Culturally-Aware AI for Cross-Boundary Community Learning: Undergraduate Innovation at the Intersection of Computation and Design

2026-06-08

AI Summary

This study addresses a critical gap in artificial intelligence in education (AIED) research—the widespread neglect of cultural context and humanistic considerations, particularly within community-based practices across the Asia-Pacific region. To bridge this gap, the project proposes a culturally aware AIED collaborative framework that integrates social work and computational science through community-engaged computing approaches. Undergraduate students co-design AI-driven solutions for cultural heritage preservation and sustainable development within authentic community settings. This interdisciplinary model dismantles traditional disciplinary boundaries, fosters multi-stakeholder collaboration, and advances the pedagogical application of community-embedded computing. Empirical outcomes demonstrate enhanced student capacity to deploy AI responsibly in addressing culturally sensitive issues and sustainability challenges, yielding a scalable and transferable practice paradigm.

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.

Problem

• Artificial Intelligence in Education
• Culturally-Aware AI
• Community-Based Learning
• Cultural Context
• Human-Centered AI

Innovation

• culturally-aware AI
• Community-Based Learning
• human-centered AIED
• cross-boundary collaboration
• community-engaged computing