Quebec launches a guide to the use of artificial intelligence in schools

Quebec's Education Ministry released a guide for using AI in the classroom on Nov. 13, 2024. (Ryan Remiorz / The Canadian Press)

As part of the Quebec government's work on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in schools, Education Minister Bernard Drainville launched a guide for teaching staff on Wednesday.

The document, entitled “The pedagogical and ethical use of generative artificial intelligence (GAI)” sets out the criteria for the pedagogical, ethical and legal use of AI.

Drainville believes that the subject is unavoidable, since “artificial intelligence is now an integral part of our reality, including in our schools.”

“To ignore this new reality would be to close our eyes,” he said. “That's why we prefer to guide school teams and students towards responsible use of artificial intelligence. With this guide, we are creating an additional tool for school staff and students, for the benefit of educational success.”

He stressed that “the development of artificial intelligence has made lightning progress in recent years.”

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AI has both advantages and disadvantages: “On the one hand, it offers many opportunities to innovate in teaching and improve current teaching practices. On the other hand, AI raises a number of questions about the desired place of digital technology in teaching and learning,” the guide states.

The guide proposes three criteria to guide decisions about AI in an educational context: pedagogical relevance, ethical principles and legal obligations.

For each criterion, it explains the various issues in detail and suggests a list of questions to stimulate reflection. Each section deals with the implications of digital literacy.

“The fundamental mission of Quebec schools, as defined by the Education Act, is to educate, socialize and qualify students. It is therefore essential that the development and use of AI in education should always serve human beings, in order to support and promote this mission,” states the Education Ministry in a news release.

The aim of the guide is to provide “food for thought and action on the responsible use of AI for both teachers and students.”

The Ministry of Education's document is “part of a continuous improvement process, because even if reflections have been initiated, AI systems are constantly evolving,” the guide states.

“It is essential to adopt a lively and flexible stance so as not to put the brakes on innovation, while keeping people at the heart of decisions,” it concludes.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Nov. 13, 2024.