AI for Tertiary

Guidance on reflecting and taking small steps to build AI capability in educational contexts.

💬 Section 6: Reflection & Small Next Steps

This work is not about mastering everything.

It’s about becoming the kind of educator who can guide learners through complexity with care.

AI literacy grows through reflection, conversation, and experimentation — not perfection.

🧠 Reflect

  • What is one thing I now understand better about AI?

  • What questions do I still have?

  • What could I try in my practice this week?

🪶 Culturally Grounded Reflection Prompts

Manaakitanga: How will my next steps show care for my learners’ mana and wellbeing?

Ako: What can I learn from my learners about their AI use and needs?

Whanaungatanga: How can AI free me to build stronger relationships, not weaker ones?

Kaitiakitanga: What do I need to protect as I explore these new tools?

Remember: Small, culturally grounded steps are more powerful than large, directionless leaps.

🔎 Try This

  • Use ChatGPT to generate ideas for a lesson

  • Ask it to rewrite your instructions more clearly

  • Compare two AI-generated texts — what do you notice?

  • Invite a colleague to test a tool together and debrief over coffee

📦 Optional Resources

Here are some beginner-friendly resources to explore at your own pace.

📺 Video Introductions

A short list of beginner-friendly videos to help you (and your learners) understand how AI works — from both Aotearoa and global perspectives.

  • OpenAI Academy – “How AI Works” Basics

    A brief global overview of how generative AI models process language, data, and prompts.

    💬 Tip: Pairs well with a reflection activity — ask learners what surprised them or what ethical questions arose.

🛠️ Tools to Try

Explore different AI tools to see how they can support your work as an educator.

Each one offers a slightly different approach to prompting, reasoning, and creativity.

Try them safely and reflectively — choose tools that match your learners, values, and context.

  • ChatGPT – OpenAI

    A widely used conversational AI for writing, summarising, brainstorming, and tutoring support.

    💬 Tip: Great for text generation and quick feedback. Always fact-check and edit outputs before using them in class.

  • Microsoft Copilot - Personal use.

    Built into Microsoft 365 apps such as Word, Excel, and Teams. Great for drafting lesson plans, summarising meetings, and analysing data within a secure enterprise environment. Most NZ tertiary institutions have access through Microsoft licensing to which your instritution may already subscribe. This may be branded under different names such as “Microsoft 365 Copilot (paid)” or “Microsoft Copilot Chat (free)” depending on your institution’s licensing agreement. The URL for education tenants is often different from the personal use link above. Check with your IT department for the correct access link. Copilot Chat is a free version available to Microsoft 365 users.

    💬 Tip: For Aotearoa tertiary institutions, check whether your tenant is hosted on ANZ Region to align with data-sovereignty and privacy expectations.

  • Gemini – Google AI

    Integrated with Google Docs, Sheets, and Classroom; strong for research, multimodal tasks, and visual explanations.

    💬 Tip: Works well if your institution already uses Google Workspace for Education. Review sharing settings carefully when working with student data.

  • Perplexity AI

    Combines chat with real-time web search and clear citations — excellent for inquiry-based learning.

    💬 Tip: Use it to teach information literacy: ask learners to check sources, evaluate reliability, and compare with their own research.

  • Claude – Anthropic

    Designed with a focus on safety, reasoning, and long-form drafting. Useful for policy writing, assessment design, and reflection prompts.

    💬 Tip: Handles long documents well, but data stays on overseas servers — avoid uploading private learner information.

    ⚖️ Before You Try

  • Start with free versions before committing to subscriptions.

  • Avoid entering confidential learner information or unpublished material.

  • Compare how each platform handles privacy, transparency, and bias.

  • Reflect on which tools best uphold manaakitanga, equity, and learner agency in your practice.

🛡️Safety & Ethics

AI tools are powerful, but how we use them matters.

These resources help educators explore responsible, transparent, and culturally safe AI practice.

  • Netsafe NZ – Artificial Intelligence and Online Safety

    Practical Aotearoa-based guidance on privacy, misinformation, and ethical use of AI and emerging technologies.

    💬 Tip: Review the “AI in Education” section for classroom discussion prompts on consent, fairness, and digital wellbeing.

  • CUNY AI Use Checklist – Ethical AI in Teaching

    A simple, educator-focused checklist to help plan safe and transparent AI integration in lessons and assessments.

    💬 Tip: Use it when drafting course AI policies or discussing expectations with students.

📍 You don’t have to explore them all — pick one, and see where it leads.

🪶 Interested in Going Deeper?

If you’d like to explore how AI can be grounded in te ao Māori values and principles, you’re invited to continue to the Kaupapa Māori Deep Dive — Comprehensive Resource.

This extended section offers culturally grounded guidance for weaving manaakitanga, ako, kaitiakitanga, whanaungatanga, and tino rangatiratanga through your AI teaching practice.