Learning with AI
Level: Grades 4-6
Author: Matthew Johnson, Director of Education, MediaSmarts
Duration: 2 to 2 1/3 hours
Unpacking the Black Box: Explaining Algorithms and AI
In this lesson, students learn about algorithms and AI, how they work, how they impact our lives on the internet, and ethical considerations. The lesson begins with a class discussion on algorithms. Students will discuss how AIs reinforce real-world biases, the difficulties in identifying how AIs make decisions, what information algorithms use to make choices, and how that information impacts the types of decisions AIs make. Finally, students will demonstrate their knowledge by researching and designing an infographic on a field that uses algorithms to make decisions. This lesson aims to build critical thinking skills by examining how AI algorithms work, investigating the biases and impacts of AI decision-making, and reflecting on how the implications to their own lives.Online Relationships: Respect and Consent
In this lesson, students use mind maps to explore concepts of “respect” and “consent” in an online context. They consider a wide range of scenarios that shed light on different aspects of consent relating to digital media and draw on those to create a detailed definition. They then learn about the moral disengagement techniques or “sneaky excuses” that we sometimes use to let us do things we know are wrong, and identify them in short videos. Finally, students create a digital story in which they illustrate one of the aspects of consent or one of the “sneaky excuses.”
What is AI?
AI (artificial intelligence) is a way of using computer algorithms to do things with little or no human involvement.
How to Train Your Algorithm
Level: Grades 9-12
Author: Matthew Johnson, Director of Education, MediaSmarts
