Artificial Intelligence-based technologies are becoming more widespread, reshaping the labour market and requiring new skills and educational approaches. The development of artificial intelligence (AI) Literacy programmes is therefore crucial to prepare students for these challenges. By integrating AI Education into school curricula, it is possible to support young students in acquiring the necessary skills to use new artificial intelligence technologies in an informed, critical and ethical manner. This study is based on an Umbrella Review conducted in December 2024, which examined 12 papers focusing on pedagogical frameworks, teaching methods and learning outcomes related to AI Literacy in K-12 education. Proceeding from these findings, the present study proposes a new practical model for developing a critical attitude towards artificial intelligence through the Challenge-Based Learning approach (CBL) in which also the “ethical dimension” is reimagined taking into account the state of the art. The CBL approach can be particularly effective in fostering critical and ethical thinking in relation to artificial intelligence. In fact, it emphasizes the importance of reflection and student agency, encourages the meaningful use of digital tools, and adopts a concrete approach by focusing on real-world problems: these elements are identified by the Umbrella Review as essential to foster the critical and ethical dimension of AI Literacy.

Keywords: AI Literacy, Practical Model, AI Ethics, Critical Thinking, Challenge-Based Learning.