In June 2024, as part of the BRAID project and in collaboration with colleagues at the University of Edinburgh’s Centre for Research in Digital Education, we organised workshops on the topic of the future of responsible AI in education.
The workshops involved twenty-two young people at three secondary schools (two in Edinburgh, including an ASN school, and one in Norfolk) and artists-practitioners as facilitators of imaginative, explorative and speculative activities.
During the workshops, the young people identified some key messages that they wanted to share with decision-makers and educators. These messages have been collected and published in the zine “What’s at Stake? Young People’s Take on AI & Education”.
The zine covers five areas of action that the participants at the workshops identified as fundamental for the implementation of truly responsible use of AI in education:
- Representation. While GenAI may be a useful tool for communication and self-expression, it is also affected by pervasive bias and inaccessibility issues.
- Personalisation. Despite promises of adaptability and freedom, AI cannot reflect the context of the learner or their specific needs.
- Labour. Though promoted as a useful ‘ally’ for learners, AI proved to be source of emotional labour for learners who were trying to get AI work for them.
- Educational value and cost. Young people reckon that identifying the value of AI in education is not simple, while they know of costs of this technology, such as its impact on the environment and ethical issues concerning intellectual property.
- Agency and rights. Young people want to be able to use GenAI without compromising their privacy, safety, or other rights.
Read the zine here: What’s at stake? Young people’s take on AI and education.
Read more about our work on AI literacy: AI Literacy – Data Education in Schools.