Integrating perspectives from the humanities, educational psychology, digital innovation, and ethics, the program seeks to establish principled, research-informed frameworks for the responsible, human-centred integration of AI. In doing so, it positions Barker at the forefront of thoughtful engagement with one of the defining educational challenges of our time.
Rationale
Envisioned as a three-year targeted strategic research focus, the first half of 2026 will establish frameworks for teaching in an AI world, and research into the impacts of generative AI on young minds which is being launched through a Rapid Literature Review conducted by academics at The University of Sydney. Various internal and external projects are already underway to assess the state of play and the impact of current innovations.
Collaborations are being developed with academic institutions (universities and schools) in Australia and abroad. Contact us now to learn more or participate.
AI, Learning, and the Developing Mind may explore questions such as:
- How is generative artificial intelligence reshaping the intellectual formation, thinking habits, and learning processes of young people?
- What vision of human development, integrity, and wisdom should guide schools as they integrate AI into teaching, learning, and assessment?
- How can schools respond strategically to AI in ways that cultivate discernment, preserve independent thinking, and promote human flourishing in an increasingly AI-mediated world?
AI, Learning, and the Developing Mind Publications
Assessing literature on the impact of generative AI on young minds – watch this space!
Each week someone in our research team posts a new article about the impact of AI in education for review and discussion. Academia is catching up to this new phenomenon that’s revolutionising schools, and rewiring the modern brain.
- Dr Matthew Hill
- 31 March 2026
Exploring the Impact of AI on Student Cognitive Processes: Year 10 History Research Project
This term, the Barker Institute has been working with the History Department on a classroom embedded research project investigating the impact of generative artificial intelligence on student thinking, research skills, and students’ perceptions of their own learning.
- Claire Butler
- 31 March 2026
Augment, Not Replace: Reframing AI’s Place in the Classroom
There is a growing sense that artificial intelligence is reshaping the conditions under which students learn. Yet, amid the excitement surrounding its capabilities, a more fundamental question remains: what is happening to students’ thinking in the process? A recent report by Lodge and Loble provides a timely opportunity to pause and consider this question more carefully, shifting attention away from the novelty of the technology and towards the cognitive work that sits at the heart of learning.
- Dr Timothy Scott
- 18 March 2026
Keen Kid or Cognitive Innovator?
Earlier this week, my Year 8 History class was practising paragraph writing in preparation for an upcoming assessment. As I moved about the room, a student asked me to review a response he’d written for homework. It was excellent, but it addressed a question I hadn't set or asked him to complete.
- Claire Butler
- 04 March 2026
Continuing the balancing act: AI and education in ongoing conversation
The importance of teachers and students engaging critically with AI is already well understood in schools. It is the starting point for any conversation about AI in education, even if only tacitly acknowledged. Our recent PD conference began from this shared understanding and then pressed us to go further: what does it look like to equip students to use AI as a tool for learning, while preserving independent thought and academic integrity?
- 30 September 2025
Balancing Innovation with Integrity: AI in education
Artificial intelligence has moved quickly from hype to reality in schools. No longer just a futuristic idea, AI is now reshaping how we teach and learn—from personalised learning pathways to automating routine tasks for teachers. But the key question is no longer whether AI has a place in education. The question is: how do we balance innovation with integrity?
- Dr Timothy Scott
- 22 September 2025
Avoiding and breaking free from tech-enabled addiction
Technology, particularly personal devices have created so many opportunities for connection, however they open the door to corporations and advertisers who are not acting in the interests of our children.
- Dr Matthew Hill
- 25 June 2025
When human outshines machine
In a world increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence, we are often dazzled by what machines can do. They can generate lesson plans in seconds, answer complex questions with fluency, and tailor learning pathways with breathtaking precision. But there are moments in every school day—quiet, unmeasurable, irreplaceable—when it becomes clear that education is still, at its core, a deeply human enterprise.
- Dr Timothy Scott
- 27 May 2025
AI in Education: Transformation or Transformation of Form?
Artificial intelligence is undeniably transforming how we teach and learn. Its capabilities—from personalised learning paths to automating administrative tasks—offer exciting opportunities for innovation. Alongside such transformations a question that has emerged in my mind has about the real extent to which we have been witnessing a fundamental shift in the way knowledge is created and understood. Or are we merely dressing up time-tested practices in new digital garb?
- Dr Timothy Scott
- 25 February 2025
AI in schools: Staff professional development Term 3
In a world where AI is here to stay, how can AI be used to enhance thinking and learning in an educational context?
- 13 August 2024