Teaching artificial intelligence: Issues and challenges for a critical approach in schools

Abstract

Almost a century after the development of the foundations of Computer Science, its areas of knowledge have acquired significant influence in the administration and distribution of power. School institutions are still trying to ensure that this knowledge reaches students. Even with this understanding, there are different trends in how and what is taught in school. From utilitarian conceptions to those that propose a complex and profound approach. We can see the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) as one of the pieces of knowledge to be incorporated. It would be important to recognise in this apparent novelty, a new formulation of old questions: why, what and how should Computer Science be learnt at school?
The Instituto Superior de Estudios Pedagógicos (ISEP) has designed training proposals and didactic materials on the fundamentals and bases of computing and its teaching, including the approach to artificial intelligence. These initiatives seek to promote a disciplinary approach and invite reflection, enabling students to understand and participate in the automated mediations of our time. They also respond to the need for teacher training in the field of computing and its didactics.
In this article, we are interested in sharing the first advances of a study, of an exploratory and descriptive nature, with respect to these teaching proposals
Fundamental aspects to be considered in the teaching of AI are presented. Then, based on the observation of three teaching proposals oriented to teachers, we illustrate how these aspects are approached, based on dimensions of didactic analysis and, finally, we pose a set of questions for further research.