In 1917, Sigmund Freud described three “narcissistic insults” that had been caused by science. These were moments of scientific breakthrough that showed humans that we are not as special as we once believed. The first came with astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus’s discovery%5D) that we are not at the centre of the universe, because the sun rather than the Earth […] … learn more→

Last year I attended a panel on generative AI in education. In a memorable moment, one presenter asked: “What’s the big deal? Generative AI is like a calculator. It’s just a tool.” The analogy is an increasingly common one. OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman himself has referred to ChatGPT as “a calculator for words” and compared comments […] … learn more→

● Demotivation is a psychological condition that often occurs when meaning, control, or connectedness in an activity is disrupted. ● Causes include loss of task relevance, excessive workload, lack of autonomy, fatigue, and monotonous routines. ● There are various ways to manage demotivation, from rediscovering personal meaning to adjusting expectations. Ever had those days when […] … learn more→

Over 80% of Middlebury College students use generative AI for coursework, according to a recent survey I conducted with my colleague and fellow economist Zara Contractor. This is one of the fastest technology adoption rates on record, far outpacing the 40% adoption rate among U.S. adults, and it happened in less than two years after ChatGPT’s public […] … learn more→

Ever wonder what the most effective way to completely transform a student’s perspective? Travel. Simple as that. Something incredibly powerful happens when you step outside your comfort zone and see the world through completely new eyes. For students in particular, travel isn’t just a fun change of scenery, it’s an experience that can fundamentally alter […] … learn more→

Gratitude statements like “Thanks! You are so kind!” and “Thank you! What you did was really helpful,” are common when someone receives assistance from another person. Such expressions of gratitude and appreciation have long been thought to encourage the helper to do kind things again in the future. But do they? In contrast to past research, […] … learn more→

Every day, students arrive in class with summaries compiled by ChatGPT or ideas outlined by a virtual assistant . Given this reality, an awkward question arises: what’s the point of meeting in class? The traditional classroom is losing its meaning as a place where what a machine can generate in seconds is repeated. The challenge , then, is to […] … learn more→

Ever thought about writing a campus novel? I often play with plots but never get around to the writing. And I get stuck on endings, just as I do when I write an academic paper! I recently dipped into my cabinet of unrealised ideas and pulled out… Title: “Attribution” The book examines how institutional failures can […] … learn more→

Ready to make sure your athlete is prepared for all of school sports has to offer? With over 8 million participants in high school sports in the 2023-24 school year, student athletics have never been more popular or more competitive. 54% of high schoolers are involved in some kind of team sport, and the right […] … learn more→

In 2008, The Atlantic magazine shocked the public with a controversial report entitled: Is Google Making Us Stupid ? In a 4,000-word essay that later became a book , the author, Nicholas Carr, answered this poignant question. The short answer is yes: Technologies like search engines impair the ability to think deeply and acquire knowledge. Carr’s core argument is […] … learn more→