As artificial intelligence (AI) systems become increasingly integrated into everyday life, children grow up surrounded by these technologies. This study explores how 12-year-old students perceive AI systems and examines the relationship between their experiences with AI and their general interest in computer science. By employing a biographical research approach, we asked students to describe their first encounter with an AI system. The research focuses on (a) where and how 12-year-olds consciously encounter AI for the first time, (b) which aspects they emphasize when recalling their initial experience and, finally, (c) how this is related to their interest in computer science. Utilizing the SEAME framework for the analysis, the data reveals that the categories of ‘Application’ and ‘Social and Ethical Considerations’ were far more prominent in the students' reflections compared to the more technical aspects of ‘Model’ and ‘Engine’. Specifically, students with a lower interest in computer science were more likely to focus on the ‘Social and Ethical considerations’ of AI, while those with a high interest in computer science were the only group to provide responses related to ‘Models’. These findings suggest that while AI systems are omnipresent in the lives of young students, their experiences and perceptions vary significantly depending on their interest in computer science.

K-12 computing education research is a rapidly growing field of research, both driven by and driving the implementation of computing as a school and extra-curricular subject globally. Within discipline-based education research, it is a new and emerging field, drawing on fields such as mathematics and science education research for inspiration and theoretical bases. The urgency around investigating effective teaching and learning in computing in school alongside broadening participation has led to much of the field being focused on empirical research. Less attention has been paid to the underlying philosophical assumptions informing the discipline, which might include a critical examination of the rationale for K-12 computing education, its goals and perspectives, and associated inherent values and beliefs. The goals of this research project are to understand the implicit and hidden values, perspectives and goals underpinning computing education at school. This will be achieved through a critical examination of a wide body of literature leading to the development of a categorization and framework.

Algorithm is a highly abstract concept that is difficult to define precisely, but has entered the public discourse. In addition to a procedural knowledge about algorithms, we also need to ensure pupils have a viable conceptual knowledge.

With an ever increasing number of computing initiatives trying to engage and motivate children of all ages, we need to ask ourselves what these initiatives achieve and deliver. We therefore intend to investigate whether participation in a workshop setting changes students' approaches to solving selected computational thinking problems and extends their repertoire of problem-solving strategies. Methods used will include video analysis to collect data on the solutions and strategies, and a design-based research approach to create an effective task design for the workshop activities given to the students.