The right tool at the right time.
Four questions that turn any "should we use this AI tool?" conversation into a structured decision — grounded in professional judgment, not vendor hype.
W — Weigh the learning goal
What should students learn? What prior knowledge do they have? Always start with pedagogy — never with the tool.
I — Inspect what the subject requires
What does this particular subject and content call for? An essay in language arts has different tool needs than a problem-solving task in mathematics.
S — Select the right tool
Choose the tool that best serves learning for the students you have: pen and paper, a physical book, a digital book, other digital tools, an AI tool, no tool at all, or something entirely different?
E — Evaluate the outcome
Did it work well? Did students learn better with this tool than they would have with a different one? Adjust and run the cycle again.
The WISE Framework for Teachers
W — Weigh the learning goal
What should students learn? What prior knowledge do they have? Always start with pedagogy — never with the tool.
I — Inspect what the subject requires
What does this particular subject and content call for? An essay in language arts has different tool needs than a problem-solving task in mathematics.
S — Select the right tool
Choose the tool that best serves learning for the students you have: pen and paper, a physical book, a digital book, other digital tools, an AI tool, no tool at all, or something entirely different?
E — Evaluate the outcome
Did it work well? Did students learn better with this tool than they would have with a different one? Adjust and run the cycle again.
The WISE Framework for School Leaders
W — Weigh the objective
What problem should this initiative solve? Start with the school's vision and the needs of students and teachers — not with the tech budget or the latest tool.
I — Investigate subjects and operations
Which subjects and activities benefit from this initiative — and which don't? An investment that works in mathematics may not work in language arts. Conduct thorough needs assessments that lead to well-founded decisions!
S — Select with strategic intent
Which tools should the school invest in — and which should it actively choose not to? Which of the tools currently available deliver the desired results and which don't?
E — Evaluate with data
Set evaluation criteria before the initiative is implemented — not afterwards. Did student outcomes improve? Did teacher competence increase? Use data to evaluate and discontinue what doesn't work.
Download the WISE handout
Two-page A4 PDF.