Written by Erika Gillespie, Greg Ryerson, and L-J van ‘t Hof
Directors of Teaching and Learning
In September, Bayview Glen launched the first year of our new AI Literacy Microcredential programme, with students in Grades 5 through 9 engaging in a programme designed to help them navigate a rapidly evolving technological landscape with confidence, responsibility, and critical awareness. Grounded in our commitment to preparing students for a purposeful life in a changing world, the programme focusses not only on how to use generative AI tools, but on how to think about their impact, their limitations, and the choices they require of us.
The programme is intentionally designed with a multi-year progression in mind, with learning deepening as students move through the grades. In the earlier years, students build their foundational understanding of what generative AI is, how it works, and how it is already present in their everyday lives. They explore key ideas such as human responsibility, bias, and appropriate use, while beginning to develop practical skills for interacting effectively with AI systems.
As students progress, they examine how data influences AI systems and consider important issues such as privacy, fairness, and accountability. Through real-world examples, they begin to understand how decisions made by designers affect how AI is experienced, and how those decisions connect to questions of equity and responsibility.
In the latter years of the programme, students engage more deeply with ethical questions and the broader role of AI in society. They begin to consider how AI can be designed or used in ways that reflect strong values and have a positive impact. This learning encourages students to think at a systems level and to see themselves as capable contributors to a technology-driven world.
An integral part of the microcredential is reflection. Throughout the programme, students are asked to consider how they might leverage generative AI in their own learning, thinking about when it is helpful, where it requires caution, and how they can ensure they remain independent, critical thinkers.
The goal of our AI Literacy Microcredential programme is to prepare students not just to use generative AI, but to engage with it thoughtfully. In alignment with Bayview Glen’s strategic vision of bold thinking and future readiness, this programme helps students develop not only technical knowledge, but also the ethical awareness, curiosity, and sense of responsibility they will need to lead and contribute meaningfully in an increasingly complex world.
