To go straight to the online questionnaire, click here

 

RESEARCH TEAM

Kelly Ilich                         (PhD candidate, Curtin University)

Dr Martin Cooper          (Supervisor, Curtin University)

Dr Ellie Sayyad Abdi      (Supervisor, Curtin University)

​

Project title: Teaching algorithmic literacy: investigating teachers' capabilities to provide algorithmic literacy education in Australian schools. 

​

What is the Project About?

These days, algorithms are everywhere - from social media apps, to AI chatbots, to our Spotify recommendations, and they will continue to proliferate rapidly into the future. Many of us are not aware the extent to which algorithms are influencing us on a daily basis, and concerns have been raised about the detrimental effects this is having, particularly on young people. 

​

In order to mitigate these concerns, it is essential that algorithmic literacy is being taught throughout our schooling system in an equitable manner. For this to happen, it is necessary that teachers themselves have adequate algorithmic literacy, and have the ability to teach it to their students. This research aims to explore Australian teachers’ levels of algorithmic literacy and their self-efficacy in regards to teaching it. This important research will help to identify any potential challenges that may need to be addressed through future research and interventions.

​

We are aiming to recruit approximately 200 teachers who are currently teaching within Australian schools (from across year levels and subject areas), as well as final year pre-service teachers who are completing their studies within an Australian university, to complete a short online questionnaire.

 

Who is doing the Research?

This project is being conducted by Kelly Ilich. The results of this research will be used by Kelly Ilich to obtain a Doctor of Philosophy at Curtin University and is funded by the University. The project will be supervised by Dr Martin Cooper and Dr Ellie Sayyad. 

 

Why am I being asked to take part and what will I have to do?

You have been invited to participate in this online questionnaire due to your position as a teacher in an Australian school, or as a final year pre-service teacher at an Australian university. All teachers, regardless of their subject area or year level, are welcome.

Your participation will involve the completion of an online questionnaire, which will take approximately 15mins to complete. We will ask you questions about your understanding of algorithmic literacy and your thoughts about teaching it. Questions will consist mostly of closed questions that require the use of a rating scale to respond. There will be a small number of questions where you will have the opportunity to provide a short response.

At the end of the questionnaire, you will have the option to indicate if you would like to be contacted in order to take part in an online interview (approximately 30-60mins long).

There will be no cost to you for taking part in this research, and you will not be paid for taking part.

 

Are there any benefits’ to being in the research project?

The findings of this research are expected to benefit you and other teachers in a number of ways. First, it will aid in identifying any specific resources or support that teachers may need in order to provide algorithmic literacy education, such as further professional development and time allowances. It will also help in identifying beneficial strategies or pedagogies that may be used for the provision of algorithmic literacy education. It may also benefit participants by giving the opportunity to reflect on and learn more about algorithmic literacy and its place in their classrooms.

Taking part in this questionnaire will also help you to develop in a number of areas related to the Australian Professional Standards for teachers, including:

2.5: Information and Communication Technology

4.5: Use ICT safely, responsibly and ethically

7.4: Engage with professional teaching networks and broader communities

 

Are there any risks, side-effects, discomforts or inconveniences from being in the research project?

Apart from giving up 15mins of your time, we do not expect that there will be any risks or inconveniences associated with taking part in this study.

 

Who will have access to my information?

The information collected in this online questionnaire will be non-identifiable (anonymous). This means that we do not need to collect individual names. No one, not even the research team, will be able to identify your information.

The following people will have access to the information we collect in this research: the research team and, in the event of an audit or investigation, staff from the Curtin University Office of Research and Development.

If, at the end of the questionnaire, you indicate that you would like to take part in the online interview, then you will need to provide us with an email address to contact you. However, we will remove your email address before any data analysis takes place. This means that the data we store will be non-identifiable, and we will have no way to identify your information.

All electronic data will be password-protected, and the information collected in this study will be kept under secure conditions at Curtin University for 7 years after the research is published and then it will be kept indefinitely.  

The results of this research may be presented at conferences or published in professional journals. You will not be identified in any results that are published or presented.

 

Will you tell me the results of the research?

If you are interested in obtaining a summary of the results, please contact the researchers after the 1st February 2026. Results will not be individual but based on all the information we collect and review as part of the research.

 

Do I have to take part in the research project?

Taking part in a research project is voluntary. It is your choice to take part or not. You do not have to agree if you do not want to. If you decide to take part and then change your mind, that is okay, you can withdraw from the project. If you choose not to take part or start and then stop the study, it will not affect your relationship with the University, staff, or colleagues.

If you choose to close withdraw during the questionnaire, we will use any data that you have submitted. We will be unable to destroy your information because it will have been submitted in an anonymous way.

 

What happens next and who can I contact about the research?

If you decide to take part in this research we will ask you to indicate your consent in the first question on the online questionnaire. By doing so, this is telling us that you understand what you have read and what has been discussed. Giving consent indicates that you agree to be in the research project and have your information used as described.

 

Please take your time and ask any questions you have before you decide what to do. You can contact us at:

Kelly Ilich (PhD student): Kelly.ilich@curtin.edu.au

 

Curtin University Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) has approved this study (HREC number HRE2024-0036). Should you wish to discuss the study with someone not directly involved, in particular, any matters concerning the conduct of the study or your rights as a participant, or you wish to make a confidential complaint, you may contact the Ethics Officer on (08) 9266 9223 or the Manager, Research Integrity on (08) 9266 7093 or email hrec@curtin.edu.au.

​

Thank you for helping with this research project!

​

CLICK HERE TO GO TO QUESTIONNAIRE 

​

​