ACTIVE AI: A Responsible USE Guide for Pupils

A.C.T.I.V.E. is a simple, six-step process that guides pupils from passive reliance to active, critical mastery of AI.

A - Awareness: Reminds pupils that AI is a mathematical system, not a person. This also aims to protect mental health by warning against emotional attachments to a machine.

C - Clarify Purpose: Pupils must define their goal before opening an AI tool. They should use it to augment thinking, not to offload it.

T - Test & Verify: We must teach skepticism. Treat AI outputs as a draft. Pupils must learn to scrutinise and fact-check everything against external, human-verified sources.

I - Identify & Cite: Full transparency is non-negotiable. Correct citation is crucial to prevent academic misconduct and to ensure teachers can best evaluate what pupils actually understand.

V - Value Human Input: Over-reliance erodes creativity. Pupils are shown the importance of adding their own “human” voice, ensuring their unique perspective is the most valuable part of their work.

E - Editor In Chief: Pupils must be the “Editor-in-Chief,” performing a Quality Assurance check and taking full responsibility for the quality and safety of the final output.

This framework is designed to be easily implemented across your curriculum.

AI is here to stay. Let's make sure our pupils use it to enhance, not replace, their brilliant young minds.