Empowering Educators: What the New AI Literacy Framework Means for Schools and Teachers

As education wrestles with the rapid advances of AI, the newly published AI Literacy Framework, a draft released in May 2025 by the European Commission (EC) and the OECD, offers schools and colleges a timely compass. Supported by Code.org and international experts, it lays out a forward-thinking blueprint for embedding AI understanding across teaching and leadership roles globally .

Why This Matters Now

1. A Foundational Shift

   The framework redefines AI literacy not as a niche tech skill, but as a core educational competency—one that includes not just knowledge, but critical thinking, creation, ethical reflection, and citizenship in an AI‑shaped world .

2. Four Key Domains—22 Competencies

   Structured into “Engage with AI,” “Create with AI,” “Manage AI,” and “Design AI,” the framework identifies 22 specific competencies learners should develop, spanning from recognising AI in everyday tools to designing and stewarding AI-based solutions with social awareness .

3. Alignment with Broader Initiatives

   It integrates existing European efforts—like PISA 2029, DigComp 2.2, the Digital Education Action Plan, and the EU AI Act—creating cohesion with ongoing educational policy goals .

4. Call to Action—Your Feedback Matters

   This draft solicits input from educators, leaders, and stakeholders through consultations now and aims for a final release in 2026 with real-world examples and refined guidance .

What This Means for AI Education Leaders

• Blueprint for Strategy

  Use the four-domain, 22-competency structure to craft AI literacy roadmaps that intersect with core subjects—e.g. integrating AI concepts in statistics or social sciences—and align with regional policy frameworks .

• Structure for Professional Learning

  Design CPD programs that build capabilities around each domain—starting with awareness (“engage”) and progressing toward student-led innovation (“create” and “design”).

• Policy Embedding & Ethical Guardrails

  The framework supports alignment with legal obligations (e.g. EU AI Act’s requirement that “deployers ensure staff have adequate AI literacy”).

• Stakeholder Engagement

  Schools & colleges can join consultations to shape the final framework, contributing practitioner insights.

Implications for Classroom Teachers

• Concrete Competence Goals

  Whether it’s spotting AI-generated content (“engage”), co-generating outputs with tools like LLMs (“create”), setting safe usage boundaries (“manage”), or helping students conceptualise AI systems (“design”)—the framework provides clear, actionable competencies to anchor lesson planning and assessment.

• Cross-Subject Integration

  AI isn’t confined to computer science. Teachers of humanities, sciences, and arts can weave AI topics into their disciplines—e.g., historical data biases, AI-assisted storytelling, or science experimentation supported by AI predictions .

• Ethical & Critical Reflection

  Emphasises prompting students to question AI’s transparency, fairness, and societal impact—not just how to use it .

• Opportunities for Co-Design

  Teachers can partner with peers or researchers to develop AI-integrated curricula—mirroring successful co-design models from prior innovation in education .

• Foundations for Generative AI Literacy

  As generative AI enters classrooms, educators may reference emerging frameworks that emphasise tool selection, prompt design, reflection, and responsible usage .

​ Moving Forward: Action Steps for Schools & Teachers

This May 2025 draft of the AI Literacy Framework isn’t just another policy document—it’s a call to rethink how we prepare learners to live, learn, and work in an AI-infused world. For educational leaders, it offers a strategic scaffold; for teachers, it delivers clarity, direction, and inspiration. By engaging now, providing feedback, and integrating its vision into our classrooms, we can shape a more informed, creative, and responsible future.