Rewiring Learning for an AI-Enabled World (S8:E5)

Rewiring Learning for an AI-Enabled World (S8:E5)

From Work Better by Steelcase

March 27, 2026 · 27 min

About this episode

Mario Chiasson discusses the need to rewire education for an AI-enabled world, emphasizing critical thinking and problem-solving over memorization.

AI is advancing so quickly that schools are struggling to keep pace, and learning‑innovation researcher Mario Chiasson argues that this gap is reshaping what students actually need from education. Instead of focusing on memorization, he says the priority should shift toward critical thinking, reflection, and problem‑solving — the human skills that become more valuable as AI takes on routine knowledge work. That shift requires rethinking teacher preparation, redesigning learning environments, and helping students use AI in ways that strengthen their thinking rather than replace it. The big challenge ahead is aligning how students learn with how the world now works. Mario Chiasson is a Canadian researcher and thought leader focused on learning innovation, system transformation, and future‑ready skills. He serves as Director of Research, Innovations and Change Management for District scolaire francophone Sud and is an associate researcher at the Université de Moncton. The Work Better podcast is produced by Katie Pace, with assistance from Rebecca Charbauski, Stav Kontis, Chiara Licari, and Brandon Lacic. Erin Ellison provides creative art direction. Soundpost Studios edits and mixes…

People in this episode

Host: Steelcase

Guest: Mario Chiasson

Topics covered

  • AI in education
  • learning innovation
  • critical thinking
  • teacher preparation
  • future-ready skills

Keywords

  • AI
  • education
  • learning environments
  • human skills
  • system transformation

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: District scolaire francophone Sud, Université de Moncton

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