Lesson Plan

Using Artificial Intelligence for Civil Discourse

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Overview

Students will be able to use the AllSides Bias Checker™ to analyze the bias of an article from a mainstream news source, learn how to effectively use AI to promote civic habits, and engage in a reflective, inquiry-based discussion on the strengths and weaknesses of the tool.

Objectives

  • Identify and understand the 7 Lenses of Ethical AI Usage
  • Apply AllSides’ media bias logic to the AI Bias Checker 
  • Apply the 7 Lenses of Ethical AI Usage to the AI Bias Checker 

Primary Learning Goals:

  • Research and analysis, identifying bias:
    Students will learn to better identify biases of different sources, in classmates and in themselves, and how to get and maintain a balance of perspective.
  • Civics participation:
    Many students do not feel prepared to participate or vote. This program teaches students how to learn more about the news media, issues and elections so they can be better prepared and more confident for participating in elections.
  • Key Details and Ideas (Common Core):
    Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary that makes clear the relationships among the key details and ideas.

 

Questions

  • How can AI benefit students?
  • How can AI be useful in an election year?
  • What are the intersections between media bias and AI usage? 
  • Why is being bias conscious important during an election?
Grade Level
8th - 12th
Estimated Time
1-2 45 minute class periods
Skills
News media literacy, Digital literacy
Recommended Tools

Step-by-Step Guide

Introduction

In Class:

Warmup: Ask students their conceptions of AI |  Asynchronous? Use a Miro board 

  • What do they know about it?
  • Can they define it? 
  • What is it used for? 
  • Have they heard of the terms misinformation/disinformation? In the context of AI?

Uncharted Waters
Introduce the 7 key lenses to use to evaluate AI from CivcNow.

Media Bias 

  • How AllSides Rates Media Bias
  • What are the 2 direct sources of data AllSides uses to determine media bias ratings?
  • What is the 1 indirect source of data that AllSides uses to prompt a review of media bias ratings? (Answers: Editorial Review and Blind Bias Survey; Community Feedback).

Activity

Can be completed individually, in pairs, small groups or asynchronously.

  • Have them go to allsides.com/bias-checker
  • Have them select an article of their choice from any English-language news source
  • Have students test the Bias Checker. AllSides says “The AI-powered tool has been carefully calibrated to provide ratings and analysis that reflect the average judgment of all Americans across the political spectrum, not just a panel of insiders or biased AI.” Have students write down one way it lived up to this description and one way it didn’t. Have students assign one of the 7 lenses that they feel is most applicable to the tool and explain. 
  • Lead students through inquiry based, reflective dialogue on the strengths and criticisms of the bias checker. Suggested questions include: 
    • Using the 7 lenses for evaluating AI, what lens does the Bias Checker live up to the most? What lens does it live up to the least?
    • How could a tool like this be useful in our classroom?
    • How would you use something like this in your personal life?

Homework/Formative Assessment

Write to AllSides with the feedback you have compiled and receive a response! 

Write a 3-5 sentence paragraph with your answers to these questions and send it to schools@allsides.com, addressed to Scott McDonald, CTO of AllSides, for a response.

  • What did you like about this tool? 
  • What do you wish would improve about this tool? 
  • If you add one thing to improve this tool, what would it be? 
This lesson plan can be found at https://www.allsides.com/schools/lessons/using-AI