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iKIDO

iKIDO — Empowering Youth through Interactive AI Experience Spaces

Fostering AI literacy and digital sovereignty through experience-based learning and gamification for youth and educators in non-formal learning environments.

The iKIDO project develops innovative solutions for young people to acquire AI competencies. Instead of relying on purely theoretical knowledge, the project utilizes interactive “AI experience spaces” where participants can practically explore AI methods using realistic application examples.

Problem & Context

AI systems are increasingly integrated into daily life, yet there is a significant education gap:

  • Unreflective Use: Youth often use AI-generated content or tools without understanding the underlying mechanisms.
  • Lack of Accessibility: Many existing educational tools require technical pre-knowledge, which excludes those from less tech-heavy backgrounds.
  • Societal Risks: Without AI literacy, young people are more vulnerable to manipulation through deepfakes and disinformation.

Target Audience & Assumptions

  • Primary Group: Youth (teenagers) who are active users of digital media.
  • Secondary Group: Multipliers such as teachers, trainers, and operators of Maker Spaces.

Key Assumptions: Complex topics are best understood through direct experimentation (Learning by Doing), and playful challenges and riddles lower the barrier to entry and increase engagement with complex technology (Gamification).

Goals & Success Criteria

  • Goal 1: Strengthen digital sovereignty, enabling youth to form their own opinions and participate in societal debates on AI.
  • Goal 2: Build practical skills to recognize potentials and risks of AI.
  • Success Criteria: High participant engagement (target: >85% positive feedback) and measurable self-reported competence gains.

Research & Insights

All experience spaces are grounded in a custom multi-level AI Literacy competency model that progresses from understanding what AI systems are and where they are used, through how they learn and what influences their reliability, to recognizing the broader potentials and risks of AI applications.

  • Aha-Moments: Practical experiments lead to sudden realizations that stay with the students longer than theory.
  • Scenarios Matter: Using tangible examples, like autonomous driving for image recognition, makes the technology relatable to everyday life.
  • Multiplier Value: Training educators (multipliers) is essential to ensure the sustainable and widespread use of the developed materials.

Hypotheses & Decisions

  • Hypothesis: An “experience-based learning cycle” (Action → Reflection → Abstraction → Experimentation) is one of the most effective ways to teach AI.
  • Decision: Create specialized training tools like the “AI Workbench” where users can train their own image recognition models and control outputs (text, image, or audio).
  • Decision: Provide all results as Open Educational Resources (OER) for free to promote educational equity.

Solution

The solution consists of several modules:

  • Image Recognition Experience Space: Participants train their own AI models using the custom-built “AI Workbench” and explore real-world scenarios such as autonomous driving.
  • Generative AI Experience Space: A dedicated space focused on Large Language Models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, addressing how generative AI produces content and the risks of unreflected use.
  • Formats: Moderator-driven workshops as 1-Day Basics or 2–3 Day Deep Dives. Or as a physical, exhibition-like AI-Exploratorium where students solve riddles to learn AI principles in a self-paced manner.
  • iKIDO Tools: Dedicated online tools to build simple AI applications without any programming knowledge.
AI Workbench — a step-by-step tool for training image recognition models
iKIDO HandsOn Workshop
iKIDO Dedicated Educational Tools

Testing & Validation

The project has undergone rigorous testing. Early prototypes were tested with experienced trainers at meredo e.V. in March 2023 to refine the pedagogical approach based on their feedback. The iterative design process ensured continuous improvement.

280+

Youth participants tested

80+

Trainers involved

89%

Found the workshops engaging

91%

Workshops helpful for AI competencies

AI Exploratorium as another Learning Environment
Physical games for AI Education

Results & Impact

The feedback from participants confirmed the effectiveness of the approach: 89% found the workshops engaging, and 91% stated they were helpful for building AI competencies.

Contribution to the Common Good

  • Digital Sovereignty: Youth are empowered to participate in public debates on AI, protect themselves against deepfake manipulation, and exercise data sovereignty in digital spaces.
  • Educational Equity: All materials are freely available as OER and distributed through media competence centres, Maker Spaces, and platforms such as MINT Zukunft schaffen — ensuring access for youth from disadvantaged backgrounds.
  • Multiplier Effect: Trained educators reach hundreds of additional youth, creating a sustainable network across schools, open workshops (e.g. MINT Impuls e.V.), and non-formal learning settings.
  • Career Readiness: Building AI competencies strengthens young people’s prospects in a growing technology sector.

EIPCM’s Role

EIPCM led the prototype development and implementation of all iKIDO tools and learning formats — from initial paper mock-ups and low-fidelity prototypes through to the final functional AI experience spaces. This included the UX design of the AI Workbench, which enables young people to train their own image recognition models, as well as the iKIDO online tools for building simple AI applications without programming knowledge.

EIPCM also contributed the participatory design methodology and gamification concept that underpin the project’s experiential learning approach. The institute co-designed three complementary formats — intensive 1-day workshops, immersive 2–3 day deep dives, and the self-paced AI-Exploratorium — and led the project’s dissemination activities, ensuring all tools and materials were released as Open Educational Resources for broad reuse.

Learnings

  • Interactive beats Passive: Participants specifically praised the hands-on nature and the ability to do things themselves.
  • Reflection is Key: Technical understanding must be paired with ethical reflection (e.g., discussing deepfakes) to achieve true sovereignty.
  • Organization Matters: Well-organized workshops as well as open, self-exploratory settings with clear explanations are highly valued by the target group.

Consortium

Research Partners

Practice Partners

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