
E73: 🤖 AI literacy and Critical Awareness — Helping Students Stay Human on their Learning Journey
From Learning Innovation: The Teaching & Learning Podcast by learninginnovation
December 2, 2025 · 46 min · Episode 73
About this episode
Dr. Olga Klymenko discusses the implications of AI in education and the importance of maintaining human engagement in the learning process.
"Teaching is not only about giving information, right? It's not about giving facts or explaining concepts or putting things together. It's creating a certain environment where learning is happening and I still think that humans are better at this than AI.” ~ Dr. Olga Klymenko A recent study from MIT shows that over-reliance on LLMs for writing accumulates cognitive debt (weaker brain connectivity, less ownership over the finished product). Dr. Olga Klymenko, instructor and language expert, is grappling with how to address over-reliance on AI writing in her classroom. Olga doesn't believe in banning or even policing the use of AI. Instead, she believes the answer lies in choosing to engage—that is, aiming to be collaborators in the process of knowledge building. Olga shares her insights, including: Cultural mismatch and underrepresentation of voices for Indigenous languages Cognitive costs of AI shortcuts and the fallibility of AI-plagiarism checkers Winning trust with students about AI-use (showing limitations; creating learner agency) During the show, Olga and host (Donna) mention: MIT Study: Your Brain on ChatGPT: Accumulation of Cognitive Debt when Using an AI Assistant for…
People in this episode
Host: Donna
Guest: Dr. Olga Klymenko
Topics covered
- AI literacy
- Critical awareness
- Cognitive debt
- Indigenous languages
- AI in education
Keywords
- AI literacy
- cognitive debt
- education
- Indigenous languages
- AI writing
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: MIT, University of London, National University of Donetsk, Lethbridge Polytechnic
Products: ChatGPT
Books & works: Your Brain on ChatGPT: Accumulation of Cognitive Debt when Using an AI Assistant for Essay Writing Task
Places: Seychelles, University of Seychelles
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