INTRODUCTION
This course aims to help participants to consider the increasing role that surveillance technologies driven by artificial intelligence and big data are predicted to play in education and the injustices they inflict on marginalised groups. We will consider how algorithmic decision-making systems used in educational contexts are biased against racially marginalized groups and how this results in algorithmic injustice in schools. In particular, we will explore algorithmic injustice in the context of the use of facial recognition and emotion recognition systems in schools. The course introduces participants to the concepts of algorithmic bias and algorithmic injustice. It challenges participants to go beyond standard accounts of algorithmic bias in education to consider whether there might be more specific algorithmic injustices that harm pupils specifically in their capacity as learners. And it invites them to consider and explore the consequences of these algorithmic injustices might have for a learner.
WHO IS THIS COURSE FOR?
Participants will typically be educational professionals and Masters-level students working in digital education, learning technology, digital futures, and e-learning.
HOW CAN I USE IT?
It’s best to follow the steps-by-step but you can also dip in and out of the content. Further reading is suggested if you’d like to go deeper but you will still come away from the course with a good grasp of the issues should you choose not to pursue this optional material.
HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE?
The coursework shouldn’t take more than three hours in total but timings listed are approximate since no two people work at exactly the same pace. Please note that the further reading and optional activities are not included in this time estimate. If you do the optional reading and activities provided, it will take more time.
WHAT WILL I NEED TO ACCESS IT?
You will need a computer or mobile phone with internet access. Your device will need audio enabled as there may be videos to watch. You will also need a PDF reader to access downloadable documents.
BACKGROUND
This OER (Open Education Resource) has been produced by Aisling Crean, a student on the MSc in Digital Education programme at the University of Edinburgh in April 2021. It is closely based on her position paper assignment undertaken at the University for the ‘Digital Futures for Learning’ module of the course. The original paper was titled ‘Is emotional artificial intelligence a trustworthy technology to deploy in schools?’ You can read it by clicking on the link below.