AI and IoT in STEM Education

• AI4STEM Curriculum focuses on the application of AI within educational robotics.
• It introduces the five big ideas in AI using the Internet of Things (IoT) in STEM education.
• The project number is 2022-1-FR01-KA220-SCH-000085611.

Revision History

• The document was drafted on August 24, 2023, by Sofia Sousa, Ana Barroca, and Joana Santos (SCHOLÉ).
• The referenced document ID 1 refers to the AI4STEM Proposal with the reference number 2022-1-FR01-KA220-SCH-000085611.

Copyright Information

• The AI4STEM Consortium holds the copyright and the document is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Module Introduction

• The module explores Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its applications in everyday life
• It aims to helps teachers understand AI concepts and explore how AI interacts with the Internet of Things (IoT) in the classroom.
• Teachers will find information about AI, its applications, and examples, along with learning objectives

Key Concepts

• Artificial Intelligence (AI) combines computer science and datasets to enable problem-solving and perform tasks requiring human intelligence
• A robot is an automatically operated machine that replaces human effort.
• Capacity-based AI is categorized into Artificial Narrow Intelligence, Artificial General Intelligence, and Artificial Superintelligence based on their learning capabilities.
• Functionality-Based AI is categorized based on how it applies its learning capabilities, sorted into four functionality types.
• The AI4K12 project focuses on teaching AI in K-12 education in the US, aligned with the CSTA standards for computer science.
• The Internet of Things (IoT) uses computer tools to automate real-world processes and allows computing devices to transfer information over a network without human interaction.

Introduction to AI

• Artificial Intelligence (AI) simulates human intelligence processes using computer programs
• AI focuses on developing algorithms and systems for tasks such as reasoning, self-learning, problem-solving, pattern recognition, decision-making, and language understanding.
• AI can learn in three ways: Supervised, Semi-supervised, and Unsupervised.
• Supervised learning involves a person providing the AI with information for specific situations.
• Semi-supervised learning involves the programmer providing a series of classified images and allowing the AI to classify a set of unclassified images.
• Unsupervised learning involves the AI autonomously identifying patterns and differentiating images.

Types of AI

• AI has various types with their own applications, challenges, advantages, and limitations.
• The classification of AI depends on whether it is Capacity-based or Functionality-Based
• Capacity-based AI includes:
• Artificial Narrow Intelligence (ANI) that executes specific actions
• Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) that can learn, think, and perform tasks like a human,
• Artificial Superintelligence (ASI) seen in science fiction that surpasses human intelligence.
• Functionality-based AI includes:
• Reactive Machines that react immediately to requests but lack memory
• Limited Memory AI that stores past data for predictions
• Theory of Mind AI that understands human emotions
• Self-Aware AI that possesses human-level intelligence and self-awareness.

Classroom Task

• Show different images where AI is used and ask students if they know what they are and how to use them.
• Questions for students:
• Do all AI systems work the same way?
• What are the main differences between them and why?
• Learning Objectives:
• Discuss and Understand AI
• Learn that there are multiple types of AI
• Discuss the similarities and differences between the different types of AI

Application of AI in Everyday Life

• AI is present in everyday tasks such as unlocking phones with facial recognition and providing recommendations on platforms like Netflix and Amazon.
• It is used in healthcare, finance, manufacturing, transportation, entertainment, and education.
• AI algorithms are used in search engines, social networks, and virtual assistants like Siri and Alexa.
• AI is applied in autonomous transportation systems, medical diagnoses, and personalized educational platforms.
• AI is common in smart homes for controlling thermostats and security systems based on user preferences.

Classroom Task - AI in Everyday Life

• Discuss how much students rely on AI in their everyday lives.
• Discussion Questions:
• AI’s impact on making life better or easier
• Smart home equipment usage
• AI use at school and its usefulness
• Areas that could be improved with AI
• Learning Objectives:
• Students will identify AI in their daily routines, discuss its uses, and understand its diverse presence in everyday life.

The 5 Big Ideas

• The "Five Big Ideas" of Artificial Intelligence (AI) summarizes the key concepts AI through:
• Perception
• Computers using sensors to perceive the world
• AI enabling computers to 'see' and 'hear' for practical purposes
• Extracting meaning from sensory signals
• Representation & Reasoning
• Agents maintaining representations of the world for reasoning.
• Generating representation and reasoning to work with big data.
• Learning
• Computers learning from various inputs
• Machine learning aiding in finding patterns in data
• Generating progress in creating new representations through learning algorithms.
• Natural Interaction
• AI agents needing knowledge to interact naturally with humans.
• AI possessing humanistic qualities such as human language, facial expressions, and social conventions
• Societal Impact
• Balancing the positive and negative effects of technology on daily lifestyles.
• Technology impacts daily lives positively and negatively
• Balancing technology and limiting it to enhance human interactions

Societal Impact in AI

• AI has a significant impact on society, influencing the economy and people's daily lives.
• In health and medicine, AI improves accuracy of treatments and reduces costs.
• In transport, it drives autonomous systems, improves safety, and enhances accessibility for people with reduced mobility.
• In education, AI transforms learning through personalization
• In e-commerce, it creates personalized product recommendations
• The impact covers Cyber Security, Ethics and Privacy, and Government and Global decision-making

The Internet of Things and Artificial Intelligence

• IoT and AI are connected, where IoT helps AI process and respond to real-world events.
• The question is how far AI can be taken, depending on the complexity of the supported IoT system.
• AI reduces the need for direct human participation by recognizing events and states. AI improvements expand its contribution to IoT applications.
• Robots in Manufacturing: Robots are equipped with AI algorithms to learn from data provided by IoT sensors.
• Self-driving Cars: Tesla cars predict pedestrian and car behavior using IoT and AI.
• Smart Thermostat Solutions: AI-powered IoT thermostats manage temperature based on work schedules and user preferences.

Classroom Task - Iot and AΙ

• Students should think of examples of how IoT and AI are used together and describe the roles of each.
• Examples include smart parking systems and healthy diet monitoring systems.
• Learning Objectives:
• Understand the differences between IoT and AI
• Understand examples of industries that apply IoT and AI combined
• Understand the role of both IoT and AI in the execution of some interactions

Ethics in Artificial Intelligence

• The increased use of AI raises ethical concerns, including fairness, data responsibility, privacy, climate degradation, human rights, accountability, and technology misuse.
• Potential invasion of privacy from AI-powered devices that collect data about children's behavior and learning patterns.
• Reliance on AI hinders the development of social and personal skills like communication, perseverance, and critical thinking.

Classroom Task - Ethics and AI

• Teachers show students school equipment that uses AI
• Discuss the benefits vs. drawbacks of the equipment.
• In groups, students should define the positives and negatives of the equipment's use
• Create "Ethics in the classroom” anchor chart with student suggestions
• Learning Objectives:
• Describe an ethical issue pertaining to AI and its impact on society
• Create a guiding principle that addresses an AI ethics issue
• Gain conscience about the risk involved with using AI
• Reflecting on the positive and negative aspects of AI