Raising a Reader in the Digital Age

The fourth episode of Usable Knowledge Live: Literacy Insights brought literacy experts together to discuss the impact artificial intelligence and technology can have on literacy development.

Host Assistant Professor Phil Capin spoke with Assistant Professor Ying Xu for “Raising a Reader in the Digital Age,” which focused on how to tell the difference between digital literacy experiences that fuel learning and those that distract. The two detailed why conversation matters for developing reading skills, which technologies can supplement learning experiences, and what habits AI users may develop that impact cultivating literacy skills.

“Raising a Reader in the Digital Age” will be followed by the next episode of Usable Knowledge Live on Wednesday, June 10 at 5 p.m. “Practical Insights for Families on Supporting Language and Literacy” will feature Capin in conversation with Professor Meredith Rowe.

Key Takeaways

Not all digital reading experiences are the same
Not all “screens” or “digital reading” experiences are alike. Some digital tools are thoughtfully designed to support comprehension and vocabulary and increase access. Others are much busier and can distract from the text itself. The key question is not whether reading happens on a screen, but whether the design of the experience helps children focus on meaning.

Conversation remains essential to supporting literacy development
Adult-child interaction is still central to literacy learning. Research shows that when digital books are not designed to encourage interaction, adults may spend more time managing the device than discussing the story. Print books often make those rich conversations easier, though some digital tools can also support meaningful dialogue when designed well.

Technology can support literacy when it is built for a clear purpose
Technology is most promising when it helps children engage more deeply with reading, rather than simply adding noise or novelty. Good learning design can help support specific literacy goals, improve access, build vocabulary, and help students work through challenging text structures.  

AI may be a useful supplement, but not a substitute
AI chatbots and other technologies should not replace human relationships or instruction. Children’s literacy development depends on a larger ecosystem of relationships, motivation, instruction, and context. AI tools can be part of that ecosystem but cannot replace many of its essential factors. 

The real question is how children are using AI, and what habits it is shaping
Families and educators have an important role to play in helping children use AI tools thoughtfully and critically. While AI can summarize text, for example, the productive struggle of reading and comprehending full text is an important skill some students may now bypass. As more students use AI in their work, educators need to focus on what skills may be lost along the way. 

Related Resources

The Impact of AI on Children’s Development
A related conversation featuring Ying Xu on what we know so far about AI’s effects on children and why AI literacy matters.

Why Education Research Matters: AI and Children
An interview with Ying Xu on why research on AI and child development is so important as these tools become more embedded in children’s lives

AI Can Add, Not Just Subtract, From Learning
A piece highlighting Ying Xu’s work on how AI may support learning when used thoughtfully and studied carefully.

Using E-Books to Get Young Readers Talking
A Usable Knowledge resource that shares how using digital books can impact meaningful parent-child interaction.

Talking, Sharing, and Playing Together
A piece on early-literacy apps designed to spark conversation, play, and interaction between children and caregivers, reinforcing one of the episode’s key themes: technology can support literacy best when it adds to human connection rather than replacing it.