No AI literacy course in primary curriculum. Who's filling the gap?

[SophInLondon]

So I posted a few days ago about trying to teach basic AI to my 7yo and learning to vibe code in the process. Sadly my post was flagged (not 100% sure why) and deleted before I got the chance to read the comments that had been left.

So, hoping not to upset anyone this time.

I am genuinely curious about what that journey has been like for you given there is no AI literacy course in primary curriculum, which I find concerning given that's a technology that will impact their future.

And if you do vibe code too, what apps have you built that you've found useful? I gave a few examples in my previous post but I think that's what may have gotten me in trouble the first time.

What would you like to be dropped from the primary curriculum to make space for AI literacy?

Ai literacy will be irrelevant in about 2 or 3 years time because ai will be so good that it wont need any specialist akill to be ablw to use it. What would be the point in teaching this skill?

Maybe include it in the tech program?

Will it though? Surely even as it becomes more sophisticated you'll still need to know how to prompt it properly, evaluate the output and consider the ethical uses of AI. Although I do agree I don't know how teachers will find the time to teach about it.

It’s not skills, I agree. It keeps changing so what’s the point. It’s getting them comfortable with it (at least at my son’s age) while also teaching them the dangers. The fact that models can make errors, or knowing how to spot AI generated content online. That kind of stuff. If you take social media literacy courses for kids, they don’t teach them how to post, they teach them how to use the tech responsibly and how to stay safe. I think the same should apply with AI.

Have you looked at the new pshe curriculum while will come in this September?

No! Is it in there?

I’d be surprised if this was considered necessary at infants (under 7) and it’s only really beginning to become relevant at the last couple of years of primary if that.

teaching kids to use AI is I suspect largely unnecessary and vibe coding should come after basic computer skills

Nothing. It’s all bollocks. They don’t need to be comfortable with it - they need to be very uncomfortable with and reject it. Luckily this certainly seems to be happening among older teens and young people.

They would be better off watching some Ed Zitron videos than learning to “vibe code”. And of course learning to code properly rather than blindly trusting the crap spewed out by Claude Code when presented with anything but the most trivial use cases.

You’d be surprised how much they know about it already.

As for vibe coding, that’s something I started doing on the side for my own education. Ended up building fun things I could show to my kid which got him excited and curious (which was the point). Definitely not teaching him to vibe code 😅).

A lot of primary children can’t read properly because we have to spend too much time teaching ‘fronted adverbials,’ ‘expanded noun phrases,’ and other made up crap.

I’d quite like the time to be able to teach them to read before filling the curriculum with AI studies.

And the fact that your op is so obviously written by AI is rather interesting in itself.

I would rather kids know how to log on to a computer, type or use MS Office when they get to high school. So many have no clue.

What makes it "obviously" AI? This is a genuine question.

I read this on here a lot but often can't spot the clues that suggest a post is AI.

Fair point on reading. But same question that’s been asked. What makes you think it’s written by AI? My lack of proper grammar or the typos? Curious to know what gave it away.

Primary school kids aren't allowed to use AI, they have to be at least 13. Schools should be aware of this!

But what should be dropped from the tech programme to make room for AI literacy? Or should nothing be dropped from tech, but less time be allocated to another subject so that more tech teaching can take place? Because AI literacy is not something that can be taught in an afternoon.

I'm asking because I think it is a really common knee jerk reaction to say "Schools are failing our kids by not teaching them how to tackle misogyny/ how to stay safe on social media/AI literacy/ whatever else" - but nobody ever has any concrete suggestions as to where these things should be fitted into an already packed curriculum. Schools simply cannot teach all children everything all of the time. I'd personally rather primary schools focus on rock-solid literacy and numeracy rather than vibe coding which is truthfully not something any 4-11 year old needs to function in their daily life.

For me, it’s combination of things. A pseudo naive/friendly phraseology, Americanisms, and pretty open ended questions (MN tends to be very specific!); ideal for ‘scraping’ answers.

The dead giveaway, though, is when there is more than one thread running on the same somewhat obscure topics. Today AI in schools, last week garden awnings etc etc.

Of course, I am undoubtedly helping some AI bot with this very answer 🤣.

I don't think it will he needed, children growing up with this tech will just pick it up. About 20 years ago an older colleague went on a course on how to use the Internet and search engines well. He was telling me about it and I nodded politely while thinking that I know exactly how to phrase a search in Google as I had been using it since I was a teen. AI prompting will probably be like that.

I hope that AI use is included in the PHSE curriculum though so children can understand the risks and how to use it responsibly.

Maybe its the fact that you keep posting about this? I’ve definitely read this same thread before you posted it today. Maybe get ux feedback from those who consented to it?

I will rebel like fuck if my small children are being taught AI literacy unless it’s how understand that AI is bullshit unless being used in the medical field and how to spot AI and not fall for its bollocks.

AI is, mostly, evil.

Your child should concentrate on literacy and writing in proper sentences. We all should, there is no shortcut on this.