From Tool to Method: Developing AI Literacy in an Upper-Level History Course

Abstract

Faculty and students alike face growing uncertainty about the role of generative artificial intelligence (AI) in the college classroom, particularly in writing-intensive and discussion-based disciplines such as history. This qualitative case study explored how undergraduate students in a history course responded to the structured introduction of AI tools throughout a semester-long writing sequence. The course was designed in three modules: traditional writing without AI, guided experimentation with AI support, and student-directed use of AI during a final comparative writing project. Student responses were collected through surveys and written reflections across each module, as well as a final exit survey. Findings indicate that students developed increasingly nuanced understandings of AI’s role in academic work, shifting from early skepticism or (over)reliance to thoughtful, task-specific engagement. While students continued to express distrust in AI as a grading tool, many acknowledged its value in brainstorming, organization, and revision. The study offers insight into the evolving relationship between students and classroom technology and suggests the importance of instructor framing, peer discussion, and ethical reflection in building meaningful AI literacy.