Learning AI Ethics with EvolveMoralMaze: An Analysis of Student Outcomes and Misconceptions

As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes part of everyday life, we need engaging ways to teach young people about its ethical challenges. We designed EvolveMoralMaze, an interactive game to teach middle school students (ages 11-14) about AI ethics, training data, and algorithmic bias. We tested this tool with 117 students at a Texas public middle school. Both qualitative and quantitative data showed a large increase in students' self-reported understanding of AI. More importantly, students developed an in-depth understanding of how training data shapes AI behavior. However, the game inadvertently reinforced the misconception that ''perfect rules'' can solve ethical problems. This research demonstrates that games can be powerful tools for making complex ethical ideas tangible for this age group.