching information literacy, English composition, introduction to ethics and introduction to creative writing at the University of Maine at Presque Isle. In addition to her academic work, Araminta is a professional author with several genre-based works and peer-reviewed articles to her credit. Her most recent full-length book, Crystal Intentions: Practices for Manifesting Wellness was published by Mango in 2021 and co-authored with YouTube influencer, The Lune Innate; her most recent peer-reviewed article, ‘Making Space for the Rabbit Hole: Art Education and eLearning Development Post-Pivot’ appeared in the summer 2023 issue of Advances in Online Education, co-authored with peer instructional designer, Maura Conley of Pratt Institute.
Barbara Bartley has a Master of Library and Information Science from the State University of New York at Albany. Her professional background includes librarian positions at The American University Library in Washington, DC, Husson’s Sawyer Library in Bangor, Maine, Parrot Library of Eastern Maine Medical Center (now part of Northern Light Health) and Kennebec Valley Community College (KVCC). Through KVCC, Barbara has provided research support and instruction across diverse programmes, including specialised attention to the specific needs of Kennebec Valley’s (KV) dynamic menu of healthcare programmes alongside humanities and social sciences. She has also overseen resource access services, including circulation and interlibrary loan for digital and print materials. In addition to her myriad expert roles in library science, Barbara has several professional contributions to her name.
Citation
Matthews, Araminta Star and Bartley, Barbara (2025, March 1). Pay attention to the chatbot behind the curtain when AI ‘is no place like home’ : A framework and toolkit for integrating critical thinking and information literacy in educational and professional settings. In the Advances in Online Education: A Peer-Reviewed Journal, Volume 3, Issue 3. https://doi.org/10.69554/FMAI7138.
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