A new white paper by tech philosopher and educator Dr Tom Chatfield, published by Sage, outlines a practical roadmap for integrating AI into teaching, learning, and assessment. Drawing on cognitive science, instructional research, and real-world case studies — including the development of a prototype ‘cognitive co-pilot' AI tutor — the paper offers actionable recommendations for educators and institutions. 

It critiques defensive, surveillance-based responses to AI and calls for a shift toward transparent, experimental, and mastery-based assessment. It highlights the need for educators to become designers and facilitators of learning environments, and for institutions to ground their use of technology in civic and ethical purposes. 

Chatfield argues that the true promise of AI lies not in automating learning but in elevating human insight, creativity, and collaboration. Ultimately, the white paper argues for a future-focused pedagogy that prepares students to thrive in an AI-rich world by developing both technical fluency and distinctively human capacities. 

“AI is not a shortcut to learning — it’s a context and catalyst for deeper engagement,” says Chatfield. “The future of pedagogy depends on our ability to teach both for humans and with machines, in partnership with students whose lives are already entwined with AI.” 

"Over the last six decades, we at Sage have committed to helping social and behavioural science serve the greater good by addressing central issues of our times. In that light, this superb exploration of how critical thinking and pedagogy can be enhanced rather than displaced by AI couldn't be more timely," commented Ziyad Marar, Sage’s president of global publishing. “Tom Chatfield's deeply insightful and useful paper answers a burning question posed to us by academics across the globe; namely, how are students to learn well in a world reconfigured by this new technology.” 

Download the full white paper.