K-12 AI Auditing Lessons

Lessons

Part 1: Introduction to Algorithmic Bias
Part 2: Audits & Inquiry
Part 3: TikTok Everyday Algorithm Audit
Part 4: Physical Computing & AI

Introduction

These lessons are designed to introduce secondary school students to the process of algorithm auditing as well as key concepts regarding artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) systems. We designed the lessons with high school computer science students in mind. Students may be novice, with little to no prior exposure to critical thinking about artificial intelligence and machine learning systems, or more advanced, with substantial experience in learning about AI/ML systems.

The lessons should take around two weeks of class time.
They are meant to be modular. For example, these lessons could be spread throughout a year or done all at once. If you have limited time, you might do Lessons 1 and 2, then either Lesson 3 or Lesson 4, depending on your priorities.
We expect each teacher to adapt the lessons to their specific context and students.

Usage

License: CC-BY-NC under Creative Commons

These materials are licensed as CC-BY-NC under Creative Commons. This license allows you to remix, tweak, and build upon these materials non-commercially as long as you include an acknowledgment to the creators. Derivative works should include an acknowledgment, but do not have to be licensed as CC-BY-NC.

To acknowledge the creators, please include the following text: “Algorithm Auditing Lessons for High School Computer Science was created by Butapetch, Fields, Hanna, Landa, Morales-Navarro, Myers, Noh, Ottina, and Ulrich, with contributions from Yasmin Kafai and Danaé Metaxa.”

More information about the license can be found at: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/

People interested in using this work for for-profit commercial purposes should reach out to Yasmin Kafai at kafai@upenn.edu for information on how to proceed.

Full citation: Butapetch, H., Fields, D., Hanna, S., Landa. J., Morales-Navarro, L., Myers, T., Noh, D., Ottina, J., & Ulrich, A., with Kafai, Y. & Metaxa. D. (2025). Introduction to Algorithm Auditing: Lessons for High School Computer Science (beta version). Available at: aiaudit-k12.github.io

Design Team:

Helen Butapetch, Deborah Fields, Sheri Hanna, John Landa, Luis Morales-Navarro, Tanga Myers, Daniel Noh, John Ottina, and Alexandra Ulrich With contributions from Yasmin Kafai and Danaé Metaxa at the University of Pennsylvania