Students don't need to be told AI is bad. They need to understand how AI affects their learning, their thinking, and their developing capabilities. This workshop format helps students explore these questions through self-discovery rather than lecturing.
Opening: The dependency experiment (15 minutes)
Give students a simple creative writing prompt and five minutes to complete it — without any AI or digital tools. Then give them the same prompt and five minutes with AI available. Discuss: How did the experience differ? Which version feels more like "you"? Which did you enjoy more? This hands-on comparison creates personal data for the discussion that follows.
Understanding the mechanisms (15 minutes)
Explain how AI dependency works in age-appropriate language: the reward loop, cognitive offloading, and the "muscle atrophy" analogy. Use examples from their own experience: "When did you last solve a math problem entirely in your head?" "When did you last write something without AI that you felt proud of?"
Self-assessment (10 minutes)
Provide a brief, anonymous self-assessment about AI use patterns. Students answer honestly because results are private. Common findings: most students use AI more than they initially estimate, and many recognize patterns they hadn't consciously noticed before.
Group discussion (15 minutes)
Discuss as a class: What skills might we lose if AI does everything for us? What's the difference between using AI as a tool and depending on it? What would happen if AI became unavailable for a month? These questions encourage critical thinking about AI without moralizing.
Action commitments (5 minutes)
Each student privately writes down one specific change they'll make in their AI use this week. The commitment is personal and unshared, removing social pressure while creating internal accountability.
Support classroom conversations about AI. Our assessment provides age-appropriate self-evaluation.