AI Documentation & Compliance in Education
Lost in the System
This case study explores what happens when educational institutions deploy AI tools without maintaining up-to-date inventories or governance records. Based on real-world risk patterns, the fictionalised scenario follows a large education provider that unknowingly allowed multiple departments to adopt AI systems—without central oversight, documentation, or ethical review. When a serious data breach occurred, the organisation had no record of what tools were in use, who had approved them, or how they were being managed. The case highlights the critical need for maintaining AI inventories, data flows, and decision-making records to ensure accountability, transparency, and ethical oversight.
We Never Looked Under the Hood
Show Us the Proof
This case study examines the critical importance of establishing clear protocols for internal and external audits of AI systems in education. It follows a fictionalised—but research-informed—scenario in which a vocational education provider experienced reputational and legal fallout after failing to audit an AI platform used for admissions and learner profiling. Despite high uptake and institutional reliance, no internal reviews or independent audits had been conducted since the system’s launch. When discriminatory outcomes were revealed, the absence of documented oversight undermined the provider’s ability to respond effectively. This case underscores that trust in AI systems must be built on visibility, verification, and accountability.
This case study explores the growing expectation that educational institutions be able to clearly demonstrate compliance with AI-related legislation, policies, and ethical frameworks. In this fictionalised but research-informed scenario, a school network is audited after a national regulatory body receives complaints about algorithmic discrimination and a lack of informed consent. Although school leaders insisted their AI tools were compliant, they struggled to provide documented evidence. The case underscores the need for proactive systems of documentation, accountability, and review to ensure institutions can both meet and demonstrate their legal, ethical, and educational obligations.