Written by In considering innovation in education, the topic of AI could not be avoided. What’s interesting is how quickly these technologies are advancing and how many tools are available to our students and us. Whether it be ChatGPT, Gemini, NotebookLM, or Claud, Clawdbot, Moltbot, OpenClaw, schools need a shared language and guidelines for the use and implementation of these tools.
In my assessment practice, for example, students are required to sign an AI declaration, not as a punitive measure, but as a way to foreground integrity, ownership, and shared understanding around what constitutes appropriate use. For most summative tasks, AI is prohibited during initial drafting to preserve authorship and ensure the learning of foundational skills; however, once an assignment has been returned, students are explicitly taught to use AI for editing, revision, and feedback. Innovation, here, is not outsourcing critical thinking but extending it.
Students are also taught how to use different AI tools for distinct purposes: NotebookLM for research and debate preparation, Perplexity for general inquiry, and ChatGPT for structured feedback. For example, students are taught to use ChatGPT projects for different purposes: as a PromptMaster to refine prompts, and as a course FeedbackMaster to generate targeted revision feedback. In each case, students can upload key resources, such as the assessment outline, their assignments, and my feedback for their intended purpose. At that point, Students are asked to evaluate the usefulness, discern the limitations, and implement revisions before conferencing individually with me.
These conferences become moments of metacognition and relational learning. Further, students are asked to interrogate feedback rather than accept it at face value. When patterns emerge among classmates, students are positioned as teachers, explaining revision strategies to their peers that they’ve recently learned.
The emergence of these technologies has forced me to innovate, yet we can still ensure that learning remains social and human-centred. AI, when taught intentionally, can be an innovative way to deepen learning; however, it requires intentional implementation and a shared approach to its use.
References
Conway, A. (2026, February 5). Please stop using OpenClaw, formerly known as Moltbot. XDA Developers. https://www.xda-developers.com/please-stop-using-openclaw/
Futurepedia. (2025, October 28). The most important ChatGPT feature you’re not using (it’s FREE now) [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpOjcJ7Pcmo
Futurepedia. (2026, January 19). How to use NotebookLM better than 99% of people [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdCmZvPdr4s&t=1243s
Lipsky, P. J. (2025, December 27). How to use Perplexity AI (best AI research tool) [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzgrB56LMbI