Newsletter #31 What happens to our brains when we talk with AI?

Written by Center for Teaching and Learning Wenzhou-Kean University | Mar 9, 2026 3:05:14 AM

As we begin 2026, what keywords might shape conversations about teaching in the year ahead? Engagement? Active learning? Assessment?

A decade ago, these ideas were already central to discussions about effective teaching. Today, those conversations increasingly intersect with another force: artificial intelligence.

As AI enters the classroom, a deeper question emerges: How might AI shape the way we think?

At the start of this semester, we would like to highlight a recent study from the MIT Media Lab, led by Dr. Nataliya Kosmyna, that explores the relationship between AI use and human cognition.

Over a four-month period, researchers observed 54 participants from universities in the greater Boston area as they completed writing tasks under different conditions: using ChatGPT, using search engines, or relying on their own thinking without external tools. Brain activity was recorded using electroencephalography (EEG), allowing researchers to examine how different forms of assistance influence cognitive engagement.

Figure 1. Study protocol
The results point to what the researchers describe as “cognitive debt”—a potential consequence of relying on AI systems to perform cognitively demanding tasks.
For educators, the question is not simply whether AI can support learning, but how its use might influence the development of thinking itself.
 

Key Insights from the Study：

1. Writing tools may influence the thematic focus of essays.
Topic analysis suggests that essays written under different conditions—using search engines, AI tools, or no external tools—tend to diverge in thematic emphasis. In several topics, the Search Engine group showed the greatest divergence from the other groups. (See Figures 2–3.)
 
Figure 2. Cosine Similarities in Each Group
Figure 3. KL Divergence Heatmap
 
2. AI-assisted writing includes more named entities.
Essays written with LLM assistance tend to contain a higher number of references to people, organizations, and events. This pattern suggests that AI tools may influence the informational density and structure of written responses. (See Figure 4.)

Figure 4. NERs' Cramer's V for Topic Average

3. Human and AI evaluators emphasize different aspects of writing quality.
When essays were assessed by both AI judges and human instructors, the two evaluators highlighted different dimensions of quality. AI scoring tended to emphasize structural coherence and language standardization, while human teachers placed greater importance on originality and individual expression. (See Figure 5.)

Figure 5. AI Judge vs Human Teacher Assessments
 
The MIT study offers an early glimpse into how AI tools may shape human cognition. The concept of “cognitive debt” reminds us that while AI can enhance efficiency, its broader cognitive effects deserve careful attention. At the same time, these findings should be interpreted with caution, and further research will be needed to understand their long-term implications. As AI continues to enter classrooms and academic work, studies like this encourage ongoing reflection on how technology and human thinking can evolve together.

Reference：
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. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2506.08872
 

Key Updates about CTL

Upcoming CTL Learning Opportunities

 

We’re excited to share several upcoming learning opportunities covering topics such as Canvas tools and teaching strategies, generative AI in teaching and instructional design, online and blended learning practices, assessment and course quality, and equity-centered curriculum design, among others.

For more details and registration, please visit the CTL website or click the link below: https://www.wku.edu.cn/en/ctl

2026–27 CTL Faculty Fellows Program: Call for Applications

The CTL Faculty Fellows Program(FFP) aims to support the growth, collaboration, and sharing of effective teaching practices among WKU faculty. Through this program, faculty fellows work with CTL to develop workshops and learning resources that support instructors across the university. Faculty members who are interested in contributing to teaching and professional development across campus are encouraged to apply.

Application Deadline: March 31

Application Form: Apply here

For more information, please visit the program webpage or email.

 

Call for Proposals: Technology-enhanced Teaching Forum 2026

The Technology-enhanced Teaching Forum 2026, hosted by the University of Nottingham Ningbo China, will take place on 10 April 2026. This year’s forum will explore the theme: “The Assessment Revolution: From Pilots to Practice in the AI Era.”

The forum invites proposals that examine how assessment practices are evolving in response to AI and digital technologies. Submissions addressing the following topics are particularly welcome:

  • Personalized Learning Pathways
  • Efficiency and Consistency in Marking and Feedback
  • Ethics, Integrity, and New Skills
  • Program-level Assessment Redesign for Coherent Learning
  • Authentic and Diversified Assessment

Faculty interested in sharing their experiences or research are encouraged to submit a proposal by March 17.

Further details will be shared via email. If you require additional support, please feel free to contact us.

Instructional Skills Workshop

We are pleased to announce the upcoming Instructional Skills Workshop (ISW) — a signature faculty development program designed to strengthen teaching practices through experiential learning.

🗓️ Upcoming Sessions

  • Session #25: Mar. 14–15 & Mar. 28–29
  • Session #26: May 16-17 & May 30-31.

Participants will explore core teaching and learning concepts, reflect on current practices, experiment with new instructional strategies, and engage in supportive environments.

We look forward to discussing this excellent opportunity to increase student engagement with interested faculty and staff of WKU. Please note that participation is limited to five individuals, and all four days of the workshop are required.

Scan the OR code to register >>

 

 

 
  
Author: Yan  (Tanya) Tang
Subeditor: Yan (Tanya) Tang
Chief Editor: Yirui (Sandy) Jiang

 
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