Giving Compass' Take:

• Justin Aglio reports on the AI program at Montour School District, the first at a public school district in the United States.

• What are the advantages of introducing AI to young students? 

• Learn about combating AI bias. 

When the Montour School District launched America’s first Artificial Intelligence Middle School program in the fall of 2018, many questions arose. Why middle school? Why teach Artificial Intelligence? How? (Just to name a few). But, as a student-centered and future-focused district, the thought process was not if we should teach AI, but what if we don’t teach AI? Also, why isn’t everyone teaching AI?

Through a series of courses developed and implemented by Montour team members and partners, the AI program officially launched in October 2018. To date, hundreds of class have already been taught to students in areas of AI Ethics, AI Autonomous Robotics, AI Computer Science, and AI Music. The goal for the program is to make an all-inclusive AI program for all middle school students that is relevant and meaningful in a world where children live and prepare them for a future where they will thrive. Therefore, educators at Montour used a variety of innovative strategies, including embedding AI courses in current quarter, semester, and year-long Media Arts, STEM, Music, and Computer Science electives. In addition, teachers are being exposed to data literacy tools like EarthTime and more AI relevant resources such as voice assistant devices, to insert in core content courses.

Blakeley H. Payne, MIT Media Lab research assistant, proposed an AI Ethics course at Montour School District, as part of year-long research at MIT’s Media Lab, to both recognize: 1) the ethical issues AI presents, and 2) the ability to create ethical AI technology. The course is part of a research study conducted by Professor Cynthia Breazeal and Blakeley from the Media Arts and Sciences Department at MIT. According to Blakeley, the motivation for AI Ethics middle school-aged students are:

  • The average age a child receives her first cell phone is 10.3 years.
  • The average age a child opens her first social media account is 12.6 years.
  • We’re teaching children how to build AI systems already.

Read the full article about the first public school AI program by Justin Aglio at Getting Smart.