About

Advances in artificial intelligence (AI) are fundamentally reshaping the workplace of the future and accelerating the demand for creating and sustaining an AI-literate workforce. This growing demand has highlighted the importance for all K-12 students to develop an understanding of AI to prepare them for future careers. Middle school years are crucial in shaping youth dispositions toward STEM. There is an urgent need nationally to develop a deep educational understanding of how to engage students during these years in learning AI and how to train and support teachers in AI education. The goal of the AI Play project is to develop and implement the AI Play Program that infuses AI learning into interactive digital game development activities. Over the course of the project, we will develop the AI Play learning environment, integrate it into summer camps and school-based programs, and investigate the effectiveness of the AI Play Program for cultivating rural middle grades students’ knowledge of AI concepts, attitudes toward AI, and interest in AI careers. 

The project will provide AI learning experiences to over 500 middle school students and AI-focused professional development to more than 20 teachers. It has six key objectives:

1. Develop and iteratively refine the AI Play learning environment for middle grades students.

2. Develop and implement AI Play Exploration Camps for rural North Carolina middle grades students from historically underserved and underrepresented groups in STEM fields.

3. Conduct AI Play Teacher Workshops with our partner middle school teachers from rural North Carolina communities. 

4. Implement AI Play activities in school-based programs partnering with middle school teachers in rural North Carolina communities. 

5. Partner with industry professionals from North Carolina’s Research Triangle Park to promote interest in AI careers among middle grades students. 

6. Investigate the impact of the AI Play Program on middle grades students’ knowledge of AI concepts, attitudes toward AI, and interest in AI careers as well as teachers’ practices for integrating AI into school-based programs.