Wave 2 - 2026

From Bots to Agents: AI That Does Work for You

From Bots to Agents takes educators beyond conversational AI into the world of autonomous AI agents. Participants explore how AI can be given goals, tools, and workflows to complete multi-step tasks—and learn where human oversight must remain.


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Host

Matthew Esterman

Who is this for

  • Leadership
  • Classroom teachers
  • Administrators
  • Secondary school
  • Primary school

Standards

APST 3.4
APST 7.2
APST 6.4

Included

  • Templates and resources
  • Applied implementation tasks
  • Community access
  • Certificate of completion

Course Description

From Bots to Agents: AI That Does Work for You represents the next frontier in AI capability. While bots respond to prompts, agents take initiative. They can plan, use tools, execute multi-step workflows, and adapt based on results—all with minimal human input.

This course introduces educators to the concept of AI agents: what they are, how they differ from chatbots, and what they can do in an educational context. Participants explore real-world examples of agents that schedule, research, draft, summarise, and coordinate tasks across platforms.

The course also confronts the governance challenges agents introduce. When AI acts autonomously, questions of accountability, transparency, and control become urgent. Participants learn frameworks for evaluating when agentic AI is appropriate, how to set boundaries, and what safeguards schools should put in place.

From Bots to Agents equips educators and leaders to make informed decisions about the next wave of AI tools entering schools—not as passive observers, but as thoughtful adopters.

What you will learn

  • How to distinguish between AI chatbots and autonomous AI agents, and understand what agents can actually do.
  • How to use AI agents to automate multi-step tasks such as research, drafting, scheduling and information synthesis.
  • How to design simple AI workflows that help reduce administrative workload while maintaining human oversight.
  • How to evaluate the risks, governance considerations and safeguards needed when using agentic AI in schools.

Designed for Real Classrooms

Every strategy in this course has been tested in schools navigating real constraints: time, governance, workload and accountability. This is not theory. It is applied practice.

From Curiosity to Capability

AI experimentation is easy. Sustained capability is not. Educator Intelligence helps schools move from isolated exploration to shared professional judgement.
Your host

Matthew Esterman

Matthew Esterman is a nationally recognised educator, school leader and AI consultant working at the forefront of AI in education. He has supported independent, Catholic and government schools across Australia and internationally to integrate AI responsibly, strengthen governance, and build professional capability in teaching and leadership.
Educator Intelligence is founded by Matthew Esterman and ClassCover.

 An initiative of