Is That AI System Fair? New High School Curriculum Helps Students Find Out

Philadelphia, PA — November 10, 2025 —The University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education (Penn GSE) is proud to announce the release of a pioneering set of curricular materials aimed at equipping high school students with the tools to critically examine algorithmic bias in artificial intelligence (AI) systems.

Developed by Penn GSE’s Yasmin Kafai in collaboration with Assistant Professor Danaé Metaxa from Penn’s Computer and Information Sciences department and high school computer science educators across the country, the “AI Auditing for High School” curriculum introduces students to the concept of algorithmic bias and guides them through hands-on audits of real-world AI applications—no coding experience required.

The curriculum includes four classroom-tested lessons:

• Lesson 1: Introduction to Algorithmic Bias
• Lesson 2: Audits & Inquiry
• Lesson 3: TikTok Audit
• Lesson 4: Physical Computing AI/ML with Microbit CreateAI

These lessons are supported by published research articles, classroom videos, and news reports documenting student-led audits of platforms such as shopping sites and travel apps. The materials are available at bit.ly/k12aiaudit-lessons.

The project was originally funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). When funding was prematurely canceled, the project received bridge funding from the Spencer Foundation, in collaboration with The Kapor Foundation, The William T. Grant Foundation, and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. The initiative also benefits from the support of ECS (Exploring Computer Science), whose nationwide network of over 5,000 educators has played a key role in piloting and shaping the curriculum.

“This curriculum empowers students to become critical thinkers and ethical users of technology,” said Yasmin B. Kafai, Lori and Michael Milken President’s Distinguished Professor at Penn GSE. “By auditing AI systems, students learn to question how algorithms work, if they work, and who they serve.”

The development team includes Helen Butapetch, Deborah Fields, Sheri Hanna, John Landa, Luis Morales-Navarro, Tanga Myers, Daniel Noh, John Ottina, and Alexandra Ulrich. Feedback and inquiries are welcome at algorithmauditk12@gmail.com.

The curriculum is part of Penn GSE’s accelerating leadership in artificial intelligence and education through a series of strategic initiatives designed to empower educators and transform learning. Penn GSE has also launched a new online master’s degree program focused on AI in education and this fall welcomed two new AI-specialist faculty members to deepen its research and teaching capacity. Long-standing faculty member Kafai, an internationally recognized pioneer in K-12 computer science education, continues to shape the field through her groundbreaking work in computational literacy and creative computing, inspiring equitable approaches to technology in schools. Additionally, Penn GSE is scaling up its Pioneering AI in School Systems (PASS) program, a professional development initiative launched in 2025 to help school leaders and educators responsibly integrate AI into classrooms.

The University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education (Penn GSE) is one of the nation’s premier research centers for education. Its faculty address pressing challenges across the globe through scholarship, practice, and policy.