Designing AI Literacy Through Students
Excellent Educator, Volume: 3, Issue: 3, Page: 5
Summary
Academic Insights
This design-based research study introduces the “Students as AI Literate Designers” framework and evaluates its implementation with Grade 5 learners. The framework positions students as active designers of AI-based solutions rather than passive users. Findings show improvements in AI knowledge, skills, ethical awareness, and attitudes, while also highlighting instructional challenges related to scaffolding and time. The study offers a structured pedagogical model for design-driven AI literacy in elementary education.
Apply These Now
Shift AI activities toward student-led design.
Encourage learners to explain how systems make decisions.
Add These in Your Lesson
Ask students to design an AI system and reflect on data and ethics.
Use design tasks to deepen understanding.
Avoid These Mistakes
Restricting AI literacy to tool use.
Skipping discussion of system logic.
Keywords
AI literacy; Design-based learning; Elementary education; Ethics; Pedagogical framework
Source/Citation
Yue, M., Jong, M. S.-Y., Dai, Y., & Lau, W. W.-F. (2025). Students as AI literate designers: A pedagogical framework for learning and teaching AI literacy in elementary education. Journal of Research on Technology in Education. https://doi.org/10.1080/15391523.2025.2449942
Excellent Educator. (2026). Designing AI Literacy Through Students. Excellent Educator, 3(3), 5.