A new open educational resource from Penn State, "Beyond the Podium: AI, Speech and Civic Voice," embeds AI literacy directly into public speaking courses. Created by 14 faculty members across seven campuses and one external university, the free textbook updates a 25-year-old open-access speech resource and equips students to use AI ethically and responsibly.
Led by Tiffany Petricini, assistant teaching professor of communications arts and sciences, and Sherry Rice, instructional designer with Teaching and Learning with Technology, the project received funding from the University Libraries' Sally W. Kalin Early Career Librarianship for Learning Innovations. Bryan McGeary, the Kalin Librarian for Learning Innovations, coordinated the open education strategy.
A collaborative reimagining of a classic textbook
The authors bring more than 300 years of combined industry and classroom experience from Penn State Behrend, Fayette, Harrisburg, Greater Allegheny, DuBois, Abington, University Park, and Duquesne University. They rewrote "Stand Up, Speak Out - The Practice and Ethics of Public Speaking" to address modern challenges around AI in professional presentations.
"It's important to consider the benefits of OER beyond free course materials," McGeary said. "This project provided an opportunity to further our goals of supporting interdisciplinary cross-campus collaboration among faculty, enhancing student success and equipping students with the knowledge and skills to use AI ethically and responsibly."
Weaving AI literacy into public speaking
The material asks students to examine how AI affects ethical communication, bias and misinformation, authorship and attribution, audience engagement, and message development. Rather than treating AI as a separate topic, the resource threads these questions throughout the entire public speaking curriculum.
Faculty involved in the project introduced the resource at the Eastern Communication Association annual conference in Pittsburgh, reaching more than 100 colleges and universities. Several institutions have since adopted "Beyond the Podium" for their communication courses.
Availability and ongoing support
An advisory board and editorial committee will review and update the resource annually to reflect best practices in communication pedagogy and emerging technologies. Any instructor can access the Pressbook and corresponding Creative Commons Canvas modules, which include assignments, activities, and openly licensed content that can be adopted, adapted, and remixed for individual needs.
This initiative is part of a broader push for AI for Education that prepares students for ethical AI use. For instructors seeking to build their own AI teaching skills, an AI Learning Path for Teachers provides structured guidance.
Why this matters for educators
The resource offers a ready-to-use, peer-reviewed curriculum that embeds AI literacy into a foundational course, saving instructors time while ensuring students develop critical skills for a workforce increasingly shaped by AI. Because it is openly licensed, educators can adapt the materials to fit their specific teaching contexts without additional cost to students.
Your membership also unlocks:
