Interacting with AI
Grades: 7-9
Duration: 1.5 - 2 hours
Author: MediaSmarts and TELUS
Learning goals
Key concepts/big ideas:
Students will understand that Interactions through digital media can have a real impact:
- Conversations with chatbots can have emotional effects and affect what we think and believe
Digital media experiences are shaped by the tools we use:
Generative AI
Generative AI is what we call AI systems that can generate things like images, video, voice and text. They do this by first encoding many examples of the kind of content they’re going to make, then decoding to make something new.
Addressing AI in the Classroom: Tips for Teachers
Teachers can play a critical role in educating their students about AI, even if they aren’t experts on it. By addressing AI in ways that are designed to build students’ skills and teach them about the pitfalls of relying too much on it, teachers can help build the next generation of citizens who are empowered with the skills necessary to succeed in a world infused with AI technology.
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.