Top Story...

Explore AI Literacy in Adult Education

Posted on 06/04/2026

Artificial Intelligence is transforming classrooms, workplaces, and daily life at an unprecedented pace. To help educators navigate this evolving landscape, the Department of Labor released this framework as a resource designed to build foundational AI literacy specifically tailored for adult learners.

Equipping students with AI skills has become essential since adult education programs (ESL, High School Diploma/Equivalency, and Career Technical Education) act as critical pipelines to the modern workforce. OTAN is pointing educators toward comprehensive models, such as the Digital Learning Guidance and now this AI Literacy Framework which breaks AI engagement down into three crucial modes:

• Understand: Building foundational knowledge of how AI systems work.
• Evaluate: Critically considering the benefits, ethical implications, and potential costs of AI.
• Use: Empowering students to safely interact, create, and problem-solve with AI tools.

By integrating these practices, adult educators can prepare students to safely navigate digital tools, protect data privacy, and identify misinformation in an increasingly automated workforce.

Adult Education Classroom Use Examples

• ESL Classroom Application: Instructors can design lessons where students use AI chatbots to practice conversational English in simulated environments (e.g., practicing an interview or ordering food).
• CTE Classroom Application: Instructors should teach industry-specific prompting. For instance, a business CTE class might practice prompting an AI to generate a marketing outline, while an allied health class might look at how AI assists in reading X-rays.
• ABE Delivery Principle 1 (Enable Experiential Learning): Use hands-on, low-stakes activities. For example, have students use a voice-to-text AI tool to practice writing a paragraph. This builds foundational literacy while demonstrating how AI can complement human effort.
• HSE Classrooms The Critical Skill: Instructors should heavily emphasize Evaluating Outputs. Have students prompt an AI for facts about a topic, and then physically fact-check the AI's response using trusted library databases or textbooks to spot "hallucinations."

📅 Upcoming OTAN Professional Development Highlight

Want hands-on strategies to use AI in your classroom? Don't miss these upcoming OTAN webinars:

• Crafting Narratives: Gemini Storybook for Adult Education – (6/9/26 12pm) Learn how to leverage AI to design powerful, narrative-based learning materials specifically tailored to adult learners.
• OTAN Tech Talk: Building Apps with Gemini Canvas – (6/12/26 1pm) Discover how to use natural language to transform classroom ideas into interactive grammar games and vocabulary builders—no coding required!

For a full lineup of professional development events, or to schedule a specialized AI staff workshop for your agency, visit OTAN.us or contact the team directly at support@otan.us.