The impact of a child-friendly artificial intelligence framework on the digital well-being of primary school students

The aim of this study is to investigate the extent to which a framework program based on child-friendly artificial intelligence (CFAI) applications enhances elementary school students' awareness of online risks, digital security skills, socio-emotional development, AI literacy, and ethical sensitivity, as well as the impact of this program on their digital well-being. The study was conducted during the second semester of the 2023-2024 academic year at an elementary school in Tarsus, Mersin. The study group consisted of 40 fourth-grade students. The research was designed as a sequential explanatory mixed-methods study, utilizing a one-group pretest-posttest quasi-experimental design. Quantitative data were collected through surveys measuring digital well-being, online risk awareness, digital security skills, socio-emotional development, AI literacy, and ethical sensitivity levels. Qualitative data were obtained from semi-structured interview forms. The collected data were analyzed using thematic and descriptive content analysis methods, with the assistance of the JAMOVI software. To address the research questions, normality values and distributions of the data were examined, and the Shapiro-Wilk normality test, paired-sample t-test, and thematic analysis methods were applied. The findings indicate that CFAI applications are effective in enhancing students' digital well-being and online security awareness. Students demonstrated significant improvements in secure password usage, personal data protection, and safeguarding against online threats. Additionally, there was a notable increase in their awareness of the ethical use of AI technologies. Qualitative analyses reveal that students' socio-emotional skills improved, particularly in terms of developing empathy and demonstrating ethical behavior in online environments. Furthermore, there was a significant advancement in students' creative thinking and problem-solving skills. Through AI-supported projects, students enhanced their critical thinking and collaboration abilities. Keywords: Child-Friendly Artificial Intelligence, Digital Well-Being, Digital Safety, AI Literacy, Ethical Awareness, Integration of Technology into Education