Making Art with and about Artificial Intelligence: Three Approaches to Teaching AI and AI Ethics to Middle and High School Students

ABSTRACTIn this hands-on workshop participants will experience the curricula from three NSF funded projects, which engage youth in creating art with and about AI technologies while exploring related ethical concerns. danceON is a web-based creative coding environment that engages learners in creating multimedia dance performances. Besides writing reactive code that generates animations to augment dance performances, students also use the system to explore the boundaries and biases of AI. DAILy is a curriculum focused on developing AI literacy among middle school students through the integration of technical concepts and processes, ethical and societal implications, and career futures in AI. Participants will be focusing on the AI + art modules of DAILy. Imagine AI develops project-based curricula to support youth in exploring critical ethical issues related to AI. Students read short stories featuring youth at the center of AI ethical dilemmas, build and manipulate AI systems, and create digital media to express ethical stances. Participants will leave the workshop with multiple AI teaching strategies that blend technical learning with social purpose and creative expression.