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Experience AI has been developed by the Raspberry Pi Foundation and Google DeepMind, and is already being used in 22 countries. The materials are grounded in the latest research and include lesson plans, slide decks, videos and student activities - as well as new resources on AI safety which explore protecting your data and misinformation online.
The programme will be implemented in Lithuania by Vedliai, in partnership with the Raspberry Pi Foundation, thanks to funding from Google.org. The programme will allow educators to integrate AI-related topics into classroom teaching, and to equip young people with the understanding to critically engage with AI technologies.
Equipping young people with the skills they need for the future
“According to a study conducted by Implement Consulting Group and commissioned by Google, widespread adoption of generative AI could boost Lithuanian GDP by 4 billion euro in around ten years. However, to make sure everyone benefits from this opportunity equally, we must work together on upskilling and reskilling local people,” says Vytautas Kubilius, Country Director of Google in the Baltic states and adds: “Google, through its philanthropic arm Google.org, is committed to doing our part to support organizations advancing AI literacy among young Lithuanians by helping them develop the skills needed to engage with AI responsibly.”
The results of the study also show that in the next ten years, as many as 62 percent of specialists will use AI solutions in their work. This means that Lithuania must nurture talents who will not only be able to use AI in their daily activities but also creatively contribute to the development of this technology.
In response to the needs of students and teachers, the innovative educational program "Experience AI" ("Get to know AI in the Classroom") aims to provide 5-12 grade students and their teachers not only with theoretical knowledge about AI but also with practical skills that will be needed in the future labor market.
Minister of Economy and Innovation Lukas Savickas says that the integration of artificial intelligence into the education system will help the young generation acquire necessary technological skills and strengthen Lithuania's competitiveness in the future labour market.
"This programme is a unique opportunity for Lithuanian students to become familiar with artificial intelligence, which is already becoming an indispensable tool both at work and in solving various problems. Lithuania aims to nurture talents who are prepared for the challenges of the future," says the minister.
“We are very pleased that schools will have access to this innovative and advanced global program. We warmly welcome the initiative to introduce the "Get to know AI in the classroom" program to the educational community, and we thank you for your cooperation. AI, without a doubt, expands students' learning opportunities. They, being the most receptive and adaptable to the latest technologies, are the first to try them out. Therefore, it is not only necessary for teachers to understand AI tools, but also to know how to manage the risks. This program, which offers both innovative learning tools and covers aspects of safe and ethical use, is very useful for schools, attractive to students, and will be encountered by them many times in the future with various AI opportunities," says Jonas Petkevičius, Vice Minister of Education, Science and Sports.
The Lithuanian startup association "Unicorns Lithuania," which unites more than 120 Lithuanian technology sector companies, has also described the country's vision, according to which Lithuania should become a leader in the European information and communications technology (ICT) sector, a centre of attraction for talent and capital. However, in order to achieve this, changes are needed, first and foremost - to develop talents prepared to work in an innovative technology-based labour market and provide teachers with the tools to teach them.
Training available to empower educators to teach AI with confidence
The first "Experience AI" ("Get to Know AI in the Classroom") workshop for educators will be on March 7, during the "Education Code" conference in Kaunas. Teachers will be shown how to use the suite of free classroom resources to help young people build the knowledge to use AI tools responsibly. Later, the 8-session course will take place remotely.
The workshops will be run by “Vedliai”, an educational startup that has adapted the educational material used in the programme especially for a Lithuanian audience, in partnership with the Raspberry Pi Foundation.
The head of "Vedliai," Monika Katkutė-Gelžinė, says that the goal of the program is to encourage teachers to incorporate artificial intelligence development skills into general education practices. "We are glad that we have become one of thirteen partners in Europe who will implement the "Experience AI" ("Get to Know AI in the Classroom") program. And the time is perfect - AI skills have been part of the computer science curriculum since the last school year. We hope that this program will be a great help to teachers, who will be able to use relevant, practical lessons prepared by educators and scientists in the educational process," she states.
Philip Colligan, CEO of the Raspberry Pi Foundation, says that by collaborating with "Vedliai," the organisation wants to provide teachers with necessary and relevant knowledge about AI so that they can later share it with students, to interest and engage them. "We aim for young people in Lithuania not only to become acquainted with AI technologies but also to understand their importance in everyday life," he says.
In order to successfully participate in the "Experience AI" ("Get to Know AI in the Classroom") programme, no prior preparation is needed - all teachers and educators can join the program. Registration is already open here.
