Dr. Jonathan Wade
Academic Engagement & Information Technology Governance
Western Carolina University
Jonathan Wade, PhD, is a digital learning leader in the State of North Carolina. He has worked for decades as an educator at all levels with public and private schools. His graduate studies have focused on business, technology, ethics, and the scholarship of teaching and learning. He currently serves as the Educational Technology Manager at Western Carolina University supporting the use of digital tools in all modalities with a current focus on AI and digital accessibility.
Session from the Speaker
AI: Ethics, Education and the Problem of Cognitive Off-Loading
2:30 PM - 3:30 PM, June 5
Room 410
Category
Education
Abstract
As digital tools and Generative AI become deeply integrated into the academic workflow, students and educators are increasingly participating in "cognitive off-loading"—the use of external artifacts to reduce the cognitive demands of a task. While off-loading can increase efficiency, it raises profound ethical questions regarding the erosion of critical thinking, the atrophy of mental skills, and the nature of "knowing." This session explores the tension between technological augmentation and intellectual integrity. We will examine whether the delegation of thought to algorithms undermines the developmental goals of education and discuss how educators can distinguish between productive assistance and detrimental dependence.