2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

This curricular product presents an innovative yet simple pedagogical approach for teaching responsible AI principles to students through the creation of Responsible Use Cards (an addendum to Model Cards) based on IBM's Five Pillars framework (IBM, 2025). Developed and implemented through the Mark Cuban Foundation's AI Student Bootcamps, the goal of this educational intervention is to address the critical need for AI ethics literacy among K-12 students who increasingly interact with artificial intelligence (AI) technologies in academic and personal contexts (Gouseti et al. 2024).​​

The activity aims to engage students in creating personalized Responsible Use Cards that evaluate their own AI tool implementations across five key dimensions: Privacy, Explainability, Robustness, Fairness, and Transparency. Students work collaboratively to assess the ethical implications of AI products and the technologies they use to develop for their final launchpad projects, moving beyond theoretical discussions to practical application of responsible AI principles.​

Figure 1. Responsible Use Card Template
In our student AI Bootcamps, our implementation approach integrates structured reflection prompts that guide students through critical evaluation of data collection practices, algorithmic transparency, potential biases, and the unintended consequences. Students must articulate specific scenarios in which their AI tools might fail or cause harm, consequently developing both a technical understanding of AI and ethical reasoning skills. The template-based approach ensures consistency while allowing for personalization based on individual project contexts.​
Initial implementation suggests this approach could bridge the gap between abstract ethical principles and real-world implementation decisions. Students might demonstrate an improved ability to identify potential AI risks, articulate fairness considerations, and design features that promote transparency. The collaborative nature of the activity fosters peer learning about diverse ethical perspectives and technical approaches to responsible AI development.​

This paper contributes to the growing body of literature on AI education by providing a practical, scalable framework and pedagogical practice for integrating ethics education into AI curricula. The approach is particularly relevant for computing education programs seeking to prepare students for responsible AI development careers while meeting emerging industry standards for ethical technology design.

References
1. IBM. (2025). What is AI Ethics? IBM Think. https://www.ibm.com/think/topics/ai-ethics
2. Gouseti, A., James, F., Fallin, L., & Burden, K. (2024). The ethics of using AI in K-12 education: a systematic literature review. Technology, Pedagogy and Education, 34(2), 161–182. https://doi.org/10.1080/1475939X.2024.2428601