Setting Sail with AI: Kathryn MacCallum’s Call for Critical Literacy

Kathryn MacCallum for practical ways to build AI literacy in your classroom.
“We can’t just sit still and hope this storm passes—we need to learn how to sail.”
That was the opening metaphor offered by Associate Professor Kathryn MacCallum (University of Canterbury), setting the tone for a compelling keynote that challenged educators to stop avoiding artificial intelligence and start steering through it with purpose.

As AI becomes more deeply embedded in our lives—from smart fridges to predictive texts—MacCallum argued that the greatest risk we face is not the tools themselves, but uncritical trust in them. That’s where her groundbreaking SAIL Framework (Scaffolded AI Literacy) comes in: a flexible, comprehensive roadmap for building AI capability in learners of all ages.

🚨 AI Isn’t Optional – It’s Already Here

From automated spellcheckers to intelligent learning platforms, AI is part of education whether we like it or not. Ignoring it doesn’t make it go away—it just increases the risk of misinformation, manipulation, and inequity.

MacCallum warned that some current strategies, like banning AI tools in classrooms or relying on flawed detection software (like Turnitin AI or GPTZero), are like “buying snake oil to treat a digital flu.” These tools offer a false sense of control rather than a genuine solution.

🧠 The Real Risk? Blind Trust

Generative AI, like ChatGPT, feels authoritative. It speaks in confident, polished tones. But that doesn’t mean it’s always right. In fact, it often hallucinates facts, perpetuates biases, or surfaces outdated research.

That’s why MacCallum calls for AI literacy, not AI panic—educators and students alike need the skills to question, critique, and understand AI, not just use it.

🛠 Enter the SAIL Framework

Developed through a Delphi study involving 17 international experts, the SAIL Framework (Scaffolded AI Literacy) lays out four levels of capability:

Know and Understand AI
(Foundational awareness—what AI is, how it works, and its basic implications)
Use and Apply AI
(Hands-on use of tools like Teachable Machine, with discussions on ethics and bias)
Evaluate and Create AI
(Designing AI applications and critically evaluating their impact)
Beyond AI Literacy
(Specialist level—entering the realm of AI innovation and research)

The framework is age-agnostic and context-flexible—meaning a Year 5 teacher can build level 1 understanding just as a tertiary educator might build level 3 mastery. It’s all about the learning context, not coding skills.

📚 6 Categories of Literacy Covered in the Framework:

The Impacts of AI
What AI Is and How It Works
Cognitive Skills (e.g., critical thinking)
Applied Skills
Social, Cultural, and Ethical Issues
Risks and Mitigations

👩‍🏫 AI Literacy in Action: Real Examples

To make AI literacy tangible, the framework highlights practical, level-appropriate tools:

Level 1:Quick, Draw! (https://quickdraw.withgoogle.com)
- Young learners experiment with drawing, seeing how AI interprets sketches.
- Older students explore dataset bias and how AI models are trained.
Level 2:Teachable Machine (https://teachablemachine.withgoogle.com)
- Students create image/sound models and reflect on fairness, bias, and social impacts.
Level 3:Machine Learning for Kids (https://machinelearningforkids.co.uk)
- Learners build AI projects using real datasets, address ethical design concerns, and explore real-world AI applications.

Each level blends knowledge, application, and citizenship—building not just technical skills but a moral compass in a machine-driven world.

⚖️ Equity, Engagement, and Ethics

MacCallum is clear: early access to AI literacy is an equity issue. Students who master AI will pass assessments with ease. Those who don’t? They’ll fall behind—not because of capability, but because of exposure. As MacCallum shared, even her 11-year-old son knows how to use ChatGPT wisely and adapt responses to appear authentic.

Banning AI won’t close that gap. Teaching it will.

🌱 Final Thought: Start Small, But Start Now

You don’t need to master every AI tool or code your own bot. But you do need to engage. The SAIL framework offers a structure for professional growth, curriculum development, and student empowerment.

MacCallum invites educators to start with small steps: