Ed3 Weekly Issue #165: AI is Hurting My Brain
It isn't all peaches and rainbows, studies are beginning to show some real impacts to AI use in education
Hello blockchain enthusiasts!
This week, we’re going to explore what AI is doing to our minds. Our deep dive checks out a new MIT study that reveals the cognitive costs of overreliance on tools like ChatGPT.
Technology is interesting. Innovative, yes. But as we manage the rapid integration of AI into learning, we also need to be present enough to ensure that we are shaping a healthy future for our young learners
We also spotlight some efforts around the globe to shape the future of digital education, from the Yale Blockchain Conference to UNICEF’s work empowering girls with Web3 skills.
These innovations remind us that they must go hand-in-hand with intention.
So while AI is dominating the current narrative, we must also remember how we are preparing learners for a world shaped by decentralized technologies, digital identities, and AI collaboration.
As always, our goal at Ed3 Weekly is to equip educators with insight into what's coming next and how we can shape it with purpose.
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⛓️ Blockchain News
Going Beyond Buzzwords at the Yale Blockchain Conference
🔗 Austin Cai ’25 and Vicky Kuang ’25, recent graduates from the MBA and EMBA programs, reflect on their work organizing a new conference on innovative blockchain applications. Read
🪙 Crypto News
Kenya Blockchain and Crypto Conference 2025: Pioneering Innovation and Education in Digital Finance
🔗 The third edition of the Kenya Blockchain and Crypto Conference, convened by Chasing Mavericks, has drawn over 1,500 attendees in Nairobi. Read
🌐 Web3 News
Bitget and UNICEF To Train Girls in Web3 and Digital Skills
🔗 Bitget has teamed up with UNICEF Luxembourg to advance digital skills and blockchain literacy among young people, especially girls. Read
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🤿 Deep Dive
This week’s deep dive features a blog post from PBL Future Labs CEO Philip Alcock. It discusses an MIT study revealing that students who rely heavily on ChatGPT for writing tasks experience reduced brain activity, weaker memory retention, and diminished cognitive development over time. The findings challenge educators to rethink when and how AI should be introduced in the learning process, emphasizing the importance of building strong cognitive foundations before integrating AI support. Read
Thank you for stopping by for another issue of my newsletter on emerging technology in education. Link to all my work by checking out my website or give me a follow on the X platform.