A free practical starting point for schools navigating the AI shift

It seem like just about every week there’s a new tool, a new headline and a new promise about how AI will transform learning & teaching.

In most places I visit, whether I’m working with primary teachers, secondary school, TAFE/Uni educators, school leaders or students, I hear the same questions:

• Which tools are actually safe for students?
• Which ones are genuinely useful for teaching and learning?
• Which platforms are appropriate within Australian school contexts?
• And how do we integrate AI responsibly without getting caught up in hype?

This is why I created Generative AI Tools Used by Teachers, a free practical, educator-focused web resource designed to bring clarity to a rapidly changing landscape.

Over the past few years, I’ve worked closely with schools across Australia and New Zealand supporting safe and ethical AI integration. What’s become clear is this:

Teachers don’t need more noise.
They need trustworthy information.

They need to know:

• What a tool actually does (beyond the marketing)
• Who built it
• Whether it aligns with school policies and system requirements
• What the risks and limitations are
• And how it might realistically support learning

This resource was built with those needs front and centre.

The site features a growing collection of generative AI tools that are already being used in schools.

When you click on any tool, you’ll see:

• What it is – A clear explanation in plain language
• Who built it – So you understand the organisation behind the platform
• Its ST4S (Safer Technologies 4 Schools) status in ANZ – Critical for compliance and procurement decisions
• Key pros and cons – The strengths and limitations
• What teachers need to know before using it – Practical considerations around privacy, age-appropriateness, implementation and classroom impact

No hype.
No exaggerated claims.
No fear-based messaging.

Just clarity.

One of the key features of the resource is the inclusion of ST4S (Safer Technologies 4 Schools) status where relevant.

For many schools, especially within government systems, ST4S badging is a crucial part of decision-making. It helps leaders evaluate privacy, security and data compliance in a structured way.

By including this information upfront, the aim is to remove uncertainty and save schools time in their due diligence process.

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Please contact me if your school is looking for some extra support in this area.