European Schoolnet Academy thematic seminar explores how teacher learning is recognised
“If AI is now embedded in most digital tools, and can be used to produce polished teaching artefacts such as lesson plans, what counts as meaningful evidence of teacher learning?”
This question, raised by a participant during the European Schoolnet Academy thematic seminar, stayed with many throughout the discussion. It reflects a situation familiar to many teachers: professional learning is often documented through lesson plans or portfolios, yet these do not always capture how learning unfolds in practice.
The question resonated strongly with the themes explored during the seminar and in the report Assessing Teacher Learning in the Age of AI, which looks at how teacher learning is being recognised as AI becomes part of everyday professional tools.
What’s changing as AI enters everyday practice
Across the seminar, AI was discussed not as a future scenario but as something teachers are already encountering. Some participants shared how AI is being used to generate lesson ideas or support reflection. Others raised questions about how this affects what counts as evidence of learning.
Examples discussed included tools that can support classroom observation and feedback, AI-powered tutors that guide reflection, and simulation environments where teachers can practise classroom situations. These tools may open new possibilities for feedback and professional dialogue, but they also raise practical questions:
- Which aspects of teacher learning should be assessed when digital tools can support the creation of written work?
- How can teachers show their thinking and decision-making, not just the final product?
- How can we use AI in ways that support teacher learning without making things more complicated?
Looking beyond documents
Throughout the discussion, many participants noted that teacher learning is rarely captured in a single document. It tends to emerge through ongoing reflection, collaboration with colleagues and adjustments made in the classroom over time.
Written assignments and portfolios still have their place, but many participants noted that they only tell part of the story. Combining different forms of evidence such as observation, peer discussion, reflection and classroom practice can help create a more realistic picture of professional growth.
Rather than replacing what already exists, the discussion pointed to recognising a broader range of evidence of teacher learning, supported by opportunities that AI tools can offer to analyse and develop classroom practice, while maintaining emphasis on teachers’ ethical reasoning and attitudes toward AI use.
Keeping it realistic
Any change to assessment needs to work in real classrooms and busy schedules. Teachers in the discussion highlighted the need for professional learning to remain manageable and connected to daily practice. Many teachers are already experimenting in small ways: sharing reflections with colleagues, using AI tools cautiously and thinking more about how learning processes are documented.
Throughout the seminar, one message came through clearly: teachers are already adapting. Small adjustments, shared reflections and ongoing conversations with colleagues are shaping how professional learning is documented and recognised in today’s context. The aim is not to have all the answers straight away, but to keep exploring what feels meaningful and useful in practice.
The report brings together examples and perspectives from across Europe and offers a space to continue that reflection. You might recognise some of the questions raised during the seminar in your own context: how do you show what you are learning as your practice evolves? Which kinds of evidence feel helpful, and which feel less relevant?
If these questions resonate with you, you can explore the report and revisit the seminar recording to see how others are approaching them. We hope they offer ideas, reassurance and perhaps a starting point for conversations in your own school or network.
If you joined the seminar or if these questions connect to your own work, we would also welcome your feedback. Your input will help shape the focus of the next European Schoolnet Academy thematic seminar.
Resources :
AI usage policy and process-oriented assessment: key updates for learners
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