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#digitalliteracy

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Your Brain on ChatGPT: What Are We Really Trading for Convenience?

A new study by Kosmyna et al. explores what happens in your brain when you use LLMs like ChatGPT for essay writing.
The study also reveals that LLM users felt less ownership of their writing, had difficulty recalling what they wrote, and showed consistently lower cognitive and linguistic performance over four months.
👉 arxiv.org/abs/2506.08872
#ChatGPT #LLM #Neuroscience #DigitalLiteracy

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arXiv.orgYour Brain on ChatGPT: Accumulation of Cognitive Debt when Using an AI Assistant for Essay Writing TaskThis study explores the neural and behavioral consequences of LLM-assisted essay writing. Participants were divided into three groups: LLM, Search Engine, and Brain-only (no tools). Each completed three sessions under the same condition. In a fourth session, LLM users were reassigned to Brain-only group (LLM-to-Brain), and Brain-only users were reassigned to LLM condition (Brain-to-LLM). A total of 54 participants took part in Sessions 1-3, with 18 completing session 4. We used electroencephalography (EEG) to assess cognitive load during essay writing, and analyzed essays using NLP, as well as scoring essays with the help from human teachers and an AI judge. Across groups, NERs, n-gram patterns, and topic ontology showed within-group homogeneity. EEG revealed significant differences in brain connectivity: Brain-only participants exhibited the strongest, most distributed networks; Search Engine users showed moderate engagement; and LLM users displayed the weakest connectivity. Cognitive activity scaled down in relation to external tool use. In session 4, LLM-to-Brain participants showed reduced alpha and beta connectivity, indicating under-engagement. Brain-to-LLM users exhibited higher memory recall and activation of occipito-parietal and prefrontal areas, similar to Search Engine users. Self-reported ownership of essays was the lowest in the LLM group and the highest in the Brain-only group. LLM users also struggled to accurately quote their own work. While LLMs offer immediate convenience, our findings highlight potential cognitive costs. Over four months, LLM users consistently underperformed at neural, linguistic, and behavioral levels. These results raise concerns about the long-term educational implications of LLM reliance and underscore the need for deeper inquiry into AI's role in learning.
Replied in thread

Recently I discovered that a significant fraction of dutch people born after the Euro was introduced lack basic literacy in any language v.v "Just RTFM" (in any language) is beyond them. They don't have computers anymore: They have smart phones, game consoles, smart tablets, and increasingly: LLMs

In the age of "all the knowledge at your fingertips" it turns out that the minds are empty

Schools, organisations, corporations should not expect any computer literacy from anyone but assume they need to teach them everything #ComputerLiteracy and more general #DigitalLiteracy

We're collaborating with Fundación Cibervoluntarios ( cibervoluntarios.org/ ) on a project to help people assess online content #credibility and improve #digitalliteracy.

We're running a short survey (10-15 min) on #socialmedia / news habits and views on #decentralization.

It's anonymous, no account needed.

👉 surveymonkey.com/r/B5WVV2X

We'll share findings with research and standards communities. Please boost!

Combating #misininformation

www.cibervoluntarios.orgCibervoluntarios

The educator panic over AI is real, and rational.
I've been there myself. The difference is I moved past denial to a more pragmatic question: since AI regulation seems unlikely (with both camps refusing to engage), how do we actually work with these systems?

The "AI will kill critical thinking" crowd has a point, but they're missing context.
Critical reasoning wasn't exactly thriving before AI arrived: just look around. The real question isn't whether AI threatens thinking skills, but whether we can leverage it the same way we leverage other cognitive tools.

We don't hunt our own food or walk everywhere anymore.
We use supermarkets and cars. Most of us Google instead of visiting libraries. Each tool trade-off changed how we think and what skills matter. AI is the next step in this progression, if we're smart about it.

The key is learning to think with AI rather than being replaced by it.
That means understanding both its capabilities and our irreplaceable human advantages.

1/3

AI isn't going anywhere. Time to get strategic:
Instead of mourning lost critical thinking skills, let's build on them through cognitive delegation—using AI as a thinking partner, not a replacement.

This isn't some Silicon Valley fantasy:
Three decades of cognitive research already mapped out how this works:

Cognitive Load Theory:
Our brains can only juggle so much at once. Let AI handle the grunt work while you focus on making meaningful connections.

Distributed Cognition:
Naval crews don't navigate with individual genius—they spread thinking across people, instruments, and procedures. AI becomes another crew member in your cognitive system.

Zone of Proximal Development
We learn best with expert guidance bridging what we can't quite do alone. AI can serve as that "more knowledgeable other" (though it's still early days).
The table below shows what this looks like in practice:

2/3

Critical reasoning vs Cognitive Delegation

Old School Focus:

Building internal cognitive capabilities and managing cognitive load independently.

Cognitive Delegation Focus:

Orchestrating distributed cognitive systems while maintaining quality control over AI-augmented processes.

We can still go for a jog or go hunt our own deer, but for reaching the stars we, the Apes do what Apes do best: Use tools to build on our cognitive abilities. AI is a tool.

3/3

Replied in thread

@Catvalente

Or just use you AI locally 🦾 💻 🧠

I completely understand the concerns about relying too heavily on AI, especially cloud-based, centralized models like ChatGPT. The issues of privacy, energy consumption, and the potential for misuse are very real and valid. However, I believe there's a middle ground that allows us to benefit from the advantages of AI without compromising our values or autonomy.

Instead of rejecting AI outright, we can opt for open-source models that run on local hardware. I've been using local language models (LLMs) on my own hardware. This approach offers several benefits:

- Privacy - By running models locally, we can ensure that our data stays within our control and isn't sent to third-party servers.

- Transparency - Open-source models allow us to understand how the AI works, making it easier to identify and correct biases or errors.

- Customization - Local models can be tailored to our specific needs, whether it's for accessibility, learning, or creative projects.

- Energy Efficiency - Local processing can be more energy-efficient than relying on large, centralized data centers.

- Empowerment - Using AI as a tool to augment our own abilities, rather than replacing them, can help us learn and grow. It's about leveraging technology to enhance our human potential, not diminish it.

For example, I use local LLMs for tasks like proofreading, transcribing audio, and even generating image descriptions. Instead of ChatGPT and Grok, I utilize Jan.ai with Mistral, Llama, OpenCoder, Qwen3, R1, WhisperAI, and Piper. These tools help me be more productive and creative, but they don't replace my own thinking or decision-making.

It's also crucial to advocate for policies and practices that ensure AI is used ethically and responsibly. This includes pushing back against government overreach and corporate misuse, as well as supporting initiatives that promote open-source and accessible technologies.

In conclusion, while it's important to be critical of AI and its potential downsides, I believe that a balanced, thoughtful approach can allow us to harness its benefits without sacrificing our values. Let's choose to be informed, engaged, and proactive in shaping the future of AI.

CC: @Catvalente @audubonballroon
@calsnoboarder @craigduncan

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Guide: youtube.com/watch?v=BRJGAsvIQyM
#OpenWeb #DataEthics #AIFORALL #DigitalLiteracy

⏰Erinnerung: Schon zum SWK-Talk zum Thema #DigitalLiteracy ("Kompetenzen für den erfolgreichen Übergang von der Sekundarstufe I in die berufliche Ausbildung sichern") am Di, den 3. Juni (13 Uhr) angemeldet? U.a. mit unserer Direktorin Prof. Ulrike Cress.

ℹ️ Mehr Infos: swk-bildung.org/termine/ #FediLZ #Schule #digitalesLernen #LernenmitKI

Ständige Wissenschaftliche Kommission der Kultusministerkonferenz (SWK)Termine - Ständige Wissenschaftliche Kommission der Kultusministerkonferenz (SWK)

Volunteers have come together to help seniors with digital literacy
There’s an app for just about everything these days, but it can be challenging to feel safe and confident with ever-changing technology as an older person. Sarah Naz, founder and executive director of Digital Seniors N.L., wants to make sure seniors can be kept safe from things like scams.
#volunteering #technology #elderly #digitalliteracy #NL
cbc.ca/player/play/9.6774710?c

Poynter: Two disinformation experts have launched a DIY news outlet. “Indicator, a digital outlet founded by fact-checking and digital investigation veterans Alexios Mantzarlis and Craig Silverman, aims to demystify the moment — and help readers investigate the things they see online themselves. The free weekly newsletter is hosted on Beehiiv (as opposed to Substack, from which Mantzarlis […]

https://rbfirehose.com/2025/05/22/poynter-two-disinformation-experts-have-launched-a-diy-news-outlet/

ResearchBuzz: Firehose | Individual posts from ResearchBuzz · Poynter: Two disinformation experts have launched a DIY news outlet | ResearchBuzz: Firehose
More from ResearchBuzz: Firehose

Ideastream Public Media: Ohio rural libraries struggle to plan, amid federal and state funding uncertainty . “This kind of technological training is not just offered in rural northwest Ohio. It’s at more than 30 libraries across the state as a part of the Guiding Ohio Online program, which helps older and rural residents learn digital literacy skills. But its future is on shaky ground. […]

https://rbfirehose.com/2025/05/16/ideastream-public-media-ohio-rural-libraries-struggle-to-plan-amid-federal-and-state-funding-uncertainty/

ResearchBuzz: Firehose | Individual posts from ResearchBuzz · Ideastream Public Media: Ohio rural libraries struggle to plan, amid federal and state funding uncertainty | ResearchBuzz: Firehose
More from ResearchBuzz: Firehose

Jetzt anmelden zur 3. Folge der #SWKTalks mit dem Co-Vorsitzenden der #SWK Olaf Köller, Wiss. Direktor @IPN_Kiel und Ulrike Cress, SWK-Mitglied & Direktorin @IWMtue die Empfehlungen der SWK zu #DigitalLiteracy in der Sekundarstufe I vor.
Im Anschluss diskutieren sie die Empfehlungen mit Wilfried Kühner, Staatssekretär am Sächsisches Staatsministerium für Kultus, Jakob Chammon, Geschäftsführer der Telekom-Stiftung und @hav_hendrik .
swk-bildung.org/termin/swk-tal
#Bildungsforschung #Bildungspolitik

Continued thread

The experience was enriched by early career researchers sharing their stories, while the use of interactive, interdisciplinary, and gamified methods created a fun and engaging learning environment.

This event exemplifies how coding, research, and responsible digital engagement can come together to inspire the next generation of scientists and changemakers.