AI in education doesn’t have to mean the end of critical thinking—it can be the beginning of a smarter, more curious generation.
GUEST COLUMN | by Ryan Trattner
In a world where students can shortcut their way to any answer, anytime, do we abandon the effort to teach critical thinking skills altogether? If our education system from top to bottom doesn’t adapt to the AI world, then we already have.
A recent study by Michael Gerlich “…revealed a significant negative correlation between frequent AI tool usage and critical thinking abilities.” Students are using generic AI chatbots like ChatGPT that are built as pure productivity tools and not purpose-built platforms for true learning.
Skipping the Mental Workout
Like muscle, critical thinking atrophies without regular use, and today’s students are skipping the mental workout entirely. Right now, we have an entire generation of students that can make answers appear without any effort.
Browsing the internet for answers is similar to using a library; students must still search, interpret, and apply the information they find themselves to answer questions. AI, on the other hand, often hands over ready-made answers and replaces critical thinking with a simple copy and paste.
As signaled in the recent New York Magazine piece by James Walsh titled “Everyone Is Cheating Their Way Through College – ChatGPT has unraveled the entire academic project”, many in the academic sphere would probably agree that it’s becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish original work from AI-generated material.
The bottom line: we can’t completely prevent AI from being misused in education. In classrooms, we can remove access to technology for assignments, which some schools have done, but that’s a temporary solution to a systemic issue. AI will soon become as common and accurate as a calculator – and it will also be able to reliably “show its work”. Just as educators adapted to calculators by shifting problem types, they’ll need to redesign assignments to encourage deeper research and effective AI use. We need to prioritize teaching students how to delegate, prompt, and think critically while demonstrating true understanding and retention, all essential skills for the future workforce.
First Step: AI Literacy Training
The first step is to focus on AI literacy training. A majority of K-12 schools either lack student-facing AI solutions or have completely banned AI tools, while higher education institutions are already seeking AI-proficient graduates.
In his book The Anxious Generation, Jonathan Haidt argues that we overprotect kids in the real world while under protecting them online, fueling a rise in anxiety and depression. With AI, we risk making the same mistake. Students are using potentially harmful tools which will degrade critical thinking skills with little to no training or oversight.
We don’t let teenagers drive without instruction, supervision, and a learner’s permit because an automobile is a powerful and potentially dangerous machine. AI is also a powerful and potentially dangerous machine. If we want students to use it responsibly and effectively, we need to teach them how.
Purpose-built AI learning platforms are the only way to begin that process and reverse the trend of declining critical thinking skills.
We need to teach AI literacy to students the way we teach all other forms of digital literacy, like sending an email or preparing a document. Teaching students how to delegate effectively is one of the most important things we can do. As AI becomes more like a full-fledged employee, every worker will need to manage an AI team. That means every student should learn how to lead, delegate, and collaborate with AI systems.
Incorporating AI into lesson plans helps build confidence and proficiency with essential future skills that will prepare students for the AI workforce. Just as “Teach the Teacher” has been an effective classroom strategy, “Teach the AI” can be its next evolution, allowing students to both demonstrate their grasp of the curriculum and their ability to guide AI systems through prompting.
Defining the Next Century
Once students develop responsible AI skills in primary and secondary school, they need to be armed with the skills to leverage AI’s power. Higher education institutions need to assume students are using AI every day and adapt their curriculum accordingly. Employers need to embrace AI professional development to enhance productivity. Every industry will be impacted by this technology, and how we adapt as a society will define the next century.
Student-focused, purpose-built systems are not optional. AI is here, and governments worldwide are mandating AI literacy for students as young as six-years-old. It’s incumbent upon AI EdTech companies to collaborate with countries, universities, districts, administrators and parents to make sure the next generation is prepared to thrive in an AI-powered world.
As Loni Mahanta recently said in The 74, “If we wait, we lose.”
—
Ryan Trattner is the CTO and Co-Founder of StudyFetch, an AI-native learning platform designed to empower students, educators, parents, and institutions. Motivated by a deep commitment to solving the evolving challenges of modern education, Ryan co-founded StudyFetch in 2023 with Esan Durrani. Since then, the platform has grown to serve millions of users and has been adopted by K-12 schools and universities across the United States. Connect with Ryan’s Co-Founder Esan on LinkedIn.
0 Comments