Rewriting Fairy Tales: developing critical AI literacy through creative practice in higher education

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47408/jldhe.vi40.1843

Keywords:

generative AI, digital storytelling, ethical creativity, bias and representation, learning development

Abstract

This case study explores how generative artificial intelligence (genAI) can be used in higher education (HE) to examine creativity, bias, and representation through storytelling. Rewriting Fairy Tales was a workshop in which 11 students from diverse disciplines used AI tools to reinterpret narratives, enabling them to identify bias, question authorship, and reflect on ethical implications of AI. Delivered within a UK HE teaching initiative, the workshop used genAI software to generate and rework story summaries, images, and narrative continuations. Activities combined creative experimentation with discussion and reflection. Data were collected through surveys, student reflections, observations, and creative outputs, focusing on changes in confidence, ethical awareness, and engagement. Findings indicate that students became more confident and critically aware, recognising AI as a limited creative collaborator. Participants identified gendered and cultural biases and produced more inclusive narratives. The study highlights storytelling as an accessible framework for developing digital literacy and ethical awareness.

Author Biography

India Lawton, Southampton Solent University

India Lawton is a Senior Lecturer at Southampton Solent University, where she leads and coordinates modules and the Art and Design Foundation within the School of Creative Industries. She has previously served as Interim Deputy Head (Education), is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, and acts as School Lead for Outreach, Recruitment, and External Engagement. She holds a Postgraduate Certificate in Education and a Master’s in Education. Her teaching and research focus on creative pedagogy, digital literacy, and ethical engagement with emerging technologies. She is currently undertaking a practice-based PhD alongside her academic role.

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Published

25-06-2026

How to Cite

Lawton, I. (2026). Rewriting Fairy Tales: developing critical AI literacy through creative practice in higher education. Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education, (40). https://doi.org/10.47408/jldhe.vi40.1843

Issue

No. 40 (2026)

Section

Case Studies

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