AI Adventure Camp: developing critical thinking and ethical artificial intelligence literacy through design fiction and digital constructionism

Abstract

Artificial intelligence is an increasingly influential aspect of our lives. From GPS to Siri and Amazon Echoes, our data is collected, stored, and analyzed throughout the day. Despite the ubiquity of AI, most STEM curricula omit the social and ethical dimensions of interacting with AI and instead focus on developing digital skills, such as coding and programming. This may lead to a disparity between critical thinking and technical competency. It is urgent for youth to develop a balanced understanding of AI and the biases it can propagate to develop equity in STEM and propel comprehensive AI literacy in youth that blends technical competencies with critical thinking. Using the graphic novel Meehaneeto as a vehicle for these conversations, AI Adventure Camp aimed to facilitate conversations surrounding understanding the deeper implications of ethical and critical AI use through graphic novel narrative and building technical competency through coding challenges. This thesis explores the shifts in thinking that occurred over the course of the camp and examines the design challenges and successes of the first iteration of AI Adventure Camp.