AIgnite: an educational toolkit for supporting primary students’ AI literacy cultivation

Published in Educational Technology Research and Development, this study presents AIgnite, a specialized instructional toolkit designed to cultivate artificial intelligence literacy among upper primary students in Grades 4 to 6. Addressing a documented gap in developmentally appropriate curricula, the resource utilizes knowledge cards across a board game stage and an AI storydrawing stage to foster conceptual knowledge, collaborative ideation, and ethical reflection.

Establishing AI literacy at the primary education level is critical as young demographics shift from passive consumers to active co-creators of intelligent systems. Developing structured, age-appropriate pedagogical tools provides the groundwork for long-term technological competence and societal readiness regarding algorithmic ethics.

Children increasingly serve as frequent users and prospective co-creators of AI technologies, yet research and pedagogical tools for primary-level AI education remain scarce.

Forward consideration, not a verified fact.