AI Guiding Principles in BrainPOP

BrainPOP's mission is to help students understand the world around them and within them. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is now part of that world—and part of their classrooms. That's why BrainPOP creates AI-enabled learning opportunities and teaching tools with intention: designed to equip students and teachers to understand, teach, and use AI with confidence.

We design these tools to address real classroom needs and test them in partnership with teachers and students. Teachers are always in the driver's seat, with AI serving as support (never a replacement) for their judgment and instructional expertise. We openly share how our tools work and how data is protected, so districts can feel confident that what they adopt is dependable, aligned with instruction, and worthy of trust.

Our guiding AI principles below demonstrate our commitment on three levels:

1. Helping students learn about AI as a part of digital citizenship

2. Using AI to build teacher capacity and save time

3. Designing student-facing AI that scaffolds and supports learning

Principle 1: Learning about AI is part of digital citizenship

Understand AI before you use AI

AI literacy is essential for responsible participation in today's world. Students shouldn't simply encounter AI; they need background knowledge and digital citizenship skills to question, interpret, and use technology thoughtfully. With this foundation, students gain confidence rather than confusion and grow into responsible digital citizens—ready to thrive in the world they're inheriting.

Where we do it:

• AI Literacy Collection (Launching for Back to School 2026): New series of BrainPOP movies that builds AI literacy concepts and skills across subjects, so teachers can help students understand and critically evaluate AI without adding a new subject to their already-packed schedules.
  

• Artificial Intelligence topic: Introduces students to what AI is, how it works, and where it shows up in their world.
  

• Digital citizenship units: A collection of topics that build skills in online safety, ethics, media literacy, and responsible participation, helping students think critically about their choices and behaviors online.

Principle 2: AI should build teacher capacity and save time

AI makes the suggestions. Teachers make the decisions.

We believe teachers know their students best, and they should always be in the driver’s seat. That’s why every BrainPOP tool is built with teachers in control: AI may suggest, but teachers review, refine, and decide. By handling repetitive tasks, AI extends teacher capacity—giving them back time to focus on sparking curiosity, building relationships, and guiding learning.

Where we do it:

• BrainPOP Assisted Grading™ in BrainPOP Science: helps streamline scoring of students’ Claim-Evidence-Reasoning (CER) writing tasks. A secure, custom-built model suggests rubric-based scores and feedback, saving valuable time. Teachers stay in control—reviewing, editing, or overriding suggestions—so students only see teacher-approved scores. Administrators can also opt out of using BrainPOP Assisted Grading™.

Principle 3: AI should support—not short-circuit—student learning

AI gives every student a way in.

Instruction is strongest when it’s inclusive by design: all learners benefit when they can access the same content in ways that meet their needs. Student-facing AI should serve as a scaffold, creating multiple pathways into learning while keeping critical thinking and problem-solving in students’ hands.

Where we do it:

• AI Reading Scaffolds in Connected Texts: Connected Texts are short, high-interest passages that reinforce key vocabulary, build background knowledge, and check comprehension. Each passage is supported by built-in Reading Scaffolds that make grade-level content more accessible. These scaffolds are powered by AI, which generates contextually relevant, student-friendly support with Word Help (definitions, audio support) or Sentence Help (simplified rewrites), helping them make meaning of what they’re reading.

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Transparency is at the heart of our design. All AI outputs undergo both automated and human review for safety and accuracy. We distinguish between how AI supports students versus how it supports teachers:

For Students: Every AI-generated Reading Scaffold™ is clearly labeled 'Made with AI' so learners and educators know exactly how the support was created.

For Teachers: In BrainPOP Science, our BrainPOP Assisted Grading™ tool uses a secure, custom-built model to analyze student writing and suggest scores based on specific rubrics. This data is analyzed to save teachers time, but the final decision always remains with the educator.

Learn more about BrainPOP's approach to leveraging AI transparently, responsibly, and securely to benefit students, teachers, and schools in our privacy policy.