The Future of Education
Scaffold-Engage-Apply (SEA): Proposing an AI-Critical Teaching Framework to Prepare a Competent Future Workforce Capable of Meaningful, Human-Guided AI Use
Radu-Florentin Diaconu, “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University of Iasi; AmpiFire (Romania)
Abstract
Across classrooms and campuses, unguided or misguided generative AI use (what I refer to as “lazy AI”) has sparked a trend of shortcut pseudo-learning that discourages critical thinking, discipline-specific knowledge, and students’ ability to assess AI output competently. In response, this paper introduces the Scaffold–Engage–Apply (SEA) model: a three-stage framework designed to build core academic skills and AI literacy that will allow today’s learners to function as competent professionals in tomorrow’s AI-intensive, post-human world.The ‘Scaffold’ stage delivers live, analog instruction to establish discipline-specific foundations. ‘Engage’ combines traditional study with guided AI use and in-class assessments that encourage learners to spot AI biases and errors, and reduce reliance on uncritical automation. ‘Apply’ pushes learners into slightly-beyond-comfort-zone projects with transparent, field-competent AI integration. The model is iterative and scalable, suitable from early literacy through to university-level instruction. Grounded in classic educational theory - constructivism (Piaget, Vygotsky), cognitive apprenticeship (Collins et al.), metacognition (Flavell), and Krashen’s i+1 framework - the SEA model also draws on cutting-edge research into AI in education. While global institutions scramble to address AI in education, few offer practical and actionable frameworks. SEA aims to cater to that need with a practical, critical, and adaptable system designed to prepare learners to use AI tools meaningfully and competently for the achievement of meaningful real-world goals. In doing so, students are not reduced to passive channels for AI to express itself, but empowered to bring their essential human contribution, one that improves outcomes as it is critical, grounded, and ultimately irreplaceably human.
|
Keywords |
AI in education, critical AI literacy, AI misuse, AI ethics in education, post-human pedagogy, Scaffold-Engage-Apply (SEA) model |
|
REFERENCES |
[1] Baytas, C., & Ruediger, D. (2024, March 7). Generative AI in higher education: The product landscape. ITHAKA S+R. https://www.jstor.org/stable/resrep61192 [2] Bloom, B. S. (Ed.) (1956). Taxonomy of educational objectives: The classification of educational goals. Longmans, Green. [3] Cassidy, C. (2024, January 23). ChatGPT is coming to Australian schools. Here’s what you need to know. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/jan/23/chatgpt-in-australian-schools-what-you-need-to-know-law-changes [4] Collins, A., Brown, J. S., & Newman, S. E. (1989). Cognitive apprenticeship: Teaching the crafts of reading, writing, and mathematics. In L. B. Resnick (Ed.), Knowing, learning, and instruction: Essays in honor of Robert Glaser (pp. 453–494). Lawrence Erlbaum. [5] Diaconu, R., & Munch, C. (2024, December 3). GPTZero vs ZeroGPT AI detector mega test: Best accuracy & false positives? AmpiFire. https://ampifire.com/blog/gptzero-vs-zerogpt-review/ [6] Duffy, C. (2023, May 26). Public school bans on AI tools like ChatGPT raise fears private school kids are gaining an unfair edge and widening a digital divide. ABC News. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-05-26/artificial-intelligence-chatgpt-classrooms-schools/102356926 [7] Fan, Y., Tang, L., Le, H., Shen, K., Tan, S., Zhao, Y., Shen, Y., Li, X., & Gašević, D. (2024). Beware of metacognitive laziness: Effects of generative artificial intelligence on learning motivation, processes, and performance. British Journal of Educational Technology. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.13544 [8] Flavell, J. H. (1979). Metacognition and cognitive monitoring: A new area of cognitive–developmental inquiry. American Psychologist, 34(10), 906–911. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.34.10.906 [9] Goodlad, L. M. E., & Stoerger, S. (2024). Teaching critical AI literacy: Advice for the new semester [PDF]. Rutgers Office of Teaching Evaluation and Assessment Research. https://otear.rutgers.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/TEACHING-CRITICAL-AI-LITERACY.pdf [10] Kaput, M. (2024, August 20). AI in schools: The urgent need for AI literacy in education. Marketing AI Institute. https://www.marketingaiinstitute.com/blog/ai-in-schools [11] Krashen, S. D. (1982). Principles and practice in second language acquisition. Pergamon Press. [12] Lau, S., & Guo, P. J. (2023). From “Ban It Till We Understand It” to “Resistance is Futile”: How university programming instructors plan to adapt as more students use AI code generation and explanation tools such as ChatGPT and GitHub Copilot. In Proceedings of the 2023 ACM Conference on International Computing Education Research V.1 (ICER ’23 V1) (pp. 106–121). ACM. https://doi.org/10.1145/3568813.3600138 [13] Li, S., & Gu, X. (2023). A risk framework for human-centered artificial intelligence in education: Based on literature review and Delphi–AHP method. Educational Technology & Society, 26(1), 187–202. https://doi.org/10.30191/ETS.202301_26(1).0014 [14] Marais, E., Marais-Botha, R., & Coertzen, F. (2024). Constructing an artificial-intelligence higher education environment: Guidelines for the future. In L. Wood & O. Zuber-Skerritt (Eds.), Shaping the future of higher education: Positive and sustainable frameworks for navigating constant change (pp. 173–192). Helsinki University Press. https://doi.org/10.33134/HUP-25-9 [15] McArdle, M. (2024, September 30). AI is an existential threat to colleges. Can they adapt? The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/09/30/education-ai-cheating/ [16] Mollick, E. (2023, March 17). Using AI to make teaching easier & more impactful. One Useful Thing. https://www.oneusefulthing.org/p/using-ai-to-make-teaching-easier [17] Mueller, P. A., & Oppenheimer, D. M. (2014). The pen is mightier than the keyboard: Advantages of longhand over laptop note taking. Psychological Science, 25(6), 1159–1168. https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797614524581 [18] Nolan, B. (2024, September 30). AI plagiarism is spreading in US colleges. It's left professors feeling confused and exhausted. Business Insider. https://www.businessinsider.com/ai-cheating-colleges-plagiarism-chatgpt-professor-2024-9 [19] Piaget, J. (1972). The principles of genetic epistemology (W. Mays, Trans.). Routledge and Kegan Paul. (Original work published 1950) [20] Premkumar, P. P., Yatigammana, M. R. K. N., & Kannangara, S. (2024, October). Impact of generative AI on critical thinking skills in undergraduates: A systematic review. Paper presented at the International Multidisciplinary Desk Research Conference, University of Kelaniya. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/385275534_IMPACT_OF_GENERATIVE_AI_ON_CRITICAL_THINKING_SKILLS_IN_UNDERGRADUATES_A_SYSTEMATIC_REVIEW [21] Prothero, A. (2024, April 25). New data reveal how many students are using AI to cheat. Education Week. https://www.edweek.org/technology/new-data-reveal-how-many-students-are-using-ai-to-cheat/2024/04 [22] Tahura, S. S., Shabur, M. A., & Nuva, T. J. (2025). BWM analysis of online and offline learning effectiveness in Bangladesh. Scientific Reports, 15. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-92831-x [23] Thomas, D. R., Lin, J., Gatz, E., Gurung, A., Gupta, S., Norberg, K., Fancsali, S. E., Aleven, V., Branstetter, L., Brunskill, E., & Koedinger, K. R. (2024). Improving student learning with hybrid human-AI tutoring: A three-study quasi-experimental investigation. In Proceedings of the 14th Learning Analytics and Knowledge Conference (LAK ’24) (pp. 404–415). ACM. https://doi.org/10.1145/3636555.3636896 [24] Tunguz, B. (2025, April). Transforming education and training in the age of advanced AI reasoning tools. American Enterprise Institute. https://www.jstor.org/stable/resrep69597 [25] Turnitin. (2024, April 9). Turnitin celebrates one year for AI writing detection [Blog post]. Turnitin. https://www.turnitin.com/blog/turnitin-celebrates-one-year-for-ai-writing-detection [26] Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Harvard University Press. [27] UNESCO. (2024). Transforming the profession: A new social contract for teachers (Chapter 5). In Global report on teachers: Addressing teacher shortages and transforming the profession. UNESCO. https://www.jstor.org/stable/resrep67706.14 [28] University of London. (2023, June 26). AI and education: Exciting opportunity or existential threat? University of London. https://www.london.ac.uk/news-events/news/ai-education-exciting-opportunity-existential-threat [29] Waite, C., & Rainey, L. (2025, May). What’s holding school districts back from bolder, transformative change? Center on Reinventing Public Education. https://crpe.org/whats-holding-school-districts-back-from-bolder-transformative-change/ [30] Walsh, J. D. (2025, May 7). Everyone is cheating their way through college: ChatGPT has unraveled the entire academic project. New York Magazine: Intelligencer. https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/openai-chatgpt-ai-cheating-education-college-students-school.html [31] Wecks, J. O., Voshaar, J., Plate, B. J., & Zimmermann, J. (2024). Generative AI usage and exam performance. arXiv. https://arxiv.org/abs/2404.19699 [32] Wang, H., Dang, A., Wu, Z., & Mac, S. (2023). Generative AI in higher education: Seeing ChatGPT through universities’ policies, resources, and guidelines. arXiv. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2312.05235 [33] Wang, Y., Liu, C., & Tu, Y.-F. (2021). Factors affecting the adoption of AI-based applications in higher education: An analysis of teachers’ perspectives using structural equation modeling. Educational Technology & Society, 24(3), 116–129. https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.2307/27032860 |
