On Saturday, 9th November 2024, the first cohort of more than seventy post-primary teachers and leaders completed ADAPT’s new ‘AI Literacy in the Classroom’ training workshop at The Foundry, Google Dublin. The workshop, delivered by experts from ADAPT and Dublin City University (DCU), helped boost educators’ AI literacy. With the support of Google, the initiative provides educators with practical tools and resources to teach AI concepts and guide their students’ safe, ethical and informed use of artificial intelligence.
The workshop opened with ADAPT’s Dr Eileen Culloty from the DCU Institute for Media, Democracy and Society, who helped demystify key AI concepts for educators. Dr Culloty explained the basics of AI, addressed common misconceptions, and underscored the importance of fostering critical literacy about AI, especially as it becomes more integrated into students’ lives. Her session set the stage for understanding how AI can enhance learning while also calling for a measured approach in educational settings.
Dr Michal Wieczorek of ADAPT, an Irish Research Council Fellow at DCU, led an exploration of AI ethics tailored to post-primary education. Dr Wieczorek’s session prompted educators to weigh the social and ethical dimensions of introducing AI in classrooms, encouraging them to think critically about how AI-driven tools influence young people’s values and behaviors. Through real-world examples, he stressed the importance of applying AI responsibly to enhance students’ learning and development without compromising ethical standards and academic integrity.
The interactive group breakout session led by Dr Eamon Costello from the DCU Institute of Education focused on the creation and implementation of AI policies in schools. Participants discussed the strategic framework for responsibly integrating AI, considering both its benefits and limitations, based on the experience from their own schools. Dr. Costello emphased that a well-crafted policy should promote students’ critical-thinking skills, engage them meaningfully with technology, and ensure that all stakeholders—including teachers, administrators, students, and parents—have a voice in its development.
By the end of the workshop, attendees reported gaining a clearer understanding of AI’s role in education, a nuanced perspective on how AI can empower students when used thoughtfully and ethically, some practical strategies for the classroom, and a foundational approach to policy-making for responsible AI use.
Speaking at the workshop, Laura Grehan, Head of Education, Engagement and Societal Impact at ADAPT, highlighted that the initiative has been co-created with teachers: “AI Literacy in the Classroom was developed in collaboration with a teacher advisory panel to ensure it aligns with teachers’ needs. Evaluation of this first workshop suggests the initiative can play an important role in helping students and teachers across Ireland to navigate AI confidently and responsibly.”
This Dublin workshop is part of a four-part series designed to bring AI literacy to educators in Irish schools. Further workshops are scheduled for Galway, Cork, and Sligo in spring 2025. More information about these sessions can be found on the AI Literacy in the Classroom website. The workshops will be supplemented by a short online course, which will be available via the project website from the end of this week.
