Penn GSE launches high school curriculum on identifying question bias in AI – The Daily Pennsylvanian

Report on University of Pennsylvania’s AI Bias Curriculum and its Contribution to Sustainable Development Goals

Introduction: Advancing Quality Education and Reducing Inequalities

The University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education (GSE) has launched a new high school curriculum, “AI Auditing for High School,” designed to educate students on identifying and challenging algorithmic bias in artificial intelligence systems. This initiative directly supports several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), primarily focusing on providing inclusive and equitable quality education (SDG 4) and reducing inequalities (SDG 10) by empowering students to become critical and ethical users of technology.

Curriculum Framework: Fostering Skills for Sustainable Development (SDG 4)

The curriculum was developed to be accessible to all students, irrespective of prior coding experience, thereby promoting inclusive learning environments as outlined in SDG 4. Its core objective is to equip the next generation with the critical thinking skills necessary to navigate an increasingly digital world responsibly.

Core Objectives and Alignment with SDG 4.7

The program aims to foster a deep understanding of how AI systems function, who they are designed to serve, and the potential disadvantages they may create for certain populations. This aligns with SDG Target 4.7, which calls for education that promotes sustainable development, human rights, and gender equality. By teaching students to audit AI, the curriculum empowers them to question technological systems and advocate for fairness and accountability.

Curriculum Modules

• An introduction to algorithmic bias.
• A lesson on investigations and hands-on audits of real AI tools.
• A specific audit focused on the TikTok algorithm.
• A physical computing activity utilizing Microbit CreateAI.

Addressing Systemic Bias and Promoting Equality (SDG 10 & SDG 5)

A significant emphasis of the curriculum is its role in addressing and mitigating the societal harm caused by biased algorithms, which is a direct contribution to reducing inequalities (SDG 10) and promoting gender equality (SDG 5).

Empowering Students to Reduce Inequalities

By training students to identify how AI can perpetuate and amplify existing societal biases, the curriculum provides a practical tool for combating discrimination. This educational foundation is crucial for achieving SDG Target 10.3, which aims to ensure equal opportunity and end discriminatory practices. Students learn to critically assess technologies that impact areas such as hiring, social media, and law enforcement, fostering a more just and equitable society.

Strategic Expansion and Partnerships for Lasting Impact (SDG 17)

The initiative is part of a broader strategy at Penn GSE to integrate responsible AI education into school systems, supported by strategic partnerships and new funding, reflecting the principles of SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).

Key Developments

1. Pioneering AI in School Systems (PASS) Program: A program to train K-12 district leaders, principals, and teachers in the responsible use of AI, scaling up quality education.
2. Google Grant: A $1 million grant was awarded to expand the PASS program across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware, demonstrating a successful public-private partnership to achieve educational goals.
3. Advanced Degree Program: The launch of an online master’s program in AI in education further builds institutional capacity for delivering high-quality, relevant education for the digital age.

The positive feedback from the Philadelphia pilot of the PASS program suggests it can serve as a scalable blueprint for other school systems, ensuring the initiative’s long-term contribution to building more inclusive, equitable, and just institutions (SDG 16).

Analysis of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 4: Quality Education

  The article’s primary focus is on education. It describes the creation and implementation of a new high school curriculum (“AI Auditing for High School”), training programs for K-12 educators (Pioneering AI in School Systems program), and a new online master’s program focused on AI in education. These initiatives are all aimed at improving the quality and relevance of education in the age of artificial intelligence.

• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

  The curriculum directly addresses the issue of algorithmic bias, which can perpetuate and amplify societal inequalities. By teaching students “how to identify and question bias in artificial intelligence systems,” the program aims to empower a new generation to challenge and mitigate disadvantages faced by certain groups due to biased technology, thereby promoting greater equality.

• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

  The article centers on a key area of modern innovation: artificial intelligence. The development of a curriculum to foster critical and ethical use of AI contributes to building a more responsible and sustainable technological infrastructure. It represents an effort to upgrade educational capabilities to match advancements in technology, as mentioned in the goal’s targets.

• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

  The success of the initiatives described in the article relies heavily on collaboration. The article explicitly mentions partnerships between different university departments (“GSE professor Yasmin Kafai in collaboration with School of Engineering and Applied Science professor Danaë Metaxa”), with educators (“computer science teachers across the United States”), with school districts (“partnerships with districts through the PASS program”), and with the private sector (“Google awarded Penn GSE a $1 million grant”).

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. SDG 4: Quality Education

   • Target 4.4: By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship. The “AI Auditing for High School” curriculum is designed to give students relevant technical skills and digital literacy by teaching them to audit real AI tools, even without prior coding experience.
   • Target 4.7: By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development… including… human rights… and promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity. The curriculum’s goal to help students “think critically about how AI works, who it serves, and who it may disadvantage” directly contributes to education for global citizenship and understanding the ethical implications of technology on human rights and diversity.

2. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

   • Target 10.3: Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory… practices. The curriculum’s focus on identifying and questioning “algorithmic bias” is a direct effort to educate against and ultimately help eliminate discriminatory practices that are embedded in technology, which can lead to inequalities of outcome.

3. SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

   • Target 9.5: Enhance scientific research, upgrade the technological capabilities of industrial sectors in all countries… including, by 2030, encouraging innovation. The development of a specialized curriculum and master’s program on AI by a leading university represents an enhancement of research and educational capabilities in a key technological field, fostering a more informed and ethical approach to innovation.

4. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

   • Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships. The article provides clear examples of such partnerships: the collaboration between Penn GSE, the School of Engineering, and K-12 teachers; the partnership with school districts in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware; and the public-private partnership with Google, which provided a significant grant.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. Indicators for SDG 4 (Quality Education)

   • Number of educational programs developed: The article explicitly mentions the creation of three distinct programs: the “AI Auditing for High School” curriculum, the “Pioneering AI in School Systems (PASS)” training program for educators, and a new “online master’s program focused on AI in education.”
   • Number of educators and leaders trained: The article mentions the PASS program “trains K-12 district leaders, principals, and teachers” and “welcomed its first cohort this fall,” implying that the number of participants is a key metric of progress.
   • Geographic expansion of programs: The plan to scale the PASS program “in districts across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware” serves as an indicator of the initiative’s reach and impact.

2. Indicators for SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities)

   • Development of tools to address bias: The curriculum itself, which includes “hands-on audits of real AI tools” like a “TikTok audit,” serves as a tangible tool and thus an indicator of action taken to address algorithmic bias.

3. Indicators for SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals)

   • Value of financial resources mobilized: The article explicitly states that “Google awarded Penn GSE a $1 million grant,” which is a direct financial indicator of a public-private partnership.
   • Number and type of partnerships established: The article identifies multiple partnerships: academic (GSE and Engineering), academic-practitioner (with teachers), academic-public (with school districts), and public-private (with Google). The formation of these collaborations is an indicator of progress.

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: thedp.com