In the Generation AI project we create learning tools for schools and study their effectiveness. A recent case study, led by the University of Eastern Finland, involved organising workshops in schools located in Joensuu and Oulu. During these workshops, we visited multiple schools, focusing on 4th and 7th-grade students, to evaluate the impact of our AI education. Total of 213 students from 12 schools participated in the workshop.
The research studied how children explain the causes of algorithmic bias and how these explanations improve when they used the AI learning tools we developed. Children showed statistically significant progress in their data-driven explanations on a written reasoning test administered before and after the intervention, as well as in their responses to worksheets completed during a lesson on algorithmic biases. 40.7% of children showed genuine understanding of bias that arises from the AI training process. This is a significant improvement from 6.7% in the pre-test. Students were also more likely to critically evaluate AI applications after the workshops.
Meaningful projects increased learning
The workshops conducted during the school year 2023-2024 were based on concrete examples familiar from the students’ daily lives. During the workshops, students brainstormed and developed their own AI applications which they then tested and gave feedback for. Students also created images using AI, looked for algorithmic biases in them, and discussed the impact of AI applications on society. This deepened their understanding of how AI works.
The opportunity to create AI applications of personal interest with classmates made learning meaningful and exciting for children. The research results highlight the importance of properly implemented AI education in school.
Generation AI project is funded by the Strategic Research (STN) council of Finland.
Read more about the research
Kahila, J., Vartiainen, H., Tedre, M., Arkko, E., Lin, A., Pope, N., Jormanainen, I., & Valtonen, T. (2024). Pedagogical framework for cultivating children’s data agency and creative abilities in the age of AI. Informatics in Education. https://lnkd.in/dG8dcYRM
Vartiainen, H., Kahila, J., Tedre, M., López-Pernas, S., & Pope, N. (2024). Enhancing children’s understanding of algorithmic biases in and with text-to-image generative AI. New Media & Society. https://lnkd.in/dY6YtDDk
Leave a Reply