📚 AI & Education: What's New? – July 2025

Hello and welcome to this month’s update from Pedagogical AI – your monthly digest of practical insights and global developments in responsible AI for education. Whether you're a teacher, school leader, or just curious, we’ve gathered highlights to keep you informed and inspired.

🗞️ At a Glance – July 2025

• 🇫🇮 Tampere universities release new AI guidelines for educators
• 🎙️ Suomi Areena: AI literacy is key for Finland’s future
• 🇪🇺 EU report: 74 % of students see AI as essential—but schools lag behind
• 🌍 Gallup: 60 % of teachers use AI already—saving 6 hours/week
• 🆓 Microsoft & Google launch free AI tools for schools
• 💡 Teaching Tip: Use AI roleplay to build argumentation & empathy
• 🙌 We’re developing tools for ADHD & diverse learners—interested in testing?

🎯 Top AI News in Education (July 2025)

🇫🇮 Finnish Highlights

• Tampere University Community Publishes New AI Usage Guidelines
  Tampere's higher education community has released updated guidelines on using AI applications like Microsoft Copilot. While focused on higher education, the principles are relevant for all teachers, encouraging experimentation while emphasizing student responsibility for accuracy and the need to cite AI use.
  👉 Explore the TUNI guidelines

• Suomi Arena roundtable: AI literacy central to education
  A recent Suomi Areena panel emphasized that for Finland to compete in the AI race, education must focus on skills machines can't replace, like creativity and critical thinking. The discussion also called for expanding the focus from youth education to the continuous upskilling of the entire working-age population. 👉 Read the discussion summary (in Finnish)

🇪🇺 European Highlights

• Growing Role of AI in Education Across Europe
  A new EU report revealed that 74 % of students across seven countries see AI as vital for future careers; fewer than half believe their schools/teachers prepare them well. Nearly 49 % fear it could exacerbate inequality. 👉 Read the full report

• Growth in AI projects across European schools
  The European School Education Platform highlights rising numbers of AI-related initiatives and teacher development programs spanning Europe. 👉 Check the webinar series

🌍 Global Highlights

• Gallup study: 60% of educators use AI
  A recent Gallup study shows that 6 out of 10 educators already use AI tools and report saving an average of six hours per week. 👉 Read more about the Gallup study

• Microsoft Launches Free Copilot for Teens & New 'Teach Module' for Educators
  Microsoft now offers Copilot with data protection free for students 13+. A new “Teach” module also helps educators quickly create standards-aligned lesson plans and assessments. 👉 Read about Microsoft's new tools for educators

• Major US Teachers' Union Launches Free AI Training Academy+
  The American Federation of Teachers, with Microsoft, OpenAI, and Anthropic, is launching a $23M National Academy for AI Instruction to offer free AI training and resources for K–12 educators. 👉 [Read the announcement](https://www.hpcwire.com/off-the-wire/aft-to-launch-national-academy-for-ai-instruction-with-microsoft-openai-anthropic-and-united-federation-of-teachers/

💡 Teaching Tip of the Month

🧠 Use AI Roleplay to Build Argumentation and Empathy Skills
Use ChatGPT or Copilot to simulate different perspectives in a debate—such as students, teachers, parents, or policymakers. Students provide context and engage in discussions, learning to argue multiple viewpoints with supporting evidence.

Example tasks:

• “Debate whether AI should be used to provide feedback on student writing, from a student vs. teacher perspective.”
• “Create interview questions for an AI used in schools, then discuss what ethical boundaries should apply.”
• “Draft your school’s AI usage charter, what rights and responsibilities should students have?”

Great for: social studies, languages, civics, media literacy, and boosting engagement 🙌

🔧 Resources: Tools & Materials

• Google Makes Gemini AI Tools Free for All in Google Classroom – In a major update on June 30, Google announced that Gemini AI features are now available for free in all Google Workspace for Education editions. Teachers can now use AI to instantly create lesson plans, generate rubrics, brainstorm project ideas, and differentiate instruction directly within Classroom.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Story

Leena, Upper-Secondary Mathematics Teacher, Tampere

“I've started using AI as a formative assessment aid. Instead of giving direct feedback, I first ask students: 'How could AI help you check this solution?' This has significantly developed their critical thinking skills.”

📅 Upcoming Events

• AIED 2025 (22–26 July, Palermo): key AI in Education conference.
• AI Summer Day (Aug 16, 2025, Helsinki & Teams): Includes prompt repair clinic, ethics roundtables, and tools showcase.
• Artificial Intelligence as a Teacher’s Workmate (24 - 30 Aug 2025, Helsinki & Tallinn): Practical training on integrating AI tools in teaching.
• Helsinki Education in Action for Teachers (HEAT2025) (25 - 29 Aug 2025): 5-day Teacher Summer School designed for educators to enhance professional skills while experiencing the Finnish educational system at Suomenlinna.
• Media Education Conference (MEC) – “AI in the Arctic” (November 3–5, 2025, Rovaniemi): A conference exploring AI's application in media and education, with a focus on northern contexts.

🙌 Working with ADHD or Special‑Needs Students?

We’re currently exploring solutions designed to assist teachers working with diverse learners. If this sounds relevant to you, get in touch with us via this form – we’d love to hear your thoughts or let you test early versions!