The Eblana AI Curriculum

Beyond Code: Building Ethical, Creative, Buoyant, Grounded Global Citizens for an AI World.

International schools lack a cohesive roadmap for the AI revolution. Eblana Learning provides the first fully articulated K–12 AI curriculum specifically tailored for IB-style pedagogy and other international school settings. With multiple entry points, (inquiry-based, content or standards) it balances literacy and ethical reasoning, empowering schools to integrate AI wisely and sustainably.

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Shortlisted

Overview

HundrED shortlisted this innovation

HundrED has shortlisted this innovation to one of its innovation collections. The information on this page has been checked by HundrED.

Updated April 2026

Web presence

2025

Established

1.2K 2026

7

Countries

All students

Target group

Specifically, the curriculum drives change across several core areas: 1. Reclaiming Human Agency and Autonomy We hope to see students reject the idea that they are being made obsolete by machines. Instead, the curriculum empowers students to see themselves as essential partners to technology 2. Cultivating Critical Discernment and Resistance We expect students to develop a rigorous skepticism toward AI outputs. By teaching them about the "evaluation paradox" and AI "sycophancy" (the machine's programming to be agreeable and tell users what they want to hear), students learn to stop accepting AI feedback at face value. 3. Shifting Toward "Abundance Thinking" and Wellbeing Instead of falling victim to tech-induced anxiety or emotional dependency, we hope to see students consciously choose a future characterized by abundance, balance and human flourishing. By confronting the harms of AI (such as social isolation, intellectual atrophy, and addiction), students are equipped to design personal and systemic solutions that prioritize human mental, physical, and emotional wellbeing. 4. Fostering Action-Oriented Ethical Advocates Finally, we hope to see a change in how students take responsibility for the broader societal and environmental impacts of AI. The curriculum moves them from passive critique to active design.

About the innovation

Why did you create this innovation?

Our official blurb: AI is changing education fast, but faster doesn’t always mean better.
Most AI programs focus on tools. Ours focuses on people. At Eblana Learning, we’ve been working with international schools across Europe, Asia and the Americas to build an AI curriculum rooted in what matters most: students’ agency, wellbeing and ethical development.

So, why do international schools need to integrate an AI curriculum?
Because today’s learners aren’t just future tech users. They’re future decision-makers, innovators and leaders in a world increasingly shaped by AI.

Our unofficial one: AI literacy focussed too much on tools and not enough on values. We wanted a curriculum that explains and rides the Hype Cycle - from innovation trigger to the peak of inflated expectations, to the trough of disillusionment and finally brings students to a plateau of enlightenment and productivity.

What does your innovation look like in practice?

The Eblana AI Curriculum innovates by treating AI literacy as a profound philosophical endeavour centered on human flourishing. Value-Driven "Quest" Architecture The entire program maps to seven human-centric values: Agency, Belonging, Wellbeing, Sustainability, Creativity, Cognition, and Embodiment
. Instead of linear software tutorials, it employs a gamified "Main Quest" and "Side Quest" structure, allowing students to "Choose Your Own Adventure" and chart an autonomous learning path.
Physical-to-Philosophical Pedagogy It rejects screen-only learning. Units routinely begin with "Physical Learning Artefacts"—like folding paper planes to understand cognitive load or playing card games to simulate algorithms—to ground abstract concepts in the real world. This organically shifts into complex philosophical debates using cinema (like Ex Machina or Minority Report) to interrogate consciousness, free will, and justice.
Safeguarding Cognitive Agency Anchored by the motto "Don't leave your mind behind," the curriculum explicitly trains students to combat "AI sycophancy". It protects "productive struggle," ensuring students use AI to augment their intellection.
In Practice: Students become ethical architects. They design "Ethical Blueprints" for global challenges, rigorously evaluate multimodal AI and engage in evidence-based Kialo debates on the future of humanity. Ultimately, students draft a "Metacognitive Manifesto," setting their own rules to govern their AI relationships.

How has it been spreading?

Incredibly popular although some schools worry about teacher overwhelm and there is a growing demand for student facing curriculum. We are in the process of writing this now as a result. We also have added integration and alignment to the curriculum to ease the pressure on schedules and teaching and learning workloads.

How have you modified or added to your innovation?

https://eblanalearning.com/ai-curriculum/
The Eblana AI curriculum is highly innovative because it shifts the focus of AI education away from mere technical training and software tutorials, instead treating AI literacy as a philosophical, ethical, and highly human endeavour.
Rather than just teaching students how to use tools, the curriculum is designed to help students critically evaluate when, why, and if they should use them. Several key design choices and pedagogical approaches make this curriculum stand out:
1. A "Human-First" Value Framework & Gamified "Quests" The entire curriculum is anchored by a "human-first" lens that focuses on seven core values: Agency, Belonging, Wellbeing, Sustainability, Creativity, Cognition, and Embodiment
. To make these abstract values engaging, the curriculum employs a "Choose Your Own Adventure" design
. Students navigate "Main Quests" (like participating in a structured Kialo debate on the future of humanity) and can branch off into value-driven "Side Quests"
. For example, the "Embodiment" side quest has students physically act out the role of AI sensors to understand how AI builds "world models"
, while the "Sustainability" side quest challenges them to audit the massive energy costs and water usage of data centers powering models like Genie 3.
2. The 7-Step "Unplugged to Plugged" Learning Flow Every unit is meticulously structured around a 7-step pedagogical flow: Engage, Explore, Explain, Experiment, Empower, Elaborate, and (TBC..

If I want to try it, what should I do?

Please just ask - I will happily, gleefully send access to sample units and the curriculum review completed by Trinity College Dublin into the veracity and rigour.

Implementation steps

Step 1

A Month-to-Month Curriculum Rollout
The first implementation pathway for the AI Curriculum within the school focuses on a structured month-to-month rollout.
This approach supports both teachers and school leaders ensuring that curriculum planning and strategic leadership evolve together.
The process typically begins by establishing an AI working group or identifying an AI lead within the school. This group becomes responsible for coordinating the rollout and guiding the wider staff.

Developing an AI strategy

Developing an AI Implementation Strategy
Alongside classroom preparation, school leaders play an important role in ensuring that AI education is strategically aligned with the school’s vision and structures.
During the early stages of the rollout, leadership teams review the full curriculum guide and begin discussing how AI education will be implemented within the school.
For example, one key question is whether AI learning should be delivered as standalone lessons or integrated into existing su

Learning from Early Implementation

As the AI curriculum begins to be taught, schools are encouraged to create regular opportunities for reflection and shared learning among staff.
One practical way to do this is by using existing all-staff meetings at the end of each month as a space for discussion.
These meetings allow teachers to reflect on their experiences teaching the AI units and to share what they have observed in their classrooms.

Choose your own path curriculum model

In this model, teachers begin by reviewing the AI Curriculum Guide, focusing in particular on the section that outlines the overall structure of the programme.
From there, schools collaborate to decide how they would like to explore the units together. Rather than following a strict schedule, teachers might examine the units based on themes, age groups, skills or existing subject areas.
For example, some departments might focus on the ethical and societal impacts of AI, while others explore the

A simple starting point

The Bare minimum plan is a streamlined approach to getting started with the AI Academy, particularly for schools that want to begin with a focused and manageable implementation.
The aim here is to meet the requirements of the Early Adopters Cohort while also building momentum within the school.
In this model, each grade level or department selects two AI units to focus on. This allows staff to engage with the curriculum in a way that feels purposeful and relevant to their subject areas or studen

Using advisory, tutor time or homeroom

As we continue exploring flexible ways to introduce the AI curriculum, this slide focuses on a very practical and accessible option that fits naturally into most school structures.
Many schools already have dedicated time built into the schedule for advisory, homeroom or tutor sessions. These moments are often used for pastoral care, reflection or administrative check-ins, which makes them an ideal space to introduce AI learning in a meaningful and low-pressure way.
The key focus here is on deve

Themed focus weeks (Interdisciplinary Weeks, Week without Walls, etc)

schools to create a more immersive and engaging experience for students.
Many schools already run special events or off-timetable weeks, such as IDU Week, Week Without Walls or Digital Safety Week. These provide an ideal opportunity to introduce the AI curriculum in a focused and meaningful way.
Rather than spreading lessons across the term, schools can condense parts of the curriculum into a dedicated period, allowing students to fully engage with key ideas and skills.
A helpful structure is to

Assemblies or Reflective Opportunities

Assemblies or student diaries are a very simple yet powerful way to begin introducing AI ideas across the school community.
This approach focuses on using lightweight entry points, or “hooks,” that spark curiosity without requiring a full curriculum rollout.
Schools can use the inquiry questions from the programme as prompts, such as How do I learn with AI? or What are the impacts of using AI? These questions can be introduced during assemblies, weekly reflections or short classroom discussions.

Modular Swaps in STEM or CompSci Units

As we continue exploring practical ways to integrate the AI curriculum, the following approach works particularly well within existing STEM or computer science classes.
Rather than introducing entirely new units, schools can take advantage of the curriculum’s modular design to make targeted adjustments within current programmes.
The AI curriculum is built in bite-sized, flexible modules, which allows teachers to introduce new content without needing to redesign their entire scheme of work. This

Integrating into Digital Citizenship and/or Media Literacy frameworks

Rather than positioning AI as a separate technical subject, this approach integrates it into areas where students are already exploring topics such as online behaviour, information literacy and responsible technology use.
Using inquiry questions like How can I use AI?, students can explore issues such as privacy, terms of service and human judgment. These discussions help students think more critically about how AI systems influence the information they see and the decisions they make.
In subjec

Social and Emotional Learning / Wellbeing programs

One of the strengths of the programme is its human-first approach, which aligns closely with SEL initiatives that focus on student wellbeing, relationships and personal development.
The curriculum places a strong emphasis on belonging, responsibility and thoughtful engagement with technology, which naturally supports conversations around mental health and balanced digital habits.
For example, the inquiry question What does the future hold? can be used to introduce ideas such as digital self-regu

Citizenship, PSHE and Service Learning

Another area of integration addresses how the AI curriculum can extend beyond the classroom into citizenship, PSHE and service learning programmes.
This approach allows students to apply their learning in real-world contexts, connecting AI concepts with community engagement and social responsibility.
Through inquiry questions such as What are the impacts of using AI?, students can explore how technology influences society and how it can be used to address meaningful challenges.

Innovation Hubs, STEM clubs and Afterschool ativities

The modular structure of the curriculum makes it especially well suited to project-based learning, where students can explore ideas through creativity, experimentation and collaboration.
For younger students, maker-style clubs can focus on a single theme over a term. For example, students might design a “helper robot” or develop ideas for a smart garden, connecting AI concepts with real-world applications.
Older students can engage in inquiry-driven projects that explore how AI can be used to in

Final steps - full AI Curriculum integration

As we move into the final section, it is helpful to look at how the AI curriculum can be structured across grade levels over time.
Rather than delivering AI learning as a one-off experience, this model focuses on progressive development, allowing students to build their understanding step by step.
The curriculum is organised into six inquiry-based units, each exploring a different dimension of AI, from foundational understanding through to future-focused thinking.
By distributing these units acr