Who Benefits Most from AI Education? Exploring the Interaction of Student Agency and Formal Learning

• In Event: AERA Poster Session Friday 1:45 pm
  In Poster Session: Examining the use of generative AI in educational contexts.

Abstract

As AI becomes increasingly integrated into education, understanding how student agency influences AI learning is essential. Yet, few studies have examined whether school-formal AI education can bridge gaps across students with different levels of agency and learning experiences. This study investigated differences in AI perception and literacy among 752 secondary students with different learning agency and prior learning experiences (i.e., high-agency, formal learner, and passive-agency), and whether formal AI instruction narrows these gaps. Results showed that high-agency students initially outperformed peers, but all groups improved significantly after the curriculum. Notably, the perception gap narrowed, while the literacy gap persisted. These findings underscore the value of school-formal AI education and the importance of fostering agentic learning for equitable AI readiness.

Authors

• Siya LIANG, Chinese University of Hong Kong

• King Woon YAU, Chinese University of Hong Kong

• Ching Sing Chai, Chinese University of Hong Kong