Pedagogy 2025

Abstract

Ethafa presents an outward-facing pedagogical intervention that bridges design research, technology education, and local storytelling to teach AI literacy to children in the Arab world. The project responds to the increasing demand for educational frameworks that make emerging technologies tangible, ethical, and culturally relevant, engaging directly with communities, educators, and children through co-design. While the topic of AI is widely explored, this approach incorporates local perspectives on technology learning through interdisciplinary methodologies. The Ethafa Steammians Kit translates AI concepts—algorithms, machine learning, and ethics—into hands-on, sensor-based activities embedded in culturally resonant stories. From a pedagogical standpoint, the project positions storytelling as a framework for embodied and situated learning, where students do not only use technology but also understand and question it. Methodologically, it follows a research-through-design process combining hardware prototyping, small-batch digital fabrication, and workshops with educators and children. Initiated in 2017, the project builds on extensive research in technology education for the MENA region, with the goal of continually adapting to the evolving needs of informal learning. In its current iteration, developed within the Boost Lab, a program under the Institute for Creative Research at VCU Qatar, the project includes a series of stories, each exploring an “AI block.” The physical kit enhances the immersive experience and reinforces the narrative content. Preliminary findings from applied research conducted during workshops in Qatar suggest that narrative-driven approaches to AI literacy enhance engagement, comprehension, and ethical reflection, though further evaluation is needed to assess long-term impact. Ultimately, Ethafa illustrates how culturally rooted storytelling can transform AI education into an inclusive, community-based learning practice.