FOR SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES
80 – 90% of students use AI with little to no guidance. They lose fundamental learning and critical thinking skills in the process, and fall behind academically.
The solution isn’t to punish or shame these students: it’s to teach strategic use, and the importance of independent thinking. And who better to take on that mission than students themselves?
The students who understand AI’s effects on their learning will be the ones who succeed. Let’s make sure your students are among them.
What We Offer
Free workshops and multi-week programs led by trained university student leaders.
Our student leaders deliver evidence-based curriculum on AI’s cognitive effects, helping students understand when AI helps their learning, and when it undermines it. Programs range from 60-minute introductory workshops to comprehensive 6-week courses, all designed to create measurable behavior change.
Our program is designed to accommodate the learning levels of your students, whether you are a elementary school teacher wanting to introduce key ideas to your students early; or a high school instructor, wanting in-depth discussions on AI with students who use AI extensively.
We also offer instructor workshops, where we discuss student perspectives on AI, and current ongoing research on AI and learning practices.
One-Time Workshop
- Perfect for initial exposure
- 60 – 90 minutes seminar talk on AI and cognition, with guided activities throughout
- Offered both in-person and virtual
- Free resources and slides prepared
Best for: Faculty development, parent nights, community events
Both options are formulated with our core curriculum in mind.
Multi-Week Program
- Comprehensive program with measurable, sustainable behavior change.
- 2 – 6 week program (flexible with length depending on instructor/school needs)
- Comprehensive overview of curriculum modules
Best for: Elective courses, advisory programs, after-school programs, high school students
OUR CURRICULUM
Our curriculum is grounded in three frameworks.
- Cognitive Load Theory
- Desirable Difficulties
- Metacognitive Development Theory
- Broad topics: Memory consolidation and retention; attention and focus; trust transfer; critical thinking
We connect these scientific theories to best practices in AI usage in the following modules:
- Introduction: What does AI do to our brains?
- Understanding Learning: The Neuroscience Foundation
- Stakes & Consequences: Career and Academic Implications
- Building Cognitive Resilience: Practical Strategies & Healthy AI Usage
- Integration & Commitment: Creating Personal Protocols for Accountability and Prolonged Effect
Want More Information?
Feel free to fill out this form, or contact us directly at info@retain.org.
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