Claude Academy
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The 4D Framework

Lesson 320 min
In this lessonBy the end, you’ll be able to
  • Explain how the AI Fluency Framework (4Ds) can be applied to your work
  • Define each of the 4Ds: Delegation, Description, Discernment, and Diligence

Introducing the 4D Framework for AI Fluency

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Introducing the 4D Framework for AI Fluency · 7 min

SummaryTranscript

This video introduces the 4D Framework: Delegation, Description, Discernment, and Diligence, and explains how each competency applies to the daily work of pk–12 educators. You'll see how the framework maps to tasks you already do, from lesson planning to parent communication.

Key takeaways

  • The Delegation-Diligence loop guides higher-level decisions about when to use AI.
    • Delegation involves deciding what work should be done by humans versus AI.
    • Diligence means taking responsibility for how you use AI.
  • The Description-Discernment loop guides effective day-to-day interactions.
    • Description is how you communicate effectively with AI systems.
    • Discernment means critically evaluating AI's work.
  • You already do this. Description is very similar to the skills used in lesson planning (defining outputs, steps, success criteria). Discernment is very similar to evaluating student work and curriculum materials. These skills transfer directly, just with a new collaborator.

Exercises

Build your context document

You'll use this document to give AI context about you throughout the course, expanding it as you learn how you want to use AI in your practice. It starts with what matters most: your values.

  1. Start with your values (5 min, in your own notes). Your teaching—and your judgment about AI—is grounded in what you value. Jot down:
    • What you most want students to become because of your teaching (e.g., independent thinkers, collaborators, ethical decision-makers, confident learners).
    • Your most ambitious goal for your classroom.
    • Which of those goals could be undermined if AI is used carelessly.
    • One way AI might free up your time for higher-impact work.
  2. Open a conversation with AI. Tell it you're an educator building a context document for future AI collaborations, share your notes from step 1, and ask it to interview you about your role, your students, your constraints, your goals, and the values you want guiding your AI use. Keep it conversational, and don't include any student-identifying details.
  3. Ask AI to synthesize. Have it create a short, reusable context document that leads with your core values, then your role, students, and goals. Review it, fix what's wrong, and save it where you'll find it again—you'll reuse and expand it throughout the course.
  4. Tag it to the 4Ds. Skim your finished document and mark which of your values, concerns, or goals map to Delegation, Description, Discernment, or Diligence.

Lesson reflection

  • Were you surprised by which competency showed up most in your document? What does that tell you about your current relationship with AI?
  • The 4Ds build on skills you already use as a teacher. Which comes most naturally, and which will take the most intention with AI?

What's next

In the next lesson, we'll dive deeper into AI's capabilities and limits to establish a foundation for the remaining lessons.