Written on: 14 December 2025
Yesterday in class, I felt something that many educators quietly carry. I had prepared my students well. I shared complete slides, walked them through examples, and even allowed them to re-do the entire process. I sat with them, asked which part they did not understand, and made sure the foundation was clear.
When the class started, I only added one small extension. It was not even a new topic. I asked them to recalculate the rotation at B and C by including a support settlement of 20 millimeters. The whole structure of the solution stayed the same. They only needed to place the 20 millimeters correctly inside the stiffness equation: Q = KD + Qo. After that, it was basic matrix multiplication. Nothing else changed.
Yet an hour passed. No questions. No movement. They sat quietly. When I walked around, they did not know how to start. They did not ask me. They did not ask AI. They did not try to recall the steps. They simply waited.
This is the part that made me feel sad as an educator. Not because they made mistakes. Mistakes are normal. I felt sad because they stopped themselves from thinking. They stopped themselves from trying. They forgot that learning requires action.
AI is already in their hands. They can ask AI to remind them how to multiply matrices. They can ask AI to explain how settlement enters the stiffness equation. They can ask AI to help them recall, not to replace their thinking. I allow the use of AI, and I actively encourage my students to use it for learning.
Silence is not learning. Waiting is not learning.
So here are my tips for my students, and maybe for any learner in this generation.
Tips for Students
How to Learn with AI in a Mature and Responsible Way
- Ask early. Ask often. Do not wait until you are lost.
Silence will not build understanding. When something feels unclear, ask a question. Ask your lecturer. Ask your friends. Ask AI to remind you of the steps. It is not a sign of weakness. It is a sign of learning. - Use AI to recall, not to replace thinking.
If you forget how to do matrix multiplication, ask AI to remind you. If you forget how to substitute settlement into the equation, ask AI to explain the concept. Use AI the same way you use a calculator or a reference book. It is a learning tool, not a shortcut. - Try first before you ask for help.
When you attempt a solution, even a small attempt, your mind starts working. AI becomes more helpful when you already have an idea of what you want to check. - Do not fear making mistakes. Fear standing still.
Mistakes mean you are moving. Silence means you have stopped. Learning cannot happen when you stop. - Be an active learner, not a passive receiver.
Engineers solve problems. Engineers ask questions. Engineers explore. Do not wait for answers to come to you. Build them.
A Gentle Reminder
AI will not replace you.
But AI will replace the version of you who refuses to think, refuses to try, and refuses to ask.
Learning is a partnership between your mind and your tools. You need both.
Share this article Share on Facebook Share on WhatsApp Share on X