HILLS Guidance for AI Use in Learning, Teaching, and Operations: For Parents
Podcast Summary of AI in Education at HILLS
Purpose and Scope
This website supports HILLS staff, students, and families in the ethical use of AI tools. It outlines how generative AI can be used responsibly to enhance learning, creativity, operations, and wellbeing, while safeguarding academic integrity, privacy, and human agency. Through our dedicated efforts, HILLS has established itself as a leading school in ethical approaches to AI integration and innovation within the education sector.
Scope
Applies to all staff, students, and third parties using AI tools in classroom learning, teacher support, and school operations. Aligns with existing Technology Use, Privacy, and Academic Integrity policies.
AI Assistant: HILLS EthosAI Bot
Hello! I'm your AI guide to navigating this document and answering questions about HILLS approach to AI in Education. Feel free to ask about responsible AI use at HILLS. This website and chatbot provides clear direction on appropriate AI use while encouraging innovation. It recognizes that AI technologies are evolving rapidly and our approaches must remain flexible.
Integrating AI into our Learning Environment: A Staged Approach
The journey to integrating AI at HILLS has unfolded across several key stages, each responding to the evolving landscape of generative technologies in education.
Stage 1: The Initial Response Phase
Initial Staff Discussions
When generative AI tools like ChatGPT emerged, we quickly came together as a staff to discuss their implications.
TeachAI Toolkit Reference
We referenced the TeachAI Toolkit to guide our initial steps and developed a simple, practical set of "Dos and Don'ts" for AI use in our context.
Updated Agreements
We updated our unknown link to reflect the shift in possibilities and responsibilities.
Expert Insights
To support staff, we invited guest speakers and AI experts to share early insights. This phase was all about raising awareness, encouraging reflection, and preparing for what was to come. Experts include: Dr Nick Jacson, Leon Furze and Adrian Cotterell.
Stage 2: The Philosophical Phase
As the conversation deepened, we developed our school-based AI Integration Framework, aligning with our mission, agreements, and national standards. This framework explores not just what we could do with AI, but what we should do.
Code.org, CoSN, Digital Promise, European EdTech Alliance, Larimore, J., and PACE (2023). AI Guidance for Schools Toolkit. Retrieved from teachai.org/toolkit. [2024].
Transforming Learning with Purposeful AI at HILLS
At HILLS, we see AI as a catalyst for improvement, getting students thinking more, not less, by using AI as a tool to spark critical thinking, creativity, and curiosity (Cotterell, 2023).
Policy
We responded swiftly to generative AI tools, developing clear "Dos and Don'ts" and updating our Digital Usage Agreements.
Organizational Learning
We developed a school-wide AI Framework and brought in experts like Dr Nick Jackson, Adrian Cotterell and Leon Furze to engage staff, inform policy, and support professional development.
Improvement and Transformation
We follow global and national standards including UNESCO AI Competency Framework, Australia's AI in Schools Framework, and ACARA's AI Curriculum Connections.
Our Guiding Principles for AI in Education
We developed Principles for AI in Education with reflective questions, descriptions, and examples. These principles led to updated academic integrity guidelines and an AI Citation Guide.
Code.org, CoSN, Digital Promise, European EdTech Alliance, Larimore, J., and PACE (2023). AI Guidance for Schools Toolkit. Retrieved from teachai.org/toolkit. [2024].
1. Purpose – Using AI to Support Learning for All
We use AI to help all students achieve educational goals by enhancing learning and reducing inequities. We consider age, consent, and curriculum alignment, providing support for responsible AI use.
2. Integrity and Ethical Use of AI
We updated our Internet Usage Agreements and developed an AI Digital Citizenship Unit. Generative AI tools are not introduced until Year 6, and only reputable, age-appropriate tools are used, carefully scaffolded and aligned with ACARA recommendations.
Staying Aligned with AI-Related Laws and Regulations
We follow both Australian and international regulations:
Australian Context
  • Australian Privacy Principles (APPs)
  • ACARA Guidance on AI in Education
  • Generative AI in Schools Framework
International Considerations
  • FERPA– Ensuring student data control
  • COPPA – Parental consent for under-13s
  • IDEA & Section 504 – Accessibility
  • GDPR – Transparency and consent
Knowledge – Promoting AI Literacy at HILLS
We develop AI literacy through professional learning, curriculum integration, and our AI Digital Citizenship Unit. AI education builds computational thinking skills including decomposition, pattern recognition, algorithmic thinking, debugging, and evaluation.
Code.org, CoSN, Digital Promise, European EdTech Alliance, Larimore, J., and PACE (2023). AI Guidance for Schools Toolkit. Retrieved from teachai.org/toolkit. [2024]. 
HILLS Scaffolded Approach to AI Literacy
Our developmentally appropriate learning pathway introduces AI concepts gradually: data collection in early years, machine learning in upper primary, and reputable AI tools from Years 6-10, always within our digital citizenship framework.
Preparing Students for an AI-Enhanced Future
We are preparing students to ethically use, understand, and question AI technologies in ways that contribute to a sustainable future.
Reputable AI Tools for Students (Year 7+)
HILLS introduces generative AI tools only from Year 7 onwards, endorsing these privacy-protecting options from trusted educational platforms:
  • Magic School (magicschool.ai) - Educational AI with age-appropriate filters
These tools are recommended and not introduced until students are in Year 7 and above as part of our AI literacy development, always within our digital citizenship framework that addresses privacy, misinformation, and bias.
Teacher Support
Empowering educators with purposeful and reputable AI tools, while upholding teacher agency and ethical practice
At HILLS, AI supports rather than replaces teachers. We've invested in Chat GPT Teams for HILLS educators with secure on-site data storage, allowing educators to leverage AI capabilities while maintaining strict data governance and focusing on the human heart of education.
AI as a Teaching Partner
At HILLS, we see AI as a tool to enhance, not replace, the creativity, judgement, and deep insight that educators bring to their work. Our approach centres on empowering teachers to use AI with clarity, care, and confidence, grounded in ethics, curriculum goals, and student wellbeing. Our philosophy is that AI should be used to enhance educator practice, not dilute it.
Management and Operations
Using AI to support systems, without compromising people.
At HILLS, we embrace AI tools that streamline operations and enhance decision-making, but never at the cost of trust, privacy, or human connection. When integrated responsibly, AI can reduce administrative load and allow staff to focus more on what matters most: nurturing learning and community.
Here's how we approach the opportunities and challenges of AI in school management and operations:
AI and Assessment at HILLS
At HILLS, we have begun shaping assessment practices that reflect the evolving AI landscape while protecting academic integrity and maintaining meaningful evaluation. We focus on thoughtful assessment design and ethical AI integration, always with appropriate safeguards and human oversight.
We guide our assessment practices by adopting Leon Furze's AI Assessment Scale(leonfurze.com), which helps staff and students understand appropriate AI use, when they can use AI, for what purpose and most importantly, reflect on how they have used AI for assessment components:
We work with AI consultant Adrian Cotterell to use AI for deepening thought through Socratic dialogue prompts and redesigned assessments. Our approach includes secure assessment options and AI digital citizenship units that reinforce ethical boundaries, always prioritizing a culture of trust and fairness.
We are currently redeveloping several of our secondary school assessments using the AI Assessment Scale. This allows students to clearly identify which elements of an assessment task can benefit from AI assistance, such as using AI for brainstorming initial ideas or building upon existing concepts while maintaining academic integrity.
Student & Educator Feedback and Future Directions
Student & Educator Feedback on AI Use
To shape ongoing practice, we gather student feedback on AI integration across three key categories:
1
Teacher Use for Efficiency
e.g., lesson planning, marking assistance, resource creation
2
Teacher Use for Teaching
e.g., differentiated instruction, visual aids, adaptive assessment
3
Student Use for Learning
e.g., creativity support, content generation, study aids
This feedback helps ensure AI is used meaningfully, equitably, and in alignment with student voice and learning needs.
Code.org, CoSN, Digital Promise, European EdTech Alliance, Larimore, J., and PACE (2023). AI Guidance for Schools Toolkit. Retrieved from teachai.org/toolkit. [2024]. 
Stage 3: The Action Stage at HILLS
With a strong foundation in place, HILLS moved into the Action Stage, bringing our AI strategy to life across the school.
  • We hosted and continue to host a series of guest speakers, including national and international AI experts, to inspire and inform staff.
  • Our fortnightly AI Tech Talks became a space for shared learning, showcasing tools, classroom examples, and teacher-led experiments.
  • We curated and regularly updated a scaffolded list of reputable AI tools, ensuring all platforms used protect student privacy and align with our staged introduction of Generative AI from Year 6–10.
  • In collaboration with Adrian Cotterell, we explored AI Socratic Dialogue and pilot program Socratic XR, deepening student critical thinking and inquiry through conversational assessment models.
  • We launched this dedicated HILLS AI Resource Page, inspired by examples like this one, which includes:
  • All AI-related policies and guidelines
  • Our updated Internet Usage Agreements
  • A custom-designed AI Chatbot to answer school-specific questions about AI use at HILLS
  • Ongoing professional development opportunities including regular​Tech Talks
  • A clear, up-to-date list of approved tools and scaffolded classroom integration plans
We also piloted AI-enhanced learning with our Year 9 and 10 students in immersive VR-based projects, which can be seen in the AI in Education Case Study Video. Under the research guidance of Dr Paul Unsworth (Uni SA), we gathered real student and teacher feedback to refine our classroom approach and contribute to broader research discussions.
Finally, we updated our school-wide APA-7 citation style guide in SACE to include proper referencing for AI-generated content, reinforcing academic integrity and transparency across all year levels.
STAGE 4: STRENGTH STAGE
Strengthening and Sustaining AI Integration at HILLS
HILLS has entered the Strength Stage of AI integration, solidifying our commitment to ethical, innovative, and educationally sound AI practices. As a pilot school, we are leading in the use of Socratic dialogue, immersive technologies, and responsible AI use in education.
  • We've adopted ChatGPT Teams to ensure student data privacy (as we hold and own the data) and empower educators to build custom AI chatbots tailored to learning needs, with a Socratic dialogue methodology.
This stage represents our ongoing focus on deep thinking, safe practice, and purposeful innovation.
At HILLS, we are not simply adapting to AI, we are actively shaping its role in education. Our values continue to guide a learning environment where AI is used ethically, creatively, and purposefully. We are committed to:
  • Tracking the impact of AI on teaching and learning through ongoing reflection and feedback
  • Evolving our policies in step with the rapid pace of AI advancement
  • Empowering students to think more, not less, with AI as a thinking partner, not a shortcut
As AI continues to grow, so will we, ensuring our students are not just prepared for the future, but equipped to lead it.
Reference List
Code.org, CoSN, Digital Promise, European EdTech Alliance, Larimore, J., and PACE (2023). AI Guidance for Schools Toolkit. Retrieved from teachai.org/toolkit. [2024]. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.