UNESCO has released “K-12 AI Curricula: A mapping of government-endorsed AI curricula”, the first report on the global status of K-12 AI curricula.
The current use and impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has spurred an urgency to create an international consensus on how to equip children with the competences needed to understand the power but also the ethical dilemmas related to this new technology. However, as AI technology is still an emerging subject area for K–12 schools worldwide, there is a lack of knowledge for governments, schools and teachers to draw from in defining AI competencies and designing AI curricula.
In response to the knowledge gap, UNESCO launched a project in 2021 jointly with the TAL Education Group to develop a guiding framework on AI curriculum for grades K–12, which included a global survey on government-endorsed AI curricula for K-12.
This report contributes to the development of effective supportive tools and frameworks to facilitate the development of AI competencies in line with the Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence, adopted by UNESCO’s General Conference in November 2021. As the Recommendation states, it is important that “Member States should also ensure that AI technologies empower students and teachers and enhance their experience, bearing in mind that relational and social aspects and the value of traditional forms of education are vital in teacher-student and student-student relationships and should be considered when discussing the adoption of AI technologies in education.”
- Download the report: K-12 AI curricula: a mapping of government-endorsed AI curricula