When AI Does the Homework, Who Does the Learning?

Artificial intelligence is quickly becoming part of the college classroom, whether instructors are ready for it or not. We talk about how we’re using AI to save time as teachers, from writing better quiz questions to helping us prepare course materials, and how we’ve experimented with bringing it directly into class. But the bigger question is what happens when students use these tools to replace the struggle that’s supposed to lead to learning. We dig into where AI can make students stronger, where it might create shortcuts that hurt them, and how all of this is changing the way we think about teaching.

In this episode, we talk about:

* How LLMs can save instructors time on quiz questions, distractors, announcements, and other teaching prep

* Bringing AI into class to work through game theory and other economics problems alongside students

* The growing divide between students who use AI to build skills and those who use it to avoid building them

* Why struggling with a problem is often part of learning, not an obstacle to it

* How AI is forcing us to rethink assignments, assessments, and what we actually want students to get out of college

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This Week’s Drinks 🍻

We recorded this one in the morning, so the drinks looked a little different than usual. Jadrian had coffee with a splash of Buffalo Trace Bourbon Cream, but only because he wasn’t heading straight to work after recording. Matt kept things technically non-alcoholic with Diet American Dew, served in a Michelob Ultra FIFA World Cup cup for a little extra flair.

Name That Stat 📊

Since we’re talking AI in the classroom, Jadrian shared a stat that looked at how common artificial intelligence use was among college instructors. We know the students are using it to help in the classroom, but what about the professors? Matt went in an entirely different direction, with a focus on Broadway revenue. Despite concerns about ticket prices and struggling shows, Broadway is still generating a pretty remarkable amount of money.