Slow and Connected: Deliberate GenAI-Enhanced Instructional Design Fostering the Essence of Critical Thinking

Abstract

This chapter explores the integration of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) as an innovative educational technology using the framework of slow and relational pedagogy. It proposes a deliberate instructional design aimed at decelerating student learning behaviors to foster deeper engagement with critical thinking about oneself, peers, and instructors. The chapter begins with a scoping review to survey didactic approaches relevant to both slow and relational pedagogy. The research synthesis emphasizes strategies such as reducing the quantity of tasks while increasing the time allocated for them, focusing more on the learning process rather than the final product, and balancing solitary work with collaborative efforts. Building on these insights, the chapter develops an instructional design using a conjecture map (Sandoval, 2014), which includes a hypothesis, design features, embodiments (interventions), mediating processes, and outcomes. This design aims to create a learning environment where students engage in attentive and collaborative thinking with the aid of GenAI.