Cooking With Fire: AI, Facilitation, and the Future of Learning with Cole Hoover

In this episode of Facilitating Change, I sit down with Cole Hoover for a thoughtful conversation on the role of AI in education, especially in higher education. Rather than choosing between banning AI or adding it to everything, Cole and I explore a more intentional “third path”: using AI as a tool to deepen learning, strengthen reflection, and create more human-centered classroom experiences. Together, we discuss what today’s classrooms may be missing, why engagement and transformation matter more than information transfer alone, and how AI can either support or weaken critical thinking depending on how it is used. From the metaphor of “cooking with fire” to the risks of cognitive offloading, this conversation invites educators, facilitators, and institutional leaders to rethink what learning spaces are really for. At its heart, the episode asks a timely question: How can we use AI not to replace human connection, but to make more space for curiosity, compassion, purpose, and meaningful transformation? Follow Cole on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cole-hoover-6614a718/ Thanks for being here <3