A nationwide AI literacy program in Australian K-12 schools showed positive outcomes in teacher confidence and student engagement, though challenges remain in reaching rural and socioeconomically disadvantaged schools.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of Day of AI Australia (DoAIA), a large-scale classroom-based program designed to equip educators and students (ages 10-16) with foundational AI literacy skills.

Methods:

• Program implementation across 260 Australian schools
• 64,000 students and 370 teachers participated
• Data collection through anonymous teacher feedback via learning management system
• Likert scale surveys (1-5) measuring student knowledge change, lesson appropriateness, and teaching likelihood
• Evaluation of four key lessons: AI basics, AI and Data, AI Ethics, and AI in Industries/Careers
• Collection of school demographic data including geographic region and socioeconomic classification

Key Findings:

• 78% of teachers reported increased confidence in teaching AI concepts
• 85% reported high student engagement, particularly in hands-on activities
• 92% indicated willingness to continue teaching AI in the future
• Strong positive responses across all lessons (mean scores ranging from 4.08 to 4.75 out of 5)
• Highest ratings for lessons on AI's societal impacts and career opportunities
• 89.7% of participating students came from major cities, indicating challenges in reaching rural areas
• Independent and Catholic schools were overrepresented in participation

Implications:

• Demonstrates the potential for successful large-scale AI literacy programs in K-12 education
• Highlights the importance of hands-on activities and localized content
• Shows the value of professional development in building teacher confidence
• Identifies the need for targeted efforts to reach underserved communities

Limitations:

• Limited participation from rural and remote schools
• Underrepresentation of government schools
• Technical infrastructure barriers in some regions
• 22% of teachers still expressed uncertainty about technical topics
• Geographic concentration in major cities

Future Directions:

• Development of additional professional development modules
• Targeted efforts to reach regional and public schools
• Focus on schools in lower socioeconomic areas
• Enhancement of support for schools with limited technological infrastructure
• Continued refinement of the program based on teacher feedback

Title and Authors: "Day of AI Australia: Teacher Insights from a Nation-Wide AI Literacy Program for K-12 Students" by Natasha Banks and Jake Renzella

Published On: To be presented February 26-March 1, 2025

Published By: Proceedings of the 56th ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education V. 2 (SIGCSE TS 2025)

The study provides valuable insights into the implementation of AI literacy programs at scale while highlighting both successes and areas requiring additional attention to ensure equitable access to AI education across all demographic groups.