title: Artificial Intelligence Attitudes Inventory (AIAI): Development and validation using Rasch methodology

authors: Krägeloh, Christian U.

subjects: psychology

abstract: With the rapid advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), it is vital to develop psychometrically sound measures of public attitudes toward this technology. The present study aimed to refine a pool of candidate items to create a concise yet robust inventory for assessing attitudes toward AI. Using a dataset of 604 participants from the general population of the United States, a pool of 96 candidate items was subjected to iterative Rasch analysis to reduce the number of items while ensuring psychometric robustness. The resulting scale, named the Artificial Intelligence Attitudes Inventory (AIAI), consists of two 8-item subscales measuring positive and negative attitudes toward AI. Analyses revealed that these subscales are distinct constructs rather than opposites on a single continuum, and they are only weakly related to psychological distress. The AIAI provides a concise yet comprehensive measure of positive and negative attitudes toward AI that can be efficiently administered alongside other measures. The findings underscore the multifaceted nature of public perceptions of AI and highlight the need for further research into the profiles and determinants of these attitudes. As AI continues to shape our world, the AIAI offers a valuable tool for understanding and monitoring public sentiment toward this transformative technology.

text: Artificial Intelligence Attitudes Inventory (AIAI): Development and validation using Rasch methodology With the rapid advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), it is vital to develop psychometrically sound measures of public attitudes toward this technology. The present study aimed to refine a pool of candidate items to create a concise yet robust inventory for assessing attitudes toward AI. Using a dataset of 604 participants from the general population of the United States, a pool of 96 candidate items was subjected to iterative Rasch analysis to reduce the number of items while ensuring psychometric robustness. The resulting scale, named the Artificial Intelligence Attitudes Inventory (AIAI), consists of two 8-item subscales measuring positive and negative attitudes toward AI. Analyses revealed that these subscales are distinct constructs rather than opposites on a single continuum, and they are only weakly related to psychological distress. The AIAI provides a concise yet comprehensive measure of positive and negative attitudes toward AI that can be efficiently administered alongside other measures. The findings underscore the multifaceted nature of public perceptions of AI and highlight the need for further research into the profiles and determinants of these attitudes. As AI continues to shape our world, the AIAI offers a valuable tool for understanding and monitoring public sentiment toward this transformative technology.

year: 2024-05-14

title: Climate change is here:  Teachers’ and students’ perceptions about education for It

authors: Bevins, Patricia Anne

subjects: Climate change

abstract: Climate change is the greatest threat humans have ever faced. The unprecedented anthropogenic activity impacting on the environment is having catastrophic effects across the globe and could continue for thousands of years. Mitigation to prevent further environmental harm and adaptation to the already-changing conditions are essential strategies in addressing climate change and, therefore, education for these strategies is imperative. Educators have an opportunity to prepare our learners with the knowledge and skills they will need to combat the impacts and effects of climate change. Climate change education offers young people a chance to develop their knowledge, critical and creative thinking and problem-solving skills while building their resilience and adaptive capacity to act in this crisis. But are our young people getting these learning opportunities?
This was an interpretive study that focused on the perceptions of climate change and climate change education of students, teachers and leaders at a secondary school in the Waikato region of New Zealand. A mix of quantitative and qualitative data was gathered by using an on-line questionnaire and focus groups with students and semi-structured interviews with their teachers and leaders. The data were divided into four sections: beliefs, knowledge, attitudes and actions for both the student data and the teachers’ and leaders’ data, and were thematically analysed using NVivo. 
The data clearly showed in this study that the students were worried about how climate change was going to affect their future lives and the lives of the people closest to them and most wanted to change their behaviour and take action to try and reduce the effects of a changing climate. In order to do this, the students wanted to learn more about climate change, raise their awareness, and the awareness in their community, so that everybody could be prepared for the changing climate. The findings indicated that the teachers all agreed that climate change education is important for students and wanted to know more about climate change so they could inform their students about climate change through education. The leaders indicated that it is vital that the students’ are thoroughly prepared for the changing climate and a change in behaviour, but they also felt that the teachers needed to be supported as well, and not just those teaching about climate change, but to make sure everyone is prepared for an uncertain future. 
This study recommends the Ministry of Education to firstly, consider how climate change education can be made available to all children and young people, and then to provide guidance on how educators in schools and teacher education throughout New Zealand could teach about climate change to all our learners.

text: Climate change is here:  Teachers’ and students’ perceptions about education for It Climate change is the greatest threat humans have ever faced. The unprecedented anthropogenic activity impacting on the environment is having catastrophic effects across the globe and could continue for thousands of years. Mitigation to prevent further environmental harm and adaptation to the already-changing conditions are essential strategies in addressing climate change and, therefore, education for these strategies is imperative. Educators have an opportunity to prepare our learners with the knowledge and skills they will need to combat the impacts and effects of climate change. Climate change education offers young people a chance to develop their knowledge, critical and creative thinking and problem-solving skills while building their resilience and adaptive capacity to act in this crisis. But are our young people getting these learning opportunities?
This was an interpretive study that focused on the perceptions of climate change and climate change education of students, teachers and leaders at a secondary school in the Waikato region of New Zealand. A mix of quantitative and qualitative data was gathered by using an on-line questionnaire and focus groups with students and semi-structured interviews with their teachers and leaders. The data were divided into four sections: beliefs, knowledge, attitudes and actions for both the student data and the teachers’ and leaders’ data, and were thematically analysed using NVivo. 
The data clearly showed in this study that the students were worried about how climate change was going to affect their future lives and the lives of the people closest to them and most wanted to change their behaviour and take action to try and reduce the effects of a changing climate. In order to do this, the students wanted to learn more about climate change, raise their awareness, and the awareness in their community, so that everybody could be prepared for the changing climate. The findings indicated that the teachers all agreed that climate change education is important for students and wanted to know more about climate change so they could inform their students about climate change through education. The leaders indicated that it is vital that the students’ are thoroughly prepared for the changing climate and a change in behaviour, but they also felt that the teachers needed to be supported as well, and not just those teaching about climate change, but to make sure everyone is prepared for an uncertain future. 
This study recommends the Ministry of Education to firstly, consider how climate change education can be made available to all children and young people, and then to provide guidance on how educators in schools and teacher education throughout New Zealand could teach about climate change to all our learners.

year: 2020

title: Responsive socio-cultural contexts: Supporting five year olds to become literate in a second language.

authors: Berryman, Mere

subjects: bilingual learners

abstract: Learning one's own indigenous language and culture as a second language learner within formal mainstream education settings can pose many challenges, especially for students who have been raised in the dominant first language and who are just beginning school. This paper discusses a Māori language resource used by a Māori immersion teacher to respond to these challenges. This resource utilises community support to develop students' phonological awareness while simultaneously increasing their oral language. This study shows that within a relatively short period of time, students' phonological knowledge improved along with their confidence and ability to speak in Māori. With these skills they were then able to progress more successfully to becoming literate in Māori, their second language.

text: Responsive socio-cultural contexts: Supporting five year olds to become literate in a second language. Learning one's own indigenous language and culture as a second language learner within formal mainstream education settings can pose many challenges, especially for students who have been raised in the dominant first language and who are just beginning school. This paper discusses a Māori language resource used by a Māori immersion teacher to respond to these challenges. This resource utilises community support to develop students' phonological awareness while simultaneously increasing their oral language. This study shows that within a relatively short period of time, students' phonological knowledge improved along with their confidence and ability to speak in Māori. With these skills they were then able to progress more successfully to becoming literate in Māori, their second language.

year: 2012