Augmented Imagination: Exploring Generative AI from the Perspectives of Young Learners

Acquiring AI literacy is crucial for empowering individuals to engage intelligently and responsibly with generative AI, a technology that is increasingly pervasive in creative domains and daily life. This innovative tool can create images and content based on natural language descriptions, unlocking a world of creative possibilities. Recognizing the significance of young learners' interaction with generative AI in today's tech-driven world, this study explores how it shapes their creativity, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills. The study involved a user workshop with 15 high school students from Northern Thailand, utilizing both quantitative and qualitative analyses to assess their experience with generative AI in creating creative content. The workshop was conducted online, providing young learners with basic knowledge of AI and generative AI. Participants were introduced to three free-to-use applications - Canva for graphic design, ChatGPT as an AI chatbot, and Leonardo.AI for generating production-quality assets for creative projects. The findings from the workshop highlighted positive perceptions and high usability among young learners interacting with generative AI. The insights gained from the study emphasized five key aspects, namely providing inspiration and encouraging creative thinking, enabling iteration and experimentation, promoting accessibility, fostering collaboration, and facilitating skill development. Understanding generative AI and its responsible use is becoming increasingly important in today's world. By embracing generative AI,young learners can explore new avenues of art creation, content generation, and idea expression, thus fostering digital literacy and equipping them with essential skills to navigate an AI-driven future. This research contributes valuable insights into the significance of generative AI literacy among young learners, emphasizing the need to integrate AI education into curricula to prepare students for an AI-dominated world.