Minds Over Machines: Teaching Students to Think and Learn With AI

Don’t ban AI—teach it! It’s time to shift the classroom culture from policing AI misuse to superpowering student learning. This interactive workshop tackles the ultimate question: How do we get students to think with AI instead of surrendering their thinking to it? We will explore how to position AI as a "co-pilot" for deeper critical thinking, problem-solving, and creative iteration rather than an autopilot for easy answers. Together, we’ll tackle the logistics of how and when to safely introduce these concepts, test-drive the best student-friendly tools, and dive into a treasure trove of pre-made AI literacy lessons. You’ll walk away with a toolkit of ready-to-use activities—both digital and completely unplugged—ready for Monday morning!