Prompting change: Exploring undergraduate perceptions after AI literacy training

Abstract

As generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools become increasingly integrated into daily life, society has been steadily adapting to changes in both work and education, often where guidelines and social contracts have yet to be established. Questions surrounding ethical usage are still being debated, and increased literacy in GenAI is necessary to enable voices, especially from younger generations, in these discussions. This paper presents a case study on the effects of advancing AI literacy among a small group of university undergraduate students (N = 6) through a personalised training intervention. Drawing on pre- and post-test survey data and transcripts from a training on Adobe Firefly, Google Notebook LM, and Google Gemini, the study examines changes in students’ knowledge and ethical considerations. While participants initially expressed cautious or critical views (e.g., fearing overreliance on GenAI or academic dishonesty), quantitative results after training indicate greater familiarity in using GenAI as a learning tool rather than a shortcut, with one student in the post-training survey stating how they now believe their learning “will be enhanced far beyond what [they] were doing before”. Additionally, qualitative analysis reveals a persistent discrepancy between the perceived and actual understanding of GenAI and academic policies, further supporting the need for these discussions. Therefore, this work positions AI literacy as a critical component of higher education onboarding.