Introducing AI responsibly at COG: a day full of curiosity, sharp questions and educational strength

What a wonderful day this was.

During the Technova AI day I delivered the training “Introducing AI responsibly at Christelijke Onderwijs Groep (COG)” on behalf of Education Oracle. And extra special: I was able to kick off the morning with a keynote, after a strong and inspiring opening by Pim Haselager, professor of AI at the Donders Institute of Radboud University Nijmegen.

That immediately set the right tone.

Because AI in education is not just about tools, prompts or clever applications. Above all, it is about how we as education professionals give direction to a development that is already right in the middle of our schools. How do we make sure AI does not become something that happens to us, but something we deal with consciously, critically and in a pedagogically responsible way?

That question was central throughout the day.

In my keynote I reflected on the rapid rise of generative AI and its impact on learning, teaching, assessment and professional responsibility. Ignoring AI is no longer an option. But simply introducing AI without a vision, frameworks and conversation is not one either. That is why it is so valuable that COG is taking the time for this. Not out of hype, but out of responsibility. Not out of fear, but out of curiosity and professional care.

During the training we went deeper into the ethical, legal and pedagogical sides of AI. As a leadership issue. We explored how AI can support educational development, feedback, assessment and guidance, but also where the risks lie. Think of privacy, bias, dependence, transparency and the question of what students must keep learning, practising and understanding themselves.

What stays with me most is the quality of the conversations.

The participants asked sharp questions, thought along actively and brought in their own practical experiences. That is where the real value emerges. Not in a one-off demonstration of everything AI can do, but in the shared conversation about what we want to do with it, what we consider responsible and how we translate this into everyday teaching practice.

Introducing AI responsibly takes more than policy on paper. It takes language, trust, practice and professional dialogue. It takes leaders, teachers, support staff and experts who dare to explore together where AI can strengthen learning, and where we need to draw clear boundaries.

Thanks to Johan Crielaard and the rest of the organisation for the invitation and the excellent support. Everything about this day felt well prepared, committed and strong in content. And what lovely gifts I was given! Thank you!

And above all, thanks to all the participants.

Your openness, energy and critical attitude made this a true education day. Not about AI as a goal in itself, but about good education at a time when AI is playing an ever more prominent role.

What a great day. And above all: what a wonderful group of people to have this conversation with.