Learning With GenAI - How Much is Too Much?

In the Cognitive Offloading video, the speaker urges students to build AI literacy and to use AI tools to enhance their critical thinking skills, not to offload them. He explains that cognitive offloading (using external tools to manage mental tasks) can support learning, but only when paired with intentional strategies and active mental engagement.

A 2025 report on student perceptions of AI found that many students worry about becoming overdependent on AI tools. They fear that this could weaken essential skills, such as critical thinking, creativity, and communication, which are vital for future academic and career success. In particular, students expressed concern that relying too heavily on AI suggestions without active engagement could limit their ability to write and communicate effectively with others.

The aim of this module is to help you recognize when AI is supporting your learning and when it might be hindering the development of your critical and independent thinking skills. As you navigate through the content, consider what intentional and active engagement means for you in your own learning process.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this module, you should be able to:

1. Explain the term cognitive offloading and how using GenAI to offload may undermine learning over time.
2. Identify when GenAI is helping or hindering your learning, including its impact on critical and creative thinking.
3. Apply strategies to use GenAI tools in ways that strengthen memory, focus, and independent thinking.
4. Reflect on your own learning habits and develop approaches to use GenAI intentionally and effectively.
5. Know where to find support when you’re unsure about how to use GenAI effectively, ethically, and safely.