Collaborative Innovations: Bridging Gaps and Promoting AI Literacy Through Engagement and Dissemination in Education (CIGALE) 

Unpacking AI literacy through a comprehensive approach, including knowledge and practices that students would need to learn about AI by grade bands in K–12.

Summary

Supported by an SRI Independent Research and Development Grant (IRAD), Collaborative Innovations: Bridging Gaps and Promoting AI literacy through Engagement and Dissemination in Education (CIGALE) was a two-year project focused on better understanding what AI literacy means and how to promote AI literate educators and students in K-12. The project used a multi-pronged approach to bridge gaps and promote AI literacy in K-12 by: 1) designing a technology prototype to help educators integrate AI concepts and practices into their teaching and design AI-integrated lessons that connect these concepts to core subjects;  2) developing two foundational AI literacy frameworks, one mapping AI literacy by grade bands and another defining “AI literacy for everyone”; and 3) advancing public conversations on AI literacy in K-12 through communication and dissemination activities.   

Full description of project work

As artificial intelligence (AI) tools become part of everyday life, many critical questions emerge: How can we ensure students are prepared not just to use AI, but to understand it and engage with it responsibly? What should AI literacy look like throughout a student’s K–12 education? How can we support teachers as they integrate AI literacy into their instruction? 

SRI’s Collaborative Innovations: Bridging Gaps and Promoting AI literacy through Engagement and Dissemination in Education (CIGALE) project aimed to address these questions and advance K–12 AI literacy by supporting educators, researchers, and practitioners in understanding and integrating AI into education. Grounded in extensive foundational research, including expert interviews and environmental scans of existing policies and resources, the CIGALE team developed two key AI literacy frameworks: one mapping competencies across K–12 grade bands, and another defining “AI literacy for everyone.” These frameworks are available in the Our Work section below. 

Building on this foundational work and drawing on other established AI literacy frameworks such as the Five Big Ideas in AI (Touretzky et al., 2022), SRI researchers also created a technology concept demo designed to make AI literacy integration more accessible for educators. The CIGALE technology works as a thought partner to support K-12 educators in teaching AI literacy, aiming to reduce teacher burden while promoting AI learning experiences.

The CIGALE project also aimed to contribute to and deepen the discourse on K-12 AI literacy, by engaging educators, policymakers, and researchers in dialogue. In 2025, the CIGALE team expanded dissemination through conference presentations, a white paper synthesizing insights on the challenges and opportunities in K–12 AI literacy, and a practitioner-facing webinar featuring a panel of educators who shared practical insights on integrating AI and promoting AI literacy in K-12 classrooms. These resources, which provide insights into the current status of and future considerations for K-12 AI literacy, are available below.

As AI becomes increasingly integrated into classrooms and emerges as a growing national priority, the work of CIGALE provides insights and tools to support AI-literate K–12 educators and students to thrive in an AI-mediated world. The project offers a foundation for future collaborations and continued innovation in AI literacy research, practice, and policy. 

Associated fields of research