Analytical thinking is in high demand, yet generative AI presents a unique challenge to traditional critical inquiry. How do we equip K-12 students to navigate an era of synthetic media where the line between authority and “hallucination” is increasingly blurred?  This session aims to give a framework to foster higher-order cognitive skills needed for learning autonomy in the domain of self-directed learning and promote student agency.

In this interactive session, participants move beyond tool usage to explore a practical Pedagogy of Critique. Using a framework centered on analytical and critical thinking, attendees will experience a hands-on demonstration of Inquiry Prompt Cards designed to transition students from passive consumers to skeptical investigators.

Designed for everyone, this workshop provides a structured approach to deconstructing AI outputs. Leave with a ready-to-implement strategy that ensures students maintain intellectual agency and the analytical rigor necessary for an AI-integrated future.

Workshop Outcomes

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

• Apply the ABCE Framework: Utilize a structured critique model—focusing on Accuracy, Bias, Completeness, and Ethics—to systematically deconstruct and evaluate generative AI outputs.
• Implement Analytical Thinking Tools: Integrate Inquiry Prompt Cards into their teaching practice to transition students from passive consumers of AI to skeptical, autonomous investigators.
• Critique Prompt Influence: Analyze how original prompts influence the bias or limitations of an AI’s response, fostering a deeper understanding of the human-AI interaction.
• Develop Subject-Specific “Power” Questions: Design high-impact “Power” questions tailored to their specific curriculum to prompt students to apply higher-order cognitive skills to AI-integrated tasks.
• Foster Intellectual Agency: Establish a Pedagogy of Critique within their classrooms that ensures students maintain intellectual rigor and learning autonomy in an age of synthetic media.