As artificial intelligence moves from the periphery of educational technology into the heart of the learning experience, the most critical question for educators is no longer technical—it is philosophical. How do we ensure that as our tools become more powerful, our education remains profoundly and irreducibly human?
In this session, the co-authors of the Eight Essential Principles for Education in the Age of AI present a dual-lens framework designed to move institutions from reactive adoption toward intentional authorship. We will unpack the framework's two critical domains:
- The Irreducible Human Core: Four principles—Flourishing, Relationships, Creativity/Lived Experience, and Accessibility—that protect the internal heartbeat of teaching and learning.
- The Operational Commitments: Four principles—Equity, Inclusion, Openness, and Universality—that serve as the necessary guardrails for responsible and sustainable implementation.
These principles allow us to evaluate AI tools and policies through the lens of human agency rather than just efficiency. Participants will work through practical strategies for maintaining "intellectual resistance" and protecting the student-teacher bond in a digital-first environment.
You will leave with a practical checklist and the "Architecture of Intentional Authorship" flowchart to help apply these values to your own institutional context. This session provides the ethical and operational clarity needed to lead with purpose in a world of rapid algorithmic change.
