Artificial intelligence is transforming higher education at a rapid pace. For many instructors, the challenge isn’t whether students are using AI—it’s how to guide them toward using it responsibly and productively.
Dr. Jessa Roisen, Professor of Philosophy at St. Ambrose University, approaches AI with clarity and intention. Rather than treating it as a shortcut—or banning it outright—she frames it as something far more powerful: a thinking partner. When used intentionally, AI can help students sharpen their reasoning, clarify their ideas and engage more deeply with course material. Here are seven practical strategies to help you do just that, no matter your discipline.
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1. Start by clarifying the payoff
AI has forced educators to revisit a fundamental question: Why is this assignment worth students’ time? If a student can generate a passable essay in seconds, the real value of an assignment must lie somewhere deeper—in analysis, argumentation, synthesis or communication. Making that intellectual payoff explicit changes how students approach their work.
Before integrating AI into an assignment, try articulating the skill it is meant to build. Share that with students. When they understand how the struggle connects to growth, they’re more willing to engage in the hard thinking required.
2. Turn AI into the assignment
One of the simplest ways to shift student behavior is to make AI the object of critique. Generate a response to one of your own course questions using an AI tool. Then ask students to evaluate it. Where does the reasoning fall short? What assumptions are left unstated? Is anything oversimplified or unclear?
This approach works in any discipline. A biology class might analyze the gaps in an AI explanation of cellular respiration. A business course might evaluate the weaknesses in an AI-generated marketing strategy. A literature class could critique a surface-level thematic analysis.
Instead of consuming AI output, students learn to interrogate it. See how Dr. Roisen encourages students to critique AI-generated responses, as well as how she applies Top Hat Ace, our AI-powered assistant, in her courses. Watch our short video below.
3. Put students in the position of authority
When students critique AI, something subtle but powerful happens: they step into the role of expert. Many students hesitate to critique peers. Feedback often becomes polite rather than rigorous. But critiquing AI removes the social pressure. There are no hurt feelings to manage—just reasoning to evaluate.
You can amplify this by asking students to “grade” an AI-generated response using your rubric and justify their evaluation. The act of defending their assessment reinforces disciplinary standards and deepens understanding. In the process, students often realize they can see connections or flaws the AI cannot. That realization builds confidence—and critical thinking.
4. Use AI to pressure-test student thinking
AI can easily function as a rehearsal space. When drafting a paper or project, students might ask:
- What counterarguments challenge this thesis?
- What assumptions am I making?
- Where is my reasoning unclear?
The key is framing. The goal is not to copy what the AI suggests, but to refine one’s own thinking in response. An engineering student can test the logic behind a design choice. A nursing student can explore ethical tradeoffs in patient care. A political science student can probe weaknesses in a policy argument. In each case, the AI acts as a sounding board—prompting deeper reflection rather than replacing it.
5. Focus on cognitive engagement, not just completion
AI makes it easier than ever for students to appear productive without being cognitively engaged. Submitting a finished product is not the same as wrestling with ideas. To encourage deeper engagement, build reflection directly into your assignments.
Ask students how their thinking evolved. Invite them to identify what part of the task challenged them most. Encourage them to note where AI feedback changed—or failed to change—their approach. These reflective moments reinforce that learning is about intellectual growth, not just task completion.
6. Create low-stakes practice environments
Students develop skill through practice. AI can provide a space for rehearsal before high-stakes performance. For example, students might practice explaining a complex concept to a beginner, defending a research finding to a skeptical audience or refining a professional email before submitting it. Instructors can encourage students to experiment, revise and try again without penalty.
This repetition builds fluency and confidence. By the time students present in class or submit final work, they have already sharpened their reasoning.
7. Keep AI anchored to your course
One of the biggest risks of general AI tools is their lack of context. They draw from vast information sources, which can lead to inaccuracies or misalignment with your curriculum. AI is most effective when it reinforces—not replaces—your course materials. When students receive guidance that aligns with your readings, terminology and frameworks, it strengthens continuity rather than introducing confusion. Anchored properly, AI becomes a supplement to your teaching—extending support beyond the classroom without compromising academic integrity.
To keep the focus on course material, Dr. Roisen uses three specific frameworks for AI integration:
- The practice partner: AI provides a low-stakes environment for students to apply skills—like clinical mediation or coding—before they have to perform in front of their peers.
- The learning partner: AI helps students move from retrieving answers to refining vague questions into precise ones.
- The thinking partner: Students engage in Socratic dialogue with AI to identify weaknesses in their logic or argue the “other side” of a debate.
Education is more than information
At its core, higher education isn’t about acquiring answers. It’s about changing how students think. In an era where information is instantly accessible, the real value of learning lies in developing judgment, discernment and intellectual resilience.
AI can generate text. It can summarize content. It can mimic structure. But it cannot replace the cognitive transformation that happens when students wrestle with ideas and refine their reasoning. When framed as a thinking partner, AI doesn’t diminish that transformation—it can deepen it.
