#241: Rural Primary Students’ Early Conceptions of Artificial Intelligence

Young learners’ initial conceptions of artificial intelligence (AI) shape how they engage with AI and have implications for instructional design. 23 Grade 4–5 students in a rural region of China completed a paper-based survey examining how they defined AI, identified it in everyday technologies, and perceived their interest and confidence in learning it. Students often described AI in functional or robotic terms, with some associating it with automation or simple responsiveness. Students’ interest was generally high, but confidence varied. These findings suggest that early AI education should support both the development of more refined conceptual understanding and learners’ confidence.