Introduction to AI
A hands-on course for high school students that explores what AI is, how it actually works, how to use it responsibly, and how it could shape the future. This course is the first module of the National AI in Schools Program
At a glance
- 8 lessons, up to 20 hours of teaching
- Designed for Years 7 and 8, adaptable to Years 9–12
- This course can be used on internet-connected computers and tablets
- No student logins required.
- Free to access
- Lessons can be taught independently or in sequence
Available to all schools from the start of Term 4
Lessons
Teach the lessons in order as a full course, or pick the ones that suit your class. Each stands on its own, with slides, activities and worksheets.
Lesson 1: What is AI?
Learn what AI is and how AI has developed over the years. Interact with chatbots and explore the technologies behind them.
Lesson 2: Different Types of AI
Explore different types of AI, with a focus on Generative AI. Students learn how AI models create text, images, video, audio and code, and how AI is used in the real world.
Lesson 3: Trust and AI
How AI can be wrong (hallucinations), telling true from false, bias in AI models, deepfakes and scams, and how to protect your privacy.
Lesson 4: Using AI Responsibly
How AI is changing the way we work and live, what it might be doing to our thinking, and how to use it responsibly.
Lesson 5: Under the Hood
How LLMs actually work: tokenisation, embeddings, the transformer architecture, RLHF, context windows, grounding, statelessness and reasoning models.
Lesson 6: Behind the Scenes
What happens behind the scenes when you send a prompt. Students learn about GPUs, data centres, cloud computing, the energy and water AI uses, and the different types of LLMs.
Lesson 7: Problem Solving with Vibe Coding and Agentic AI
Structure clear prompts, join them together with vibe coding to build apps, use design thinking to solve the right problem, and explore what AI agents are, how permissions work, and how to use them responsibly.
Lesson 8: The Future of AI
Review what you have learnt about how AI works, how to use it well and its risks, then explore possible AI futures: near-term advances, robots, the future of work, AGI, superintelligence, and the choices that shape a safer and fairer future.
A school-safe AI chatbot built for this course
Lumen is TFA's own AI learning environment — a specially designed chatbot that's safe for the classroom and built around the activities in this course. Students use Lumen to generate AI outputs, compare models, explore branching prompts, and develop a hands-on understanding of how LLMs actually work. All prompts are pre-defined and guardrailed. No free-form input, no student logins needed.
About the course
This course covers what AI is, how it actually works under the hood, and how to use it well. Topics include trust and misinformation, vibe coding, AI agents, and responsible use.
Through videos, hands-on activities, and guided experiments with Lumen – a safe, school-ready AI chatbot – students develop practical skills alongside critical thinking.
A key focus throughout is helping students see how easily AI can generate misinformation and biased responses, and why trust, transparency and responsible use matter.
No prior AI knowledge needed. The course is designed for teachers of all backgrounds.
Resources for teachers
Create an account to access free resources, including:
Presentation slides for every lesson, with teacher notes and guidance
Worksheets and solutions for each activity
Suggested lesson timings with links to all materials
Curriculum alignment
Covers ACARA's AI Curriculum Connection — understanding how AI works, types of AI, and responsible use
A note on assessment
Assessment is built into the course through structured worksheets and reflection activities. These resources help teachers check understanding, identify misconceptions and support student progress. Questions increase in difficulty, allowing teachers to differentiate for mixed-ability classes.
What students walk away with
Know
- What AI is and how it works at a conceptual level
- How Large Language Models (LLMs) are built and trained
- Why AI can produce misinformation and biased responses
- Where AI is already embedded in everyday life
Do
- Use an AI chatbot critically, not passively
- Evaluate AI responses for accuracy and bias
- Experiment with prompts to get better results
- Recognise how vibe coding lowers the barrier to building with AI
Think differently about
- AI as a tool with real limitations
- Their own responsibility as an AI user
- The human choices baked into AI systems
- Their own future in a world shaped by AI