Young children’s understanding of AI
Dagmar Mercedes Heeg, Lucy Avraamidou
Abstract
Abstract AI has become integral to daily life. Teaching, learning, and research are no exception. However, most studies on education have approached AI as a technology and focused mostly on learning outcomes rather than understanding student engagement and sense-making of AI as a socio-cultural tool with impact on their daily lives. To address this gap in the knowledge base, we performed a qualitative case study to explore young children’s conceptualization of AI not only as a technology but also as a tool utilised in their everyday lives. We collected data through semi-structured group interviews with eighteen children aged 11 to 12 and thematically analyzed the data through a combination of deductive and inductive coding techniques. The findings suggest that: a) children’s conceptualizations of AI as a technology are grounded in their personal experiences; b) children have a socio-cultural approach to AI in which they experience and understand AI as first and foremost a supportive tool; and, c) children exhibit a high level of engagement with ethics of AI, showing a keen interest in the socio-cultural implications, particularly about AI applications with which they are familiar. Based on these findings and grounded within existing literature, we offer a set of recommendations for the design of engaging and personally relevant AI education curriculum materials for young children with critical AI literacy at the forefront.