This marked the second installment of our Teaching Responsibly with AI webinar series. For the session titled Bot or Not? Embedding Media and AI Literacy into Higher Education Teaching Strategies, we were honored to host Stephanie Speicher, Digital Fluency Faculty in Residence at Weber State University. Her insights were both inspiring and actionable—especially her five concrete strategies for integrating AI and media literacy into higher education. Below, we’ve distilled her most impactful takeaways.

About the Speaker: Stephanie Speicher

The session was led by Stephanie Speicher, a dedicated educator and innovator at Weber State University. As the Digital Fluency Faculty in Residence, she focuses on crafting dynamic, human-centered learning experiences that thoughtfully incorporate technology. Her background in designing meaningful curricula made her an ideal voice for discussing media literacy in the age of artificial intelligence.

What’s Real in 2025?

Speicher opened with a powerful question: What is real anymore? On screen were two AI-generated images—one depicting Trump’s arrest, the other showing a calm elderly woman. Attendees were asked to identify the signs of fabrication. Responses included “strange hand positioning,” “distorted leg anatomy,” and “just unnatural limbs.” She emphasized that such synthetic media is now widespread.

To illustrate how deeply AI-generated content has infiltrated everyday life, Speicher shared a personal story: she once received a summer reading list from a trusted colleague—only to discover that 75% of the books listed didn’t exist. “That list was mostly AI hallucinations,” she said. “And it came from someone I trusted.” This experience, she noted, reflects a broader trend across industries: AI-generated misinformation is no longer rare—it’s routine.

Recalling her youth in the '90s, Speicher described the tabloid headlines at grocery store checkouts—then a form of sensationalism. Today, the tools have evolved, but the manipulation is more sophisticated and far-reaching. “The difference now,” she said, “is the scale and speed.”

For Speicher, the core issue isn’t just detection—it’s curiosity. “We must create classrooms where students feel safe to question, to dig deeper, and to seek truth.” AI literacy, she insists, is not a luxury—it’s essential preparation for navigating modern reality.

What the Research Reveals

Speicher presented key findings from a recent global study involving nearly 4,000 participants across the U.S., including K–12 learners, college students, parents, and educators. The results confirmed an expected trend: “Use of ChatGPT and other AI tools will only grow over the next five years.”

More concerning, however, was the concept of the “AI vacuum”—a widespread absence of institutional policies guiding AI use. “Students are using these tools regardless,” she said, “but often without proper guidance or critical awareness.” This gap underscores the urgent need for higher education to step in and lead the way in embedding AI literacy into teaching practices.

She then referenced the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report, posing a question to the audience: “What do you think will be the most in-demand skills by 2025?” She revealed the top 10:

Notably, AI and big data literacy ranked among the fastest-growing skill areas. But Speicher stressed that technical fluency alone isn’t enough. “True readiness requires literacy—media literacy, global literacy, and AI literacy—all working together.” These competencies are now central to how students interpret and interact with the world.

At her institution and in professional discussions, one theme consistently emerges: the decline—or at least the challenge—of critical thinking. “If we want our students to navigate today’s complex media landscape,” she said, “we must actively cultivate their ability to think critically.”

Reflecting on her teaching career since 1994, Speicher noted that while some pedagogical approaches remain effective, today’s information environment is unprecedented. With “2.5 quintillion (!) bytes of data generated every day,” students face constant exposure to synthetic content and algorithmic filtering.

That’s why she advocates for tools like GPTZero—not as gatekeepers, but as supports for inquiry. Her framework for modern critical thinking is:

Traditional media literacy AI understanding algorithm awareness = modern critical thinking

Five Actionable Strategies You Can Use Today

Speicher offered five adaptable strategies for weaving media and AI literacy into academic instruction.

1. Map the Information Ecosystem

Help students become aware of their media diets. Assign them to run short text samples from various sources through GPTZero. Goal: assess how much of their daily content may be AI-generated. Prompt reflection: “How does AI shape what I read and believe?”

2. Reverse Engineer Content Creation

Have students produce two versions of the same assignment—one written entirely by them, one with AI assistance. Then, run both through GPTZero. Discussion focus: “What tells does the tool pick up? How does AI influence tone, structure, or originality?”

3. Build a Verification Library

Devote class time to verification practice. Students use GPTZero following a structured protocol: run the text, interpret the score, cross-check with other tools or sources, and draw evidence-based conclusions. Key lesson: AI detection tools provide clues, not final judgments.

4. Investigate Algorithmic Bias

Challenge students to explore bias in AI outputs. Generate content on sensitive topics (e.g., race, gender, politics) using AI tools, then analyze detectability via GPTZero. Investigate: “Are biased narratives easier or harder to detect? Does detection accuracy vary across identities or viewpoints?”

5. Develop Visual Literacy & AI Image Detection Skills

Train students to spot AI-generated visuals. Present mixed sets of real and synthetic images and guide analysis using criteria like lighting, hand structure, and background anomalies. Incorporate reverse image search and metadata inspection. Goal: build awareness of deepfakes and visual manipulation techniques.

Speicher urged educators: “Be intentional, strategic, and reflective.” In her words:

“Think carefully about how to weave these literacy skills into your existing curriculum. Yes, the tools are new and disciplines are evolving—but there are countless ways to integrate these ideas into what you’re already teaching.”

She closed with a reflective prompt: “What’s one small change you can make to help students become more discerning consumers and responsible creators of AI-influenced content?”

Her final message emphasized two priorities: teaching students to ask sharper, more thoughtful questions, and helping them recognize that all media is constructed. What’s included—and what’s omitted—shapes the message.

And above all, she reminded us: “Educators must actively reflect on the role we want AI to play in our lives and in our learning spaces. Schools, colleges, and universities are where transformation begins.”

*Watch the full session replay here.*

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