Digital literacy in the AI era (Part 2)

How can schools help students develop digital literacy in the classroom? And how can these techniques be applied to how we consume news and identify reliable information?

On this episode of School’s In, recorded live on campus in May 2025, we welcome a panel including GSE Professor Emeritus Sam Wineburg, Stanford journalism lecturer Janine Zacharia, high school teacher Valerie Ziegler, and Stanford undergraduate student Alvin Lee. The panel discusses the importance of teaching students how to accurately navigate the internet, and how this approach to digital information can be built into course curricula. Our guests tackle several topics, including:

• 02:57  Teaching digital literacy in a changing world (panelists’ responses to Part 1 with Sam Wineburg)
• 08:05  Truth, trust, and TikTok: Navigating information in the AI era
• 15:08  The educator’s dilemma: Keeping up with AI in the classroom
• 22:37  Beyond the mandate: Building digital literacy into the curriculum
• 25:38  Creating a culture of curiosity: Advice for students, educators, and parents

Sam Wineburg is the Margaret Jacks Professor, Emeritus, of education at Stanford Graduate School of Education, where his research focused on how people assess the credibility of digital content. To learn more about his work, visit his faculty profile. 

Janine Zacharia is a lecturer in the Department of Communication at Stanford University. She regularly appears on cable news shows and radio programs as a Middle East analyst. To learn more about her work, visit her faculty profile. 

Valerie Ziegler teaches U.S. history, economics, and advanced placement U.S. government and politics at Abraham Lincoln High School in San Francisco. Learn more about her work here. 

Alvin Hong Lee is a senior at Stanford University, where he is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in political science. A proud product of California public schools, Lee is founder and executive director of GENup, California’s largest youth-led education policy organization.

School’s In is your go-to podcast for cutting-edge insights and fresh perspectives on the future of learning. Hosted by Stanford Graduate School of Education Dean Dan Schwartz and Senior Lecturer Denise Pope, each episode dives into the latest research, innovations, and real-world challenges shaping education today.

Stanford GSE is at the forefront of education research and teacher preparation, dedicated to advancing equitable, accessible, and impactful learning experiences for all.

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