GenAI Session with Leon Furze - Cognitive Offloading, GenAI, and the Future of Learning
Cognitive Offloading, GenAI, and the Future of Learning
As generative AI becomes embedded in everyday learning, a critical question emerges: what happens when students offload too much of the thinking?
See the Event Flyer for Exploring AI in Higher Education Series with Leon Furze.
Invitation
The Learning, Teaching and Assessment (LTA) team at TU Dublin is pleased to invite staff across the University to join us for this hybrid GenAI for Teaching and Learning session with Dr Leon Furze, co‑author of the AI Assessment Scale and internationally recognised expert in its implementation across diverse higher education contexts.
This activity is in partnership with the South East Technological University (SETU), who are leading on the organisation of this session.
The session will take place on Wednesday, 10 June 2026 at 10am. TU Dublin staff can join the session online. Register now here.
Session Outline
Drawing on recent research into cognitive offloading and its implications for education, this session explores the growing tension between performance and learning in an AI-enabled world. While AI can enhance efficiency and output, it can also bypass the very cognitive processes that are the foundation of deep and meaningful learning.
Leon Furze proposes a framework of “resistance”, outlining how educators can design learning environments that preserve and strengthen thinking rather than outsource it. In this session, he will explore:
- Why AI can create an illusion of competence
- The importance of expertise and evaluative judgement
- How to design learning that promotes thinking, not outsourcing
- Practical strategies to support metacognition and meaningful cognitive augmentation
This session is for educators seeking to move beyond reactive responses to AI and towards intentional, pedagogically grounded integration.
Participants attending in person are invited to stay for refreshments afterwards to share thinking and reflect on the webinar content and future implications.
Other Events in Series
This is the second event in a mini-series of two events with Leon Furze, organised in partnership between TU Dublin and South-East Technological University.
The first event in the series will take place on 26 May 2026 at 10am in Technological University Dublin and online.
Information about the first event on the topic of The AI Assessment Scale in Practice: Examples from the Disciplines, is available here.
Recording
The event will be recorded and the link will be made available to staff afterwards.
Register to Attend
Register here to attend either or both events in this mini-series with Leon Furze.