Fragments of the Past: Exploring Multimodal Creative Inquiry in Early Childhood With AI-Powered Painting (Poster 31)

• In Event: Sunday Poster Session 7:45 am
  In Poster Session: Early Education and Child Development: Poster Session 2

Abstract

This paper explores the intersection of early childhood education and AI, with a focus on promoting multimodal play. Drawing from implementation research in preschools, we explore the potential of an AI-powered painting tool to foster creativity and self-expression. The findings demonstrate how technology can be used to democratize access to cultural heritage resources while enabling children’s creative play centered on variation, improvisation, and human interaction. The human-in-the-loop approach is crucial in aligning AI integration with early childhood pedagogy, ensuring that technology is used to support, rather than replace, teachers' role in the classroom. The paper highlights the importance of maintaining a human presence in the learning process to create educational experiences that are developmentally appropriate and transformative for young children.

Authors

• Ilene R. Berson, University of South Florida

• Michael J. Berson, University of South Florida