Lesson 6 of 6 · 9 min
AI without short-circuiting learning
An AI that gives the answers can stop people learning. Design uses that make them think.
A study in secondary schools compared two ways of using an AI assistant in mathematics. Students who had an assistant that gave the answers did better on the exercises, but worse on the exam taken without it. Those who used a version designed to guide without giving the answers did not suffer this loss. The tool is not the problem, the way it is used is.
- Ask the assistant to ask questions rather than give answers.
- Give one hint at a time, and the answer only after an attempt.
- Have learners explain their reasoning, then comment on it.
- Keep the final assessment unassisted.
These instructions can become those of a training assistant shared with the participants. Test it yourself by playing a learner in a hurry who asks for the answer directly, and check that it stays in its role.
References
- Bastani, Bastani, Sungu et al. (2025). Generative AI without guardrails can harm learning: Evidence from high school mathematics. PNAS 122(26), e2422633122. doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2422633122