AI in the Classroom: Embracing Opportunity with Caution

Generative AI is increasingly shaping how we engage with information, and while attempts to block or ignore its presence may seem appealing, they are unlikely to be effective in the long run. Rather than resisting its use outright, educators might consider how AI can serve as a tool that, when used thoughtfully, aligns with learning goals and fosters deeper engagement with disciplinary thinking. Its effectiveness may depend on how students interact with it—a process shaped by their epistemic beliefs, or how they understand knowledge and learning. If AI is to support rather than undermine intellectual growth, instructors may need to scaffold its use in ways that align with students’ cognitive development. Here is one way to think about it:

Learning typically occurs within a zone of proximal development (Vygotsky, 1978), where tasks are challenging enough to promote growth but not so difficult that students cannot engage meaningfully without support. AI can serve as a scaffold, offering assistance when students need guidance, but if students rely on it to bypass all struggle, they may be operating outside their ZPD—either completing tasks too easily to promote real learning or using AI in ways that substitute for their own cognitive effort. The key, then, is not whether students use AI, but how they use it and whether that use positions them within a productive space for intellectual challenge and development.

Students do not all approach knowledge in the same way. Some may view knowledge as fixed and absolute, while others recognize its complexity and constructed nature. The ways they engage with AI—and the kind of guidance they need—will likely differ depending on where they are in this developmental trajectory. By aligning AI integration with students’ evolving epistemic beliefs, instructors can encourage AI as a tool for thinking, rather than a shortcut around it.

• Center Learning Goals: Frame AI as a resource for enhancing understanding rather than a shortcut. Encourage students to see its value in brainstorming, analysis, and creative problem-solving, while acknowledging its limitations.
• Promote Equity: For students without strong academic networks, AI can act as a resourceful peer-like collaborator. Used responsibly, it can level the playing field for underserved or first-generation students.
• Foster Transparency: Clearly communicate expectations around AI use. Explicitly state when and how AI is permitted, while emphasizing ethical engagement and accountability.

Strategies for Integrating AI Responsibly

1. Foster Transparency in Assignments

• Clarify Purpose: Tie assignments directly to learning objectives and explain their relevance. Students are more likely to approach tasks with integrity when they understand their value.
• Set Boundaries: Define appropriate and inappropriate AI use. Provide concrete examples to help students navigate ethical challenges.

2. Design Assignments That AI Cannot Easily Complete

• Leverage Personal Experiences: Require students to draw on personal insights, lived experiences, or unique in-class activities. This makes AI-generated content less applicable.
• Prioritize Complexity: Ask students to engage in nuanced comparisons, original arguments, or interdisciplinary connections. These tasks demand higher-order thinking beyond AI’s current capabilities.
• Break Down Assignments: Divide larger projects into stages or iterative drafts. Offer feedback along the way to guide student progress and deter reliance on AI shortcuts.

• Leverage Epistemic Development:

  • For Dualists: Assign fact-checking tasks where students compare AI-generated content with authoritative sources.
  • For Multiplicity Thinkers: Have students analyze the strengths and weaknesses of AI-generated arguments.
  • For Relativists: Require students to integrate AI-generated insights into their own structured analysis.
  • For Students in Commitment in Relativism: Encourage AI use in independent research but require justification of how AI contributions shaped their final product.

3. Encourage Responsible AI Use

• Reflective Practices: Require students to document AI use and assess its impact.

  • For Dualists: Prompt them to verify AI-generated content against reliable sources.
  • For Multiplicity Thinkers: Ask them to compare AI responses to scholarly arguments and identify inconsistencies.
  • For Relativists: Have them articulate how AI’s input shaped their reasoning.
  • For Students in Commitment in Relativism: Encourage metacognitive reflections on AI’s role in knowledge construction.
• Support Brainstorming: Teach students to use AI for idea generation and initial drafts, followed by their critical evaluation and revision.

4. Engage Students Through In-Class Activities

• Active Discussions:

  • For Dualists: Model expert reasoning to show that knowledge is not simply “right or wrong.”
  • For Multiplicity Thinkers: Encourage structured debates to help students distinguish between personal opinion and evidence-based arguments.
  • For Relativists: Facilitate discussions where students synthesize multiple perspectives, including AI-generated viewpoints.
  • For Students in Commitment in Relativism: Encourage student-led discussions where they critically engage with AI as one of many knowledge sources.
• Real-Time Writing: Assign reflective or analytical writing tasks during class to ensure authentic student work.
• Oral Presentations: Have students present their ideas verbally, emphasizing understanding and articulation.

5. Rethink Assessment and Grading Practices

• Adopt Flexible Grading Models: Specifications grading or ungrading methods focus on mastery and allow for revisions, reducing pressure and discouraging misuse.
• Provide Regular Feedback: Offer formative, low-stakes feedback on assignments to guide improvement and reinforce learning.

• Scaffold AI Integration:

  • For Dualists: Focus on structured assignments with clear rubrics emphasizing credibility and evidence.
  • For Multiplicity Thinkers: Introduce assessments requiring comparative evaluation of AI-generated content.
  • For Relativists: Assign projects that require students to integrate AI insights with their own critical analysis.
  • For Students in Commitment in Relativism: Encourage open-ended assessments where students use AI as a tool but justify their final conclusions.

AI as a Tool for Equity and Inclusion

Generative AI has the potential to bridge gaps for students who lack academic resources or study networks. Just as study groups help peers refine ideas, AI can assist isolated learners by offering suggestions, feedback, and guidance. However, this requires thoughtful guidance to ensure AI complements learning rather than replaces it.

Staying Informed and Adaptive

The rapid evolution of AI technology necessitates an ongoing commitment to staying informed and flexible in teaching practices.

• Stay Current: Regularly explore emerging AI tools and their educational applications.
• Experiment Thoughtfully: Introduce AI in low-stakes activities to assess its impact on learning before expanding its use.
• Reflect and Adapt: Gather student feedback and continually refine strategies for effective AI integration.

By thoughtfully embracing AI, educators can foster a culture of curiosity, innovation, and ethical engagement, empowering students to navigate a future where these technologies will play a central role.