Trails.scot was developed by the Data Education in Schools team at the University of Edinburgh in partnership with the Scottish Government, Education Scotland and the SQA. The project was funded by Responsible AI Uk and the Scottish Government.

Below are three lessons which introduce students to three common types of AI technology, how they work, and the ethical issues surrounding them. They can be delivered stand-alone or in any order, but the following order may work best:

This book explains some basic facts about how a type of AI called Generative AI (GenAI) could be used in schools. It uses the metaphor of a jungle to think about what AI can and can’t do and how it could be used in education. AI systems make up a new technological world to explore. We can learn a lot by exploring it, just as we have learned from exploring jungle habitats.

This book doesn’t explain how to use GenAI tools in the classroom. Instead, it’s intended to cover basic facts about GenAI, encourage children to think about how they would like to see it used in schools and spark interest in wider discussions about AI in society.

Each page has an activity suggestion for research or discussion tasks, which will prompt the children to consider some of the more philosophical aspects of AI. GenAI tools are cool gadgets, some of which are useful for learning. But AI in general has the potential to be a lot more than just another software tool.

Children, and adults, need to be AI literate. In addition to knowing how to use AI tools, we need knowledge of how AI works, its strengths and limitations, and the capacity to think critically about how it may help or hinder society.

By Prof. Judy Robertson (University of Edinburgh), Laura Meagher, and Elspeth Maxwell (Dog & Fox Design).

This handbook is intended for Scottish teachers to use in Broad General Education in upper primary and secondary school settings. The aim is to support teachers in teaching their learners about Generative AI (GenAI) and how to use GenAI tools responsibly and effectively to support learning.

It focuses mainly on Generative AI; future editions may consider other AI technologies, such as intelligent tutoring systems. Specific senior phase qualifications specialising in AI are outside the scope of this document. It is not intended to explain how teachers could use GenAI tools to reduce workload.

The curriculum was developed by Prof. Judy Robertson between May 2024 and May 2025 in collaboration with colleagues at the University of Edinburgh, particularly the Data Education in Schools team, with support from representatives from the Scottish Government, Education Scotland, SQA, The Scottish AI Alliance and The Children's Parliament. Funding from BRAID/AHRC and Responsible AI UK also supported the work.

By Prof. Judy Robertson (University of Edinburgh) and Elspeth Maxwell (Dog & Fox Design).