Category: Support

Session Resources: Accessibility – Reaching All Learners

This page is for season resources from our Accessibility Reaching All Learners session. This session explored accessibility tools built into iPad as standard which are available to all learners on Connected Falkirk devices. 

Session Slides

You can view a PDF copy of the slides below or download the PDF by clicking on the three dots and selecting ‘Download PDF File’. If you’d prefer the Keynote version please contact Mari-Jane Wilcox.

 

 

Additional Content

Our sessions tend to have a lot of live demonstrations within them. The remainder of the page outlines some of the digital tools covered in the session or signposting to some of the resources shown or mentioned in a format which can be easily revisited or passed along to colleagues who were unable to attend the session.

The images and videos below are from a Connected Falkirk iPad – if you don’t have some of these features it may be because you are running a different version of iOS please update your iPad software by going to General > Software Update.

Apple categorise their accessibility features through for main categories of need: visual, motor, hearing and cognitive. We have organised this guide by elements which may help specifically in learning contexts: reading, writing, focus and physical.

 

Reading

Writing

Focus

Physical

Reading

There are many features on the iPad that can make reading easier. From display settings to read aloud functions there are lots of ways to customise your device.

Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size

Display & Text size options allow you to change the display settings on your device, these settings are applied to objects like buttons, menus, colours, dynamic text and other elements of the core display. Please note they do not apply to third party app contents and interfaces.

The clickable graphic below gives more information on what some of the most useful options within Display & Text Size do. 

Display & Text Size
Bold Text Larger Text On/Off Labels Increase Contrast Colour Filters

Bold Text

Bold text makes the text always bold throughout the system (app tile names, menu items, etc).

Larger Text

Larger text allows you to use the slider to increase or decrease the text size of your iPad display. If the largest size is not big enough you can toggle on Larger Accessibility Sizes which will enable a further slider.

On/Off Labels

On/Off Labels are handy for seeing when toggles are on or off by adding an additional visual mark that doesn't rely solely on colour.

Increase Contrast

Increase contrast increases the colour contract between app foreground and background colours - the contrast makes text appear darker which some people find easier to read.

Colour Filters

Colour filters allow you to apply a colour filter to your screen. Once toggled on you can choose from different filters or you can select your own colour tint and adjust the intensity and hue. This is very useful for people who benefit from a coloured overlay in class. The setting is only applied to your own device so does not appear on screenshots or screen mirroring keeping the support discreet for the user.

Settings > Accessibility > Spoken Content 

Spoken Content features give lots of options for users who benefit from hearing words and sentences spoken aloud. Please note that these features are designed to work with core apps, some third party apps may not allow these system features to be used.

Spoken Content
Speak Selection Speak Screen Highlight content Typing Feedback Voices Pronunciations

Speak Selection

This is one we think everyone should have switched on. When you select text on an iPad (by double tapping) a number of options appear above the text. Speak selection adds

Speak Screen

When speak screen is turned on users can swipe downwards from the top of the screen with two fingers to have the entire screen read to them. It also brings up a controller which allows for moving backwards and forward through the reading as well as speeding up or slowing down the pace.

Highlight content

Highlight context gives users several options for having spoken content highlighted as it is read aloud. You can choose from words, sentences or words and sentences as well as being able to customise highlight styles and colours. This can be really useful for people who like to follow along with a visual cue.

Typing Feedback

Possibly more useful for writing than reading. Typing feedback allows users to have what they are typing read back to them automatically, there are many options for the level of support the device can give.

Character Feedback reads each individual letter out as it is typed, with character hints toggled on it will also gives the phonetic alphabet version of the letter (i.e. "H - Hotel").

Speak Words will read the whole word back to the user either when they have pressed space at the end of typing the word or added a full stop to indicate the end of a sentence.

Hold to Speak Predictions allows users to tap and hold on predicted words to have them read out before they select them.

Voices

Voices allows you to chose which voice reads the spoken content. With iOS 16 there is now (for the first time) a Scottish accent - Fiona - on your iPad. This can be useful both for native English speakers who are used to Scottish accents and for EAL learners who are in the process of learning/acquiring English through Scottish friends and teachers.

Detect languages being toggle on is helpful this setting automatically detects text that is typed in a different language and will read it aloud in that language when Speak is tapped.

Pronunciations

Every now and again the pronunciation of a word isn't quite right. Users can adjust these by adding custom pronunciations for their iPad. Simply type the word that is being mispronounced and then type the phonetic way it should/could be said.

Writing

Dictation

One of the most useful features to help with writing is the in built dictation or speech to text tool which appears as standard on the keyboard every time it pops up. Users can simply tap the little microphone icon to the left of the space bar and speak what they want to be typed on the screen. This can be a big time saver when searching for information, making notes, writing reminders, etc. It is also useful for those who find spelling challenging. In using this tool, learners also get to practice diction, enunciation and clarity in their speaking.

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Accessibility > Spoken Content > Typing Feedback

The typing feedback tools in Spoken Content may also be useful in supporting writing. See the Spoken Content section above for more information. 

Focus

While not necessarily found in the accessibility menu, there are a number of tools available on iPad which can help with focus by making the screen easier to read or stripping away some of the on screen distractions. 

Reader in Safari

Safari is the default web browser on iPad and it comes with a built in tool called Reader which allows users to view a web page article in one page, formatted for easy reading and presented without ads, navigation or other distracting items. You can adjust font, font size and background colour for Reader.

To enable it look to the left of the web address bar at the top of the screen. Depending on which iOS you are using you will either see an AA button or a small rectangle with two lines underneath, tap on this button to Show Reader. If you don’t see any of the Reader options, tap the button again. To come out of Reader tap the Reader button and select Hide Reader.

This is what the older version of Reader looks like in iOS 17 or below:

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This is what the new version of Reader looks like on iOS 18:

 

Focus

Focus is a helpful feature on iPad (and iPhone) which allows users to put their device into a temporary mode which automatically filters notifications and apps on their device. There are three pre-set modes: do not disturb; work; and personal. Users can customise these pre-set Focus modes or create their own. Find out more about Focus features here.

The easiest and quickest way to enable Focus is to swipe down from the battery indicator in the top right hand corner to open your Control Centre. Focus appears as an option in one of the panels indicated by the word Focus, this panel will also tell you when a particular mode is switched on. Two switch focus on or off simply tap Focus and then tap the mode you want to activate/deactivate.

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Light Mode/Dark Mode

Often seen as an aesthetic choice, the option of light or dark mode can also help with reading by increasing clarity and reducing strain on the eyes. This option changes the screen display between Light mode which uses a light background with dark text (positive contrast polarity) and Dark mode which uses a dark background with lighter text (negative contrast polarity).

The ability to change between modes is found in Settings > Display & Brightness, where you can toggle between the two or set a schedule for when you want your device to move between the two options

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Night Shift

Another feature which can make the screen easier on the eyes is Night Shift. Night Shift automatically adjusts the colours of the iPad display to the warmer end of the spectrum. It can be set to come on at a specific time of day through the schedule toggle.

Find Night Shift in Settings > Display & Brightness > Night Shift

Physical

There are several features on the iPad which make it easier for people with physical or motor challenges. While some of these make use of external equipment such as switches, keyboards, trackpad and mouse, there are a few handy ones that make things easier for everyone.

Corner Gestures

A gesture refers to how you control the iPad and its apps this includes things like — tap, touch and hold, swipe, scroll, and zoom. Each of these gestures do different things and can do different things in different areas of the screen. For more information on gestures see here.

iOS 16 and above includes two corner gestures which can be very handy. Corner gestures are when you swipe from the corner of the screen towards the middle.

Swiping from the bottom left corner to the centre of the screen is a quick and easy way to take a screen shot for those who find it tricky to hold the home and power buttons at the same time.

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Swiping from the bottom right corner to the centre of the screen opens quick notes which allows users to make notes in a pane that appears over the top of their current view. This can be helpful for people who find moving between apps tricky or who find split screen makes things too small.

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Voice Control

You can turn on Voice Control via Settings > Accessibility > Voice Control if you wish to be able to control your iPad with your voice. This can be helpful for people who need or want to use their device hands free. When voice control is activated your iPad listens for commands and allows users to navigate and interact with their device using voice to tap, swipe, type, and more.

To turn voice control off you can go into Settings > Accessibility > Voice Control and toggle it off or you can simply speak the command ‘Turn off voice control’. You can find out more about Voice Control here.

Accessibility Assistant Shortcut

Looking for personalised accessibility suggestions? The iPhone & iPad Accessibility Assistant shortcut can give users personalised suggestions for accessibility tools.

Open the Shortcuts app, tap on Shortcuts for Accessibility in the Gallery, choose iPhone & iPad accessibility Assistant and tap Add Shortcut. This Shortcut will now appear in My Shortcuts. When you open it you will be asked to choose a category and then a specific condition, you can add as many as you like, once you’re done tap on Finished and the assistant will automatically generate and open a note with all of the accessibility features available to meet your needs.

Session Recording

Here is a recording of the session for those who wish to watch it again or who missed it. Please be aware that the session recording is edited to remove all discussion and task sections. This is to protect the privacy of our participants and ensure everyone feels comfortable speaking freely on mic and in the chat without worry that their comments will be made publicly available.

AI in Education: Education Prompt Library

Looking for some help with AI prompting for education? Visit our new education prompt library. Designed to help you boost your prompting to get better outputs and save valuable time.

The education prompt library is a collection of pre-prepared, high-quality prompts covering a wide range of planning and preparation tasks and pedagogical approaches. Educators can browse the prompts, copy and paste their selected prompt directly into Google Gemini, then customise it to suit their specific context and needs. 

The education prompt library is an ongoing piece of work and will continue to grow over time.

 

Click the image below or use the link to visit the education prompt library: https://blogs.glowscotland.org.uk/fa/promptlibrary/ 

AI in Education: Guiding Principles and Support

As technology evolves, Artificial Intelligence (AI) offers powerful tools to enhance teaching and learning. This guide provides our position on AI use, links to guidance from other bodies and organisations and recommends tools that educators might consider exploring in their classroom. We emphasise the importance of AI literacy to prepare both educators and students for the future and offer a model for educators to work from. This is also where we will provide access to resources to help you navigate AI’s role in education confidently and responsibly.

As this is a rapidly evolving field we will review and update this page when necessary. The last time this page was updated is: 8 August 2025

Our Position in Education Services

Additional Documentation

SQA Guidance

Learning About AI: Courses for Educators

Tools for Teachers

The Importance of AI Literacy

Our Position in Education Services

As a digital learning team, we have developed this stance in co-ordination with Falkirk Council’s Data Protection Officer and the Information Management Working Group.

It is important that staff familiarise themselves with and consider the risks involved in using AI before they begin making use it. These risks include:

      • AI lacks human empathy and insights. It cannot judge if something is ethically correct.
      • It can inadvertently replicate bias that is present in the web pages, documents, books, articles etc it is trained on.
      • It can provide answers that are inaccurate and can be inconsistent.
      • Responses can be out of date.
      • Any input can become part of the ‘learning’ of AI, so you cannot guarantee any information you input will be dealt with in confidence. You should not input any confidential Council information, including personal information we hold (for example, about our employees and citizens).
      • It is susceptible to copyright infringement.
      • It has limited creativity as it can only generate responses based on existing data.
      • It can be used to generate fake news and misinformation.

The Learning about AI section of this page provides signposting to materials staff can access to learn more about AI, machine learning and the ethics of AI.

Our position emphasises that AI should enhance, not replace, human teaching. We are committed to ethical and responsible AI use, ensuring compliance with data protection principles. Teachers are empowered to use AI tools thoughtfully, with a focus on professionalism and informed decision-making, while safeguarding sensitive information and conducting proper risk assessments.

All education staff making use of AI in schools must comply with the following advice:

Staff Use

Teachers are permitted to use generative AI tools for a variety of educational activities, provided they adhere to established professionalism and data protection legislation.

Tool Approval and Risk Assessment

Currently, no generative AI software requiring pupil login credentials is approved for pupil use. As with any digital tool, teachers must conduct an appropriate risk assessment before implementation as outlined in Falkirk Council’s Service Circular 50, available on the Intranet.

Professionalism

Teachers using generative AI to create content are reminded of their professional responsibility to thoroughly review any AI-generated material before sharing it with pupils or the wider school community. Just as with any other resource, teachers must ensure content accuracy and appropriateness.

Data Protection

Under no circumstances should sensitive or personal information about pupils, staff, or other stakeholders, including the school itself, be submitted to AI tools or software. This is a critical GDPR compliance issue. Only data already in the public domain may be used, and no personally identifiable information should be shared with AI models.

Additional Documentation

Links to further guidance and support documentation from public bodies and organisations.

Digital Scotland

SCOTLAND’S ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE STRATEGY

 Scotland’s AI Strategy focuses on building a trustworthy, ethical, and inclusive AI ecosystem. While the strategy isn’t exclusively education focused, for educators it highlights the importance of AI literacy and education to equip both students and teachers with essential AI skills. The strategy encourages integrating AI into education to enhance learning while preparing students for an AI-driven future. It also discusses the importance of teaching ethical AI use, ensuring technology benefits society fairly and inclusively.

You can access the full document here.

UK Government Department for Education

GENERATIVE ARTIFICAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) IN EDUCATION

The UK government’s document on generative AI in education provides guidance on using AI tools responsibly in educational settings. It mentions the potential benefits of AI for personalised learning and administrative efficiency while highlighting the importance of ethical considerations, data privacy, and avoiding reliance on AI-generated content for assessments. The document encourages educators to develop AI literacy among students and to integrate AI in ways that support, rather than replace, traditional human led teaching methods.

For more details, visit here.

Llywodraeth Cymru (Welsh Government)

GENERATIVE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN EDUCATION

Hwb’s* guidance on generative AI in education focuses on fostering AI literacy, critical thinking, and creativity within Wales’ Curriculum. It emphasises safeguarding against online risks, equitable access, and supporting educators with resources. Estyn (education and training inspectorate for Wales) is reviewing AI use in schools to explore its benefits and challenges, with findings due this summer.

*(Hwb is a digital learning platform provided by the Welsh Government to support education across Wales)

Access the full guidance here.

Education Scotland

MACHINE LEARNING AND AI WITHIN GLOW

The “Machine Learning and AI within Glow” guide outlines the use of AI and machine learning tools within Scotland’s Glow platform. It explains how educators can leverage these technologies to enhance teaching and learning, while also touching on ethical considerations and data privacy. The resource highlights the importance of AI literacy for both students and teachers, providing guidance on responsible AI use in educational settings.

For more details, you can visit the full document here.

WEST Partnership

AI IN EDUCATION SCOPING REVIEW 

The AI in Education Scoping Review explores the potential of AI in educational settings, examining its benefits, challenges, and ethical considerations. It emphasises the importance of teacher training, data privacy, and the need for careful implementation to enhance learning outcomes. The review calls for ongoing research and collaboration to effectively integrate AI into education.

You can access the full document here.

Goodison Group

21ST CENTURY SKILLS: AI AND EDUCATION REPORT

The report from Scotland’s Future Forum explores the impact of AI on education, discussing its potential to transform teaching and learning. It highlights the need for ethical considerations, teacher training, and equitable access to AI tools. The report emphasizes collaboration between educators, policymakers, and technologists to harness AI’s benefits while addressing challenges.

For more details, you can access the full report here.

OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development)

GENERATIVE AI IN THE CLASSROOM: FROM HYPE TO REALITY?

The OECD document discusses the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in education, focusing on its potential to enhance learning outcomes, address educational challenges, and support personalized learning. It also emphasizes the need for ethical guidelines, data privacy, and teacher training to ensure responsible AI integration. The report provides recommendations for policymakers and educators on effectively using AI in education systems.

For more details, you can access the full document here.

Daydream Believers and Education Scotland

GenAI IN EDUCATION EXPLORATION HUB

The GenAI in Education Exploration Hub is a website in joint partnership between Daydream Believers and Education Scotland to help make sense of the Generative AI advancements and how best to utilise them in learning environments to be helpful tools for educators and students.

You can access the website here.

DigiLearnScot (Education Scotland)

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN SCOTTISH EDUCATION

This blog post explores the burgeoning presence of artificial intelligence (AI) within the Scottish education landscape, outlining key considerations for educators and stakeholders. It highlights the potential of AI to transform teaching and learning practices, including personalized learning experiences and streamlined administrative tasks. However, it also underscores the critical importance of addressing ethical implications, data security, and the necessity for professional development to equip teachers with the skills required to navigate and leverage AI tools effectively. The article serves as an informative resource for understanding the current and future impact of AI on Scottish education, promoting informed discussions and strategic planning.

Read the full post here.

SQA Guidance

It is imperative that secondary teachers are aware of the clear SQA clear stance around pupil use of generative AI for assessments associated with national qualifications including assessed coursework and exams. Below you can find the guidance published around this.

SQA – Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Assessments UPDATED 12 JULY 2025

The SQA have produced a new position statement for academic session 2025-26 on the use of Generative AI in assessment. Broadly speaking, it is permissible to use GenAI if it doesn’t undermine assessment integrity or a learner’s ability to show their skills, or if the course explicitly allows it. However, AI-generated content cannot be used as an independent source or submitted as a learner’s own work, as this constitutes malpractice. They stress the importance of following assessment conditions.

For full details on the official SQA stance, visit this page.

SQA – Authenticating Learner’s Work Good Practice Advice for Centre Staff

The SQA’s document on authenticating learners’ work provides guidance to ensure the integrity of assessments. The advice includes strategies such as supervising assessments, using plagiarism detection tools, and encouraging learners to maintain a reflective log. It also highlights the need for clear communication between educators and students regarding expectations and the consequences of academic misconduct.

For more details, you can access the full document here.

Learning About AI: Courses for Educators

Links to free online courses where teachers who are keen to learn more about AI generally can learn at their own pace. These courses are not specific to an education context. All of these courses are free, self paced and completed online. These courses are listed in order beginning with the most basic.

Forth Valley College – Introduction to Artificial Intelligence (AI) – Online

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is revolutionising the world, and this free short course provides you with an exciting opportunity to learn the fundamentals of AI. Whether you’re a beginner or seeking to expand your skills, the Introduction to AI course offers a flexible and accessible pathway to learn more about this transformative field.  Applicants for this course must reside in Scotland. The course is online and self paced.

For more details and how to apply, see the FVC website.

Google Cloud Skills Boost – Introduction to Generative AI Learning Path

 This Google Cloud Skills Boost pathway offers a series of courses designed to help learners develop an understanding of artificial intelligence. We recommend the first three short courses in this pathway to professionals looking to deepen their knowledge of Generative AI, Large Language Models and principles of responsible AI. Courses are free and award badges at the end upon successful completion of a quiz.

For more information, visit Google Cloud Skills Boost

University of Helsinki – Elements of AI

 Elements of AI is an online course designed to make AI accessible to everyone, regardless of their background. Part one of the course, ‘Introduction to AI’ covers what AI is, what is possible (and not possible) with AI, and how it affects our lives – with no complicated math or programming required. The course is free, self-paced, and suitable for learners of all levels, helping them understand and engage with AI technology responsibly.

For more information, visit Elements of AI.

University of Helsinki – Ethics of AI

The Ethics of AI is a free online course created by the University of Helsinki. The course is for anyone who is interested in the ethical aspects of AI – we want to encourage people to learn what AI ethics means, what can and can’t be done to develop AI in an ethically sustainable way, and how to start thinking about AI from an ethical point of view.

For more details, you can access the course here.

Google – Making Friends With Machine Learning

Making Friends With Machine Learning was a 6 hour internal-only Google course specially created to inspire beginners and amuse experts. It has now been made available to everyone and this article by presenter Cassie Kozyrkov gives the links to watch the videos. Part one of the course, Introduction to ML and AI simplifies AI concepts and gives real-world examples, it is ideal for those looking to better understand how AI works without diving into too much technical detail.

For more details, you can read the full article here.

Tools for Educators

Discover some AI tools, or services which use AI models, handpicked for their ability to either assist teachers in planning and delivery of learning or to allow learners to explore and work with AI in a controlled manner.

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Before you take a look at the tools please remember that there are many tasks that Generative AI can be used for, educators and learners should use the chart below to assess whether it is safe to use Generative AI for a task.

In addition, anyone using Generative AI should remember:

  • Check for Bias and Accuracy: AI may produce biased or incorrect content. Always double-check your output thoroughly before sharing.
  • Human Judgment Matters: See AI-generated content as a starting point, not a final product. AI outputs can be helpful, but they should not be used to replace human/professional judgements.
  • Protect Privacy: Do not give any personal or sensitive information about people or organisations to the AI model.

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Education Prompt Library

Looking for some help with AI prompting for education? Visit our new education prompt library. Designed to help educators boost their prompting to get better outputs and save valuable time.

The education prompt library is a collection of pre-prepared, high-quality prompts covering a wide range of planning and preparation tasks and pedagogical approaches for use with Large Language Models. Educators can browse the prompts, copy and paste their selected prompt directly into Google Gemini, then customise it to suit their specific context and needs. 

The education prompt library is an ongoing piece of work and will continue to grow over time.

AI Teacher Tools: Starter Suite

Our Starter Suite offers a carefully curated collection of free AI-powered tools to provide a practical entry point for teachers and establishments embarking on their AI journey. Covering a range of essential functionalities, from lesson planning to differentiation, this suite provides accessible and valuable tools to explore and integrate AI into teaching practices.

Each tool has been assessed to ensure its educational value and ease of initial use, allowing you to confidently begin harnessing the power of AI to enhance learning outcomes. View the Starter Suite embedded below or use and share the short link: https://bit.ly/aistartersuite

 

AI Starter Suite by Miss Abercrombie

Google Gemini

Gemini Quick Guide by Miss Abercrombie

What does it do?

Google Gemini chatbot is a large language model (LLM) developed by Google. While Google Gemini describes a family of LLM tools integrated throughout Google Workspace, the Google Gemini standalone chatbot is available to all staff via Glow login to the Google Workspace tenancy operated by Glow/Education Scotland. Its ability to process and generate diverse information aims to create more natural and helpful AI interactions. Google Gemini is an 18+ product and is only available to staff users within Glow. It is designed to be multimodal, meaning it can understand and operate across text, code, images, and more.   

How do I get access? Staff can log into Google Gemini for free via their Glow account. Learners do not have access to Google Gemini via Glow as it is an 18+ product.

NotebookLM

NotebookLM Quick Start Guide by Miss Abercrombie

What does it do?

NotebookLM is a specialised mini-LLM (Large Language Model) from Google. Unlike LLMs like Gemini, ChatGPT and Copilot, Gemini interacts only with the content you provide. You can upload up to 50 sources, including web links, YouTube videos, and various file types (PDF, .txt, Markdown, audio, images). You can use NotebookLM to question, summarise, and interact with your materials in the chat, or utilise the “studio” to create new assets, even generate downloadable AI podcasts. It’s like having a dedicated AI research assistant focused solely on your specific documents.

How do I get access? Staff can NotebookLM  via their Glow account. Learners do not have access to NotebookLM via Glow at the moment.

Wayground (Quizizz)

Wayground Quick Start Guide by Miss Abercrombie

What does it do? Wayground (formerly Quizizz) is an online learning platform that enables teachers to create and share interactive quizzes, polls, and lessons. Wayground has integrated AI features that allow teachers to automatically generate quizzes, worksheets, and questions based on specific topics or curriculum needs. By using AI, Wayground can suggest questions tailored to different skill levels, provide instant feedback to students, and offer personalised learning paths. This streamlines lesson planning and helps teachers quickly assess student understanding, making the platform more efficient for educational purposes.

How do I get access? Teachers can sign up for a free account at wayground.com

Pupils do not need accounts to participate in Quizizz activities.

 

Curipod


Curipod Quick Start Guide by Miss Abercrombie

What does it do? Curipod is a platform designed to assist educators in creating engaging and interactive lessons. It combines elements like polls, word clouds, and drawing activities to make learning dynamic and participatory. Curipod’s built in AI features allow educators to generate interactive lessons quickly and easily. All AI output is customisable. Additionally, Curipod’s AI adapts content to suit different teaching styles and student needs, streamlining the lesson material creation process while making learning more interactive and engaging.

How do I get access? Teachers can access Curipod by signing up for a free basic account on the Curipod website.

Pupils do not need accounts to participate in Curipod lessons.

 

Diffit


Diffit Quick Start Guide by Miss Abercrombie

What does it do? Diffit is an AI-powered tool designed to help educators create differentiated learning materials quickly. It allows teachers to generate customised content at various reading levels based on a given text or topic. By adjusting the complexity of language, Diffit ensures that students with different abilities can engage with the same subject matter, supporting personalised learning and making lesson planning more efficient for teachers. 

How do I get access? Teachers can sign up for a free account on the Diffit website.

Pupils do not need to access Diffit.

 

Magic School


Magic School Quick Start Guide by Miss Abercrombie

What does it do? Magic School is a collection of 70+ AI tools (Magic Tools) to help teachers with a variety of tasks including lesson planning, differentiation, planning group work, generating vocabulary lists, and so much more. It also has 40+ responsible AI tools that can be launched to students to allow them to explore generative AI while the teacher can monitor their interactions with and the outputs from the AI model. Tools for students include study habits, debate partner, multiple explanations and more.

How do I get access? Teachers can sign up for a free account on the Magic School website.

Pupils do not need accounts to participate in Magic School activities.

 

School AI

SchoolAI Quick Start Guide by Miss Abercrombie

What does it do? School AI allows learners to explore a Large Language Model in a safe environment through ChatGPT powered experiences called Spaces. Teachers can choose from a library spaces, or create their own with custom instructions tailored to learners’ needs. Teachers can manage, moderate and steer as students interact with the machine and receive real time ‘insights’ as well as being able to access live conversations from the teacher moderation screen.

How do I get access? Teachers can access School AI by signing up for a free basic account on the School AI website.

Pupils do not need accounts to participate in School AI spaces.

Padlet ‘AI Image’ 

Padlet AI Image Quick Start Guide by Miss Abercrombie

What does it do? Padlet’s “AI Image” feature uses a text-to-image AI model to transform users’ written descriptions into images.

How do I get access? Teacher sets up a Padlet and learners access via link or QR code. Pupils do not need to log in.

 

Adobe Express

Adobe Express Quick Start Guide by Miss Abercrombie

 What does it do? Adobe Firefly in Adobe Express is an AI-powered tool that allows users to generate and edit images using text prompts. It enabling users to quickly create designs, add effects, and make creative adjustments to photos, illustrations, and graphics.

How do I get access? Learners have access to Adobe Express via Glow.

 

Importance of AI Literacy

Learn why developing AI literacy is crucial for both teachers and students, preparing them for a tech-driven future.

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Developing AI literacy is crucial for both teachers and students as it equips them with essential skills to thrive in a tech-driven future. It enhances critical thinking, problem-solving, and ethical awareness, enabling students to navigate AI technologies responsibly. For teachers, AI literacy allows them to guide students effectively, integrating AI into learning while fostering digital citizenship. This knowledge ensures both educators and students are prepared for the evolving job market and societal shifts driven by AI advancements.

AI literacy as a concept is still evolving because AI technology itself is rapidly advancing and becoming more integrated into everyday life. As generative AI and automation, continue to shift the landscape, requiring ongoing adaptation in educational frameworks and public understanding to keep pace with innovation.

The AI literacy model we will work with in Falkirk Council education establishments is shown below. This is adapted from a model from the University of Hong Kong and includes principles and conceptualisations from across AI4K12 Initiative, ISTE’s AI Education Framework and the OECD’s AI Literacy Principles. It has been adapted to be simple, clear and suitable for children, young people and adults alike.

Falkirk Digital Learning Leadership Week

Digital Learning Leadership Week (26th to 30th May 2025) is focused on developing and enhancing digital learning leadership across our education establishments in Falkirk. Through a series of events, including digital partners and guest speakers, we’ll explore strategies, approaches and tools to help us meaningfully integrate technology into teaching and learning to improve learning outcomes and experiences for children and young people.

This week is about creating the time and space to collegiately discuss, explore, share and develop the ways in which we can lead the leverage digital tools effectively, to improve educational outcomes for our students and equip them with the confidence, skills and knowledge needed to thrive in an ever-changing, fast-paced digital world. From strategic school leadership level, to classroom based leaders of learning – there are events for everyone over the course of the week.

What’s on?

Google Discovery Day: Leading Digital Learning

Time: 10am – 3pm • Location: Forth Valley College

Audience: Senior leadership/digital leads in all sectors

Description: Join Canopy and Google for Education to explore how school leaders can effectively lead digital learning in their establishment to improve student outcomes. The session emphasises strategic and pedagogical approaches and innovative uses of technology. Hear inspiring stories from local schools who have successfully implemented digital learning strategies, overcome challenges and are having an impact on learners and learning. Explore how to leverage technology to enhance teaching and learning, and ultimately, drive student success.

Your school does not have to be actively using Google Workspace for Education to attend, the session focuses on leadership of digital learning. Lunch is provided at this event.

Day Overview:

This full day workshop aims to equip school leaders with strategies and frameworks to effectively lead the consistent and meaningful use of digital learning tools in their schools, particularly in relation to Google Workspace use on iPad. Sessions will have a Google focus, but strategies shared could be applied in any school setting. The day will be split into four parts consisting of:

Your Reality – Usage, Impact & Potential: Participants will reflect on their school’s current usage of digital tools, identify barriers to best practice, and potential for improving provision.

Defining Success – Powerful and Effective Workflows: This section focuses on agreeing upon core workflows that support school priorities and balancing consistency with pedagogical freedom. We will introduce Google’s Gemini AI tool in this session. 

Leading the Change – Supporting Staff & Embedding best practice: Practical strategies to support staff in adopting and embedding Google Workspace effectively will be discussed, including the use of Google tools for leadership and planning professional development.

Learning from the Field – Effective Leadership in Practice: Participants will hear real-world examples of leading Google Workspace implementation from local peers in a Q&A panel format.

Sign up here.



 

Teaching and Learning Using Google on iPad

Time: 10am – 3pm •  Location: Grangemouth Town Hall

Audience: Classroom teachers, faculty heads and SLT in all sectors.

Description: Join Canopy and Google for Education in this professional development day for classroom teachers who lead learning in their classroom every day. Focused on enhancing your teaching and learning using Google Workspace tools. Find solutions to your questions about AI, digital pedagogy and practice. Discover tips and tricks to reduce your workload using Google tools to maximise productivity and lead change in your setting from the ground up.

Your school does not have to be actively using Google Workspace for Education to attend but this session does focus on Google tools, please ensure you have logged into Google Workspace via Glow (including checking you have access to Google Gemini) and accepted the terms and conditions prior to attending this session. This session is perfect for those already using Google Workspace who wish to delve deeper into the tools or those who are interested in using Google Workspace to get hands on and discover what is possible. Lunch is provided at this event.

Day overview

Today is all about maximising impact using Google Workspace and your iPad in the Classroom. Join us for a practical, hands-on workshop focused on getting the most out of Google Workspace and iPads in your classroom. This day is designed for teachers who want to enhance learning, save time, and create inclusive learning environments using technology. Here’s what you can expect:

Session 1: The Connected Classroom – Mastering Google Classroom on iPad:

  • Learn to navigate the Google Classroom app on the iPad efficiently.
  • Discover how to create and manage assignments using the iPad, incorporating photos, videos, and annotations

Session 2: Engaging Learners – Dynamic Formative Assessment & Feedback with Google on iPad:

  • Explore using Google Forms for quick quizzes, exit tickets, and feedback.
  • Learn to provide timely, effective feedback using iPad annotation tools and Google Docs/Slides features.

Session 3: Inclusive Practice – Supporting Every Learner with Google on iPad Accessibility:

  • Learn to leverage Google Workspace and iPad accessibility features to support students with diverse needs.
  • Discover how to adapt assignments and materials for differentiation.
  • Explore tools like Google Keep and Calendar to aid organization for learners.

Prerequisites: Please bring your iPad with the necessary Google apps (Classroom, Drive, Docs, Slides, Forms, Keep) installed and logged into your Glow/Google Workspace account.

Sign up here.

Adobe x Falkirk: Adobe Creative Educator and AI Tools in Express

Time: 4pm – 5.30pm • Location: Online

Audience: Educators in all sectors.

Description: Calling all creative teachers! This session is for our classroom teachers who value creativity, imagination and self expression in the classroom. Explore Adobe Express and find out how it can be used to encourage and inspire creative projects where learners can show what they know, explore ideas and tell their stories. Get to grips with exciting built in AI features including AI image generation. Become a certified Adobe Creative Educator Level 1 and become a creativity leader in your school. All Falkirk teachers have access to Adobe Express via Glow on iPad (app) and desktop (browser) – make sure you have logged in prior to the session.

Sign up.

Heads of Establishment Conference: Digital Leadership

Time: 9.15am – 2.30pm •  Location: Forth Valley College

Audience: Head Teachers and Heads of Centre in ELC, primary and secondary.

Description: The focus of this Heads of Establishment Conference is digital leadership. Join Dan Fitzpatrick – educational strategist, author and international keynote speaker on artificial intelligence in education – for a morning keynote on navigating the changing landscape of education. Learn the “Three Box Solution” to drive innovation and develop future-ready leadership skills.

Participate in hands-on workshops with Dan Fitzpatrick and our local Digital Learning Team focused on AI leadership as well as time to collaborate with colleagues on the Agile Leadership work we are currently exploring with Dr. Simon Breakspear. 

The afternoon culminates in a session with Professor Steve Munby – a world-leading authority on leadership and on system reform –  focusing on building future-ready schools. 

No sign up required. Confirm attendance in line with usual practices for HOE Forum.

Prep the machine: writing AI prompts for teachers with Dan Fitzpatrick

Time: 3pm – 4pm • Location: Larbert High School

Audience: Classroom teachers in primary and secondary (limited spaces)

Description: Looking to level up your prompt engineering and truly leverage the power of an AI assistant? Join educational strategist and author of “The AI Classroom,” Dan Fitzpatrick, for this intimate and interactive workshop on crafting powerful AI prompts. Learn the PREP framework to get the most out of AI tools. Discover how to write prompts that generate engaging lesson plans, personalised learning materials, and innovative assessment tasks. This hands-on session will equip you with the skills to effectively integrate AI into your teaching practice. Don’t just use AI, master it and lead the way with prompt engineering in your school. Limited places available.

Sign up here.

The AI Classroom with Dan Fitzpatrick

Time: 4:15pm – 5:15pm • Location: Larbert High School

Audience: Classroom teachers, faculty heads and SLT in all sectors.

Description: Ready to ride the AI wave instead of being wiped out by it? Join educational strategist Dan Fitzpatrick, author of “The AI Classroom,” for an inspiring session on revolutionising learning with artificial intelligence. Discover how AI can free up educators to focus on critical thinking, understand its disruptive potential, and learn practical ways to harness its power today. Explore advanced AI and its implications for education. This isn’t just about tech; it’s about transforming the learning experience. Sign up now and prepare your students for the future.

Sign up here.

Adobe Express: Logging In

Adobe Express is available to use for all Falkirk staff and pupils via Glow. This article takes you through how to access Adobe Express on Connected Falkirk iPad and the sign in process. You can share this with learners to support their login. Once you have logged in on your iPad your app will stay logged in unless you delete the app or choose to sign out – for this reason the app can only be used on 1:1 iPads at the moment or in a browser on a desktop computer.

Please note that your iPad must be on iOS17 or above to run the Adobe Express app.

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Before you start

The Adobe Express app is required on iPad. Although you launch Adobe Express from Glow on a browser (via the tile in Glow) you cannot use Adobe Express in Safari, Chrome or any other mobile browser on a mobile device including tablets. Adobe Express is available via Glow on desktop and laptop computers through the internet browser – there is more on this at the end of the article.

Teachers in Falkirk should request the iPad app for their pupil and staff app portals by emailing connectedfalkirk@falkirk.gov.uk as per the usual process.

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Logging in

  1. Ensure you have downloaded the Adobe Express app from the Connected Falkirk App Portal.

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2. Open Safari and go to Glow. Log in using your Glow username and password.

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3. Go to the Falkirk Council launchpad and tap on the Adobe Express tile. This will open a new tab in Safari.

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4. Tap on ‘Launch Adobe Express app’.

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5. Wait for the loading screen to pass. If you are asked for a verification code, return to the original tab in Safari where you will now see the code displayed.

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6. When you first log in there will be two pop ups to resolve by hitting ‘ok’ and ‘continue’.

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7. You are now logged into Adobe Express and you can begin creating!

Alternative logging in via App

If you experience difficulty logging in using the above method you can try logging in directly in the Adobe Express app.

 

  1. Open the Adobe Express app on your iPad.

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2. Everyone, including teachers, should choose ‘Student’s sign in here’ to access their education Adobe Express account via Glow.

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3. Type in your Glow email address. When you hit ‘Continue’ the Glow login page will launch, type in your Glow username and password.

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4. When prompted choose ‘Falkirk Council – Education’. Do not choose Education Scotland, if you choose Education Scotland accidentally you should log out using the profile button in the top right hand corner and begin the log in process again.

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5. Wait for the loading screen to pass. 

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6. When you first log in there will be two pop ups to resolve by hitting ‘ok’ and ‘continue’.

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7. You are now logged into Adobe Express and you can begin creating!

Using Adobe Express on desktop or laptop

Adobe Express is also available on desktop and laptop computer via internet browser. To log in:

  1. Open your web browser
  2. Go to Glow
  3. Log in to Glow using your Glow username and password.
  4. In the Falkirk Council launch pad click on the Adobe Express tile.