We’re happy to announce Dr. Nicola Marae Allain as our keynote speaker on the 7th onlince conference on “Intercultural perspectives on information literacy and meta literacy” who will talk about
Mindful Metaliteracy in the Age of Generative AI: Attention, Reflection, and Human Agency
Abstract
Generative AI is reshaping how we create, interpret, and communicate knowledge, making reflective judgment and intentional meaning-making more essential than ever. This keynote explores how a metaliterate emphasis on metacognition, authorship, and ethical participation aligns with Ellen Langer’s scholarly work on mindfulness as active, context-sensitive awareness and orientation to learning. Drawing briefly on a classical story from the Zhuangzi on the relationship between mind and machine, the talk highlights how learners can approach AI-generated texts and imagery with greater attention, flexibility, and creative autonomy. The SUNY FACT2 AI Guides and evaluation instrument and Allain and Mackey’s forthcoming book on AI and Metaliteracy are introduced as practical tools for supporting ethical and intentional adoption. Through examples from visual research and interdisciplinary practice, the session demonstrates how mindful metaliteracy can cultivate more thoughtful, creative, and human-centered engagement with generative AI.
Dr. Nicola Marae Allain is Professor of Arts and Media at SUNY Empire State University and co-editor of AI and Metaliteracy: Empowering Learners for the Generative Revolution (Allain & Mackey, Bloomsbury Publishing, 2025). She co-authored the 2nd and 3rd editions of the SUNY FACT² Guide to Optimizing AI in Higher Education and co-chairs SUNY FACT² committees on AI for Teaching, Learning, and Accessibility. Her research and creative practice span digital media arts, visual pedagogy, and emerging technologies, exploring how the arts, culture, and innovation intersect to shape reflective and ethical learning in digital environments. Dr. Allain brings a global, interdisciplinary, and multilingual perspective. She is dedicated to empowering learners to engage critically, creatively, and ethically in an evolving technological world.
The online conference takes place on 11th december 2025, 14.00 – 17.45 CET via BigBlueButton: https://meet.gwdg.de/b/joa-fwe-eor-dys.