When Social Studies Takes the Mic on AI:

Highlights and insights from the NCSS–DS4E AI Ethics & Tech ConferenceSetting the Stage: Keynote Inspiration

NCSS President Tina M. Ellsworth, Ph.D. kicks off the AI Ethics and Tech Conference

When the national conversation turns to AI in schools, computer science and math often get the spotlight. But at the AI Ethics & Tech Conference in Chicago (a collaborative event hosted by NCSS and DS4E) it was civics and social studies teachers who took center stage. Their voices are critical to questions of technology, democracy, and ethics because teaching students how to use AI is not enough. We must also teach them how to question it.

As NCSS President Tina M. Ellsworth, Ph.D., put it: “Incorporating data literacy into social studies helps students to think critically about data to make better informed decisions and to fully participate as responsible democratic citizens, while also encouraging them to consider diverse perspectives from various people.”

Her words captured the spirit of the conference: social studies isn’t an “add-on” to the AI conversation—it’s where questions of power, citizenship, and ethics naturally live. By grounding data literacy in civic contexts, educators are equipping students not only to interpret numbers but to engage thoughtfully with the forces shaping democracy.

Setting the Stage: Keynote Inspiration

The conference opened with a keynote from Dr. Meredith Broussard, Data journalist and associate professor at the Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute of New York University, who emphasized the importance of demystifying artificial intelligence in classrooms. She framed AI not just as a technical tool, but as a civic issue, prompting questions like: Who gets left out when algorithms make decisions about housing? How does misinformation spread through social platforms shaped by imperfect algorithms? These kinds of questions, deeply rooted in social studies, help students see AI’s social and political implications alongside its mathematical underpinnings.

“AI is not magic, it’s math. When you start to unpack how these things work, it demystifies the process for students.”

Her message was clear: students do not need advanced technical skills to begin engaging critically with AI. Even in middle school math, students can begin to unpack how algorithms function, how bias is built into systems, and how decisions made by technologists ripple outward into society.

Thought-Provoking Panels

Over the course of two days, participants joined panels that explored the ethical, political, and educational dimensions of AI. Peter Adams of the News Literacy Project warned that while students are often savvy with technology, they frequently fail to see the infrastructure and business models shaping their online experiences. Ilene Berson of the University of South Florida reminded educators that “we don’t want to outsource empathy and care to social agents in the form of AI,” stressing that human values must remain central in digital spaces.

Shawn McCusker of the Bill of Rights Institute emphasized that civil discourse begins with inquiry and ends with reflection, two skills that are vital in an AI-driven society. Dr. Tamara Shreiner of the University of Michigan delivered one of the most resonant lines of the event: “Data are and always have been politically significant. People think that data just exist, but data are a series of choices.”

Chéla S. Wallace, who facilitated the K–12 strand, offered encouragement that teachers already have the tools to lead in this space. “You have the ability to be innovative in your practice,” she told attendees, pointing to the ways social studies educators are already using technology, project-based learning, and inquiry-driven lessons as natural entry points for integrating data literacy and AI.

Together, these conversations underscored how social studies classrooms are uniquely positioned to help students connect democratic participation with the ability to interrogate emerging technologies.

Breakouts: From Conversation to Design

The highlight of the conference came during breakout sessions where participants were asked to review and vote on 46 concepts from the K–12 Data Science Learning Progressions and the AI4K12 framework that might be integrated into social studies. Facilitators Chéla S. Wallace (K–12), Misha Jemison (Higher Education), and Dr. Thema Monroe-White (Policy/Nonprofit) guided the work as educators, policymakers, and researchers rolled up their sleeves.

It was during these discussions that one participant quoted Dr. Ian Malcolm from Jurassic Park: “Scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn’t stop to think if they should.” That line captured the heart of the work. As attendees raised red and green cards to vote on proposed outcomes, they debated not only which skills and concepts fit into a social studies-specific progression, but also what role civic education should play in helping students weigh the implications of these emerging technologies.

The debates centered on three essential questions: What should students know about AI by the time they graduate in 2030? What cognitive habits, skills, and civic dispositions will they need to navigate a world shaped by data? And where should computing tools, data analysis, and AI live inside social studies classrooms? As Dr. Thema Monroe-White reminded participants, data science is a social science first and foremost—because every dataset reflects human choices, contexts, and power structures. For example, decisions about how census data is collected can shape political representation, or the way algorithms flag “misinformation” can influence public discourse.

The breakout sessions reflected both optimism and caution, with participants agreeing that social studies educators have a unique responsibility to anchor these conversations in democracy, ethics, and citizenship.

Zarek Drozda, Executive Director of DS4E, emphasized that this work is only the beginning. Phase 2 of the learning progressions will move beyond the cross-disciplinary foundation to subject-specific versions.

“Our convening goal is to build a concrete, specific, accessible learning progression for K–12 social studies. Because we want it to feel tailored, and we want it to feel specific to social studies.”

This focus on customization underscored the central role of civics educators in shaping how the nation approaches data science and AI in schools.

Looking Ahead

The conference concluded with a collective sense of purpose. Participants left Chicago with a renewed commitment to prepare students not only to use data, but to evaluate its sources, question its implications, and apply it responsibly in civic life.

The NCSS–DS4E AI Ethics & Tech Conference was a milestone moment for bridging data science and social studies. It reminded us that preparing young people for the future is not only about technical skills, but about civic responsibility, ethical reflection, and the courage to shape technology for the common good.