AI Education from the Educator's Perspective: Best Practices for an Inclusive AI Curriculum for Middle School

Abstract

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its applications have a strong impact on people's lives worldwide. Therefore, an increasing number of professionals and academics are focusing on the development of AI education programs for K-12. Part of these programs is developed for formal educational settings, such as school classrooms, which are complex systems with several variables interwoven. The current study concentrates on the teachers' perspective on the implementation of an AI education curriculum for middle schools located in disadvantaged areas of Europe. Given these premises, a particular focus is devoted to how AI education can foster inclusion and be more accessible. Feedback was gathered through 582 logbooks provided by educators, and an international focus group conducted at the end of the curriculum implementation. This information helped to understand educators' points of view on the AI curriculum, investigating how these topics can stimulate reflections around inclusion and diversity.