Technology in my Life - Resources now available
Teacher-led Workshops
A guide for primary school pupils and teachers in AI ethics.
As part of our STEM work and research, we have been working with the SFI centre ADAPT and have concluded phase one of a new ‘Technology in My Life’ programme which engages primary school students (aged 10-13 years) in teacher-led workshops on the ethical use of technology.
Seven modules - each with it's own theme!
These modular teacher-led workshops explore how to use technology in an ethically correct manner and in accordance with the moral and ethical standards of the school, the children’s home, and society in general.
The programme is designed to inform and empower students on topics including:
- The technologies primary school students should be allowed to access, the use of technology (such as voice assistants) for help with homework.
- Using the Internet and social media for contacting friends and getting information.
- Identifying and dealing with cyberbullying and other forms of unethical and undesirable behaviour facilitated by technology.
Technology in My Life will equip primary school teachers to bring their students on a journey of exploration, which will challenge them to use critical thinking and problem solving to reflect on the role and use of AI in their lives.
Programme Overview Lesson by Lesson
The programme consists of a total of seven lessons, each taking between 30–45 minutes to complete.
Lesson 1
Introduction to Ethics and Doing the Right Thing
This lesson will involve an introduction by the teacher to the meaning of ethics. The lesson is also designed to facilitate discussion of the child’s perception of the meaning of ethics and what is right and wrong.
Lesson 2
This lesson will introduce the class to technology and social media. The lesson is designed to enable the child to make informed decisions about the ethical use of technology and his/her own participation in social media platforms.
Lesson 3
The Technology That Surrounds Us
Technology is everywhere, and we are surrounded by technology in our daily lives. The purpose of this lesson is to identify and reflect on the technology that surrounds us and the impact this may have on the way we work and socialise with friends and family.
Lesson 4
What Technology Should 5th and 6th Class Students be Allowed to Access?
This lesson involves a discussion about the technology that students may have direct access to and the ethical implications of using this technology in their daily lives and for schoolwork.
Lesson 5
Using Technology to Help with Schoolwork and Homework
We all use technology to help us in our work, from accountants to farmers, from lorry drivers to doctors. Pupils are asked to name the technology they use for their homework as discussed in Lesson 3.
Lesson 6
The Unethical and Undesirable Behaviour Facilitated by Technology
Previous lessons have discussed how technology can help us in our lives and with schoolwork. Unfortunately, technology can also do harm and be used in unethical ways. This lesson is designed to highlight and discuss ways in which technology can be used unethically and in other ways that might hurt people.
Lesson 7
What Have We Learned about the Ethical Use of Technology in our Lives?
This wraps up and summarises what has been discussed in the previous lessons. The main purpose is to re-emphasise the main points from Lessons 1 - 6, and to reflect on these issues. Particular attention is paid to any key points of topics of particular interest raised in previous lessons.
- Teacher-led Workshops
- Programme Overview Lesson by Lesson
