As the third school term kicks off, homework, projects and study sessions are back on the agenda and for many learners, that now includes help from generative artificial intelligence (GenAI).
We know learners around the world have embraced GenAI tools like Claude and ChatGPT to help them with homework, to study faster, and to learn in ways that suit them. Teachers are also using AI to create learning aids, plan lessons and more besides.
While GenAI is a powerful tool, its longer-term impact on children’s development and learning is still poorly understood. Plagiarism, data privacy, environmental impact and inclusivity are just some of the ethical issues educators are facing as GenAI takes off in schools.
Banning the technology seems like an unrealistic option for most schools. Instead, teachers and parents face the responsibility of helping children to maximise the benefits and minimise the potential harms.
TCL looks at some tips for how parents and educators can support children.
GenAi tips for teachers
Many teachers are worried about students using GenAI to do their schoolwork. There are also concerns about how GenAI can blunt critical thinking or become a crutch. But rather than trying to ban use of GenAI completely, many teachers are incorporating education about the limitations, ethics and uses of the tech into their lessons.
Here are some tips for a responsible approach to GenAI in the classroom:
- Learn from other educators – There’s a lot to learn about GenAI beyond simply prompting ChatGPT to get the desired outputs. Teachers can network with peers, join webinars, or explore platforms like TeachAI or ISTE to learn more about classroom use of GenAI. These resources can help educators with peer-tested tools, policy advice, and ethical frameworks tailored to their needs.
- Teach prompt literacy – Teaching learners about prompting can be a great way to cultivate curiosity and teach problem solving skills. In showing students how to ask meaningful, structured questions when using GenAI tools, teachers can foster their ability to think analytically and evaluate information.
- Model fact-checking practices – GenAI can get things wrong because it sometimes uses biased or inaccurate data sources or simply makes things up (called ‘hallucinating’). Teachers should make a point of showing learners how GenAI can produce inaccurate or untrustworthy content as well as how they can verify its outputs through logical thinking or checking with reliable sources.
- Use GenAI for debate and critique – Encourage leaners to critique AI-generated content, not only the content they produce with the help of AI, but also the growing volumes of GenAI content they see online. Ask them to compare human and AI-written essays or summaries to identify nuance, tone, and accuracy differences. Explore how GenAI can contribute to “fake news,” deepfakes, and viral falsehoods as well as how GenAI data and outputs can reflect real-world biases.
- Invite discussions about sustainability – GenAI models use significant energy as well as resources like water. Explorations of responsible GenAI use should thus encompass the environmental impact of using powerful AI tools. This opens discussion on ethical technology use, sustainability, and digital responsibility.
GenAI tips for parents
Parents have a lot of questions about how GenAI will affect their children’s personal growth and academic performance. From fears that children will use GenAI to cheat to worries about how it will affect their cognitive development, there’s a lot to think about. But parents also understand that GenAI is likely to be an inescapable part of the future.
Here are some ideas about how parents can support children in using GenAI to enrich learning:
- Try GenAI yourself – Many adults are already using GenAI tools like Copilot at work or apps like ChatGPT for personal tasks and their own amusement. But if you aren’t familiar with GenAI, download a few apps to try them out. Test how they respond, where they go wrong, and how they could support or mislead. This will help you to have informed discussions with your children.
- Use AI tools together – Using GenAI tools together is a great way for you and your children to learn more about their strengths and drawbacks. Co-create a story or quiz with your child using GenAI, then edit or fact-check it together. Sit with your child, write up some prompts, and discuss the answers the AI generates. Encourage them to question the AI’s arguments and facts. Talk about whether the AI answer is clear, relevant and accurate. This builds critical thinking.
- Talk about data and privacy – Help your child understand what happens when they use AI tools. This includes who sees the data, how it’s stored, and why being cautious online matters. Explain that some AI systems may retain prompts or conversations to improve their models. Encourage habits like not entering real names, locations, or sensitive information.
- Think about how AI changes what it means to ‘know’ something – Help your child to see that AI produces convincing answers without truly “understanding” the subject. This opens deeper conversations about critical thinking. Real learning involves questioning, connecting ideas, and applying knowledge, not just repeating information.
- Connect GenAI usage to real-world careers – Explore how GenAI is being used in industries your child is interested in to show its relevance and risks. For example, AI helping doctors analyse medical images faster, and engineers simulate complex systems. By linking AI tools to real careers, you help your child see that being AI-literate is about preparing to work in a changing world.