Kids AI Design Thinking Education for Creativity Development

Abstract

Background Artificial intelligence (AI) developments will change the way humans think about problems. Recent advances in design education have been significant in both the technology and applications of AI and related generative AI. Often, AI education for children is centered on technical education, such as robotics or programming. However, few programs combine AI, technology, creativity, philosophy, and logical reasoning to leverage design expertise. We explore this combination to allow students to creatively use AI to design and think. This paper reports on our vision, curriculum framework, and learning activities, with a focus on proposing a new framework for thinking with AI for Kids, the KAI Thinking Model(KAIT), and exploring its impact on student creativity. Methods To illustrate the practical application of the KAIT model, we briefly presented two cases of AI thinking programs conducted among Chinese primary and secondary school students. We also used interviews to understand the students’ attitudes toward the course content. Results Students believed that the novelty and uniqueness of the content can help them think outside the box. Conclusions We hope to provide a new vision of how design in the age of artificial intelligence can serve as a new medium for influencing and facilitating the growth of students as creators of the future.