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AI for teachers: practical uses, privacy and classroom rules

How to prepare materials, rubrics, differentiated tasks and quizzes with AI without putting student data at risk. With UNESCO’s guidance and what the EU AI Act says.

By Cognenza editorial team · Updated · 3 min read · Sources cited

What the official sources say

  • UNESCO: its guidance on generative AI in education and research (2023) calls for a human-centred approach, protecting privacy and setting a minimum age for independent use by students.
  • EU AI Act: it classifies as high-risk systems used to evaluate learning outcomes, decide access or admission, or monitor prohibited behaviour during tests (Annex III). And it requires AI literacy of staff from those deploying it (Article 4).
  • Data protection: student data is personal data, often of minors. Data protection authorities such as Spain’s AEPD publish specific guidance for schools.

Uses that really save time

  1. Materials at several levels. The same activity for support, standard and extension.
  2. Rubrics. Clear criteria and levels that you then apply.
  3. Question banks. Multiple choice, true/false or open questions for revision.
  4. Relatable examples. “Explain fractions with examples from a market.”
  5. Messages to families. Clear, brief drafts, without personal data.
  6. Presentations. See the guide to presentations with AI.

In class: teaching how to use it

  • Explain what a hallucination is and ask students to cross-check every fact.
  • Suggest ChatGPT’s study mode or a Gemini Notebook notebook with the class materials, always respecting each service’s minimum ages.
  • Agree on how AI use is declared in an assignment.

What’s best not to delegate

  • Assessment: AI can help you word comments, but the grade is yours.
  • Decisions about students: adaptations, guidance or behaviour.
  • Personal data: students’ names, grades, reports or photos never go into a public tool.

Frequently asked questions

Can I paste students’ essays for the AI to mark?

It’s not advisable with public tools: it’s personal data of minors. Use AI to create the rubric or model comments, and do the marking yourself. Check your school’s policy and your data protection authority’s guidance.

What does the EU AI Act say about education?

It classifies as high-risk AI systems used, among other purposes, to evaluate learning outcomes or decide admission to educational institutions (Annex III). And since February 2025 it requires those deploying AI to take AI literacy measures for their staff (Art. 4).

Is there official training for teachers?

It depends on your country. In Spain, INTEF (Ministry of Education) publishes resources and training on teachers’ digital competence. Check your education authority’s website.

Keep reading

Sources

Official sources are linked in their original language.

  1. Guía para el uso de IA generativa en la educación y la investigación — UNESCO
  2. Reglamento (UE) 2024/1689 de Inteligencia Artificial (art. 4 y anexo III) — EUR-Lex (Unión Europea)
  3. INTEF: Instituto Nacional de Tecnologías Educativas y de Formación del Profesorado — Ministerio de Educación, Formación Profesional y Deportes
  4. Responsabilidades y obligaciones en la utilización de dispositivos digitales móviles en la enseñanza (guía para centros docentes) — AEPD
  5. Guías de la AEPD — Agencia Española de Protección de Datos
  6. Introducing study mode — OpenAI

Change log

  • : UNESCO link updated and guidance date corrected to 2023; AEPD guide for schools added.
  • : First published.

Educational content, prepared with the help of AI tools, with sources cited. It is not a substitute for professional advice. Tools change fast: if you spot something out of date, write to us at contacto@cognenza.com. How we work.