The Human Advantage: Reimagining Learning with AI and Design Thinking

Outline

0:00-0:05 | Welcome and Framing the Human Advantage
Brief introduction and framing: what it means to “prompt the human before the machine.”
Participants reflect on a moment when technology improved or hindered human connection.

0:05-0:15 | Setting the Context: Design Thinking Meets AI
Overview of how design thinking can help preserve curiosity, empathy, and critical thinking.
Introduce the SPARK prompt (Situation, Problem, Aspiration, Result, Kismet) as a tool for human-centered problem framing.
Engagement: Participants identify one challenge or idea they want to explore.

0:15–0:35 | Empathy Interviews: Prompting the Human Before the Machine
Participants pair up for empathy interviews to uncover real needs and opportunities in their schools or roles.
After the interviews, they translate insights into a guiding question or challenge.
Engagement: Peer-to-peer interviews; active listening; short group share.

0:35-0:50 | AI as Teammate: Designing Human-Centered Solutions
Participants use AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Gemini) to brainstorm ideas, generate possibilities, and reflect on how AI can amplify not replace their own creativity.
Emphasis on co-design: prompting the human before the machine.
Engagement: Device-based collaboration; structured reflection using prompt scaffolds.

0:50-0:60 | Reflection and Takeaways
Group discussion: How does this process preserve the human advantage?
Participants share one insight or next step for bringing this mindset back to their community.
Engagement: Open share or digital post-it wall (e.g., Padlet).

Outcomes

After this session, participants will be able to:
Apply design thinking strategies to explore how AI can enhance human connection, creativity, and critical thinking.
Use empathy interviews to prompt the human before the machine identifying the real needs, values, and perspectives that should guide AI use.
Collaborate with AI as a teammate to design practical, human-centered solutions for their classrooms or schools.
Reflect on how curiosity and agency can sustain the human advantage in an AI-driven world.

Supporting research

Microsoft Work Trend Index
TeachAI + OECD AI Literacy Framework
Tim Brown - Change By Design
Daniel Pink - A Whole New Mind
Amy Edmonson- Fearless Organization
Project Aristotle by Google