Perception, Trust, Attitudes, and Models: Introducing Children to AI and Machine Learning with Five Software Exhibits
Fred G. Martin, Saniya Vahedian Movahed, James Dimino, Andrew Farrell, Elyas Irankhah, Srija Ghosh, Garima Jain, Vaishali Mahipal, Pranathi Rayavaram, Ismaila Temitayo Sanusi, Erika Salas, Kelilah L. Wolkowicz, Sashank Narain · 2024
Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) have a deepening impact in our world. For empowered citizenship and career readiness, elementary and middle school students need to understand these technologies. This poster reports on five original interactive AI and ML software exhibits tested by 125 elementary and middle school students aged 7 to 14 years. Four themes emerged: Students recognized that AI and ML systems can process data from cameras (perception); they saw that these systems responded to their training input (trust); they appreciated the practical import of AI/ML systems (affective and cognitive attitudes); and students were introduced to models and modes (specialization).