Week 3: Impacts on Learning

Tuesday, June 16 from 4:00-5:30 p.m. PST

Zoom: https://uci.zoom.us/j/99438557326

Readings (ok to skim the first 3)

• Bastani, H., Bastani, O., Sungu, A., Ge, H., Kabakcı, O., & Mariman, R. (2025). Generative AI without guardrails can harm learning: Evidence from high school mathematics. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 122(26). https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2422633122

• Kosmyna, N., Hauptmann, E., Yuan, Y. T., Situ, J., Liao, X. H., Beresnitzky, A. V., ... & Maes, P. (2025). Your brain on ChatGPT: Accumulation of cognitive debt when using an AI assistant for essay writing task. arXiv preprint arXiv:2506.08872, 4. 

• Melumad, S., & Yun, J. H. (2025). Experimental evidence of the effects of large language models versus web search on depth of learning. PNAS Nexus, 4(10), pgaf316. https://doi.org/10.1093/pnasnexus/pgaf316

• Tate, T. P. Think first [Blog]. 

Slides: Slides 35-45

Next week: Check in on planned Final Project (email me a quick description of what you are thinking of doing). 

Due: Thursday, June 18

Create a short explainer (with accompanying 1-3 sentence statement) that responds to the weekly prompt provided by the instructor.

Prompt: Convince me: Why thinking first matters. Present an argument to your class, colleagues, or the public. If you are new to AI, you might (1) use a chatbot to prepare slides for your class based on the blog post or (2) use a chatbot to create a graphic describing the blog post.

Where to Submit: Canvas assignment

See this document for instructions on the Weekly Explainers.

Due: Saturday, June 20

Each week, you will engage with two peers’ explainers and provide constructive, professional feedback on each. 

Where to Submit: Canvas will automatically assign you two peer reviews to complete after you have submitted your explainer to the Canvas assignment.

See this document for instructions on peer review for the Weekly Explainers.

Due: Sunday, June 21

Each week, submit a brief reflective journal entry (approximately 100–300 words) about your AI use during that week’s course activities. 

Where to Submit: Canvas assignment

See this document for instructions on the Reflective Journal.