Students risk 'cognitive outsourcing' if AI overused, schools warned
A review of studies on AI use in education finds real risks that it can disrupt student learning with lifelong consequences.
The Australian Education Research Organisation (AERO) has issued warnings to teachers, school leaders, and policymakers as the education system rapidly adapts to artificial intelligence (AI). AERO, the national education research body funded by both Commonwealth and state governments, advises caution in AI integration, citing potential risks for students' lifelong learning outcomes.
CEO Dr Jenny Donovan stressed that AI could lead to cognitive outsourcing, where students become overly reliant on technology to perform thinking tasks, hindering their development into independent, creative, and critical thinkers. The warnings are particularly strong for students in their first three years of primary school, where AI should be avoided altogether.
Dr Donovan further emphasized that AI should only be used carefully and judiciously thereafter, in combination with traditional teaching methods. High schools should introduce AI as it becomes part of higher education, but tools like generative AI should not provide direct answers or essays to students. Instead, AERO recommends tools that guide students through reasoning, ensuring they still engage in the cognitive process themselves.
The advice comes as a backlash against education technology grows, with Education Minister Jason Clare warning that excessive screen time negatively impacts students' performance, particularly in global PISA testing.
Written by urgent.news from ABC News AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
