edtech

Since 2023, nearly every educational AI tutor has adopted the same design philosophy: withhold the direct answer and offer a guiding question in return. Khanmigo, ChatGPT's study mode and Gemini's Guided Learning all rely on this approach. The underlying pedagogy is sound, yet two recent trials suggest we have been focusing on the wrong thing entirely.

Every university I know is running AI pilots, and I think that is right. Experimenting is how we work out when, how and why these tools belong in our teaching. It is part of the negotiation, and some of the most useful lessons I have seen came from small trials that went a bit sideways.

My own degree is in Educational Technology. Januszewski and Molenda (2013) defined it as "the study and ethical practice of facilitating learning and improving performance by creating, using, and managing appropriate technological processes and resources."

Conversations about technology in higher education often swing between two extremes. On one side, there is immense optimism that digital tools will revolutionise teaching. On the other, there is a wary scepticism about whether technology adds any real value to the student experience. A more balanced view suggests the reality is far more nuanced: the success of digital learning is inextricably linked to the human element of education.

Bare with me. The year is 2010 and I have my first day of internship as a teacher in training. The class: Ancient History. In my bag are three items…