Project overview
This project will co-create and evaluate a structured, evidence-based AI learning programme that equips young people (ages 6–18) and educators with the knowledge, tools, and critical skills needed to use AI safely, creatively, and effectively. This is motivated by recent evidence that over half of teenagers already use generative AI for schoolwork, with international surveys indicating that 50–70% of secondary-age students regularly use AI tools for learning tasks [1, 2].
While AI tools offer personalised support and rapid access to information, they also pose risks including over-reliance, misinformation, and reduced critical thinking [3]. The project has two strands:
(A) Young People (6–18). We will develop and test age-appropriate resources enabling young people to (1) use AI tools productively to support learning and problem solving; (2) critically evaluate AI outputs, recognising hallucinations, bias, and misinformation; and (3) build simple AI tools and agents themselves, thereby developing computational thinking and foundational AI literacy.
(B) Educators and Capacity Building. We will develop educator-focused training resources and professional development modules enabling teachers and tutors to deliver this material effectively. This includes practical AI pedagogy, embedding critical thinking in AI use, and supporting safe and ethical AI practices. The project integrates applied AI technologies such as web-scraping, AI agents, and LLM-powered tools in the content creation pipeline. Focus groups with learners and educators will iteratively evaluate usability, safety, and learning impact, ensuring the outputs support responsible AI adoption and capacity building.
While AI tools offer personalised support and rapid access to information, they also pose risks including over-reliance, misinformation, and reduced critical thinking [3]. The project has two strands:
(A) Young People (6–18). We will develop and test age-appropriate resources enabling young people to (1) use AI tools productively to support learning and problem solving; (2) critically evaluate AI outputs, recognising hallucinations, bias, and misinformation; and (3) build simple AI tools and agents themselves, thereby developing computational thinking and foundational AI literacy.
(B) Educators and Capacity Building. We will develop educator-focused training resources and professional development modules enabling teachers and tutors to deliver this material effectively. This includes practical AI pedagogy, embedding critical thinking in AI use, and supporting safe and ethical AI practices. The project integrates applied AI technologies such as web-scraping, AI agents, and LLM-powered tools in the content creation pipeline. Focus groups with learners and educators will iteratively evaluate usability, safety, and learning impact, ensuring the outputs support responsible AI adoption and capacity building.
