The Cognitive Death or Deeper Thinking? The AI Tug-of-War

In this episode of Deep Learning Dialogues, hosts Whitney McKinley and Katrina Gouett engage in a captivating conversation with educational scholars Dr. Julie Mueller, Dr. Avis Beek, and Dr. Keri Ewart from Wilfrid Laurier University to tackle the critical tension between cognitive offloading and cognitive replacement in the classroom. Grounded in recent literature on academic integrity, technological disruption, and equitable pedagogy, the panel discusses how generative AI is challenging traditional, colonial structures of higher education and redefining historical standards of "originality." From exploring the generational gap in digital fluency to questioning whether AI will stunt critical thinking or liberate educators to focus on foundational human skills, this discussion serves as an urgent call to prioritize transferable skills, problem-solving, and authentic, experiential learning over reactive, "whack-a-mole" tech policing. Read the episode summary here. Articles discussed in the episode:“ChatGPT for good? On opportunities and challenges of large language models for education”This Changes Everything: Originality, Academic Integrity, and Education in the Age of Generative AI”How generative AI fixes what higher education broke: reframing the “colonization” of knowing and learningGuest Bios:Dr. Julie Mueller, Associate Dean: Graduate Programs and Research, Faculty of Education at Wilfrid Laurier UniversityDr. Mueller is a cornerstone of the EdTech research community. With a PhD in Developmental Psychology, her work centers on the "TPACK" framework—balancing technology, pedagogy, and content. She is a leading voice on Computational Thinking across the curriculum and has collaborated with the Canadian Space Agency to develop STEM modules like "Mission on the Moon." Julie brings decades of experience in understanding how digital tools can empower both teachers and students to navigate a digital world.Dr. Avis Beek, Assistant Professor & Chair of International Education Studies at Wilfrid Laurier UniversityDr. Beek’s perspective is truly global. Before her time in academia, she taught science and math in Nunavut and at international schools in Bahrain, Japan, and the Czech Republic. Her research explores International Mindedness and the "STEMovation" project, which focuses on making STEM education inclusive for underrepresented groups. Avis is an expert in interculturalism and is dedicated to decolonizing K-12 classrooms through experiential learning.Dr. Keri Ewart, Assistant Professor of Language and Literacy at Wilfrid Laurier UniversityDr. Ewart sits at the cutting edge of AI Literacy and culturally responsive pedagogy. With 17 years of K-12 experience, her research focuses on the ethical integration of AI in education, specifically how "micro-prompts" and generative AI can support inclusive teaching. A former coordinator of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Decolonization, and Anti-Racism (EDIDA), Keri is passionate about equipping the next generation of educators with the critical literacies needed for a social-justice-oriented future.Want to know more?You can check out our: WCDSB GenAI Guidelines, infographics, and Innovation website: https://innovate.wcdsb.ca/Feedback? You can ask your questions or give us feedback on the show here Want to get in touch? Contact Katrina & Whitney by email at: [email protected] and [email protected] or on LinkedIn Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.