AI Support or Substitution? A Practical Guide for Families
A useful starting question is: what part of the thinking is the learner still doing? AI assistance can take different forms across a project. A family conversation can help a young person explain those choices without making the discussion only about whether AI was used.
Before the task
Ask what the learner is meant to practise and what their teacher or program allows. Discuss the kind of help they want. Comparing ideas, receiving feedback and handing over an entire response are different choices, and the task's rules still apply.
During the work
Ask the learner to describe their next decision. Which option do they prefer, and why? What information needs checking? What would make the result useful to its audience? If the student cannot judge the response, encourage them to pause and ask a teacher or educator for guidance.
After the work
Invite a short explanation in their own words. What did they change? What did they test? What would they do differently next time? A small demonstration or a comparison between two versions can reveal more than a polished final screen.
Keep the conversation practical
You do not need to know every tool. You can ask to see the brief, a saved version and one improvement. Encourage the learner to acknowledge AI assistance honestly and follow their school's expectations. Check that accounts and activities meet the relevant age and access requirements; adult involvement does not override a provider's rules.
An inability to explain the work is a prompt for support and further conversation. It is not, on its own, proof of misconduct. The next step may be a smaller task, clearer guidance or more time practising the underlying skill.
Try three questions: What was your idea? What did you check? What did you improve? Return to the same questions across projects so that reflection becomes a normal part of making things.
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