Culturally-Aware AI for Cross-Boundary Community Learning: Undergraduate Innovation at the Intersection of Computation and Design
2026-06-08 • Computers and Society
Computers and Society
AI summaryⓘ
The authors studied how artificial intelligence (AI) can help education while respecting cultural differences, especially in the Asia-Pacific region. They focused on Community-Based Learning, where students work with communities to create AI tools that preserve cultural heritage and support sustainable development. Their work highlights how involving communities in AI projects connects education, technology, and culture in a meaningful way. The authors also created a framework that encourages teamwork between social work and computer science experts to make AI education more inclusive and culturally aware.
Artificial Intelligence in EducationCommunity-Based LearningCultural Heritage PreservationSustainable DevelopmentHuman-Centered AIAsia-PacificMulti-Stakeholder CollaborationSocial WorkComputational ScienceInterdisciplinary Research
Authors
Jiaojiao Zhao, Weisheng Zhang, Jiawen Cai, Haibin Gao, Luyao Zhang
Abstract
Research on artificial intelligence in education (AIED) is rapidly expanding, yet technical progress often lacks human-centered grounding and adequate attention to cultural context. Community-Based Learning, a pedagogy rooted in social work, remains underrepresented in AIED research, particularly within Asia-Pacific contexts. This paper reports on cross-boundary Community-Based Learning where undergraduate students develop AI-enabled solutions for cultural heritage preservation and sustainable development. We examine how community-engaged computing operationalizes human-centered AIED across three dimensions: education, technology, and culture. We contribute a collaborative framework for culturally-aware AIED that fosters multi-stakeholder collaboration while widening participation by dissolving disciplinary silos between social work and computational science.