Managing your school’s evolving AI policy

Recognising the possibilities AI has for activities in the classroom and across administrative areas, schools are now beginning to form simple AI policies for its use. With such fast-moving technology, keeping policies simple and reviewing them every quarter is likely to be more practical right now than committing to a level of detail that will be obsolete within a few months. Here are six discussion points to consider as you form your school’s AI policy, whatever stage you’re currently at.

1. Acceptable use

What does your school consider an ‘acceptable use’ of AI? At the top level, both teaching and administrative staff will need to consider the specific tasks they want AI to complete within the context of local data protection rules and regulatory requirements.

Setting out what AI should not be used for is as powerful as outlining its permitted use and gives staff an unambiguous view of the school’s stance. For example, administrators might wish to employ AI to help filter job applications based on required qualifications and experience. Still, it’s unlikely that you’d allow it to make the final decision without human oversight. Likewise, for students, it may be acceptable to use AI for research but not for generating content that should be their own ideas and work.

Set out where the boundaries for use are, so everyone is clear.

2. List of approved AI tools

There’s a lot of excitement around AI tools, but whichever ones your school chooses must correspond with your educational goals. Working out a process for evaluation and approval, with your IT team around the table to advise on cyber safety and compatibility, will help everyone discover what to look for in any new tools. Consider questions such as:

•    Does it align with our curriculum?

•    Is it easy to use?

•    Will staff need training?

•    Is it accessible?

•    Does it have the required data privacy and security features?

•    How much does it cost?

Using an ad hoc selection of AI tools could compromise your school’s network security, so it’s wise to draw up a list of approved solutions in conjunction with the IT team so everyone knows the parameters within which to operate.

3. Complying with regulations Regulations

and frameworks for AI use are gradually being introduced at country level, so schools must position themselves to work within them and the appropriate data protection laws. However, these rules are still evolving, so it's wise to regularly review what your school is doing and whether you're adhering to the boundaries of the required frameworks.

As for data, given that AI relies on it, your school should set out transparent measures for how data is collected, stored, and – most importantly—used. Some of it will be personal data, which will likely require extra protections under the currently evolving data protection legislation for the Middle East.

School IT teams should also be clear about the capabilities of the AI tools they are using to safeguard their systems, given that cybercriminals are also using AI to great effect.

4. Knowing the issues around AI

Every school wants to use AI responsibly and understanding the risks helps to define your plans. We know that hallucinations can be a problem, where AI ‘makes things up.’ We also know that bias, exposing personal data and deepfake content are also issues, so, by setting out a defined risk management plan, you can help raise awareness of these and help mitigate their effects.

5. Training and CPD

To get the best out of AI, you need to give it the right prompts as well as understand its wider impacts. How will your school ensure that teachers and staff receive adequate training and professional development opportunities to employ AI tools creatively and effectively in their practice? Training will likely be multi-faceted—technical, pedagogical, and ethical—taking your school context into account. Learning about the possibilities of this new technology will be an important opportunity for educators to develop their practice in a changing teaching and learning environment.

6. Evaluation and measurement

In education, there’s a lot of emphasis on saving time, but other metrics will also inform how you use AI. Issues to think about are things like

•    cost-effectiveness

•    efficiency gains for administrators

•    reduction in workload in specific areas—what are they?

•    impact on student outcomes—positives and negatives.

Asking for feedback from everyone on their experiences will also help you determine the tools that are worth your (collective) time—and regular reviews will allow you to innovate when new ones come along.

Explore all avenues AI can help you unlock your school’s potential in so many areas. However, balance is the key. Don’t fall into the trap of simply letting it do everything just because it saves time! It’s much more powerful than that. Remembering this and considering the key questions raised here, your school can begin to build a simple AI policy that will guide both students and staff, bringing an increasing range of benefits to your school’s management and learning activities.

Written by Al Kingsley, CEO of NetSupport