Panayiota (Pani) Kendeou gives keynote at EARA 2024 conference

Dr. Panayiota (Pani) Kendeou, Distinguished McKnight University Professor and Guy Bond Chair in Reading in the Department of Educational Psychology's psychological foundations of education program, gave a keynote at the European Association for Research on Adolescence (EARA) conference in Limassol, Cyprus. Her talk, titled "Education in the Age of Artificial Intelligence (AI): Implications for Theory and Instruction," focused on the importance of AI Literacy in education.

Dr. Kendeou emphasized the fact that despite the rapid development of AI, educational practices haven’t kept pace with these technological advancements, resulting in the need for students to develop AI Literacy. This involves understanding how AI works, critically evaluating its use, and engaging with it responsibly. She highlighted the framework she co-developed with Dr. Laura Allen, Bonnie Westby Huebner Endowed Chair in Education and Technology in the psychological foundations of education program, which offers guidance for teaching AI Literacy in middle and high schools. As AI systems like Large Language Models (LLMs), such as ChatGPT, become more advanced, Dr. Kendeou warned of the potential misuse, the spread of misinformation, and biases, particularly impacting youth. Her work addresses these concerns by developing innovative ways to teach AI Literacy to students, empowering them to responsibly engage with AI.