Though many AI tools have been approved for use in Calgary’s schools, robots won’t be teaching the city’s students.

Both the Calgary Board of Education (CBE) and Calgary Catholic School District (CCSD), have approved the use of AI tools for teachers, citing the technology’s ability to rapidly personalize texts and create engaging lessons.

In a statement, the CBE said that teachers are encouraged to use approved AI tools in ways that align with what they are already doing in their classroom and will continue to design and lead all classroom learning using their professional knowledge, experience and collaboration with colleagues.

“AI is one of many tools that supports their work; it does not replace the teacher’s role in the classroom,” the statement reads.

For students, AI-based tools are equally valuable, but context-dependent. How and when it is used depends on the learning goals, the subject area and the age of the students, according to the board.

“Older students tend to use AI tools more frequently than younger students and teachers are aware of their use and can provide guidance and parameters for use depending on the assignment.”

Beyond the basic operation of AI tools, students need strong critical thinking and digital literacy skills. The board said this includes questioning the accuracy of AI-generated information, recognizing algorithmic bias, understanding how algorithms work and evaluating the credibility of sources. 

For students and teachers at every grade level, there are robust digital citizenship and digital literacy resources  in developing these skills with a focus on responsible, ethical and thoughtful use of technology.

Similarly, the CCSD is committed to fostering positive digital citizenship and supporting students and staff in the ethical and responsible use of technology, they said in a statement.

Back in December 2024, the CCSD introduced a district-wide AI awareness and digital citizenship poster, a resource used in classrooms to help students understand safe, appropriate and ethical behaviour when engaging with AI tools. 

Brisk AI, MagicSchool AI, NotebookLM, Microsoft Copilot and Google Gemini are among the AI tools the district has approved for teacher use, vetted by the Learning Services and Information Technology departments. Tools are to be used to enhance lesson planning and help differentiate instruction, according to the statement.

Though not widely used by students yet, the CCSD is considering the use of AI tools with students and is supporting responsible early adoption in some schools. 

“CCSD’s guidelines provide direction for teachers on best practices, including modelling responsible AI use and engaging students in age-appropriate conversations about digital citizenship,” the statement reads. The CCSD did not detail how students are currently or will be using the tools.

Tools, not replacements

For Adeel Khan, CEO of MagicSchool, a program offering more than 80 tools designed to support planning and instruction approved by CCSD and CBE, the increasing use of AI in the classroom was quite predictable.

“If 2023-2025 were the ‘panic and pilot’ years for AI in schools, 2026 will be the year habits harden. The policies, tools and norms districts choose now will set the defaults for how a generation learns, works, and thinks with AI,” he said.

“As a lifelong teacher, principal, and now technology founder serving schools, I get a unique vantage point in this transformation.”

Khan said that in the early 2020s, when AI and school were used in the same sentence, it could only mean one thing: cheating. More and more, he said, students are using AI to do more thinking, not less.

“We already see students drafting on their own, then using AI for formative feedback aligned to the teacher’s rubric. They ask ‘why is this a weak thesis?’ or ‘how could I make this clearer?’ instead of ‘write this for me.’”

“They compare suggestions to the rubric and explain how they used AI as part of the assignment, instead of hiding it. The technology didn’t change. The adult framing did.”

When teachers or guardians set clear expectations, AI becomes a studio, not a vending machine, Khan said. Students write first, then ask AI to critique, explain, or suggest revisions.

“Students are already curious. They are already using AI outside school. The question is whether schools will help them build the judgment and habits that will follow them into work and life,” he said.

The CBE said that AI will continue to be treated as a learning tool and through digital literacy instruction, students learn how to use AI thoughtfully, evaluate sources of information, and understand when technology supports learning and when it should not be used.

“Our focus is on helping students develop their own perspectives and voice, and on ensuring they can demonstrate their understanding and learning in authentic ways,” the board’s statement reads.

“Teachers design tasks that emphasize critical thinking, creativity, personal connection, and the social-emotional aspects of learning, while guiding students to use technology appropriately as a support, not a shortcut.”

New for students, new for teachers

To support teachers at different stages of integration, the CBE offers professional learning that focuses on purposeful, responsible use grounded in research and best practices for designing effective learning for students.

“Ongoing support, collaboration, and shared learning help educators make informed decisions about when and how AI can enhance instruction while maintaining strong pedagogy and student-centered learning,” the statement reads.

To avoid any security or information compromises, the CBE has pre-existing guidelines for the use of technology tools, including AI, which state that student personal information must not be shared with AI tools. 

To guide safe and responsible technology use, each individual school also develops and implements a digital citizenship plan to guide safe and responsible technology use annually. All AI tools approved for use in CBE classrooms go through an evaluation process to ensure they meet standards for security, privacy, and suitability for learning.