Skills Framework
Seven skills.
Zero expiry dates.
AI tools have a shelf life of months. These skills have a shelf life of a career.
“The children who thrive won't be the ones who memorized today's tools. They'll be the ones who learned how to learn.”
Critical Thinking
Think before you trust.
Analyze claims, identify assumptions, evaluate evidence. These skills apply with any AI tool, or no tool at all.
In practice
A student receives an AI-generated answer. Instead of copying it, they ask: What assumptions is this based on? What evidence supports it? What might be wrong?
Verification
Trust, but verify.
Cross-check AI outputs against trusted sources. Understand hallucination, bias, and the limits of generated content.
In practice
A student asks AI for historical facts, then verifies each claim against primary sources before using them in their project.
Communication
Say what you mean.
Express ideas clearly in writing, speech, and visual media. Prompt craft is just one expression of this broader skill.
In practice
A student learns that a better prompt is really just a better-expressed thought — and that skill works in essays, presentations, and conversations too.
Collaboration
People first. Tools second.
Work with people and AI tools toward shared goals. Navigate team dynamics, give feedback, integrate perspectives.
In practice
A team of four divides a project, uses AI to accelerate research, then combines their work through peer review and iteration.
Creativity
Imagine what doesn't exist yet.
Generate original ideas, design solutions, and build things that matter. AI amplifies imagination — it doesn't replace it.
In practice
A student uses AI to generate 20 variations, picks the best elements, and combines them into something entirely new.
Self-Management
Own your process.
Set goals, manage time, reflect on progress. The discipline that makes all other skills effective.
In practice
A student tracks their own growth across seven skills, identifies where they're weakest, and focuses there next session.
Responsible AI Use
Power with intention.
Understand privacy, consent, attribution, and ethical boundaries. Use AI deliberately, not by default.
In practice
A student pauses: Should I use AI here? What data am I sharing? Who deserves credit? What if this output is wrong?