Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about this: What truly keeps students engaged in learning? Not just busy, not just compliant, but deeply engaged – curious, questioning, and thinking beyond the task right in front of them. Have you ever stopped to wonder the same?

To me, the question feels even more vital in an AI-driven world, where answers are instant, information is abundant, and technology can do in seconds what used to take hours. So, in this rapidly evolving world of education, where keeping up can feel overwhelming, what does true engagement look like? And how do we help students develop the kind of thinking that will serve them no matter where they go?

When George Couros introduced me to The AI-Driven Leader by Geoff Woods in his most recent newsletter, it challenged the way I think about this moment in education. Woods argues that great leaders, and I would add, great educators need to move beyond operational thinking (getting things done efficiently) to strategic thinking (asking the right questions, making high-impact decisions, and focusing on long-term growth).

That shift is just as essential for our students. If we’re not intentional, we risk preparing them for a world that no longer exists, one where memorization and task completion were enough. But the reality is different now. AI isn’t just a tool; it’s a thought partner. And that means our students need to develop the skills that make them irreplaceable.

Reframing Engagement in an AI World

And another thing…If students can ask AI for an answer and get one in seconds, does that mean the learning is done? Or does it mean we need to rethink what learning actually looks like?

I often revisit George Couros’ School vs. Learning framework from his best-selling, timeless book, The Innovator’s Mindset which reminds me that true learning isn’t about task completion, it’s about exploration, questioning, and making meaningful connections. His insights highlight a critical distinction between the two:

• School often focuses on consumption, compliance, and surface-level thinking.
• Learning, on the other hand, is about curiosity, creativity, and deep exploration.

As I continue to work with teachers and leaders to understand AI technology, I’ve been rolling up my sleeves and doing some of my best learning to embrace it myself. As a result, here are some ideas I’ve gathered about how we can keep engagement high while making sure students develop the strategic thinking skills that will carry them forward:

1. Teach Students to Ask Better Questions

Engagement doesn’t start with the answer, it starts with the question. AI can provide facts, but it can’t replace human curiosity. Instead of asking students to simply look something up, we can challenge them to refine the way they search for and analyze information.

Try this:

Instead of asking: What is the theme of the book Of Mice and Men?
Ask: How might the story of George and Lennie change if it were set in today’s world? What themes remain relevant, and which ones take on new meaning?

Other prompts to push deeper thinking:

• What would happen if this event/person/idea didn’t exist? (e.g., How would the novel The Outsiders change if Johnny had survived?)
• How does this connect to something we’ve learned before? (e.g., How do themes of isolation in The Cage compare to those in Romeo and Juliet?)
• What are the possible biases in the information AI provides? (e.g., If AI summarizes the novel The Great Gatsby, what perspectives might be missing?)
• What are multiple ways to approach this problem? (e.g., How might different characters in Of Mice and Men view the idea of the American Dream?)

Generating great questions can be more challenging than finding the answers! The best strategic thinkers, whether in leadership, business, or education, are the ones who ask questions they don’t yet have the answers to.

2. Blend Technology with Humanity

AI is a powerful tool, but it doesn’t replace critical thinking, creativity, or emotional intelligence. As Woods puts it, AI doesn’t take away what makes us human; it enhances it. Students can use AI to filter noise, analyze information, and generate ideas, but their human intelligence is what makes those ideas meaningful.

Try this:

• Ask students to take an AI-generated response and find three gaps, biases, or limitations in the information.
• Have them use AI to brainstorm a list of ideas, then narrow them down to the top three most meaningful and explain their choices.
• Encourage students to ask, What perspectives are missing? How can AI responses be challenged, expanded, or improved?

By blending technology with human insight, students can develop the ability to think critically about the information AI provides rather than passively accepting it.

Historically, schools have rewarded students for simply finishing work on time, following directions, and memorizing facts. And yes, there is still a place for those tasks. But, in an AI-driven world, those aren’t the only skills that will set people apart. In English Language Arts, where reading, writing, communication, and critical thinking are at the core, the focus can shift from task completion to deeper engagement with texts, ideas, and analysis.

Instead, we could be asking:

• How can this learning apply to something bigger?
• What insights can students pull from AI, and how can they use them to deepen their understanding of literature, writing, and communication?

For example, you may consider trying this in the English language arts classroom:

• You could assign a traditional literary analysis essay, but you can also ask students to use AI to generate multiple interpretations of a novel’s theme. Then, challenge them to critique and refine those interpretations using textual evidence.
• Perhaps you can have students design their own learning path for a unit and thinking about what themes, genres, or literary movements intrigue them the most? How can AI assist in gathering sources or generating discussion questions?
• Assign a reflection piece: How did AI help, and where did human judgment come in? For instance, after reading the novel and discussing it, ask AI to summarize The Great Gatsby. Students might reflect on what was missing: the nuances, symbolism, or historical context that AI couldn’t fully capture.

Students can do more than just complete tasks. They can think, analyze, communicate, and create. By integrating AI as a tool for exploration rather than as a shortcut, we help them build the kind of literary and critical thinking skills that will serve them well beyond the classroom.

3. Use AI as a Thought Partner, Not Just a Tool

Woods poses an important shift in thinking: Instead of asking, How do I solve this problem? start asking, How can AI help me solve this problem?

When students start seeing AI as a thought partner, something that can help them generate ideas, refine their thinking, and push their creativity further, they move beyond simply using technology. They start leveraging it to amplify their own abilities.

Speaking of leveraging AI to amplify thinking, here are some examples I asked ChatGPT to generate…Try this:

• Have students generate two versions of an argument – one entirely their own, and one with AI assistance. Then, compare the strengths and opportunities for growth of each.
• Challenge students to use AI to enhance a creative project, whether it’s drafting a story, brainstorming a design, or composing music, then push them to add their personal voice to make it uniquely theirs.
• Give them a problem with no clear solution, and ask: How can AI help us think about this in a new way?

The goal is not for students to rely on AI but to understand how to collaborate with it effectively.

4. Big Changes Start with Small Actions

Engagement in an AI-driven world isn’t about resisting technology or making things harder just to prove a point. It’s about guiding students to think differently, so they’re not just consumers of information, but creators of ideas.

Woods shares the following idea: The difference between AI being a positive or negative force isn’t in the technology itself; it’s in how we use it.

So let’s ask ourselves:

• Are we helping students develop the skills that will serve them no matter where they go?
• Are we fostering curiosity, strategic thinking, and creativity in a way that AI enhances rather than replaces?
• Are we preparing students for a world where they don’t just consume knowledge but create something meaningful with it?

At the end of the day, engagement isn’t about keeping learners busy. It’s about keeping them thinking.

So, what’s one small shift you can make today to help students engage and think more deeply in their learning?