Reflection — Walking the Talk

Created by Graeme Smith and Liza Kohunui

Practising What We Teach

“We cannot teach kaitiakitanga without practising it.”

Ethical AI use is not abstract. It is demonstrated in our everyday decisions as kaiako — in how we model integrity, build trust, and protect the dignity of our learners.

This means:

Modelling transparent, ethical AI use in your own practice
Creating safe spaces to discuss AI’s limitations and harms
Advocating for institutional policies that protect learner rights and cultural integrity
Continuing to learn and adapt as the technology changes

Ngā Pātai | Reflection Questions

How do I model ethical technology use for my learners?
What conversations am I avoiding about AI that now need to happen?
Where can I advocate for stronger policies or better practices in my institution?
Who in my community can I learn from about AI ethics and Māori data sovereignty?

Try This

This week, have one honest kōrero with your learners about the limitations of AI.

Ask them: “What worries you about AI?”

Then listen — without rushing to defend, justify, or fix. Their insights will shape your next steps as a kaitiaki.

Whakataukī

He aha te mea nui o te ao? He tangata, he tangata, he tangata.

What is the most important thing in the world? It is people, it is people, it is people.

A reminder that all technology — including AI — must serve the dignity, wellbeing, and mana of people first.

He Kupu Whakakapi | Closing Reflection

“Just because we can use a tool doesn’t mean we should — unless we can do so with integrity.”

Ethics is not a barrier to innovation; It is the path that makes innovation trustworthy, inclusive, and transformative**.**

As educators in Aotearoa, we are the kaitiaki of learning spaces, relationships, and the mana of our learners.

Ngā Pātai Whakaaro | Reflection Prompts

Which of the Four Pillars do you feel most confident practising?
Which pillar needs more attention or support?
How has this module shifted your thinking about AI in education?
What is one concrete action you can take this week to practise kaitiakitanga with AI?
Who in your community could you partner with to strengthen ethical AI practice?

He Kupu Whakamutunga | Closing Words

Kaitiakitanga is not a checklist — it is a living commitment to protect what matters most: the mana, sovereignty, and wellbeing of those we serve.

When we bring AI into our teaching spaces, we are not simply adopting tools. We are inviting forces that carry power, bias, and consequence. As kaitiaki, we must remain vigilant, discerning, and accountable — not out of fear, but out of aroha for our learners and respect for the knowledge systems we hold in trust.

The Four Pillars remind us:

AI must serve people, not reduce them
Learners have the right to control their own data
Transparency builds trust and collective wisdom
We remain accountable, even when we delegate to technology

This work is not easy. It requires courage to question, patience to learn, and humility to acknowledge when we get it wrong. But it is necessary — and it is tika.

Kaitiakitanga means:

Modeling ethical practice, not just teaching it
Creating space for difficult conversations about AI’s limitations and harms
Advocating for policies that protect learner rights and cultural integrity
Walking alongside our communities as we navigate this changing landscape together

You are not alone in this work. Across Aotearoa, educators, iwi, and communities are asking these same questions, applying these same principles, and building collective knowledge about what ethical AI looks like in our context.

Kia kaha, e te kaitiaki.

Your vigilance protects more than you know — it protects mana, mauri, and the possibility of a digital future grounded in justice.