Supporting GenAI Literacy in Practice: Reflections from the Digital and Information Skills Team

13 October 2026

Olivia Edmonds is an Information Skills Librarian at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD) who is based at the Birmingham campus. Prior to joining the University she was a Secondary English teacher of 10+ years and a Learning Resources Manager at Sixth Form level for 6 years. Her areas of interest include equality, diversity, and inclusion; digital accessibility and the use of Generative AI to support students and staff in a higher education context. In this article, Olivia explains UWTSD’s approach to supporting students and staff to use Generative AI effectively.

Person's hands displayed working on computer

One of the things that drew me to working at UWTSD is its commitment to removing barriers to higher education and supporting learners from a wide range of backgrounds to achieve their academic and professional goals. Particularly in our inner city campuses in Birmingham and London, we work with students whose circumstances, experiences, and aspirations are incredibly varied, and our teaching and support provision reflects that.

Many of our students balance their studies alongside employment, family commitments, or return to education after a significant break. As a result, levels of digital confidence can vary considerably. Within the Digital Learning and Information Skills team, we are constantly thinking about how best to support students at different stages of their learning journey, particularly when it comes to Generative AI (GenAI).

As part of our established Online Infoskills (Information Literacy) programme, the Information Skills Librarian team has created two tutorials focused on the use of GenAI. Developed alongside institution-wide guidance from our Academic Services team, these resources provide a foundation for both students and staff. Rather than treating AI literacy as a separate skillset, we’ve tried to embed it within the wider information literacy landscape, encouraging students to think critically about AI-generated content in the same way they would evaluate any other source of information.

Institution-wide access to Microsoft Copilot has also given us a valuable starting point when introducing GenAI to students and staff. As a secure and accessible platform, it has proved useful for individuals with a wide range of digital capabilities, and it is recommended throughout both our online and in-person Infoskills provision, in line with University guidance.

Alongside Microsoft Copilot, we also introduce students to GenAI tools that have been integrated into some of our existing systems and platforms. One example is the Primo Research Assistant, which is highlighted during our face-to-face Infoskills sessions. One of my favourite parts of these demonstrations is seeing students’ reactions. Many are surprised by how simple and intuitive these tools can be. The conversation often becomes even more interesting when we discuss how AI is already present in many of the social media platforms, search engines, and mobile applications they use every day. There is often a moment of recognition when students realise they have been interacting with AI technologies for much longer than they thought.

Outside the classroom, the Digital Learning and Information Skills team has also worked with the Students’ Union to deliver GenAI workshops as part of our termly Skills Week programme in Birmingham, which focuses on employability and preparing students for the workplace. Feedback has been extremely encouraging. Students frequently report feeling more confident about engaging with GenAI tools, more willing to explore them independently, and more aware of how they might apply them within their own subject areas and future careers.

Supporting students is only one part of the picture. Equally important is ensuring that staff feel confident in their own understanding of GenAI so that they can effectively support students and engage with the opportunities and challenges these technologies present.

The foundation of this support is the institution-wide guidance developed and regularly updated by our Academic Services team. One of the main ways this information is shared is through a dedicated Learning Community page on the University’s VLE. Alongside guidance documents, the page includes resources for teaching staff, updates on developments in the sector, and recommendations on GenAI tools that may or may not be appropriate for educational use. Personally, I have found this resource invaluable. Having a central location that is freely accessible to all staff makes it much easier to stay informed in an area that evolves so quickly.

Staff have also been offered a range of professional development opportunities, many of which have been delivered by our Digital Skills Officers (DSOs) amongst others with different specialist knowledge. These have included practical workshops as well as opportunities for independent learning through LinkedIn Learning and Microsoft Learn. One particular session, entitled Co-Pilot for Productivity, had a record attendance over 100 University staff from across all campuses, highlighting the demand and engagement when it comes to Generative AI. During these sessions, staff have also been encouraged to explore the Online Infoskills programme, both for their own development and as a resource they can recommend to students.

The impact of GenAI on learning and teaching has also become a topic of discussion at a senior level across the University. It has been encouraging to see how the initial work carried out by the Academic Services Team and Information Skills Librarians has developed into a broader, more joined-up approach. This has included the creation of practical guidance for staff, such as checklists outlining appropriate use of GenAI in assessments, suggestions for incorporating GenAI into teaching materials, and examples of how Professional Services colleagues can use these tools to support their own strategic objectives. To further extend this knowledge, the University will soon launch a new online staff development programme – Understanding and Using Generative AI in Higher Education – created by the Digital Learning Team, allowing all staff to reflect on their own knowledge bases and giving them an opportunity to develop and extend their skills in this key area.

As we continue to develop this work, we are conscious of the challenges that lie ahead. From a student perspective, one of the biggest considerations is the wide range of digital skills and experiences that learners bring with them when they join the University. Some students are encountering these technologies for the first time, while others are already experimenting with a range of GenAI tools. Finding ways to support both ends of that spectrum, as well as everyone in between, remains an ongoing challenge.

In many ways, we do not see GenAI as a standalone issue. Instead, we view it as part of the wider work of helping students build the skills, knowledge, and confidence they need to succeed in higher education and, ultimately, in the workplace. As GenAI becomes increasingly embedded in everyday life and professional practice, supporting students to engage with these tools critically and responsibly will only become more important.

For staff, the focus is often on building confidence and creating opportunities to learn in a supportive environment. Conversations with colleagues have shown a genuine interest in keeping up to date with developments in the GenAI landscape, alongside a desire to better understand how these technologies can be used effectively within their own roles. As a result, sharing timely updates, useful resources, and examples of good practice has become an important part of our work.

Looking ahead, there are also wider sector-level questions to consider. Many of the tools currently available to staff and students are either free to use or operate within limited credit allowances. Whether these models remain in place, or increasingly move behind subscription paywalls, is something that institutions will need to think carefully about. Questions around sustainability, access, and institutional investment are also likely to become increasingly important across the Higher Education sector as GenAI continues to evolve.