The AI Guide is a follow-up to the Digital Information Literacy - AI Guide[i] published by Faktabaari in 2024. The aim of the publication is to give education providers, teachers and learners basic information about the functioning of AI, its capabilities, limitations, ethical challenges, benefits, misuse, AI pedagogy and AI literacy.
The aim is to clarify the educational perspective:
- WHAT is AI and how does it work (AI as a subject for learning).
- HOW AI can be used in a responsible and ethical way to support teaching and promote student learning (AI as a tool for teachers).
- HOW is AI changing society (Social impact of AI on the labour market, knowledge management, environment, communication, future professions, etc.).
- WHY is there a need for a healthy critical approach to AI outputs (The challenges of AI).
The guide has been written as clearly as possible to make it easy to read and understand. References will allow anyone to find additional information.
As AI technology is still in a state of flux and development, we have tried to select information that will stand the test of time.
The collection of articles is based on several international recommendations on AI in education published by the EU[ii][iii][iv], UNESCO[v][vi] [vii], OECD[viii], UNICEF[ix] and others.
In recent years, AI technology has advanced so rapidly that it has been difficult for education authorities to keep up with developments and provide updated guidance and in-service training for teachers. Teachers have therefore found themselves in a difficult position: How should they teach students to use AI technologies safely and responsibly when schools do not have clear guidelines on which software and services are safe to use and how to teach new skills within a partly outdated curriculum?
The relationship between education and AI is changing rapidly. AI developments and new easy-to-use AI systems – in particular generative AI – have already had a significant impact on teaching and learning. As machine intelligence increases and labour markets and economies change, education systems will need to adapt to equip students with the knowledge and skills needed for the jobs of the future.
These developments require education and training providers to update their curricula and teachers to upgrade their skills to make use of new technologies.
Use of AI tools by teachers
In autumn 2024 during an EUIPO-organised AI training programme, a poll about the AI tools used among educators revealed a nuanced picture. The 331 teachers, from diverse European backgrounds, indicated that while AI is gradually being integrated into pedagogical practices, widespread adoption is still nascent. A significant proportion of respondents (36%) reported no use of AI tools in their teaching, while 59% indicated occasional usage. Notably, only 6% of teachers reported daily integration of AI tools into their educational activities.
The reason is probably that many teachers feel they do not have enough basic knowledge to implement AI.
In another AI training organised for Finnish teachers, none of the one hundred participants felt that teachers had sufficient AI skills, and as many as 75% of the teachers expressed the need for further training.
Human intelligence + artificial intelligence = augmented intelligence
Augmented intelligence refers to the use of technology that combines the strengths of human intelligence and machine intelligence. It does not replace human intelligence but rather extends and supports it.
The goal of AI is to help individuals and organisations make better decisions by harnessing the computing power and data analysis power of computers[x]. In education, too, the best results are achieved through collaboration between humans and AI.
AI vertigo
Sitra, an independent Finnish foundation dedicated to fostering sustainable well-being and driving innovation, has shared the term “AI vertigo” to describe the feeling that arises when AI develops so fast that it is difficult to keep up[xi].
This AI guide offers an antidote for teachers suffering from AI dizziness. We have gathered background information on AI, summaries of international frameworks and recommendations, practical experiences of teachers who have used AI, and fresh reflections from experts from different perspectives.
Read the entire AI Guide for Teachers here.
Sources
[i] Digitaalinen informaatiolukutaito- tekoälyopas (2024) Faktabaari. www.faktabaari.fi/dil/ai
[ii] Vuorikari, R., Kluzer, S. and Punie, Y., DigComp 2.2: The Digital Competence Framework for Citizens - With new examples of knowledge, skills and attitudes, EUR 31006 EN, Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg, 2022, ISBN 978-92-76-48883-5, https://doi.org/10.2760/490274
[iii] European Commission, Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture, Final report of the Commission expert group on artificial intelligence and data in education and training – A executive summary, Publications Office of the European Union, 2022, https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2766/65087
[iv] [iv] European Commission, Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture, Ethical guidelines on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and data in teaching and learning for educators, Publications Office of the European Union, 2022, https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2766/153756
[v] Miao, Fengschun, Cukurova & Mutlu (2024) AI comptency framework for teachers. UNESCO https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/ai-competency-framework-teachers
[vi] UNESCO (2023) Guidance for generative AI in education and research. https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000386693
[vii] Fengchun, M. (2023). Guidance for generative AI in education and research. UNESCO. https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000386693
[viii] OECD (2024) https://comite-etica.upc.edu/ca/actualitat/media/8-sti-explanatory-memorandum-on-the-updated-oecd-definition-of-an-ai-system_final_v3.pdf
[ix] UNICEF (19.12.2023). Policy guidance on AI for children. https://www.unicef.org/globalinsight/reports/policy-guidance-ai-children
[x] Cf. Lari Numminnen (31.12.2024). Mitä on tukiäly? https://www.finnishup.com/mika-on-tukialy/
[xi] Vuoden 2025 puheenaiheet (read 31.12.2024) Sitra https://www.sitra.fi/artikkelit/vuoden-2025-puheenaiheet-pida-naita-silmalla/
Read the entire AI Guide for Teachers here.
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