In her most recent newsletter, “From Crutch to Coach?” Dr. Philippa Hardman, a scholar at the University of Cambridge, asks, does generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) “actually make us more capable, or just faster at outsourcing our thinking?“
As we race to keep pace with AI-driven change, it can be hard to keep up with the latest developments in Learning Science, critical thinking, and AI. Hardman’s Learning Science Newsletter offers an incredibly thorough, up-to-date digest of research, tools, and strategies for using GenAI to improve learning.
If you are looking for one go-to source to stay informed on using AI to implement lessons from learning science, Hardman’s newsletter will serve you well.
Hardman’s free weekly newsletter offers an in-depth look at the links between learning science and instructional design. While some weeks’ posts are more useful for professional instructional designers, others offer a refreshing, research-informed take on productive and innovative uses of GenAI to foster critical thinking and promote metacognition.
Below are some highlights from the past few months:
- “From Crutch to Coach?” offers in-depth analysis of a large-scale research study into the use of GenAI for skill development in professional writing.
- “ChatGPT: The World’s Most Influential Teacher” includes a list of The Ten Principles of Substantive Learning and associated chat prompts learners can use while learning with GenAI.
- “Your Learners Are Using AI to Redesign Your Courses” shares recent survey data about the ways learners reach out to AI to fill gaps in scaffolding of course assignment, integrate emotional support into the learning process, expand opportunities to practice course concepts, and restate course content in ways that are more accessible to them.
- “How to Build an AI Tutor from a Document in 10 Minutes” provides a detailed guide to building your own AI tutor, including a prompt template and suggestions for supplementary materials to upload to improve your tutor’s performance.