My daughter beat the curve on her first biochemistry exam with the help of AI study podcasts she listens to between classes at the University of Colorado – Boulder campus.
We spent the weekend on campus for Parents Weekend and celebrated a great 37-20 victory over Wyoming. Between campus tours, gatherings, and the game, studying and exams came up a couple times in conversation with her and her friends.
When they did, I casually mentioned AI study tools like ChatGPT’s Study mode and NotebookLM. Most of her friends had never heard of them.
These tools can:
break down hard concepts into simple terms
make practice quizzes and flashcards
create audio podcasts for review walks around campus, and
chat with it to get another point of view
I spent some time with my daughter on how to use AI responsibly and to help her with critical thinking before school started.
But here’s what I always tell her. AI is a mirror of your intent. Use it to help you learn, and it helps you learn. Use it to cheat, and it helps you cheat.
She doesn’t ask AI to do her homework. She asks it to help her understand what she’s struggling with, collaborate with it to give her other perspectives, and test her knowledge before exams.
We’re raising kids who will work with AI their whole careers. Teaching them to use it right now goes beyond college grades. We’re building good judgment for their future.
The tools are amazing, see screenshots of ChatGPT and NotebookLM study features below. But the guidance on how to use them responsibly? That’s part of our job as parents. Start teaching them now, while they still listen to us. 😉
