Guest Post: Thoughts on Teaching Critical Information Literacy and Thinking Outside the Box
Using generative and extractive artificial intelligence (AI) tools in research is an effective way to help students develop critical information literacy skills. Extractive AI is an algorithm (a step-by-step process) that retrieves information from a source. Brief Analysis in Lexis and Quick Check in Westlaw, which pull legal concepts and citations from uploaded briefs, are examples of extractive AI tools. Generative AI is an algorithm that creates new information, such as text and images. ChatGPT and Perplexity AI, which provide information in response to prompts, are examples of generative AI tools. Both extractive and generative AI are trained on sets of information .
Some librarians and other knowledge management professionals are concerned about whether generative AI tools will make their jobs obsolete. In a blog post for the San Jose State University School of Information, Hannah Nguyen asserted that “There seems to be a general consensus that certain human qualities, like empathy and critical thinking, cannot be replicated by AI, and they are essential for the work that we do.” However, Bob Ambrogi has noted that a survey of legal professionals by Wolters Kluwer found that two-thirds of respondents believed generative AI could replace those in knowledge management, including librarians. ABA Standard 302(b) requires law schools to establish learning outcomes that include competency in legal research, therefore, librarians and teachers of legal research should stay up-to-date with research trends and include new strategies and tools in instruction to prepare students for their future work.
As librarians, we can use AI in different forms (extractive and generative) to teach patrons and students how to evaluate information critically.