N25.148-CRAI: Enhancing Critical Thinking and Responsible AI Integration in Secondary Education

Title: N25.148 – CRAI: Enhancing Critical Thinking and Responsible AI Integration in Secondary Education

Author: Ani Dimitrova

Company/Organisation name: Know and Can Association

Short biography:

KNOW AND CAN ASSOCIATION is a NGO set up in March 2007 in Sofia, Bulgaria. It works mainly in the field of nonformal education and on European projects and programmes in the sphere of education and training, human and civil rights, justice, citizenship, employability and mobility. Know &Can works with partners from EU countries, Latin America, Türkiye,
Albania, Serbia and North Macedonia.
Know &Can is a member of three European NGO networks for project management and implementation and IVETA – International Vocational Education and Training Association. The networks include educational and training organizations, business and industrial firms, and other individuals and groups interested or involved in education and training in Europe
and worldwide. The network membership is dedicated to advancing and improving high-quality education, training and educational project results.

Short project summary
The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in educational environments is on the rise, offering promising opportunities for personalization, automated feedback, and engaging learning resources. However, the swift adoption of AI tools also demands that teachers exercise critical and analytical judgment. They must be capable of choosing and using AI-based solutions that align with pedagogical goals, respect ethical standards, and ensure data privacy and inclusivity. Research (e.g., European Schoolnet, 2020) and policy directives (e.g., Digital Education Action Plan 2021-2027) underscore the need for teachers to bolster their critical and analytical thinking skills in these new digital territories. This project responds to that need by focusing on teachers at the lower secondary level educators who are instrumental in shaping early adolescent learners – engagement with technology. The project will enhance teachers’ capacity to critically assess AI tools, develop practical guidelines, and create professional development resources. These outputs will be piloted, refined, and shared widely to support evidence-based decision-making in AI integration across diverse educational contexts.

Main Aim of the proposed project
The CRAI project aims to enhance secondary teachers’ critical and analytical thinking skills on AI by fostering their ability to evaluate and integrate AI tools with ethical awareness, data privacy, and inclusivity in mind. It will develop adaptable guidelines, decision-making aids, and training modules to support informed AI adoption. These resources will be tested and
refined in diverse educational settings to ensure practicality, scalability, and relevance across various contexts.

Expected results – output of the proposed project
Enhanced Teacher Competencies: Teachers gain critical and analytical thinking skills to make more informed, ethical, and effective decisions about AI tool integration.
Adaptable, Evidence-Based Resources:?ested, openly available guidelines and training materials.
Wider Educational Benefit: Through better-informed teachers, students benefit from AI tools that support learning.
Influence on Policy and Practice:?ncourage sustained integration into existing teacher professional development programs.

Project field of implementation
School Education

Project type
KA2 – Cooperation among organisations and institutions: Partnerships for Cooperatio

The end users/beneficiary:
Teachers / Trainers / Educators, Students, Young people

Implementation area:
Online Education & Learning, Education and Competencies Development, Social Inclusion and Equal Opportunities

What do you need from IgnitorHub network event for this project?
Project Promoter Partner, Core Partner(s), Piloting Partner(s)