Scotland’s AI literacy framework: Supporting children’s rights

Whether we think AI in education or anywhere else is the Emperor’s New Clothes or the most far-reaching innovation since the world wide web its use is currently having an undeniable impact. A new set of resources launched by TRAILS.Scot aims to help teachers navigate this unfolding world.  They were helped to develop this resource by six teachers who were selected as experts in their subject areas and for their innovative use of AI in their teaching.

Background research by the Association of Directors of Education found that young people want to be taught the basics of how AI works, and to discuss AI ethics and safety. They also want opportunities to practise and play with AI, learn real-world skills to succeed in an AI-impacted job market and have access to personalised AI tools to support additional needs.

Primary-aged members of the Scottish Children’s Parliament have also called for AI to be included in the school curriculum, with the caveat that AI companies and teachers should always proceed first with children’s rights and safety in mind.  The majority of teachers believe AI has a place in education and want clear guidance on how to effectively and responsibly integrate it into their work.

TRAILS.Scot is responding to these various demands with the launch of a range of AI literacy resources for teachers anywhere in the world and at no cost. This includes a draft Scottish curriculum framework for learning with and about AI, detailed in the new Teach AI Literacy handbook.

The handbook includes lessons with cross-curricular introductory activities, plus subject-specific resources, including lessons that use AI in innovative ways to support learners with additional needs. Teachers can sign up for a free professional learning session to find out more about the resources.

The handbook contains a draft AI curriculum framework for Scotland which is the first in the world to put children’s rights and ethics at its centre. With the adoption of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child into the Scottish legal system it is essential that children’s rights are upheld when integrating new technologies and learning outcomes into education.

In the new framework, the children’s ethics component is supported by two building blocks, AI literacy and critical thinking. Pupils first need to understand how technologies like ChatGPT and other AI systems work, as well as having basic critical thinking skills to safely and effectively use these technologies.

The framework is designed to make it as easy as possible for Scottish teachers to adopt it and most of the AI curriculum outcomes have been modelled on existing Curriculum for Excellence objectives.

The handbook highlights several considerations to be borne in mind as AI unfolds in the classroom.  Those in the profession that fear AI is a threat to their continued employment should take heart from the handbook which highlights the role teachers have in developing pupils’ AI knowledge and skills. Feedback demonstrates children value the relationships they have with their teachers and AI tools should not be used as a teacher substitute.

The handbook also emphasises that schools should provide age-appropriate generative AI tools for pupils and children should not be required to use such tools if they have objections such as privacy or copyright concerns.

According to the handbook concerns around generative AI in assessment should not drive learning. Assessments should focus on learning outcomes, not what is measurable in generative AI-free conditions. New learning outcomes relating to working with generative AI will become relevant.

As generative AI advances rapidly, the education system must respond flexibly to stay up to date. Collaboration and sharing of good practice among education bodies and teachers can help.

The University of Edinburgh team behind the resources have spent the past decade working on Scottish and UK government-funded projects to develop curriculum frameworks and teaching resources for computing education and data literacy across primary and secondary level.

The university claims its Teach Data Literacy handbook is possibly the first comprehensive primary-level resource on data literacy in the world – and heavily influenced subsequent data-literacy curriculum frameworks in other countries.

As AI continues to shape the future of education, the resources provided by TRAILS.Scot offer a timely and much-needed guide for teachers to navigate this rapidly evolving landscape. By placing children’s rights, ethics, and safety at the core of AI literacy, the framework empowers educators to embrace innovation with confidence and clarity. Through collaboration, ongoing professional learning, and a commitment to equitable access, Scotland’s initiative sets a global example for how education systems can respond proactively to the challenges and opportunities of AI. With these tools, teachers can help students become critical thinkers, responsible AI users, and innovators of tomorrow—while ensuring that the heart of education remains the human connection in the classroom.