From Tools to Thinking: The Real Work of AI Literacy

 

What does it actually mean to be “AI literate”—and are we teaching the right things?

In this first episode of Beyond the Algorithm, Dawn Taylor is joined by Ben Garside, Senior Learning Manager for AI Literacy at the Raspberry Pi Foundation, to explore one of the most urgent questions in education today.

Together, they unpack:

• What AI literacy really is (and what it isn’t)
• Why understanding AI matters more than simply using it
• The risks of cognitive offloading—and how to respond
• How AI is already reshaping teaching, learning, and assessment
• The global challenge of access, equity, and representation in AI systems

Ben shares insights from the Raspberry Pi Foundation’s Experience AI programme, now reaching over 2.3 million students worldwide, and discusses how research, pedagogy, and real classroom practice are being brought together to build meaningful AI education.

This episode goes beyond tools and into thinking—exploring how we prepare students not just to use AI, but to understand it, question it, and engage with it critically.

Key themes:
AI literacy | Education | Pedagogy | Assessment | Equity | Critical thinking

Music Credit:

Music: Bensound.com/royalty-free-music
License code: CXJUKFZMNR3CYI4R
Artist: : Benjamin Tissot