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About This Course
Teach students to use AI to support their research, not replace it.
On-Demand Materials:
Available starting March 24, 2026
Access all course modules and materials for 6 months after enrollment.
How do we teach students to use AI tools ethically in their research assignments? This self-paced online course empowers librarians and educators to cultivate ethical research skills in an AI era. You’ll explore AI tools that students can use to identify information needs, search effectively, evaluate critically, and credit sources appropriately.
Through guided, hands-on activities, you’ll practice using these tools, model ethical decision-making, and create engaging lesson plans that help students stay grounded in strong research habits and academic integrity. You’ll leave with the skills and confidence to support research instruction that is informed, thoughtful, and responsible.
This course was developed in partnership with Elissa Malespina, author of the AI School Librarians Newsletter .
This course is part of a three-course certification series, AI Literacy in Schools . You may register for each course individually or enroll in the full series at a $100 discount.
ENROLL NOW
Return to Full Course Catalog
AFTER YOU ATTEND THIS COURSE, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO:
- Clearly define ethical considerations related to AI tools in educational and research contexts.
- Utilize multiple AI-powered tools strategically within the student research process.
- Critically evaluate AI-generated and traditional information for accuracy, bias, and credibility using information literacy practices.
- Create inclusive, accessible, and ethically sound instructional materials and lesson plans integrating AI.
- Guide students to ethically acknowledge AI contributions and properly cite information in their work.
- Support students in applying ethical AI practices beyond research, including presentations and creative projects.
THIS COURSE CONSISTS OF 4 ON-DEMAND MODULES:
Module 1: Understanding the Research Process in the Age of AI
Build a foundational understanding of how AI intersects with the research process. You’ll explore the ACRL Framework for Information Literacy and examine how ethical considerations influence the ways students find, use, and apply information in academic contexts.
Module 2: Using AI Tools to Define Topics and Locate Information
Learn how to help students use AI tools to develop research questions and locate sources effectively. This module focuses on teaching strategic searching while emphasizing the ethical and intentional use of generative AI tools throughout the early stages of research.
Module 3: Evaluating and Synthesizing AI-Generated and Traditional Sources
Explore strategies for teaching students to critically evaluate AI-generated content alongside traditional sources. You’ll discuss common ethical dilemmas, assess credibility and bias, and build skills for synthesizing information into original, well-supported work.
Module 4: Citing Sources and Teaching Ethical AI Use
Learn how to guide students in properly citing all sources, including AI tools. This module supports the creation of instructional materials that emphasize responsible, inclusive, and accessible research practices, and explores how ethical AI use can extend beyond research into creative and presentation-based student work.
COURSE INSTRUCTOR
Elissa Malespina, B.C.A.S.E., Teacher Librarian in New Jersey and Author of The AI School Librarians Newsletter
 Elissa Malespina is an award-winning school librarian, educational consultant, former school board member, and author who specializes in helping educators and librarians integrate AI into teaching and learning. She is the author of AI in the Library: Strategies, Tools and Ethics for Today’s Schools and writes The AI School Librarians Newsletter, a Substack publication focused on practical AI tools, ethical guidance, and instructional strategies.
Outside of her professional work, Elissa is a proud mom, wife, and a fierce advocate for intellectual freedom and educational equity.
WHO SHOULD TAKE THIS COURSE
This course is designed for K–12 school librarians and educators with basic AI-prompting skills.
THIS WILL BE A SELF-PACED, ASYNCHRONOUS COURSE.
EXPECTED TIME COMMITMENT
This course includes 4 modules, each designed to take approximately 4 hours to complete. You can move through the content at your own pace and on your own schedule. You'll earn 16 hours of PD credit and a School Library Journal certificate of completion.
ON-DEMAND ACCESS
You'll have access to all course materials for six months after the course start date.
CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION
Complete the course and earn 16 professional development credit hours. We provide a certificate that is emailed to you.
If you complete all three courses in the AI Literacy in Schools series, you will earn your AI Literacy in Schools certification from School Library Journal.
ACCESSIBILITY
All video recordings feature auto-captioning. Please email course-support@libraryjournal.com upon registration if you require any special accommodations, and we will make our best efforts to facilitate them.
SUPPORT
For support with online courses, please contact course-support@libraryjournal.com .
DISCOUNTED RATES ARE AVAILABLE FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY
Secure your tickets now to lock in the best price.
| Rate | Early Bird | Standard |
| Deadline |
February 22, 2026 |
March 24, 2025 |
| Ticket Price |
$249 |
$289 |
GROUP RATES
We offer discounts for groups of 3 or more.
For larger groups of 15 or more, we offer the option to apply group rates across multiple courses to receive significant discounts. For more information, select Bulk Course Credits Packages in the form below.
Request Discounted Group Pricing
For support with group purchases, please contact groupsales@libraryjournal.com .
TESTIMONIALS
"My biggest takeaway from this course was that as school librarians, we have the unique ability to be the heart of our school in bridging the ethics between district direction and teaching about AI to our students. This role involves more than just policy communication; it is about actively integrating ethical AI use into the school’s culture. We can create educational resources and run workshops that address the nuances of AI use, including data privacy, algorithmic bias, and intellectual property rights. The goal is to help students use AI as a tool for deeper thinking, not a shortcut. This course gave me the tools to be a reliable and informed leader who can cultivate a responsible, ethical approach to AI throughout the entire school community."
– Tuhina L., Fall 2025 attendee
"I love the practicality of this course—the examples, the opportunity to create work that can go directly into my workspace for student use, and the interaction with others. I learned a great deal from colleagues about presenting citation information in different ways to make it more accessible for students."
– Helen V., Fall 2025 attendee
"The content is immediately useful. It’s inspiring me to introduce small steps through displays, student interactions, and conversations in a variety of environments. I’m also gaining expertise that I can share with colleagues when our new skills rollout happens next year—win, win, win."
– Fall 2025 attendee
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Register by January 29, 2026
4 On-Demand Course Modules
This course is most relevant for teacher-librarians in grades 8-12 and early college.
