20. How to Teach Intentionally with AI featuring Brian Jefferson

In this episode, we're joined by Brian Jefferson, a professor at the University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business. Brian shares his incredible journey from a 20-year career as a partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers to becoming a recognized innovator in higher education.

Listen in as we discuss how to move beyond AI anxiety by fostering "awe and whimsy," why the goal should be "cognitive enhancement" rather than simple automation, and the unique challenges of preparing students for a workforce where their first job might be to audit an AI output. Brian offers practical advice for any educator curious about AI, shares his "aha" moment using AI to practice for high-stakes conversations, and provides a hopeful vision for the future of professional education.

 

Key Takeaways

• Cognitive Enhancement Over Automation: Brian's core philosophy is that AI's greatest potential lies not in replacing tasks, but in acting as a partner to augment our own thinking, practice skills, and deepen critical judgment.

• Play as an Antidote to Fear: The conversation highlights how low-stakes, creative exercises, like building a "family vacation GPT" or designing posters with DALL-E, can dissolve anxiety and build confidence for both students and educators new to AI.

• Co-Creation Builds Ownership: Brian’s strategy of co-creating a custom classroom GPT with his students demonstrates how involving learners in the design process fosters responsibility, engagement, and a more sophisticated understanding of the technology.

• Preparing Students for a New Reality of Work: As AI handles more foundational tasks, the essential human skill becomes the ability to critically review and audit AI's output. The discussion emphasizes the need to shift education to build this "auditor mindset."

• AI as the Ultimate Practice Partner: From rehearsing lectures on a commute to preparing for difficult conversations, Brian shows how AI can be used as a private, infinitely patient simulator for improving high-stakes human skills.