004

THE HUMAN YIELD

SECTION 15

ISSUE 001

OBSERVEDresearchnowconfidence / high

Optimize Tutors for Retention

Education AI should be evaluated weeks later, after tool access disappears. Trials should measure transfer, explanation quality, confidence calibration, and unaided retention, because a system can raise immediate scores while weakening retrieval practice or encouraging cognitive offloading.

Why this idea is here

What the evidence establishes.

A randomized study tests the cognitive-crutch risk; a 2026 meta-analysis synthesizes experimental effects on learning outcomes across contexts.

Source ledger

Read the sources.

  1. S01
    ChatGPT as a Cognitive Crutch: Evidence from a Randomized Controlled Trial

    peer-reviewed randomized trial / dated 2025 / retrieved 2026-07-09

  2. S02
    ChatGPT’s Impact on Student Learning Outcomes: Meta-Analysis of 35 Experiments

    peer-reviewed meta-analysis / dated 2026 / retrieved 2026-07-09

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