Teaching History with Chatty Geeps: A Technocurious Approach to Using Generative AI in the Classroom

Abstract

Teaching History with Chatty Geeps: A Technocurious Approach to Using Generative AI in the Classroom examines how generative AI can function as a scaffold for historical thinking. Framed through the literary lens of Alice in Wonderland and the authors’ concept of technocuriosity, the book positions educators within the “messy middle” between skepticism and enthusiasm. Drawing on case studies, classroom vignettes, and disciplinary frameworks, Amy Allen and David Hicks demonstrate how AI can support inquiry, interpretation, feedback, and reflection while maintaining the ethical and evidentiary standards central to the field. The text integrates theory and practice, illustrating how tools such as ChatGPT (affectionately renamed “Chatty Geeps”) can foster self-regulated learning, critical AI literacy, and the development of historical thinking skills. More than a procedural guide, this book advances a sustained argument for curiosity, care, and experimentation in a rapidly evolving educational landscape, inviting readers to reconsider what it means to teach and learn history in an age of generative AI. How to access this book PDF and EPUB files are available for download on the lefthand side of the screen. [Note: PDF will be available August 24th] An HTML version is available through Pressbooks. A print version (paperback; in color) is available through Amazon. These formats can also be accessed through the Press's website. [Note: This title will be available on the Press's website August 24th] ISBNs ISBN (PDF): 978-1-962841-56-6 ISBN (HTML): 978-1-962841-57-3 ISBN (EPUB): 978-1-962841-55-9 ISBN (print): 978-1-962841-54-2 Table of contents Foreword by Jeremy D. Stoddard Pre-Preface Preface: In Medias Res 1. What Is AI, and Why Should History Teachers Care? 2. The Technocurious Stance: A Framework for Teaching with GenAI 3. Can I Trust This Tool? Evaluating GenAI Through a Disciplinary Lens 4. How to Use This Book Without Losing Your Mind 5. Prompt Engineering as Pedagogical Design 6. Designing Backward with Chatty Geeps: Rethinking Lesson Planning with AI 7. GenAI as Thought Partner: Supporting Self-Regulated Learners with QFT 8. Chronology, Causation, and Counterfactuals with Custom GPTs 9. AI-Augmented Source Analysis: SCIM-C and Historical Source Chatting 10. Beyond Measurement: Progression and Possibility Through GenAI Assessment 11. Ghosts in the Archive: The Burden of Representation and the Algorithmic Past 12. The Ethics of Use: Building Critical AI Literacy Conclusion: Through the Looking Glass: Learning That Thinks Back Acknowledgments Appendix 1: Curiosity Cards References About the Authors About the authors Amy Allen Amy Allen, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of History and Social Science Education in the Elementary Education program at Virginia Tech. Her research examines how teachers and students navigate history, technology, and inquiry in the age of GenAI. She explores how digital tools can support (not replace) the messy, human work of meaning-making. Her scholarship appears in Theory & Research in Social Education, The Social Studies, and Social Studies and the Young Learner, and she frequently presents at NCSS, NCHE, and AERA. Outside of work, Amy maintains a deeply analog relationship with karaoke, trivia, and chaotic good energy. When she’s not researching technocuriosity, she’s testing the limits of “place-based learning” at Disney parks, listening to Taylor Swift, and pretending she’s in a musical number nobody asked for but everyone secretly enjoys. She is deeply committed to serious scholarship but never—ever—taking herself too seriously. David Hicks David Hicks, PhD, is a Professor of History and Social Science Education at Virginia Tech, where his research explores the integration of digital technologies and media to deepen historical inquiry and disciplinary thinking. With more than ninety publications, he has contributed significantly to understanding how technology can scaffold the analysis of historical sources, foster critical literacy, and humanize digital learning environments. Dr. Hicks’s scholarship combines historical rigor, technological innovation, and a commitment to helping teachers navigate the promises and perils of AI in history education. Outside of academia, David remains tragically unrecognized by the Academy, the Recording Industry, and—most cruelly—Mardi Gras king cakes. A self-proclaimed “Gen AI curious” historian, he divides his time between mentoring pre-service teachers, perfecting small animal puppetry, contemplating why Twitter’s rebrand destroyed civilization, and surfing TikTok. When not philosophizing about cognitive engineering, David dreams of a One Direction reunion and still insists Blur is better than Oasis. Suggested citation Allen, A. and Hicks, D. (2026). Teaching History with Chatty Geeps: A Technocurious Approach to Using Generative AI in the Classroom. CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. https://doi.org/10.21061/chattygeeps View errata | Report an error Accessibility Virginia Tech Publishing & Press is committed to ensuring that its publications are accessible to a wide range of users. Our publications are produced in multiple formats—including HTML, PDF, print, and EPUB—with accessibility features such as structured tagging, alternative text, and navigable content to support a wide range of assistive technologies. Virginia Tech Publishing & Press is continuously working to improve accessibility and welcomes any feedback from readers.