#Publiceducation

A wave of AI in Thai classrooms is approaching, but fresh cognitive science findings urge caution: genuine learning comes from effortful thinking, not shortcuts. A cognitive psychologist who studies how students use AI points to a nuanced future where AI can scaffold and personalize learning, yet risks becoming a brain drain if students let the machine do the hard work. As Thailand expands digital tools in schools, educators, parents, and policymakers must design learning experiences that keep the mental workout central while leveraging AI to keep students on track.

A new wave of national assessment data shows that United States students are grappling with what analysts are calling a devastating setback in reading and mathematics. The latest long-term trend results for nine-year-olds indicate a drop of about five points in reading and seven points in mathematics since the pandemic-era benchmark of 2020. The declines are the largest seen in reading in more than three decades and mark the first time math scores have fallen in the long-term trend record. The findings echo concerns raised by educators and researchers around the world about learning losses during extended school shutdowns, remote instruction, and uneven access to support services.

A fresh wave of education research argues that the current panic over students cheating with AI tools is missing the real opportunity—and the real challenge—in modern classrooms. Rather than treating AI as a cheating threat to be policed, researchers say, teachers and policymakers should embrace AI as a learning partner and redesign assessments to measure understanding, creativity, and problem-solving in ways that tools cannot simply imitate. For Thai educators, parents, and students navigating the rapid digitization of learning, the implications could be profound: with thoughtful implementation, AI can close gaps in access and personalize learning; with sloppy policies, it can widen disparities or train students to chase short-term wins rather than long-term understanding.