Choosing the right AI tool for your classroom can feel overwhelming with so many options available. This guide walks you through a clear, practical process for testing, evaluating, and integrating AI tools with confidence. It’s designed with teachers in mind, focusing on what actually works in real classrooms.
Inside, you’ll find three core evaluation domains: usability, pedagogy, and ethics. These are broken down into simple checklists. These questions help you quickly spot tools that align with your curriculum, support student learning, and meet privacy and accessibility standards.
You’ll also get practical tips for piloting new tools, collecting feedback, and reflecting on their impact. By the end, you’ll have a repeatable process for selecting AI tools that save time, enhance engagement, and fit seamlessly into your teaching practice.
Explore AI tools hands-on before classroom use
Before introducing an AI tool to students, try it yourself first. Step into your students’ shoes and see what the experience feels like. Work through a full task as a student would. Notice where you get stuck or confused.
Vetting Educational AI Tools
When vetting AI tools for classroom use, it helps to think in three main domains: Usability, Pedagogy, and Ethics.
This framework keeps your evaluation balanced. Usability checks if the tool is practical and accessible, Pedagogy ensures it supports learning goals, and Ethics addresses privacy and fairness.
1. Usability
By Usability, I mean looking at the interface, features, logins, and general mechanics that affect how smoothly the tool fits into your workflow and your students’ experience. Here are few questions to consider for this kind of evaluation
- 1. Is the interface clean, intuitive, and easy for students to navigate?
- 2. Does it require student logins or accounts, and if so, are there options for single sign-on (Google, Microsoft)?
- 3. Are there distracting ads, pop-ups, or in-app purchases that could disrupt learning?
- 4. Can students access it on the devices they already have (Chromebooks, tablets, phones)?
- 5. Does the tool work well across browsers and operating systems?
- 6. Is it accessible to students with disabilities (screen readers, captions, keyboard navigation)?
- 7. Are there clear instructions, tutorials, or in-tool guidance available?
- 8. Is it reliable. Does it load quickly and handle classroom-level traffic without crashing?
- 9. Does it integrate smoothly with other platforms you use (LMS, Google Classroom, etc.)?
- 10. Is there a free version or trial so you can test it fully before committing?
2. Pedagogy
When we talk about Pedagogy, we focus on how the AI tool supports teaching and learning. The goal is to ensure that AI integration is grounded in sound educational principles. Here are some questions to consider for pedagogical evaluation
- 1. Does the tool align with your curriculum goals and learning outcomes?
- 2. Does its use help students engage deeply with content, not just complete tasks at a surface level?
- 3. Does the tool promote critical thinking, creativity, or collaboration rather than rote work?
- 4. Does it provide immediate feedback to students to guide their learning?
- 5. Can it record or track student performance for later reflection and analysis?
- 6. Does it support differentiation, allowing you to adapt lessons for diverse learners?
- 7. Does it encourage student agency by letting them explore, create, and make choices?
- 8. Can the tool be integrated into active learning strategies (projects, discussions, problem-solving)?
- 9. Does it enhance, rather than replace, meaningful teacher–student interaction?
- 10. Is its use scalable. Can you use it consistently across lessons without overloading students or teachers?
3. Ethics
A pedagogically sound AI integration cannot stand without ethical grounding. We want to address potential ethical limitations before using a tool and plan how to handle them responsibly. Here are few questions to consider.
- 1. What kind of data does the tool collect (names, emails, usage patterns, student work)?
- 2. Are age restrictions clearly stated, and does the tool comply with student privacy laws (COPPA, FERPA, GDPR)?
- 3. Does the tool use student data to train its models, and if so, is there an opt-out option?
- 4. Is student data encrypted and stored securely?
- 5. Does the tool share data with third parties, and if yes, for what purpose?
- 6. Are terms of service and privacy policies transparent and easy to understand?
- 7. Is the tool accessible and equitable for all students, including those with disabilities?
- 8. Does it include options to anonymize or delete student data upon request?
- 9. Does the company provide clear contacts or support channels for privacy concerns?
- 10. Could the tool introduce algorithmic bias that disproportionately impacts certain groups of students?
Here is the full AI Tool Evaluation Guide in PDF format
References and further readings
- aiEDU. AI Readiness Framework. https://www.aiedu.org/ai-readiness-framework
- Arizona Institute for Education and the Economy. (2025). Generative artificial intelligence in K–12 education: Guidance for Arizona schools and school systems (Version 25.01). Northern Arizona University.
- ISTE. (2023). Teacher Ready Edtech Product Evaluation Guide. https://cdn.iste.org/www-root/2023-06/ISTE_Edtech_Product_Evaluation_Guide-2023_06.pdf
- Morris, M. R. (2020). AI and accessibility. Communications of the ACM, 63(6), 35-37.
- Ross, E. M. (2023). Embracing artificial intelligence in the classroom: generative AI tools can reflect our failure of imagination and that is when the real learning starts. Harvard Graduate School of Education. https://www.gse.harvard.edu/ideas/usable-knowledge/23/07/embracing-artificial-intelligence-classroom?
- TeachAI. (2025). Sample Guidance. https://www.teachai.org/toolkit-guidance?
- UNESCO. (2022). Recommendation on the ethics of artificial intelligence. UNESCO. https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000381137
- U.S. Department of Education, Office of Educational Technology. (2024). Empowering education leaders: A toolkit for safe, ethical, and equitable AI integration. U.S. Department of Education.
- Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. (2024). Human-centered AI guidance for K–12 public schools. OSPI. https://ospi.k12.wa.us/sites/default/files/2024-01/human-centered-ai-guidance-k-12-public-schools.pdf
