Applied Artificial Intelligence and Algorithmic Literacy in Secondary Education
- Research Challenge
- Secondary school pupils frequently relied on commercial generative text platforms without understanding algorithmic bias, factual inaccuracies or machine limitations.
- Field Setting
- Eighteen secondary academies across Greater London and the West Midlands, involving 2,400 Key Stage 4 students across English, Computer Science and History classes.
- Methodology and Intervention
- Bittiey introduced a twelve-week curriculum module that integrated practical algorithmic analysis into standard lessons. Students analysed raw machine outputs, searched for hallucinated factual claims, examined algorithmic training datasets for cultural biases and practised writing original research essays without software assistance. Researchers observed lessons, reviewed student essays and evaluated critical source evaluation using standardised assessment tasks.
- Measured Outcomes
- Students who completed the trial demonstrated a 36% higher capability in detecting false web claims and identifying machine-generated text compared to peer control groups. Subsequent examinations revealed that intervention pupils produced more varied essay arguments, cited a broader range of primary sources and demonstrated superior source-verification practices.