In Brief: Critical Thinking and GAI in Course Delivery
Introduction
As generative AI (GAI) becomes increasingly integrated into learning and teaching in higher education, instructors are navigating complex questions around academic integrity and student learning. While many emerging policies emphasize detection and sanctions, this guide offers a proactive alternative—inviting students to critically engage with GAI as a method for developing broader analytical skills. By centering trust, transparency, reflection, and student agency, instructors can position GAI as a tool of inquiry rather than a shortcut, encouraging students to interrogate its outputs, reflect on their reasoning, and take ownership of their learning. This shift solidifies the instructor's role as a facilitator of dialogue and the student’s role as an active participant in both the content and process of learning. It also models professional practice and prepares students for meaningful engagement beyond the classroom.
1. What Does the Research Tell Us About Critical Thinking?
Definitions of critical thinking abound; however, they generally include skills such as evaluating information, identifying and challenging assumptions, taking multiple perspectives, identifying information that supports or contradicts a hypothesis, analyzing and integrating information to solve a complex problem, generating innovative and alternative solutions, and communicating critical analyses and problem solutions effectively (Brookfield 1987; Curzon-Hobson 2003; Stein et al. 2007). These skills are especially important in the context of GAI—with students not only evaluating the content GAI produces but also questioning the assumptions, biases, and limitations embedded in the tools themselves.
Critical thinking is more than a set of skills—it is a habit of mind and, therefore, requires practice. Scholars emphasize the importance of developing a disposition towards critical thinking (Facione et al. 1995; Facione 2000; Dwyer et al. 2015). Students who have a disposition towards critical thinking are more likely to engage in critical thinking in class as well as in other areas of their academic and personal lives.
Unless prompted, students might not exercise critical thinking while using GAI tools. Incorporating in-class activities that intentionally help students develop critical thinking skills while using GAI can help students make better choices about when and how to use these tools. Oftentimes, the experience of coupling critical thinking with GAI use may reveal that GAI tools do not always increase efficiency or save time. Instead of penalizing students for using GAI uncritically, instructors can help students to develop the skills necessary for productive GAI use.
2. Why Does Critical Thinking Matter When Teaching with GAI?
Critical thinking has been referred to as a 21st Century skill (Trilling and Fadel 2009) and critical thinking is consistently one of the top skills that employers look for in their employees across a wide range of disciplines (American Association of Colleges and Universities 2015). As students navigate a complex world in which news, social media and other content is increasingly generated by GAI and conspiracy theories abound, they need to have highly developed critical thinking skills. Similarly, as many students will be users of GAI in their learning and professional lives after graduation, they need to be critical consumers of GAI.
Instructors can support students in evaluating GAI content in the following areas of teaching that uphold academic integrity:
FOCUS AREA |
INSTRUCTOR STRATEGIES |
Credibility & Source Quality |
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Hallucinations & Inaccuracies |
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Bias & Marginalized Perspectives |
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It is important to emphasize ethical use by clarifying expectations around attribution, originality, and responsible engagement with GAI tools. Embedding these principles into classroom norms helps students navigate the evolving landscape of learning with GAI and integrity. Practical activities—such as source verification exercises, comparative analysis of AI-generated versus human-authored content, and reflection prompts on bias and representation—offer meaningful ways to reinforce critical thinking and ethical decision-making (Aref n.d.). These strategies not only support academic standards but also empower students to become discerning, reflective users of emerging technologies.
3. What Can We Do?
The following ideas offer scalable entry points—from quick additions to existing assignments to deeper collaborations with students on ethical GAI use, including estimated times for instructors to implement these ideas.