AI education in afterschool and other out-of-school time (OST) settings, such as clubs and camps, is vital because it offers equitable access to future-ready skills, reaching students who may lack exposure during the school day. These flexible, informal learning environments are ideal for hands-on, project-based learning that demystifies AI and fosters critical thinking about its societal impact.
In this webinar recording, learn how (and why) the integration of AI into OST settings is increasingly important in today's digital world. Guest speaker Karen Lang shares Technovation's resources on AI that can be used in afterschool and OST programs, and researcher Daniella DiPaola shares resources and strategies from the MIT Media Lab's Student Voices in AI curriculum. This webinar provides attendees with essential knowledge, practical strategies, and curricular resources for effectively empowering youth with AI.
This webinar was hosted by NGCP on November 25, 2025.
Resources:
- MIT Media Lab Student Voices in AI Program: https://mitmedialab.github.io/student-voices-in-ai/
- Technovation AI in Action Educator Guide: https://www.technovation.org/ai-in-action/
Daniella DiPaola
Daniella DiPaola is a PhD student at the MIT Media Lab. Her work lies at the intersection of AI, children, and society. She conducts research on human-AI interaction, develops curricula on the responsible creation and use of AI, and supports educational policy regarding the use of AI in schools. Her research has been featured in top ACM and IEEE conferences in the fields of human-computer interaction and STEM education. Daniella received her Bachelor's in Human Factors Engineering from Tufts University and her Master's in Media Arts and Sciences from MIT. Before her graduate studies, she was a design researcher at Jibo, Inc., where she researched the world’s first social robot from the home.
Karen Lang
Karen Lang is a Curriculum Developer for Technovation. Karen has spent much of her career as an educator, focused on Computer Science education. She has over 20 years of computer science teaching experience in the US and around the world – at high schools in New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, and in England. She also acted as technology coordinator at American international schools in Venezuela and Hungary. Karen also worked as the Education and Business Development Manager for MIT App Inventor for five years, where she advocated for the use of App Inventor as a tool to enable people, young and old, to become active creators of technology. She is a co-author of the book, “Become an App Inventor” with her colleague Selim Tezel. In her role at Technovation, Karen develops and updates curricula for use by girls globally to help them solve a problem in their community with technology. The curricula, targeted for girls 8-18, includes units on coding, entrepreneurship, and artificial intelligence.