Integrating AI in PBL: Fostering Responsible AI Literacy in Secondary Schools

The article advocates for integrating AI tools into project-based learning (PBL) in secondary schools to foster essential AI literacy in students. It addresses concerns about maintaining student creativity and ownership by emphasizing intentional AI use guided by frameworks like Digital Promise's AI Literacy Framework. The text provides specific examples of AI tools aligned with the framework's components, demonstrating how they can enhance content creation, critical thinking, and responsible technology use within PBL.

Fostering AI Literacy in Secondary Education

• Equipping students with AI literacy—the ability to understand, evaluate, and use emerging technology confidently and carefully—is crucial.
• Addresses common concerns about students using AI without losing their creativity, authentic voice, and ownership.
• Recognizes that AI will become more deeply embedded in daily life, necessitating students' preparedness to interact with it responsibly.

Project-Based Learning (PBL) as an AI Integration Vehicle

• PBL is a powerful, student-centered instructional pedagogy that facilitates inquiry and creation processes.
• It allows teachers to coach students in connecting their interests and passions to academic content, making projects more meaningful.
• AI tools and AI-empowered tools can amplify students' efforts in creating relevant products (e.g., researching, writing, designing) without automating the intended learning.

Digital Promise AI Literacy Framework for Responsible AI Use

• Recommends the research-grounded Digital Promise AI Literacy Framework for intentional AI integration.
• Leverages the framework's components (understand, evaluate, use) to guide students in making informed choices and using AI tools responsibly and creatively.
• Helps students develop the evolving fluency needed to navigate technology effectively.

Practical AI Tools Aligned with the Framework

• Understand/Use: Tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot, and Claude assist students with brainstorming, outlining, generating prompts, and explaining complex concepts (e.g., simplifying renewable energy for science projects).
• Evaluate: AI platforms such as ChatGPT and Claude can be used by students to analyze the accuracy and bias of AI-created content, promoting ethical AI use through fact-checking with reliable sources.
• Use Technology: Adobe Express for Education, Descript, Quso.ai, and Remini empower students in safe content creation, video/audio editing, and refining digital products, enhancing media literacy and creative expression.