AI-driven CALL methodology: Amplifying minority language youth voices in digital citizenship education

Abstract

[EN] In a digital landscape increasingly marked by hate speech, disinformation, and radicalization (United Nations, 2022), fostering ethical and informed digital citizenship is a critical educational priority. The Living, Thinking, and Acting Online (Vivre, Réfléchir, Agir – #VRAenligne) project centered the voices of French minority-language youth in Canada from diverse linguistic and ethnic backgrounds. Structured in three phases, Living, Reflecting, and Acting, the project guided participants from exploring and articulating their own personal online experiences, to reflecting on what it means to be an ethical and digital citizen, and finally demonstrating a sense of agency and empowerment by committing to concrete actions promoting more inclusive digital spaces. Using a digital ethnography approach combined with AI-assisted multimodal artifact creation, the project engaged youth as co-researchers and co-creators of knowledge. Throughout each phase, participants used AI tools such as Canva and DALL·E to produce multimodal artifacts representing their identities and ethical perspectives. This creative process fostered active collaboration and co-reflection between youth and researchers, enabling a culturally and linguistically responsive exploration of lived experiences and digital citizenship. Findings demonstrate the strengths and possibilities of integrating generative AI into participatory research: it can amplify marginalized voices, deepen youth engagement, and support the development of digital literacy and civic agency. At the same time, the study highlights the ethical responsibility to navigate AI’s limitations, including risks of bias and misrepresentation, ensuring its use promotes socially responsible and equitable educational practices.