Teaching Machine Learning to Senior Primary Students: Evaluating a Course for AI Literacy in a Hong Kong Primary School

Abstract

This study examines the effectiveness of a machine-learning course designed to enhance artificial intelligence (AI) literacy among 145 sixth-grade students in a Hong Kong primary school. The six-hour course introduced foundational AI concepts, including supervised learning (artificial neural networks and K-nearest neighbours) and reinforcement learning, with hands-on activities featuring AlphAI robots. Quantitative analysis, supported by Wilcoxon signed-rank tests, revealed significant improvements in students’ conceptual understanding of machine learning and deep learning. Qualitative feedback demonstrated the course’s effectiveness, with hands-on activities using AlphAI robots proving effective in deepening comprehension and enabling practical application of machine learning methods. The findings show how the course demystifies AI for young learners, encouraging critical engagement with its "black box" nature. These insights emphasise the value of interactive, hands-on learning strategies in AI literacy education in preparing young students for an AI-driven future.