Greg Easley is a technologist, writer, and adjunct professor at the New School, where he teaches media studies. His work focuses on responsible AI, education, and media innovation.

As I navigated the frigid winter days in New England, I stumbled upon an innovative way to stay fit – a Wahoo Kickr smart indoor trainer that simulates real-world terrain through specialized workout apps. The device adjusts pedaling resistance based on my performance, helping me reach new heights of physical fitness. This experience got me thinking: What if education worked similarly? What if instead of following a rigid curriculum, teaching started with each learner's threshold and built a dynamic, personalized path forward?

The concept of adaptive threshold learning (ATL) emerged from this idea – an AI-driven system that identifies each student's current limits and designs experiences to expand them. ATL would begin by identifying what a learner can accomplish right now, then build upon those achievements.

A Crisis in Education

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The United States is facing a crisis in education. The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) has reported that American students are testing at historic lows across all K-12 levels. The scores show nearly half of high school seniors below basic levels in math and about one-third below basic in reading.

The Covid-19 lockdowns exposed the inflexibility of our education system, as rigid learning models were replicated online, leaving many students disengaged. Against this backdrop, artificial intelligence (AI) is being integrated into education to reshape it for better or worse. Students are using AI tools like ChatGPT to draft essays, solve equations, and generate study guides – sometimes deepening understanding but often reducing the effort required to learn.

Teachers are also leveraging AI to automate tasks and focus on mentoring and one-on-one support. However, AI can become a siren call, tempting educators to use algorithmic shortcuts for the demanding human work of noticing, guiding, and inspiring students.

The integration of AI into education is well underway. President Trump signed an executive order to bring AI into American classrooms, and major tech companies have pledged to support this mission. The question is not whether learning will be affected by AI but how and to what ends.

Reinventing Education Through AI-Powered Learning Experiences

AI-powered training platforms analyze millions of workouts from athletes around the world, then use that data to deliver increasingly efficient and personalized training plans. Similarly, adaptive threshold learning (ATL) can become a powerful tool for reimagining education. By identifying each student's current limits and designing experiences to expand them, ATL offers a dynamic approach to learning.

As educators, we must carefully consider how AI is shaping the future of education. We have the opportunity to shape AI-driven educational tools to move beyond rigid curricula toward adaptive systems that respond to individual learners. The decision before us – to let AI evolve haphazardly or to guide it deliberately with educators, students, and institutions at the center – will determine whether AI deepens our crisis or becomes the foundation for a more flexible approach to education.

Key Takeaways:

  • Adaptive threshold learning (ATL) is an AI-driven system that identifies each student's current limits and designs experiences to expand them.
  • ATL can help reimagining education by providing a dynamic, personalized approach to learning.
  • The integration of AI into education is well underway, and it's crucial for educators to carefully consider how AI is shaping the future of education.

Target Keyword: app user experience