AI Insights #7

Not much AI action to report from my classroom this week, as I spent the first few days at the Brilliant Festival in the UK—an event every bit as inspiring as it sounds. Year 12 students, meanwhile, had their first assessments, which I managed to mark quickly before handing them over to Rocky Bitboa , our AI coaching bot, for some one to one feedback. Rocky helps students identify areas for improvement and gives them tailored advice.

On the downside, all the travelling has put me behind on marking Year 9 projects (yes, I know, shocking). Interestingly, when I compared my marking to ChatGPT’s, the AI was harsher. Maybe it's my human side coming through, knowing the students personally and rooting for them. Or perhaps I am just a soft touch?

I did, however, run a little experiment again! Last year, one student’s handwriting was practically illegible, and even ChatGPT struggled. This time, with a messier sample, the AI breezed through it, which makes me think there has been a definite improvement on that front. Maybe it's catching up with us after all.

Now, onto this week’s AI insights! I’ll be diving into highlights from the Brilliant Festival, a handbook for AI rollouts in schools, and a thought piece on culture, strategy, and policy around AI in education.

Oh, and do not forget AIDUCATION 25. Details are at the end. We have a stellar line up of speakers and some amazing hands on workshops coming your way!

Absolutely BRILLIANT

What an incredible day at the BRILLIANT Festival this week! As a Northerner myself, it was awesome to see an education and edtech event of this scale outside of London. It was an absolute pleasure to speak at such a fantastic event, packed with amazing exhibitors and inspiring keynotes. The energy was electric, and it was wonderful to catch up with so many great people. A massive shout out to Martyn Collins for putting together such a top notch event!

Was also great to be interviewed by the Edufuturists on the day, as well as listening to their live podcast with a mind-blowing panel!

Here’s to an even bigger and better Brilliant 2025! Can't wait!

AI in Education: An Educator’s Handbook

Since launching on Tuesday afternoon, AI in Education: An Educator’s Handbook has been downloaded over 1,000 times, with all reviews coming in at 5 stars!

It’s amazing to see so many educators eager to explore how AI can support their teaching. If you haven’t grabbed your copy yet, it’s available for FREE (just enter $0 at checkout).

A big thank you to those of you who’ve chosen to pay a little for the handbook. Your support is truly appreciated!

Get your copy here on Gumroad

Culture Eats Strategy for Breakfast—But Policy Sets the Table

Does your school have a policy on AI? Or wearables?

Imagine a student walking into class tomorrow wearing Meta Ray-Bans, silently recording or using AI right in front of you. Or the more sci-fi version—a Neuralink implant, letting them scroll through answers literally in their head. Sure, it might sound a bit Black Mirror, but it’s not as far-fetched as it seems. The reality is that AI technologies are here and on the verge of becoming widespread. And schools are finding themselves unprepared.

Consider the recent lawsuit in Massachusetts, where a student was accused of using AI to cheat on a history paper. His parents are suing the school, claiming that unclear AI policies are putting their son’s future at risk. The school, in this instance, chose to foster a culture of "policing" AI use, focusing on catching misuse rather than providing clear guidance. They had a strategy for enforcing consequences but no concrete policy outlining acceptable use. It’s not like we can just slap some plagiarism checkers on and call it a day. AI shouldn't be just a new way to play ‘gotcha’ with students. We’ve got to think bigger.

This school didn't, and it didn't go so well!

How Culture, Strategy, and Policy Get Along

If culture eats strategy for breakfast, policy is the table that holds everything together. Schools can—and should—foster innovation around AI, but with a policy, their is potential for chaotic implementation.

Culture: Schools should be environments where experimenting with AI is encouraged. You can't build AI competence by merely observing; it requires hands-on experience and active use of the tools. Teachers need the freedom to explore, experiment, and discover what works for them. In my leadership experience, I’ve often heard people say, "we didn’t know we could do that," simply because our communications hadn’t made it clear enough. We tend to focus more on what shouldn’t be done, rather than highlighting what’s possible. Have you made it clear to your staff that they can use AI?

Strategy: All that AI excitement is great, but it’s not enough on its own. You need a clear plan. AI shouldn’t be used just because it’s the latest shiny thing; it has to fit into what the school is actually trying to achieve. What do you want AI to do? What problems does it solve? Because, let’s face it, every school is different. What works for one won’t work for another.

Policy: Ah, policy... the least glamorous, yet important. A good AI policy should be flexible enough to adapt as technology evolves but strong enough to give everyone a clear understanding of what’s allowed and what’s not. There’s still the big stuff: data protection, ethics, and making sure everyone’s on the same page. No teacher wants to accidentally end up in the hot water because they’ve shared sensitive student data with an AI tool without realising it.

Key Questions for Crafting AI Policy

When you're putting together your school's AI policy, here are a few key questions to keep in mind:

Ethical Use and Oversight

• How can we ensure AI is used ethically in our school?
• Who oversees AI implementation? Is it a team effort? Is a senior leader on the team?

Data Privacy and Protection

• Which AI platforms are we considering? Are they GDPR compliant?
• How can we train staff on responsible data sharing?

Teacher and Student Use Guidelines

• What guidelines will help teachers feel confident using AI?
• How do we define appropriate use of AI for students?

Bringing It All Together

Now, to really mix my metaphors (from tables to stools), think of AI in education implementation as a three-legged stool: culture sparks innovation, planning provides direction, and policy keeps everything stable. Take away any of these legs, and down it goes.

Here’s how these three elements can work together in a statement to staff:

"We encourage staff to use Generative AI to assist with lesson planning, resource development, assessment creation, and administrative tasks. To help you, we've curated a list of AI tools that align with our school's values and standards. When using these tools, prioritise what genuinely enhances your practice. While AI can be a great assistant, your expertise remains key - always review AI-generated content before bringing it into the classroom. It's also essential to protect privacy and confidentiality: avoid sharing personal data or student information (such as names) with AI tools, and never upload confidential school documents to these platforms. All AI use must comply with our data protection and ethical guidelines. Have an idea for a new AI tool? Check with [insert school contact person]. We'd love your input on our AI approach too - consider joining our school's AI working party to share your ideas and experiences."

Do you see how cultural values are intertwined with the school's approach and policy in the statement?

As your school develops its approach to AI, remember: culture may drive the excitement and planning might shape the journey, but without a policy, you risk having grand ideas with nothing to hold them together.

I’m currently working on an updated version of an AI policy I shared over a year ago. In the next AI Insights, I’ll share a link with a detailed breakdown.

AIDUCATION – Let’s Get Practical

The first round of workshops for AIDUCATION is now live! Expect a full day of hands-on sessions alongside inspiring keynotes from Dan Fitzpatrick , Al Kingsley , Ben Whitaker and Philippa Wraithmell . Multiple workshops will be running throughout the day, giving you the chance to dive deep into practical AI skills—and we’ve got even more exciting workshops to announce soon!

Here’s a sneak peek at the workshops and the brilliant people leading them:

• TeachMateAI in the Classroom - Led by Karen Dillamore and Lindsay Round
• AI to Support Diverse Learners - Led by Patrick McGrath ( Texthelp )
• Creativity and Design with AI - Led by Trudi Barrow

And don’t forget, Alex Gray will be podcasting on the day!

Join us in Bucharest on 15th February 2025.

??? Get your tickets here ???

It’s shaping up to be the best AI CPD day out there, don’t miss it! ??

Ta-ra, duck!

I’ll leave you to enjoy the rest of your weekend. I'm going to try to "log off" for the week now. Stay tuned for the next AI Insights after my (much needed) half-term break.