I’ll admit, developing our school’s AI policy felt like navigating uncharted territory. I wrote an original draft policy at the start if summer, just to get “pen to paper”. Over the course of the next few weeks I was inspired by an example shared by Tom Rogerson, Headmaster of Cottesmoore School, the guidance that started to emerge from the US, Australia and the UK, plus lots of inspiration from the growing AI in Education LinkedIn community.
As I put the finishing touches to this most recent draft, I wanted to run a comparison against the advice in the UNICEF Policy Guidance on AI for Children to get another perspective.
UNICEF’s AI Policy Guidance for Children
UNICEF, the champion of children’s rights, works on much more than just food and vaccines. They’re also paving the way for a future where digital technology, especially AI, plays a pivotal role in children’s lives. Their policy guidance shines a spotlight on the importance of digital technology among other policy areas.
Similarities:
- Both emphasised using AI responsibly to benefit children’s wellbeing and education.
- They both included the human-in-the-loop approach, and testing systems for fairness, accuracy and safety.
- Transparency about AI use and data handling is encouraged.
- Age-appropriate access and integration is specified.
- Reviews and updates to stay current with AI advances are mentioned.
The main differences were the scope of UNICEF’s guidance compared to mine. Theirs was much broader, aimed at governments and companies globally, while my policy was focused on my school’s culture and setting.
After studying the UNICEF document, I’ve refined our policy to accentuate the importance of fair and non-discriminatory AI practices. The document further suggested the establishment of a specific AI oversight role or committee within the school and highlighted the importance of considering the environmental impact of AI systems. These are areas I’ve already thought about, and I’ll be approaching the School Director for approval to put them into action.
My Draft AI Policy
My aim was to write a policy that was comprehensive yet flexible enough to govern our integration of AI technologies. I wanted to tap into the promise of AI while proactively addressing risks.
The main aim was to ensure that the school:
- Use AI to augment, not replace human capabilities.
- Ensure fairness, transparency, and accountability in AI.
- Keep our school community’s data private and secure.
- Maintain human oversight over what AI does and how it does it.
- Foster a culture where we don’t just use AI; we understand it.
The education sector is abuzz with news on AI! From AI tutors to data-driven personalised learning, the possibilities seem endless. But with great power comes great responsibility. As we bring more AI into our classrooms, we must remain vigilant, ensuring that technology serves our students and not the other way around.
Please note, this draft does not represent the official school policy of my school at this point, this is my own work. No policy is official until approved by the school policy committee and our School Director.
Student Voice
One aspect of the UNICEF guidance gave me pause. Historically, we haven’t involved students in our tech-policy decisions — I realise now this was a massive a missed opportunity. Recalling the invaluable student input that reshaped our reward system last year, meeting with student representatives will be a must in the first half-term.
Their voice will be key. After all, it is they who are stepping into an AI-driven future. We’re here to hear both their hopes and concerns, ensuring we support them in every way possible.
Drafting this AI policy has been an informative journey that challenged me to find the right balance that serves our unique school community. It’s been about merging overarching principles with the specific needs and dynamics we see every day in our classrooms.
In the end, AI in education isn’t just about fancy tech and algorithms. It’s about evolving our practice while retaining core values of human oversight, ethics and student wellbeing.
This policy marks a starting point, which I hope will evolve through ongoing collaboration with our exceptional students and staff.
I welcome your suggestions and would really appreciate any feedback you might have. Please get in touch if you have any questions or ideas!
Matthew Wemyss 