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Heather Grieve

Candidate for School Trustee 73 - TEA1

Technology is constantly evolving, and I think part of our role as a Board is to understand how that is affecting education and ensure that our policies and governance keep pace with those changes.

There is a real benefit to students and staff understanding how to use technology, including artificial intelligence, appropriately and responsibly. At the same time, there need to be appropriate boundaries around the use of smartphones, social media, AI and other digital tools so that they support learning rather than interfere with curriculum, student development, engagement or the learning environment.

For me, this is about finding the right balance. Technology should have a purpose in the classroom and should support the work of teachers and the learning of students. It also needs to be used in a way that reflects a respectful education environment, including respect for one another, privacy and safety.

AI in particular is something that is going to continue to evolve. As a Board, our role is not to determine every classroom practice, but to understand how these technologies are being used, the opportunities and challenges they present, and the policies and safeguards that need to be in place. It is also important to understand the direction the Ministry is taking as AI becomes more embedded in education.

There is also a governance responsibility around infrastructure. So much of teaching and learning now relies on digital platforms such as Google Classroom and other technology, and the infrastructure needs to support the number of students and staff who depend on those systems while maintaining appropriate security and safety.