A will partner IU School of 91福利社researchers with rural elementary teachers in Indiana to help them introduce AI concepts while studying how rural contexts shape implementation and how the curriculum impacts students’ AI knowledge, engagement, and STEM interest.
The project, entitled “PrimaryAI: Scaling Up AI 91福利社for Rural Upper Elementary Students with Immersive Problem-Based Learning,” is led by Principal Investigator Anne Leftwich and Co-Principle Investigator Cindy Hmelo-Silver. This study will build on an earlier initiative in AI understanding while allowing researchers to work in direct partnership with teachers and students in grades 3-5. Advancing AI knowledge across K-12 education requires a clear understanding of how to introduce AI concepts to elementary school students and how to effectively support teachers in doing so. The PrimaryAI scale-up project will help fill in that understanding.
The project will address three primary research questions:
- What AI concepts serve as entry points for rural teachers to integrate AI into instruction, considering local contexts and individual pathways?
- What are the impacts on student outcomes for learning, engagement, and STEM interest across rural contexts?
- How do local factors in each state's rural context influence the reception, implementation, and outcomes of PrimaryAI?
Ultimately, the project will advance understanding of effective practices and approaches for integrating AI education into rural elementary classrooms. This research will last approximately four years and also involves faculty and classrooms in Alabama and North Carolina.