A PATH to using AI well in education
ACER news 2 days ago 5 minute readACER has developed an educators’ guide to ethical and effective use of AI. PhD student Jonathan Brazil, Dr Suijing Yang and Dr Fabienne van der Kleij explain how it was developed and how it can be used.
Since the popularisation of AI systems like ChatGPT, you would be hard-pressed to find an educator or student who isn’t intrigued or concerned by AI in education. And with good reason.
These tools, alongside specialised education-focused AI systems like adaptive learning platforms, have the power to revolutionise teaching and learning. Yet, they also pose significant challenges, from ethical considerations to wellbeing.
So how can and should AI be used in teaching and learning?
To answer this, we examined existing guidelines and real-world applications of AI in education. By synthesising these guidelines, 4 key principles were identified that can guide educators in using AI effectively and ethically for teaching and learning.
Our ‘PATH’ Principles help educators navigate the opportunities and challenges of AI in education with confidence.
The PATH Principles are human-centred and encourage educators to:
- Promote teaching and learning
- Advance wellbeing and social interaction
- Train for AI literacy
- Harness AI ethically
In addition to introducing the PATH Principles, examples of practical uses of AI in education were identified.
These included adaptive learning platforms that personalise content based on individual student needs, and intelligent assessment and management systems that can save educators time.
Generative AI tools like ChatGPT also have broad applicability for assisting with teaching and learning tasks, such as preparing an academic unit or assisting in writing an essay. These examples underscore the versatility of AI in addressing diverse educational tasks.
By embedding the PATH Principles in AI initiatives, education systems and schools can harness AI's potential to empower both students and educators, fostering a future-ready learning environment.
Learn more
Read AI systems in teaching and learning: principles and practical examples. Building a PATH forward
Read Literature review: Empowering teaching and learning with educational technology
Find out more about an ACER online workshop: Harnessing AI For Learning and Teaching
See some of what was shared on AI in education at Research Conference 2025
Find out what learning events are coming up on the ACER webinars page.