5 things can educators do

Resist the temptation to ask for more output. If AI reduces the time required to complete an assignment, do not simply demand more volume. Same page count. Same scope. Higher expectations for thinking, not throughput.
Design assignments that do not reward acceleration. Favor work that requires judgment, synthesis and reflection over sheer production. AI can generate drafts; it cannot replace discernment. Grade their decision-making processes, not just final artifacts.
Deliberately under-assign. Leave space in the course by design. Name it openly. Tell students the absence of work is intentional, not an oversight. This is not free time. It is designed for conversation, integration and reflection.
Shift rigor from quantity to maturity. Rigor does not have to mean more. It can mean slower feedback loops, deeper revision cycles or – better yet – sustained engagement over fewer ideas. Treat discernment as a desired skill that drives understanding.
Use reclaimed time for relationship practice. If AI buys time anywhere, it should buy time for relationship development. Use class time for peer dialogue, disagreement navigation, collaborative sense-making and reflection. These are not inefficiencies. They are the work.

New relationship with productivity

Taken together, these moves generate something subtle but powerful: they model a different relationship to productivity. They teach students that efficiency can be good, but it is not a moral obligation; knowing when is enough is a critical component of intellectual adulthood.

Instant Insights /

15-hour work week never arrived. What educators can do now

Related Stories

Recommended For You