The Trust Problem

In Blog 1 of this series, we discussed how an overreliance on AI policing or detection can erode trust. RAND researchers found that students increasingly worry about being accused of using AI improperly and report that AI expectations often depend on the individual teacher rather than the school or classroom community (Schwartz and Diliberti).

While some students are knowingly using AI in dishonest ways, many more are unsure where the line is. College Board research found that approximately half of students neither agree nor disagree that AI's benefits outweigh its risks, suggesting uncertainty—not enthusiasm—is the dominant response among many students (College Board).

As educators, we know trust is foundational to learning. Rather than assuming the worst, we can rebuild trust by establishing clear expectations and inviting students into conversations about responsible AI use.

Students Are Not Reckless—They're Looking for Guidance

One of the most striking findings in recent research is that students are far more cautious about generative AI than many adults assume.

For example, 41% of Gen Z respondents report feeling anxious about AI, compared to 36% who feel excited and 27% who feel hopeful (Walton Family Foundation et al.). Combined with research showing that a majority of students are concerned about AI's impact on critical thinking (Schwartz and Diliberti; Walton Family Foundation et al.), this creates a tremendous opportunity for educators.

Our role is not simply to enforce rules. It is to help students navigate these increasingly complicated realities. Bringing our honest questions, varied perspectives, and evolving understanding of AI into the classroom is exactly what students need as they wrestle with its implications.

AI Literacy Is No Longer Optional

Teachers may hold very different views about AI use, but regardless of where we stand, AI literacy is no longer optional.

This does not mean educators must embrace every new tool. It does mean that we are essential guides in helping students use AI responsibly. For that reason, investing time in critical AI literacy is a far better use of energy than attempting to police every possible misuse.

We should be asking ourselves:

Do students know how to use AI responsibly?

Baseline AI literacy includes: 

• Understanding how large language models work

• Evaluating AI output for accuracy

• Recognizing bias and misinformation

• Cross-checking sources

• Critiquing AI-generated content

• Using AI as a thinking partner rather than a replacement for thinking.

Consistency Through Collaboration

Building AI literacy and creating responsible norms should not be any one teacher's burden.

Students move across multiple classrooms every day. When expectations vary wildly, they can spend more energy decoding rules than making responsible learning choices.

In an ideal world, schools would provide dedicated AI literacy training and facilitate conversations around shared expectations. When that isn't possible, start small. Collaborate with your department, PLC, grade-level team, planning partners, or even your lunch group.

Together, discuss:

• Shared language around AI use

• Expectations for transparency

• Productive and problematic uses of AI

• AI literacy skills students should develop

• Classroom norms that support learning

Students do not need identical AI rules in every classroom. They need consistent messages about learning, responsibility, and integrity.

Lean on Librarians, Peers, and Expert Resources

One lesson that has become clear to me is that none of us should try to navigate AI alone.

My first recommendation? Partner with your school librarian. Librarians have long taught information literacy, source evaluation, research ethics, and critical thinking. AI literacy is a natural extension of that work.

Fortunately, excellent resources already exist. Find some here:

• UNESCO — AI Competency Framework for Teachers

• Stanford Teaching Commons — Artificial Intelligence Teaching Guide

• University of Alberta Centre for Teaching and Learning — Generative AI

• University of Arizona Libraries — Student Guide to ChatGPT and Generative AI

• University of British Columbia Library — Generative AI Research Guide

• Pearson —School Educator Guide: Redefining Formative Assessment in a Generative AI Era

Sharing expertise makes this work more manageable—and far less isolating.

Classroom Culture Is Essential

Perhaps your most important partners in this process are your students. Building a healthy AI culture means creating transparency and having honest conversations about how students are using AI, along with their concerns, hopes, and questions. Research suggests many students already worry about AI's effect on critical thinking (Schwartz and Diliberti). Those students can become powerful allies in shaping responsible norms.

Consider asking students a simple question:

How do I use generative AI without compromising my learning?

You may be surprised by the conversation that follows.

More Discussion Questions Teachers Can Use

• When does AI help learning?

• When does AI replace learning?

• What should students disclose?

• What kinds of AI use feel ethical?

• What should still be done independently?

• How can we evaluate whether AI output is accurate or biased?

• How might AI affect critical thinking, confidence, or originality?

Moving From Guesswork to Clarity

As you learn from new resources, colleagues, and conversations with students, consider your non-negotiables around AI use. The goal is not to eliminate every challenge. The goal is to eliminate the guesswork by making both your expectations and the reasoning behind them clear.

Silence creates confusion. Conversation builds culture.

Once teachers establish trust, shared norms, and critical AI literacy, the next question becomes practical: How do we design learning experiences that make thinking visible? That is where formative assessment becomes one of the most powerful tools educators have.

Follow along in this AI blog series to explore that question next.