Traditionally, literacy and mathematics have been the core pillars of K-12 education. However, in recent years, the world has witnessed the emergence of AI and its capabilities that have become headline news. From Stable Diffusion image generation models to OpenAI’s ChatGPT language generator, AI is redefining the current moment. It is not just a passing fad but a result of years of serious research and impressive breakthroughs. AI has been powering Google’s Search, recommending media on Netflix and Spotify, automating white-collar work, and operating in hospitals, farms, and assembly lines. A recent research paper suggests that around 80% of the US workforce could have their workflows impacted by AI. Therefore, AI coding and computer science should be introduced as a new core pillar of education to prepare American students for the future workforce demands.
The Need for AI Coding and Computer Science
If American students are not prepared to face the future workforce demands, they will find themselves at a disadvantage. Countries that take technology more seriously in their curriculum will have an edge over the US. However, introducing AI coding and computer science to the curriculum will not be an easy task. The education system is already stressed by teacher shortages, budget cuts, and political wrangling over curriculum. Nevertheless, several states have already started making strides in addressing the systemic changes needed to build new curricular offerings through legislation and funding that promote effective computer science strategies for the classroom and professional development for teachers. Tennessee, Arkansas, and South Carolina have passed bills to ensure that all K-12 public schools in the state have access to computer science courses and resources. These laws also provide additional incentives to encourage teachers’ participation in professional development programs.
AI can also help address some of these challenges. Teachers can use AI to help with automated grading, provide feedback, create exercises, and more. These tools will lower the technical barrier to teaching AI and computer science and allow teachers to master the subject alongside their students.
The Importance of AI Coding Literacy
Jeannette Wing and the National Science Foundation had success promoting C-STEM curriculum and computational thinking in schools. However, these coding classes centered on web and game development are too narrowly focused to build a general fluency in manipulating data. AI’s potential for change extends far beyond computer science. It impacts history, civics, writing, creativity, critical thinking, and every other aspect of society that children will encounter when they enter adulthood.
AI coding literacy will be as transformative as the spread of literacy was during the early Middle Ages in Europe. Knowing how to read and write was a rare privilege reserved mostly for the wealthy and religious leaders. With the invention of the printing press, literacy rates skyrocketed, contributing to the rise of the middle class. Today, widespread literacy corresponds to healthier societies. A study found that if every US adult could read at a sixth-grade level, $2.2 trillion, or 10%, could be added to the GDP. AI coding literacy is as important and will have similar or greater value. Society will be much richer if children are initiated into the world of AI, so they can be the first generation to meet the potential of an AI-powered world head-on.
AI coding and computer science should be introduced as a new core pillar of education in the US. While it may not be easy, several states have already taken steps to address the challenges. AI can also help address some of these challenges by assisting teachers with automated grading, feedback, and exercises. AI coding literacy will be transformative and have a similar or greater value than widespread literacy. Therefore, society will be much richer if children are initiated into the world of AI.
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