Artificial intelligence in education: Democratising policy

This project, funded by the Australian Research Council, addresses the rapid introduction of artificial intelligence in education and the lack of coordinated policy support.

Aiming to democratise AI policy in education, the project will build tools to monitor policies and develop collaborative policymaking methods.

The expected outcomes include publicly available policy resources to anticipate and respond to the role of AI in education, participatory frameworks for policymaking, informed stakeholder engagement, and globally relevant policy recommendations adaptable to the Australian context.

Background and Question

The rapid integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into education presents both transformative possibilities and significant challenges.

While AI technologies are increasingly utilized across educational sectors—from primary to higher education—the development of policies to guide their use has lagged behind.

This project aims to shift the focus from reactive to anticipatory governance, a necessary step for ensuring that AI's introduction into education supports positive outcomes without exacerbating existing inequalities.

By involving a broad range of stakeholders—from educators and policymakers to students and EdTech companies—our project seeks to democratize the policymaking process, allowing for a more inclusive approach to the development and use of AI in education.

Aims

This project is guided by three core aims:

Develop a Digital Global Policy Observatory: We will produce new tools and analyses for tracking and analysing regulations and policies that address the AI systems increasingly entering various systems of education globally.
Create Participatory Policymaking Experiments: By engaging stakeholders in experimental policymaking sessions, we will explore new approaches to AI policy development. These experiments will focus on building policies that are responsive to the needs of educators and learners while anticipating the broader implications of AI adoption in education.
Generate Democratised Policy Guidance: Combining insights from the policy observatory and participatory experiments, we will produce actionable policy recommendations. These recommendations will be designed to enhance stakeholder engagement, address potential harms, and ensure that AI policies are adaptable to diverse educational contexts globally, with particular relevance to the Australian education system.

Significance and Innovation

The rapid growth of AI in education presents high risks, particularly in high-stakes decision-making like student assessments, potentially reinforcing educational inequalities.

This project addresses the need for inclusive, sector-specific AI policies that bridge local and national levels, ensuring effective and equitable governance.

By recognizing education’s unique needs within the broader AI policy context and involving a broad range of stakeholders, the project aims to develop anticipatory, collaborative policies that avoid the pitfalls of reactive, expert-driven approaches.

Our approach is innovative in several keyways:

Technical: Creation of a digital policy observatory for real-time AI policy evolution across different jurisdictions.
Methodological: Implementation of collaborative workshops and policy prototyping to engage diverse stakeholders in AI policymaking.
Conceptual: Advancement and empirical testing of anticipatory governance theory in the educational context.

Conclusion

This project stands at the forefront of AI policy innovation in education, offering a comprehensive approach to democratizing the policymaking process.

Through our work, we aim to build a future where AI in education is governed by policies that are inclusive, equitable, and responsive to the needs of all stakeholders.

By engaging with this project, stakeholders have the opportunity to contribute to shaping a more just and effective educational landscape, both in Australia and globally.

Project Team