Co-Designing Community-Centered AI Education for Adults: A Midwestern Case Study

2026-06-24

AI Summary

This study addresses the long-standing neglect of adult learners outside formal higher education in AI education, particularly the absence of AI literacy pathways aligned with community needs. Conducted in a predominantly Black community in the Midwestern United States, the research employed participatory action research and co-design methods to develop and implement a community capacity–centered AI literacy framework through hybrid informal learning modalities. Findings indicate that this approach effectively oriented participants toward localized, contextually grounded AI applications, enhancing both their AI literacy and the community’s agency in navigating technological change. The work offers an innovative paradigm for shifting AI education from a technology-centric to a community-centered orientation.

Abstract

Artificial Intelligence (AI) education is increasingly important, yet adults outside higher education receive less attention. We report a case study of an AI education session with 54 adults (48 in-person and 6 virtual) in a predominantly African American community on the east side of a major Midwestern city. We ask: "What does AI education for adults outside formal educational systems look like in practice?" and "What does this AI education session reveal about AI literacy at the community level?" Through a co-designed session developed with community partners, we found that concerns about AI persisted but shifted to specific, locally grounded questions about AI design and deployment. We also discuss AI literacy from a community capacity perspective and argue for AI literacy frameworks grounded in local community contexts that strengthen community capacity.

Problem

• AI education
• adult learners
• community-centered
• AI literacy
• informal education

Innovation

• co-design
• community-centered AI education
• AI literacy
• adult learners
• community capacity