Does AI Help Students Learn? With Adam Dubé, PhD

Schools are increasingly deploying AI-powered technologies in classrooms that promise to revolutionize education, yet there is growing concern over the risks to children and adolescents’ learning by doing so. What do children, adolescents, and teachers think about how AI is being used in the classroom, and do these technologies actually impact learning and key cognitive skill development? In this episode of Screen Deep, host Kris Perry explores these questions with educational technology expert Dr. Adam Dubé, Associate Professor of Learning Sciences at McGill University. Dr. Dubé describes his research on how youth and educators view AI, key pitfalls to avoid when using AI for learning, and how past lessons from introducing technologies can inform the way we think about educational AI. He shares what parents need to know about selecting a good educational app for their children, and how to make informed decisions about utilizing technology to enhance, not replace, the learning process. 

In this episode, you will learn:

• How relying on AI for task completion can interfere with the development of fundamental skills like creativity and detailed reading.
• Simple questions educators and students can ask to determine if AI use is offloading thinking or supporting learning.
• How teachers’ opinions of AI use in the classroom have changed over time and what’s causing growing concern. 
• What is needed for more thoughtful integration of AI into classrooms.
• How to identify a quality educational app and why parents often overlook those features when selecting digital apps for children.

For more resources and research on this topic visit the Learn and Explore section of the Children and Screens website (https://www.childrenandscreens.org)

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Music: 'Life in Silico' by Scott Buckley - released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au