Artificial Intelligence (AI) literacy in early childhood education: an intervention study in Hong Kong

ABSTRACTABSTRACTThe issue of Artificial Intelligence (AI) literacy is gaining popularity in the field of education. Most research on AI literacy has focused on primary, secondary, and higher education, and there has been limited examination of AI literacy programs in early childhood education. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of an eight-week AI literacy program on young children's AI literacy, AI-related creativity, and their perceptions of the AI4KG program. A total of 26 young children (average age of 4 years) enrolled in the program at a kindergarten in Hong Kong were the subjects of the study. The results indicated that (1) young children were capable of learning basic AI concepts and knowledge; (2) in terms of AI-related creativity, younger children were able to design a chatting robot via imagination, while older children created an AI robot to assist people in their drawings; (3) in regards to the children's perceptions of the AI4KG program, older children who enjoyed the activity were able to train AI, while younger children preferred to draw the future AI city and participate in the AI story activity. This study highlights the positive benefits of AI literacy education in preparing young children for an AI-driven future.KEYWORDS: AIAI literacyearly childhood educationcurriculum Disclosure statementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).Additional informationNotes on contributorsJiahong SuJiahong Su is currently a Ph.D. candidate in the Faculty of Education at the University of Hong Kong. Her research interests focus on technology education, AI, and STEM in early childhood education. Her publication covers the areas of artificial intelligence and STEM. She has also served as a reviewer for Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence, Education and Information Technologies, Early Child and Development Care, and Early Childhood Education Journal.Weipeng YangDr Weipeng Yang specialises in early childhood curriculum and pedagogy with interests in STEAM education (coding/computer programming, robotics, AI literacy, makerspace, virtual worlds, etc.), positive education, and professional learning. His research focuses on curriculum design and professional support for early childhood educators to scaffold young children's learning and promote their social-emotional wellbeing. His work with young children (especially those who are socially disadvantaged), teachers, parents, and communities aims to explore effective and sustainable approaches to high-quality curriculum and instruction in early childhood settings. He has extensive experience in conducting quantitative investigations and experiments, qualitative case studies, and evidence-informed policy studies.Correction StatementThis article has been corrected with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.