Is having an AI policy enough to protect your school? In this episode, Daniel Emmerson speaks with Claire Archibald, Legal Director at Brown Jacobson and former Data Protection Officer, about what effective AI governance in schools looks like.

Their conversation covers essential topics including what makes a good Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA), the importance of vendor due diligence, and why schools need robust governance structures beyond just having an AI policy. Claire emphasises the critical role of incident reporting, creating transparent cultures around AI use, and the need for collaborative approaches involving all stakeholders. She also shares a six-step governance framework and practical advice for schools starting their AI journey.

Daniel's conversation with Gemma Gwilliam, Portsmouth's Head of Digital Learning, Education and Innovation, explores transparency, privacy and safeguarding in AI education. The discussion takes a dramatic turn when Gemma puts on a pair of AI-enabled glasses which she purchased easily for under £10 right in the middle of the recording, bringing theoretical concerns into stark reality. This jaw-dropping demonstration underscores the urgent challenges teachers face as sophisticated AI wearables become increasingly accessible to students.

While we may debate whether AI belongs in classrooms, we cannot ignore the significant risks these technologies present to young people. This episode reveals how Portsmouth supports its schools and teachers in approaching AI responsibly to strike a balance between innovation and essential safeguarding measures.

What skills will our students genuinely need to thrive in a future driven by AI? To find the answer, Daniel Emmerson goes straight to the source and sits down with brilliant young minds behind seven teams from the Hult Prize Global Accelerator, one of the final stages of the world’s largest student startup competition.

This episode takes you on a global tour of innovation. You'll hear how these young entrepreneurs are using AI to tackle large problems, like enhancing public safety by turning CCTV cameras into proactive witnesses, helping firefighters respond faster, pioneering sustainability by transforming agricultural waste into valuable resources, and creating a "calorie counter" for your carbon footprint. The conversations also cover how AI is being used to deliver personalised education in Ethiopia and provide gentle, effective speech therapy for children.

Although these startups focus on very different issues, they all agree that the future isn’t about AI replacing people, but being empowered by it. Tune in to find out the essential skills our future generation will need.

In this episode, we spotlight Adam, the co-founder of Stick’Em, the innovative startup that just won the prestigious $1 million Hult Prize. He explains how his team develops a robotics kit that costs a mere fraction of traditional models to make quality STEAM education more accessible to children everywhere.

This conversation, in two parts, offers a rare before-and-after glimpse of a startup on the cusp of greatness. First, hear from Adam during the Hult Prize Accelerator where he emphasises the importance of STEAM education in fostering skills like creative and analytical thinking to prepare students for an AI-infused world. Then, Daniel reconnects with Adam following his win and discusses how Stick’Em is already leveraging AI to streamline startup operations and plan their global expansion.

Tune in for an interesting look at the intersection of affordable education, social impact, and cutting-edge artificial intelligence.

In this episode, Daniel speaks with Muireann Hendriksen, the Principal Research Scientist at Pearson, about her team's recent research study called "Asking to Learn" The study analysed 128,000 AI queries from 9,000 student users to gain deeper insights into how students learn when they interact with AI study tools. Their key finding revealed that approximately one-third of student queries demonstrated higher-order thinking skills. Their conversation also explores important themes around trust, student engagement, accessibility, and inclusivity, as well as how AI tools can promote active learning behaviours.

You can find the full research report at https://plc.pearson.com/sites/pearson-corp/files/asking-to-learn.pdf

Summary

This conversation explores the integration of AI in education, focusing on how a school has embraced AI technology to enhance learning outcomes. The discussion covers the importance of building a shared vision among stakeholders, the challenges of risk assessment and data privacy, and the cultural shift required to embrace AI. The speakers share their experiences with teacher training, experimentation with AI tools, and the current state of AI in classrooms. They reflect on their journey towards achieving an AI quality mark and discuss the future implications of AI in education.

Takeaways

• AI integration requires a shared vision among all stakeholders.
• Risk assessment and data privacy are critical in AI implementation.
• Teachers need support and training to effectively use AI tools.
• Open communication with parents is essential for AI integration.
• Experimentation with AI can lead to innovative teaching practices.
• AI can enhance student engagement and learning outcomes.
• Professional development is key to overcoming resistance to AI.
• Schools must adapt policies to address the challenges of AI.
• AI tools should be used to complement, not replace, traditional teaching methods.
• The future of education will increasingly involve AI technologies.

Summary

This episode features Matthew Pullen from Jamf, who talks about what thoughtful integration of technology and AI looks like in educational settings. Drawing from his experience working in the education division of a company that serves more than 40,000 schools globally, Mat has seen numerous use cases. He distinguishes between the purposeful application of technology to dismantle learning barriers and the less effective approach of adopting technology for its own sake. He also asserts that finding the correct balance between IT needs and pedagogical objectives is crucial for successful implementation.

Good Future Foundation

www.goodfuture.foundation

Summary:

Many schools begin their AI journey by formulating AI policies. However, Matthew King, Director of Innovative Learning at Brentwood School, reveals their preference for establishing guiding principles over rigid policies considering AI’s rapidly evolving nature.

Matt shares his approach to fostering dialogue with diverse school stakeholders. He describes engaging primary students in AI ethics and literacy, obtaining parental consent for use of AI in students’ learning, exploring AI applications with operational staff, and addressing teacher resistance through supportive one-on-one conversations.

Throughout Brentwood’s AI journey, human connection remains central to cultivating a school-wide culture of AI literacy and integration. It is the power of conversation, not rulebooks that create the foundation for responsible and effective AI adoption.

Good Future Foundation

www.goodfuture.foundation