How to Use AI in Learning and Development Strategies

“AI is killing critical thinking." That’s the debate, right? That if students use AI, they’ll stop thinking for themselves? But there’s the flaw in that narrative—critical thinking isn’t about avoidance. If we keep positioning AI as a threat to thinking, we miss the bigger opportunity: to design learning experiences where students wrestle with ideas, troubleshoot problems, and refine their reasoning. The narrative is in your hands. Students disengaged? AI might be the perfect addition to your toolbox. Not by handing them answers—but by making them earn them. Here’s how flipping the script on AI can re-engage students across subjects: ✅ Math– Instead of solving problems, AI generates incorrect solutions. Students become the detectives, diagnosing errors and justifying corrections. ✅ English/History– AI debates students with an opposing viewpoint on a book or historical event. Instead of summarizing, students sharpen arguments, analyze bias, and refine persuasion. ✅ Science– AI describes a fictional planet’s gravity and atmosphere. Students determine if humans could survive there, using real-world physics and biology to back up their claims. ✅ Art– Instead of generating art, AI critiques student work from the perspective of Van Gogh, a minimalist, or an AI itself. The result? Students engage in deeper reflection and artistic intent. ✅ Coding– AI presents buggy, inefficient code, and students have to debug it. Less memorization, more hands-on problem-solving. The best part? Privacy stays intact; AI isn't collecting student data, just giving them a challenge to wrestle with. We don’t need AI to think for students. We need to use it in ways that push them to think harder. AI isn’t the problem. It’s how we use it that matters. Let’s build the future of learning with that in mind. Who else is designing AI-powered learning experiences that keep students in the driver’s seat? Let’s swap ideas. #AIinEducation #EdTech #StudentEngagement

We are excited to announce the release of our "Guide to Integrating Generative AI for Deeper Literacy Learning" - a collaboration between AI for Education and Student Achievement Partners. We co-developed the guide with SAP, experts in high quality instruction, with an understanding that both the technology and its educational applications are at it's earliest stages. We also know that many teachers, leaders, and students are concerned about the impact the tools will have on learning. We want this guide to act as a jumping off point for educators that are trying to determine if GenAI can positively intersect with high quality instruction in the literacy classroom. The Key Principles of the Guide: •  GenAI tools should support, not circumvent, productive struggle for students •  AI literacy should come before the Integration of GenAI tools •  GenAI should augment educators’ pedagogical expertise, content knowledge, and knowledge of students •  Integration when appropriate should enhance, not replace, proven instructional practices •  Usage should align with students’ developmental readiness and literacy goals Highlights: • A framework for distinguishing productive vs. counterproductive struggle in literacy classrooms • Practical strategies for using AI to enhance student engagement without replacing critical thinking for students •  Best practices for enhancing cognitive lift and what strategies to avoid that offload cognitive lift • Detailed GenAI use cases across foundational skills, knowledge building, and writing instruction • Elementary-specific guidance emphasizing teacher-led AI implementation and modeling • Comprehensive worked examples with Chatbot transcripts that illustrate these practices This is just the beginning, which is why we're actively gathering educator feedback to refine and expand these resources through a survey in the guide. Thank you so much to Carey Swanson and Jasmine Costello, PMP from SAP for being such wonderful partners in this work! You can access the full guide or watch the accompanying webinar in the link in the comments! #ailiteracy #literacy #GenAI #K12

Some thoughts on how we integrate AI into education: We first need to start by recognizing which skills are becoming more valuable and designing new ways to teach them. We all remember the effort it takes to write a paper—revising, structuring arguments, and refining our points. With AI, everyone will have a writing co-pilot to handle the mechanics, making the process more efficient. So, what if we redirected that effort into helping students develop higher-order skills like critical thinking, prompt design, and iterative analysis? A thought experiment: Imagine an assignment where students submit not just their essays but also the prompts they used to get AI-generated critiques. Their task wouldn’t be just to write and submit—it would be to argue, analyze, refine, and iterate. In less time than it takes to write a traditional paper, students could engage in deeper intellectual exercises—interrogating their own arguments, considering counterpoints, and strengthening their reasoning. For teachers, AI can streamline grading while amplifying feedback—providing broad insights that help shape targeted, meaningful commentary. This means students receive richer, more personalized guidance, making learning more interactive and impactful.

Schools need to focus on AI life skills in teaching and learning. Teaching artificial intelligence in education largely centers around making sure students and teachers know about AI—what it is, how it works, which tools to use, and how to fact-check responses. These AI-literacy skills are important, but if we only teach about AI we miss a critical opportunity to practice enhancing our human abilities with AI. In addition to just knowing about AI, students need to practice using AI to think deeper, create better, and solve problems more efficiently than they could on their own. Many schools have created portraits of a graduate - frameworks that articulate the durable skills students should have by the time they graduate (beyond the subject-area knowledge about math, science, history, etc). Adopting that approach, I’ve created a "Profile of an AI-Ready Graduate,” which was shared at the recent #ISTELive and #ASCDAnnual conference. It identifies six core roles students should be comfortable taking on–with AI–to maximize their human potential. ✴️ Learner Students know how to use AI to set learning goals, create plans for learning new skills, identify strategies to get unstuck, and seek targeted feedback to improve performance and understanding. ✴️ Researcher Students know how to use AI to investigate and analyze topics, evaluate claims, and compare sources of information. ✴️ Synthesizer Students know how to use AI to synthesize, remix, and refine information into formats and levels of complexity that best meet their unique needs and capabilities. ✴️ Ideator Students know how to use AI as a brainstorming partner to generate new ideas and explore a wide range of possibilities. ✴️ Connector Students know how to use AI to increase human collaboration, including overcoming language barriers, and finding common ground among divergent perspectives. ✴️ Storyteller Students know how to use AI to present and communicate complex ideas through text, image, audio, video, and other media. The Profile of an AI-Ready Graduate provides a roadmap for helping students learn to use AI to enhance and build on their uniquely human capabilities. By modeling and teaching the key roles students will be expected to take on, we can better prepare them for a world in which AI will be increasingly integrated into their lives. There is no question that students need to learn about AI. But to thrive (and survive) in a AI-powered world, they also need to know how to work with AI creatively, thoughtfully, and strategically. We must shift the conversation from one of basic theoretical understanding to one of in-depth practical and creative applicability. Anything less would be limiting their future success. ISTE ASCD Anthony Rebora Joseph South

Remember when learning something new meant endless Google searches and YouTube videos? Those days are gone. AI has completely transformed how we can learn anything - and I mean ANYTHING. Let me show you how. 1. The "Explain Like I'm New" method This works great when you're totally lost about something. AI breaks down complex concepts using everyday terms and examples. 📝 Prompt: "Explain [topic] to someone who has zero background in it. Use everyday examples and avoid technical terms. Focus on core concepts that make it click." 2. Examples that actually make sense Ask AI to explain things using real-life examples. This makes abstract concepts feel more concrete. 📝 Prompt: "Give me 3 real-world examples that explain [concept]. Use scenarios from daily life that would help a beginner understand this better." 3. Getting motivated when you're stuck When you're feeling "meh" about learning, you can get strategies from AI that actually work for your situation. 📝 Prompt: "I'm struggling to stay motivated while learning [topic]. Share 5 practical strategies to regain momentum, and explain how each one helps overcome common roadblocks." 4. Practice through role-play Have AI play different roles to help you learn. This is perfect for practicing conversations and scenarios. And it is less awkward than practicing with real humans, isn't it? 📝 Prompt: "Let's do a role-play where you are [role] and I am [role]. We'll practice [specific situation]. Give me feedback on my responses and suggest improvements." 5. Creating study plans that don't overwhelm Tell AI your goal and available time. Get a broken-down plan that's actually doable for you. 📝 Prompt: "Create a 30-day study plan for learning [topic]. I can dedicate [X] hours per week. Break it down into small, manageable daily tasks and include milestones to track progress." 6. Quick knowledge checks Ask AI to quiz you on what you've learned and get explanations for wrong answers. 📝 Prompt: "Create a mix of 5 easy, medium, and challenging questions about [topic]. Include explanations for each answer and point out common misconceptions." 7. Connecting the dots See how different ideas link together. It makes remembering what you've learned a lot easier. Here's how: 📝 Prompt: "Create a concept map showing how [topic] connects to other related ideas. Explain each connection and why it matters." Pro tips for better results: - Be specific about your current level - Mention your learning style - Ask for examples you can relate to - Request simpler explanations if needed Remember: AI is like having a patient friend who never gets tired of explaining things. The key is asking the right questions! Try these prompts and let me know how they work for you! 👇 🔁 Repost if this inspired you. 💻 And follow #AIwithAnurupa to stay updated with everything AI. #ai #artificialintelligence #learning #education