“Young Scholar[s] on the Beat”: Multimodal Composition as a Form of Critical AI Literacy Pedagogy

ABSTRACT “AI literacy” includes both technical competencies and critical engagement with social and ethical dimensions of AI, but literacy approaches are underrepresented in how we conceptualize and teach its core components. In this paper, we focus on youth multimodal composition as a form of AI literacy pedagogy, analyzing the video products and written reflections of 22 11th grade students who composed video public service announcements about AI ethics issues of their choosing. In our findings, we report on trends in student video content, including (1) the overwhelmingly negative portrayals of AI, especially related to school‐based surveillance and punitive treatment relating to AI; (2) the complex interdependence of human and machine responsibility for harm; and (3) the persistence of students' messages of hope in the face of their cynical representations. Next, we show how students (1) experienced composition as joyful, creative collaboration and (2) connected composition and AI literacy learning. We discuss the implications of these findings for critical AI literacy pedagogy, offering suggestions for future practice and highlighting areas for further development and pedagogical innovation.