Building Principled, Academic AI Use with Students

How do we introduce AI to students in our classrooms? Ideal for upper primary and middle school teachers looking to establish principled academic AI habits with their students, this session provides a practical plan built on safety, accountability, and critical thinking. We will start by looking at how to model the thinking process and ethical use of AI as a whole class. From there, we will move to student-facing AI tools that feature built-in privacy guardrails and teacher monitoring. Finally, we will explore ways to guide students to interact with AI that uses student work as the primary sources. Teachers will leave with a clear, realistic plan to use AI purposefully in the classroom, giving students a foundation of critical skills they will rely on as technology continues to evolve.

Facilitated By

Jenny Knobel

Grade 5 Teacher, Prem International School

An international educator with over 10 years of experience in inquiry-based elementary and middle school classrooms, Jenny currently serves as a Grade 5 teacher and technology team member at Prem International School. Holding a Master of Arts in Teaching from Johns Hopkins University, Jenny is passionate about exploring practical and responsible ways to integrate technology into education.

In the classroom, Jenny leverages AI tools to personalize learning experiences, support multilingual learners, encourage deeper inquiry, and empower students to take greater ownership of their learning. Beyond teaching, Jenny enjoys supporting fellow educators in discovering accessible, everyday applications of technology and AI that enhance both teaching practice and student outcomes.