Document Type

Article

Publication Date

Fall 9-14-2026

Journal Title

The Teaching Professor

Version

Post-print: the version of the article having undergone peer review but prior to being published

Disciplines

Curriculum and Instruction

Abstract

While AI has put the transactional model of schooling on steroids, I argue that AI is not the only artificial aspect of education. Grades are an artificial barrier towards authentic learning which decades of research have shown negatively impact intrinsic motivation, intellectual risk-taking, and depth of thinking. In this article, I explore what instructors can do to design authentic learning to center the human learner, not the AI.

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