What Do We Mean By "AI Literacy"?

Tensions in Current Institutional Guidelines and Recommendations for a Slow, Reflective Future

Authors

  • Katlynne Davis University of St. Thomas
  • Jason Tham Texas Tech University
  • Danielle Mollie Stambler James Madison University
  • Jialei Jiang University of Pittsburgh
  • Jessica Campbell University of Central Florida
  • Gustav Verhulsdonck Central Michigan University
  • Daniel Hocutt University of Richmond

Keywords:

Generative artificial intelligence, AI literacy, Writing pedagogy, Reflection, Slow pedagogy

Abstract

This article examines how educators navigate tensions between efficiency-driven integration and critical approaches to generative AI literacy. Through thematic analysis of twelve institutional AI frameworks and collaborative autoethnographic reflections, we identify significant gaps between policy aspirations and pedagogical realities. While institutions converge around principles of human oversight and ethical consideration, educators face challenges including time constraints and tensions between preparing students for AI-integrated futures while maintaining critical perspectives. We propose a “slow pedagogy” approach that resists efficiency-driven integration in favor of deliberate, justice-centered engagement, offering a reflective heuristic for practitioners across educational contexts.

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Author Biographies

Katlynne Davis, University of St. Thomas

Katlynne Davis is Assistant Professor of technical and professional writing in the English Department at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN. As part of her work with the Building Digital Literacy (BDL) research cluster with the Digital Literacy Institute (DLI), she studies the pedagogical labor involved in preparing to teach with generative AI platforms. She also studies the digital labor of technical communication as it relates to content strategy and user experience. Her work has been published in Communication Design Quarterly and The Journal of Interactive Technology & Pedagogy.

Jason Tham, Texas Tech University

Jason Tham is Associate Professor of technical communication and rhetoric at Texas Tech University. He serves as Assistant Chair of the English department and teaches courses in user experience, design, and research methods. He is author and collaborator of several books, including Design Thinking in Technical Communication (2021), Writing to Learn in Teams (2023), and The Rhetoric of Design Thinking (2025). He is chief editor of Computers and Composition. Additional information about his ongoing projects is available at www.jasontham.com.

Danielle Mollie Stambler, James Madison University

Danielle Mollie Stambler is Assistant Professor in the School of Writing, Rhetoric, and Technical Communication at James Madison University. Stambler studies wellness and disability rhetorics, literacies and digital life, and UX, and has scholarship in publications including Technical Communication Quarterly, Rhetoric of Health and Medicine, Communication Design Quarterly, and Peitho.

Jialei Jiang, University of Pittsburgh

Jialei Jiang is Teaching Assistant Professor in the department of English at the University of Pittsburgh. She is interested in exploring issues related to critical AI literacy, multimodal composition, and socially-just writing pedagogy. Her co-edited collection is titled Designing for Social Justice: Community-engaged Approaches in Technical and Professional Communication (Routledge, 2025). Her works have appeared in College Composition and Communication, Computers and Composition, Technical Communication Quarterly, and edited collections.

Jessica Campbell, University of Central Florida

Jessica Campbell holds a PhD in Texts and Technology and a Master’s in English – Technical Communication from the University of Central Florida (UCF). Her expertise lies at the intersection of technical and professional communication (TPC) and human-computer interaction (HCI), with a focus on healthcare. She brings extensive disciplinary and industry knowledge in user experience (UX) research and design. Her research centers on mixed-methods studies of health information technology (HIT). Jessica authored the text, User Experience Research and Usability of Health Information Technology and has published in venues including the Journal of Technical Writing and Communication, IEEE’s International Professional Communication Conference, and SIGDOC proceedings. Her academic interests extend beyond healthcare to TPC pedagogy, where she explores how students engage in social justice work, address wicked problems, and strengthen digital literacy. Through both scholarship and teaching, Jessica emphasizes equity, user-centered design, and interdisciplinary approaches to communication and technology.

Gustav Verhulsdonck, Central Michigan University

Gustav Verhulsdonck is Associate Professor in Business Information Systems at Central Michigan University. He has co-authored UX Writing: Designing User-Centered Content (Routledge, 2023) together with Jason Tham and Tharon Howard. He was a Stanford d. School Faculty Innovation Fellow from 2023–2025 and Visiting Researcher at DesignLab at the University of Twente, The Netherlands in 2024. His research interests focus on generative AI and the implications for design and communication practices. His research has appeared in International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction, Journal of Business and Technical Communication, Technical Communication Quarterly, Journal of Technical Writing and Communication, among others.

Daniel Hocutt, University of Richmond

Daniel Hocutt serves as Web Manager on the marketing and engagement team and teaches as Adjunct Professor of liberal arts at the University of Richmond School of Professional and Continuing Studies in Richmond, Virginia. His research interests align at the intersection of rhetoric, user experience, and technology. Specific areas include data analytics and artificial intelligence in technical communication, posthuman rhetorical agency, and digital literacies. He’s published in Programmatic Perspectives, Technical Communication, Technical Communication Quarterly, Computers and Composition, Present Tense, and the Journal of User Experience, along with several edited collections.

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Published

2026-02-09

How to Cite

Davis, K., Tham, J., Stambler, D. M., Jiang, J., Campbell, J., Verhulsdonck, G., & Hocutt, D. (2026). What Do We Mean By "AI Literacy"? Tensions in Current Institutional Guidelines and Recommendations for a Slow, Reflective Future. Programmatic Perspectives, 1(1). Retrieved from https://programmaticperspectives.cptsc.org/index.php/jpp/article/view/137

Issue

Vol. 1 No. 1 (2026): Online First

Section

Research Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2026 Katlynne Davis, Jason Tham, Danielle Mollie Stambler, Jialei Jiang, Jessica Campbell, Gustav Verhulsdonck, Daniel Hocutt

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.