Teens4Change 4.0: An Innovative Pedagogical Model Integrating AI and Digital Citizenship for a Sustainable Transition
Houneida Haddaji et Sana RefaiRésumé
1. Introduction
In the current era of rapid digital transformation, higher education faces a dual challenge: the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the imperative of sustainable development. This research presents the “Teens4Change 4.0” project, an educational initiative that goes beyond technical training to foster active citizenship. Aligned with the UN 2030 Agenda, the project explores how AI-driven pedagogical tools can serve as catalysts for social inclusion and the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions).
2. Theoretical Framework
The study is rooted in Student-Centered Active Learning and Service-Learning methodologies. Recent research (Martín-Alguacil & Avedillo, 2024) indicates that such approaches significantly enhance the resolution of complex cognitive tasks. We redefine the teacher’s role as a “mediator-designer,” a crucial pivot for navigating the ethical complexities of generative AI while ensuring that technology remains a tool for human empowerment rather than a substitute for critical thought.
3. Methodology: The Teens4Change 4.0 Dispositif
The model was implemented with 87 participants through a structured five-phase engineering process:
Phase 1 -Ideation: Identifying local societal challenges (inclusion, environmental protection, harassment, gender rights, ethics).
Phase 2 -AI-assisted ideation: Critical training on generative AI as a cognitive resource to generate campaign angles, structure arguments and prototype content — governed by a strict ethical protocol covering prompt engineering, fact-checking and bias awareness.
Phase 3 -Creative Production: Development of digital campaigns (video, podcasts, scripts) using professional tools.
Phase 4 -Citizenship Advocacy: Public presentation of projects to local authorities and educational stakeholders.
Phase 5 -Solutions Journalism: Creating digital content for the project’s blog to fight misinformation.
4. Results and Discussion
The findings reveal that when AI is integrated into a project-based learning (PBL) framework with a clear societal goal, student engagement and intentionality increase.
The project successfully bridges the gap between technical skills (coding, AI prompting, multimedia) and soft skills (leadership, ethics, empathy). By transitioning students into “ambassadors of change,” the dispositif provides a concrete roadmap for reducing the digital divide in territories like Béni Khalled (SDG 10).
5. Transferability to Higher Education
The “Teens4Change” model offers high potential for scalability within universities through:
Digital Citizenship Labs: Dedicated spaces for interdisciplinary experimentation.
Service-Learning Modules: Integrating local NGO challenges into academic curricula.
Teacher Training (ToT): Equipping faculty with the skills to act as ethical mediators in the age of AI.
Conclusion
Ultimately, this research demonstrates that by placing AI at the service of civic intentionality, higher education institutions can evolve into “learning organizations” that are both technologically advanced and socially rooted, fulfilling the recommendations of UNESCO (2023) for a sustainable future.
Le Forum mondial sur l’éducation, tenu en mai 2015 à Incheon sous l’égide de l’UNESCO et ses partenaires, s’est conclu par la Déclaration d’Incheon pour l’Éducation 2030, un engagement historique de transformer la vie grâce à une nouvelle vision de l’éducation et à des actions courageuses et innovantes pour la réaliser. Le Cadre d’action Éducation 2030, qui établit cette nouvelle vision de l’éducation pour les 15 années à venir, a été adopté par plus de 180 états membres de l’UNESCO. Quatre ans plus tard, à la 9e Réunion mondiale de la Consultation collective des ONG pour Éducation 2030 (CCONG-Éducation 2030), qui s’est tenue en Tunisie en 2019, les organisations participantes ont affirmé que le monde est confronté à une crise éducative, causée par un manque de volonté politique, une faible priorisation de l’éducation et un financement insuffisant. De plus, elles ont constaté une tendance croissante à la commercialisation de l’éducation, ce qui contribue à creuser davantage les inégalités. Les systèmes éducatifs mondiaux ne semblaient pas respecter l’engagement pris dans le programme Éducation 2030. Le ministre de l’Éducation de la Tunisie d’alors avait, à la même occasion, souligné que la plupart des pays n’avancent pas suffisamment pour atteindre les objectifs fixés pour 2030. Il a appelé à une reconnaissance de l’importance stratégique de l’éducation pour toutes les nations et a encouragé la société civile à jouer un rôle majeur dans la mobilisation pour y parvenir.