Using AI Effectively and Responsibly
Remember
AI can get things wrong:
Always double-check facts with your textbook, teacher, or trusted sources.
Don’t believe an answer just because it sounds confident.
You are responsible for your work:
If you use AI, you must understand and check what you use.
AI should support your learning, not replace it.
Follow your teacher’s instructions:
If you’re asked to do something independently, don’t use AI unless you’re allowed.
AI is not alive and does not have a conscience:
While it can be fun to chat with a bot like a friend, it’s no replacement for seeking professional help in times of crisis.
Large Language Models (LLMs) are a type of artificial intelligence (AI) designed to understand and produce human-like language. They are powerful tools that can help you learn, create, and explore ideas more deeply. However, using AI responsibly is important — especially at school.
When you use an LLM, you’re making choices about your learning. Used thoughtfully, AI can be a brilliant partner. Used carelessly, it can hold you back or even cross ethical lines. Learning how to use LLMs wisely is an important skill for your future.
What are Large Language Models?
LLMs are advanced computer programs that have been trained on massive amounts of text. They can answer questions, explain ideas, summarise information, and even help you brainstorm or draft writing. You might already know some examples, like ChatGPT, Gemini, or Claude. These tools don’t actually “think” or “understand” — instead, they predict likely word patterns based on the data they were trained on.
Because of this, while LLMs are often accurate, they can also make mistakes or provide information that sounds convincing but isn’t completely correct. You can think of them as a super fancy word predictor – they can guess what should come next, but there’s no real thinking.
How do Large Language Models work?
At a basic level, LLMs work by:
- Reading huge amounts of written text.
- Learning the patterns and structures of language.
- Predicting the most likely words to come next based on your prompt.
They are not conscious, emotional, or perfect. They are tools — powerful, but not without problems.
How You Can Use LLMs
Personal Development
- Suggest strategies for managing workload
(“How can I stay organised during busy weeks?”) - Offer study tips
(“What are some techniques for remembering historical dates?”) - Provide mindfulness exercises
(“Give me a short breathing exercise before my exam.”)
Skill Development and Practice
- Suggest essay structures
(“What’s a good structure for a persuasive essay?”) - Give practice questions
(“Write five practice questions for the causes of World War I.”) - Model sample answers
(“Show me what a strong 8-mark History answer looks like.”) - Provide writing prompts
(“Give me ideas to start a story about a mysterious island.”) - Offer revision quizzes
(“Create a 10-question quiz on the Cold War.”)
Study and Organisation
- Create revision schedules
(“Help me make a two-week revision plan for my Science exam.”) - Break big tasks into smaller steps
(“How can I split my research project into manageable stages?”) - Suggest ways to remember information
(“Give me mnemonics to remember the planets.”)
Improving Your Work
- Check grammar and spelling
(“Can you help me check this paragraph for errors?”) - Suggest more precise vocabulary
(“Give me stronger words to replace ‘good’ in this sentence.”) - Help with citations and referencing
(“Show me how to cite a website in APA format.”) - Suggest improvements to drafts
(“What could I improve in this paragraph about climate change?”)
Creativity and Critical Thinking
- Explore different points of view
(“Argue both for and against space exploration.”) - Generate debate topics
(“Suggest debate topics about technology and society.”) - Help design surveys or interview questions
(“Create 10 questions for a survey about study habits.”) - Imagine historical events differently
(“What might have happened if the Allies lost WWII?”) - Brainstorm project ideas
(“Give me project ideas about environmental conservation.”) - Design creative visual aids
(“Suggest ideas for an infographic about the water cycle.”)
Understanding and Clarifying Content
- Explain a concept in simple terms
(“Explain photosynthesis to me like I’m in Year 7.”) - Define tricky vocabulary
(“What does ‘imperialism’ mean? Give an example.”) - Compare and contrast ideas
(“How is democracy different from a dictatorship?”) - Get examples of a theory in action
(“Show me examples of Newton’s Third Law in sports.”) - Reword complex information
(“Simplify this paragraph from my textbook for easier notes.”) - Summarise long articles or readings
(“Give me a summary of this article in five key points.”)
However, it’s important that you use AI to support your learning, not replace it.
Ethical and Appropriate Use: The ASK Checklist
Before you use an LLM, run through the ASK checklist:
Assess the task
Ask yourself, “Is this something I’m meant to do on my own?”
If it’s an assessment, practice task, or anything your teacher has asked you to complete without help, using AI could be considered cheating.
Seek permission
If you’re not sure whether AI use is allowed, ask your teacher. It’s always better to check than to guess.
Keep learning
Use AI to help you after you’ve tried the task yourself. Make sure you actually understand the topic — don’t just copy an AI response.
Following the ASK approach helps you stay honest, develop your skills properly, and show respect for your own learning journey.
Tips for Responsible Use
Here are a few practical ways to use AI responsibly:
- Think critically: Double-check facts. LLMs can sometimes make mistakes.
- Don’t over-rely: Challenge yourself to think first, then use AI for support if needed.
- Acknowledge when appropriate: If you use AI for part of an assignment and school policy requires it, be honest about it.
- Respect teacher instructions: Every task might have different expectations. Follow them carefully.