Build a clear foundation in artificial intelligence with this introductory module designed for educators in further and higher education.

This module is the first in a 3-part series on AI Literacy for teaching and learning. Module two: applied AI essentials is also available now and module 3: ethical and responsible use of AI will be available in June 2026 .

Module one: understanding AI covers what AI is, how it has developed, and the types of AI shaping today's digital landscape — including generative AI. You’ll also explore how AI supports teaching and learning, how students are using it, and what effective prompting and evaluation look like in practice.

By the end of module one, you’ll be ready to make informed decisions about AI in your teaching, discuss its benefits and challenges with colleagues, learners and students, and consider how AI could act as an assistant within your own practice.

Benefits

By completing this digital learning module, individuals will be able to:

Develop a clear understanding of AI’s key principles, terminology, and relevance in education
Make informed decisions about AI adoption by recognising its opportunities and challenges
Apply foundational prompting techniques to generate useful AI outputs for educational tasks

Who should access the module

This module is aimed at teaching and learning staff who want to build a foundational understanding of AI and develop awareness of its role in education.

What we cover

This module is structured into three key learning sections, which cover:

Understanding AI: including core concepts, key terminology, a brief history, and how AI has developed, with a focus on generative AI
AI in teaching and learning: exploring how educators and students use AI, along with its opportunities and challenges
Effective prompting: introducing the fundamentals of prompting and how to evaluate AI generated outputs

The module is designed to fit around your schedule — you don’t need to complete it all at once. We recommend working through the sections in order, but you can still explore the content at your own pace and revisit any section whenever you want to reflect on how AI could support teaching and learning.

Each of the three main learning sections includes interactive elements and knowledge‑checking activities to support your learning. The module ends with a quiz, and successful completion of the module is dependent on passing this quiz.

Pricing and further information

Please visit our digital learning module overview webpage for further information including pricing options and where you will also be able to request a quote and/or demo.

Contact

If you have any other queries please email training@jisc.ac.uk.

What is a digital learning module?

A digital learning module is an online, self‑paced training unit designed to provide clear, accessible learning on a specific topic through interactive content, scenarios, and knowledge‑checking activities. Our digital learning modules are built to support all levels of staff and learners, offering informative and engaging materials on priority areas such as information security, data protection, digital accessibility, copyright and emerging fields like AI.

They can be delivered off‑the‑shelf or fully tailored to an organisation’s policies and context, ensuring relevance and consistency across staff training. Organisations can deploy these modules to give all learners access to up‑to‑date, structured training that can be completed flexibly and tracked as part of internal development pathways.

AI literacy for teaching and learning - module one: understanding AI

On demand