Involving Children and Young People in Discussions and Decision-Making Related to Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming increasingly integrated into various services and societal functions. The growing prevalence of generative AI, in particular, creates a need for renewal in education and teaching. Research shows that students and teachers often hold several misconceptions about AI. Additionally, the knowledge related to AI as a phenomenon and AI pedagogy is still unfamiliar to many educators.
The “Democracy, Children’s Rights, and Artificial Intelligence” project introduces a perspective focused on democracy education and the agency of children, based on children’s rights, into the discussion about AI and the development of education. Understanding AI, its creative use, and influencing AI development is a right for every child and young person. AI-related skills should be developed from the early stages of education, with an emphasis on democracy education and children’s rights. Everyone, regardless of their background, should be guaranteed equal opportunities to be active participants in the age of AI. The goal of the project is to make the connection between democracy, children’s rights, and technological development visible to children and young people, and to provide them with the tools to influence the future direction of AI. Central to the project is the participation of children and young people, especially in influencing the use, development, and decisions related to AI.
The project will bring together international and domestic examples of AI education, such as Scotland’s Exploring Children´s Rights and AI program, which has a strong focus on democracy and human rights education. It will also create a model for teachers to use when addressing societal issues related to AI with their students and discussing the future of AI. The model will allow AI education to be methodologically combined with media and technology education, democracy and human rights education, and innovation education. In the project, children’s rights and AI will be examined from the perspective of democracy and power: children and young people will be encouraged to reflect on and explore what they know and think about AI, what kind of AI they would like to use in the future, and how they can participate in influencing the development of AI innovations and the decisions related to them.
The project is funded by Sitra and is carried out in close collaboration with experts in democracy and human rights education, as well as in the digitalization of education.
In September, the project will organize a Democracy, Children’s Rights, and Artificial Intelligence discussion event, aimed at educators and professionals in the fields of technology, children’s rights, and democracy issues. You can read more about the event here (in Finnish): www.sitra.fi/tapahtumat/demokratia-lasten-oikeudet-ja-tekoaly/