As the landscape of literary studies continues to shift in tandem with rapid technological advances, the role of digital tools has become increasingly prominent in shaping how, why, and where we teach and study literature. This proposal aligns closely with the thematic focus of the ICLA 2025 conference—particularly the strands Performing Literary Criticism in Digital Spaces and Reworlding World Literature—by examining how artificial intelligence (AI), virtual reality (VR), and online platforms like Coursera offer new modes of engaging with texts, foregrounding questions of accessibility, global collaboration, and pedagogical innovation.
For my presentation, I propose a personal essay (rather than a conventional paper) that investigates two core dimensions of this technological turn in digital literary education: first, the affordances of AI, VR, and related platforms in designing online literature courses; and second, the ways these technologies enable deeper, more interactive student engagement in literary study. Throughout, I draw upon my multifaceted background as a fiction writer, literary scholar, and Learning Experience Designer at the Center for Academic Innovation at the University of Michigan (UMICH) to illustrate how best practices and pilot projects in digital literary pedagogy can address the opportunities and challenges of teaching and studying literature in an online environment. By foregrounding specific course modules, including a VR learning activity that immerses students in the historical and cultural contexts of particular novels, my presentation underscores the transformative potential of new technologies while also probing unresolved questions concerning equity, access, data ethics, and the social dimension of reading itself.
In recent years, global events—including the COVID-19 pandemic—have accelerated the move toward online and hybrid learning across higher education. The field of literary studies, traditionally associated with in-person seminars and close-knit reading groups, has not been immune to these shifts. Indeed, scholars have increasingly acknowledged the potential of digital platforms to transform engagement with texts, whether by harnessing multimedia annotation tools, digital archives, or collaborative discussion forums. The rapid development of technology like AI chatbots and VR environments has also redefined the relationship of the student of literature to their learning subject. My proposal thus aims to explore how digital tools can help shape a more inclusive, wide-reaching form of literary engagement, particularly for online learners who might not have easy access to physical resources.
One of the central arguments of my presentation is that AI can be used to streamline various aspects of online course design while personalizing the learning process for students. For example, the instructor can use AI-driven systems to generate adaptive reading guides—by analyzing a student’s discussion posts or quiz results, these tools can automatically produce real-time study guides tailored to the learner’s skill level and interpretive style; it can facilitate language support—through real-time machine translation and natural language processing, the instructor can guide students whose first language is not English in the translation process, thereby supporting a more genuinely global classroom; the instructor can also, with the help of AI, suggest research pathways like complementary secondary readings or even relevant primary sources based on a student’s stated research interests, thus fostering deeper inquiry and a personalized learning experience.
Where AI augments and personalizes textual engagement, VR amplifies the immersive dimension of literary study. Through VR headsets or browser-based 3D environments, students can encounter the physical, cultural, and historical contexts of the works they are reading. This capability aligns particularly well with the conference theme Performing Literary Criticism in Digital Spaces, since VR effectively becomes a theatrical stage for performing interpretations of a text’s atmosphere, characters, and social milieu. One practical illustration I intend to include in my presentation is a pedagogical activity I developed where students “entered” a meticulously reconstructed parlor from another historical context, complete with period-appropriate décor, soundscapes, and interactive objects (e.g., diaries, letters, newspapers). They could read short excerpts from a specific literary text while virtually experiencing the environment in which those novels were set. The objective was to foster empathy and historical sensitivity: if students can sense the claustrophobia of certain domestic spaces or the rigid formality of certain social norms, they are arguably more equipped to parse characters’ actions and the thematic textures of these literary works. One of the challenges in these kinds of activities is ensuring robust critical reflection; some learners may be so absorbed in the “wow” factor of VR that their interpretive work remains superficial. My presentation will thus argue that VR modules must be carefully scaffolded with reflective assignments—guided journals or group discussions—to ensure that immersion does not supplant critical rigor. Another challenge is that high-quality VR requires powerful computing devices and robust network infrastructure—resources often unavailable to students in economically or technologically under-resourced contexts. I will argue that, despite the optimism around VR, institutions must remain attentive to the digital divide and proactively seek solutions such as low-bandwidth versions, institutional loaner headsets, or cross-platform flexibility that supports mobile devices.
In the domain of AI-enhanced literary education, ethical concerns loom large as well. Many platforms collect granular data on learners’ reading patterns, discussion posts, or even biometric responses in VR. While these data can drive personalized learning paths, they also raise questions about user consent and privacy. Moreover, biases in AI algorithms can subtly shape the direction of literary interpretation by emphasizing certain authors or interpretive frameworks over others. To address these issues, my presentation will propose guidelines for ethical AI implementation in literary pedagogy. Transparency—educators and institutions should clearly communicate how AI tools gather, store, and utilize student data; data governance—access to any collected data should be carefully regulated, ensuring it cannot be used for purposes beyond pedagogical improvement, and algorithmic diversity—course materials and references should intentionally include texts from marginalized communities, thereby broadening the dataset on which AI tools base their analyses. Such measures underscore the fact that technology should serve as an aid—rather than a determiner—of interpretive inquiry and pedagogical practices.
Another challenge that I explore is the fact that literary study has historically thrived in communal settings—whether seminars, reading groups, or literary societies. One might reasonably worry that online courses dilute the social aspects of learning, reducing rich, face-to-face discussions into text-based message boards or solitary VR experiences. However, a key proposition of my presentation is that AI and VR can, paradoxically, open up new forms of communal engagement. VR-based co-presence can, at times, be more inclusive for geographically scattered learners, offering real-time dialogue that surmounts physical distance. AI chatbots can simulate ongoing conversation partners, especially for students who hesitate to speak up in group settings or who struggle with confidence in a second language. Still, these technologies cannot entirely replicate the serendipity and intimacy of in-person gatherings. My conclusion will stress the need for a balanced, “blended” approach that situates AI and VR as tools that augment, rather than replace, the fundamental human act of reading and discussing literature together.
Ultimately, my presentation aims to provoke a broader discussion among conference participants, educators, and policymakers about how best to harness the power of AI, VR and online educative platforms to reimagine the future of literary education. Through case studies, critical reflections, and practical guidelines, I hope to offer a framework that both celebrates the possibilities and acknowledges the limits of these new digital horizons.
