Creating a Framework for Valued Learning Outcomes in 2030

Overview:

This project aims to re-conceptualize and assess college-level critical thinking and informative literacy in the age of Generative AI (GenAI). In line with the mission of the California Learning Lab, our project focuses on undergraduate learning. Our team employs an asset-oriented, equitable, and accessible approach to instruction where we partner with instructors to rethink the assignments and rubrics by which we assess these skills without requiring nor banning student usage of AI. 

Project goals:

  • Characterize how both students and instructors conceptualize critical thinking and informative literacy: both their importance and the human vs. GenAI components of these skills

  • Develop a set of open educational resources (OER) to support instructors in assessing critical thinking and informative literacy in undergraduate courses, including but not limited to: rubrics, assignment prompts, checklists, modules

  • Articulate the relationship between AI literacy and information or digital literacy and develop training materials to support students in their AI literacy

Project components:

  • Mixed-methods research project on attitudes and perceptions of GenAI, particularly when it intersects with critical thinking and informative literacy skills

  • Collaborative materials development with the UC Berkeley Libraries, particularly the Instruction Services Division (ISD), and identified instructor partners

  • Pilot of developed instructional materials in a set of undergraduate courses with embedded learning outcomes assessment

Instructor partners:

We are grateful for our instructor collaborators who are embarking on this course pilot.

  • Erin Murphy-Graham, Berkeley School of Education
  • Ricarda Hammer and Marina Romani, Department of Sociology
  • Srijani Ghosh, Department of Theater, Dance, and Performance Studies
  • Nathan Atkinson, Department of Rhetoric
  • Ivy Mills, Department of History of Art
  • Mark Brilliant, Department of History
  • Michal Reznizki, Benjamin Spanbock, Ryan Sloan, Belinda Kremer, Sean Burns, Michael Larkin, College Writing Programs
  • Harvey Dong, Department of Ethnic Studies
  • Emma Fraser, Department of Geography

Project updates:

From our mixed methods research project (CPHS Protocol # 2024-07-17596), our team has developed several OER that are available for all instructors at Berkeley and beyond. Our team has generated a set of revised AAC&U VALUE rubrics for the skills of critical thinking and information literacy that are available both as a Google doc and a Canvas resource

In addition, we present a reflection tool on using GenAI based on one’s personal values that can be accessed as an interactive questionnaire (CPHS Protocol # 2025-06-18693) or as a Google doc that may be used personally or incorporated into course materials.

We are now conducting a design-based research project (CPHS Protocol # 2025-03-18423) involving course pilots with our partnering instructors to examine how students choose to use GenAI in their learning (if at all) and whether it has any relationship to their demonstrated critical thinking or information literacy on course assignment deliverables.

If you have questions about any of our research studies, contact Dr. Melissa Ko (mesako@berkeley.edu).

Last updated: August 26, 2025

Project Team:

CTL Staff Team: Melissa E. Ko, Tara Mason, Rachel E. Weiher, Courtney Gomas

CTL Student Team: Maya Wu, Breanna Cabusao, Carys Atmodjo

UC Berkeley Librarians: Nicole Brown, Gisèle Tanasse, and others

Project Advisors: Jenae Cohn and Ula Y. Taylor

Funded by the Learning Lab

This project was funded by the California Education Learning Lab, a state-funded grantmaking organization with a mission to improve learning outcomes and close equity gaps for students attending public higher institutions in California.