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Integrating AI into Education: Finland’s Approach to Media and Digital Literacy
In a Finnish classroom filled with children under six years old, an innovative approach to learning was introduced earlier this year. A teacher encouraged the students to collaborate on writing a story using a new online tool—artificial intelligence (AI). With the teacher’s guidance, the children decided on the genre (horror), the plot, and the characters that would appear in their story.
The teacher compiled all the children’s suggestions into a prompt for an AI system. The AI not only generated the text of the story but also created images to illustrate the horror narrative. This exercise brought joy and surprise to the young students, as noted by an AI literacy expert who observed the activity.
This initiative is part of Finland’s broader effort to teach its youngest citizens how to interact with AI. As one of the top countries in Europe for resilience to fake news, Finland is taking steps to ensure that future generations are equipped to navigate the digital world effectively.
Media Literacy as a Life Skill
Media literacy has been a cornerstone of education in Finland since the 1970s. Initially focused on interpreting radio and television programs, the concept evolved over time to include social media and smartphones. The most recent curriculum update in 2014 coincided with increased disinformation following events like the annexation of Crimea, highlighting the need for digital awareness.
The Finnish education system emphasizes “multiliteracy,” which involves understanding, evaluating, and analyzing different sources of information as a lifelong skill. This approach is supported by around 100 organizations across the country that provide teaching materials and promote media literacy in classrooms.
Children as young as three begin exploring the digital environment by examining images or sounds they find amusing. By ages seven or eight, they start learning to assess the reliability of online information. At nine or ten, students learn to conduct research while considering multiple perspectives.
Teaching Critical Thinking in All Subjects
Experts like Leo Pekkala, deputy director of the Finnish National Audiovisual Institute (KAVI), emphasize that teachers play a crucial role in integrating critical thinking into various subjects. For example, math classes might explain how algorithms work and how they are developed.
Pekkala notes that Finland’s approach appears effective, as disinformation campaigns have had limited success in the country. Most people can recognize malicious content, even during global crises like the COVID-19 pandemic.
Preparing Students for AI Challenges
With the rapid development of AI technologies, challenges such as deepfakes have become more prevalent. These synthetic media creations can be difficult to distinguish from real content. For instance, high-profile figures like Marco Rubio and Taylor Swift have fallen victim to deepfake scams.
Pekkala highlights the importance of maintaining a basic understanding of media mechanics, even as AI technology advances. Students must be able to identify suspicious content and verify its authenticity through other sources.
Children are also taught to recognize signs of fake media, such as overly emotional reactions. Experts stress that it is essential for students to understand how AI works and how companies develop these technologies.
Navigating the Future of AI in Education
Kari Kivinen, an education outreach expert, notes that Finnish teachers are already adapting their methods to incorporate AI in the classroom. This may involve assigning handwritten tasks instead of online essays or allowing AI use for brainstorming but not for final submissions.
The government has introduced AI guidelines for early education teachers, recommending transparency about AI usage and informing students about potential errors and biases. However, Kivinen acknowledges that education systems have struggled to keep pace with the rapid development of AI tools.
Efforts are underway to create a joint AI literacy framework for the European Union and other developed countries. This framework, set to be published in early 2026, will guide students on how to use AI responsibly and measure AI skills among 15-year-olds in 100 countries.
Kivinen emphasizes that AI literacy is a global challenge, requiring coordinated efforts to ensure that education systems can meet the demands of the digital age. “It’s a huge task ahead of us,” he said.