History teaching meets AI as new webinar series explores the subject’s role in shaping digital literacy
Photo credit: The Historical Association
A new professional learning series from the Historical Association will examine the role of history education in developing critical AI literacy.
Announced in a LinkedIn post by Dr. Will Van Reyk, Deputy Head and Director of Innovation at St Paul’s Girls’ School in England, the five-part webinar series begins on 17 September and is designed to support secondary history teachers and subject leads navigating generative AI in the classroom.
The series, titled Teaching History in the Age of AI, aims to equip educators at all levels of experience with tools to engage critically with AI, both in their own pedagogy and in student use.
Making the case for history in a tech-driven world
While AI is more commonly linked with STEM fields, Van Reyk argues that history has a foundational role to play in shaping responsible use.
“History is essential in the age of AI,” he wrote. “One of the most important contributions it offers is the ability to work with sources. When students use AI, they need to think like historians in order to make sense of what they turn up.”
He cited key questions that mirror historical inquiry: “Where did this information come from? Can I find the original source to check it? Can I cross-reference it with something else? Is it influenced by a particular bias or viewpoint?”
Van Reyk also emphasized the practical uses of AI in planning and resource development. “It can be an outstanding research assistant, far more powerful than a traditional search engine... I use it to help explore key ideas, identify contrasting perspectives, and surface links to further reading.”
Five webinars, one goal: deeper understanding
The five sessions will cover a range of topics including AI-assisted teaching, lesson planning, student engagement with AI, and the role of historical thinking in the post-AI world. Speakers include Van Reyk, Kieran Lavis, Will Bailey-Watson, Emily Folorunsho, and Dr. Katharine Burn.
The first webinar, led by Van Reyk, will introduce how history teachers can begin integrating AI tools into their teaching. Future sessions will examine ethics, student behavior, and curriculum implications, with practical examples and open Q&A.
Sessions are delivered live and recorded for later access. The series is available as a full package only, with subsidized pricing through the Historical Association.
Van Reyk encouraged participation from across subject disciplines. “I’m pleased to see historians, perhaps counterintuitively, engaging early and actively with this emerging technology,” he said. “We need the wisdom of all disciplines if we want a future in an era of AI that reflects the best of us.”
