The Inevitable and Unpredictable Role of Large Language Models in Education: A Commentary on Huettig and Christiansen (2024)
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: This commentary critically complements a recent proposal that cognitive science can leverage Large Language Models (LLMs) to counter declining literacy. While recognizing the educational potential of LLMs, we highlight a significant trade-off: their inherent design reduces users' direct engagement with written text, undermining deeper literacy skills, especially in young learners. Acknowledging this tension is essential for developing pedagogically sound interventions. Cognitive scientists and educators must jointly anticipate which cognitive capacities may weaken, identify critical skills needed in emerging multimodal contexts, and collaboratively devise instructional strategies to preserve the cognitive benefits humans derive specifically from sustained interaction with written language.
Source: Cognitive Science
DOI: 10.1111/cogs.70105
Authors: Ernesto Guerra, Marcela Peña, Roberto Araya
Institutions: University of Chile, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
Language: English
Subfield: Information Systems
Field: Computer Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
SDG: Quality education
Open Access status: bronze
Awards: APRENDIZAJE INCIDENTAL DE VOCABULARIO DURANTE LA ADOLESCENCIA EL ROL DE LA CAPACIDAD DE HACER INFERENCIAS DURANTE LA LECTURA, CENTRO DE INVESTIGACION AVANZADA EN EDUCACION_X000D_CIAE_X000D_FB0003, G4779675266, NATIONAL CENTER FOR ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE RESEARCH (NAIR), G8136378440, DIALOGICAL STRATEGIES AND MULTIMODAL ALGORITHMS TO DEVELOP TEAMWORK SKILLS WITH PEERS AND ARTIFICIAL AGENTS IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS
OpenAlex ID: W4413113106