Learning the Crucial Skills of the Future at the Institute of Digital Games

Prof. Alfred J. Vella kicked-off the multiplier event to disseminate the findings of the Learn to Machine Learn (LearnML) project on 5 December at the Institute of Digital Games.

Internationally-established researchers and educators from Malta, Norway and Greece presented their work on game-based learning, computational thinking, ethics of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the didactics of AI training in primary and secondary education. Guests also had the opportunity to try out the games that form the basis of the project and connect with the researchers.

The LearnML project is a three-year Strategic Partnership in the field of Education aiming to produce an innovative solution for the teaching and learning of crucial 21st century skills relating to digital literacy, computational thinking, AI and Machine Learning, so that Europe’s children and teenagers can develop into responsible citizens and insightful thinkers able to navigate the complex digital space and effectively contribute to its design.

“It isn’t enough to simply have students learn about the functions of AI and Machine Learning, but they also need to understand the consequences of the decisions and inherent biases of the tools that will be central to their lives and work,” highlighted, Prof. Alfred J. Vella in his opening address.

The new generation has to develop advanced digital literacy skills, to question and critically analyse and interpret data and information, recognise misinformation spread via social media platforms, emerging cultural and social biases embedded in the architecture and design of computer systems and the ethical and political implications.

“The LearnML project brings state-of-the-art innovation into schools, transfers the notion of AI literacy to primary and secondary education and aims to introduce students to the core principles of AI and ML through a uniquely designed game-based educational toolbox,” explains Prof. Georgios Yannakakis, director of the Institute of Digital Games who is driving the project.

Specifically, the core objectives of the project are to design an AI and ML framework within the primary and secondary educational context, implement an innovative game-based learning toolbox that realises ML training scenarios, produce relevant and effective training, teaching and learning material for course development based on gameful ML activities, educate teachers to effectively engage students and promote creative reflection on AI ethics, data biases and societal implications, and widely involve students in ML training courses that include playful game-based learning activities so that they become AI literate but most importantly responsible citizens of Europe with regards to the ethics and threats of AI.

The Institute of Digital Games will be leading a consortium of leading experts and academics in artificial intelligence, education and games including the National Technical University of Athens, Korais Educational Enterprises SA, Science Centre Malta and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in this Erasmus+ project.

The event was followed by a practical hands-on Focused Reflective Workshop for educators and learners that explored the educators’ and learners' insights on the current state and practices in formal education on digital literacy skills, game-based learning, AI and Machine Learning student awareness.