Too Easy to Learn? Education in the Age of AI
David White
Date
Thursday, October 15, 2026
Time
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM Irish Time
Location
Online via Zoom
AI makes it easier to produce work, but producing work is not quite the same as learning. This talk explores why meaningful learning requires effort, and how educators can explain its value. Drawing on arts education and libraries, David White argues that critical thinking must be taught, helping students recognise when AI supports their learning and when it replaces their thinking.
Speaker Profile
David White is Dean of Academic Strategy (Online) and Reader in Postdigital Education at the University of the Arts (UAL) London. His work explores education, digital culture and AI. He developed the well-known Digital Visitors and Residents framework as an alternative to Prensky’s digital native concept and helped establish UAL Online. From 2020 to 2026, he was President of the Association for Learning Technology (ALT) the leading UK professional body for technology and learning. He is co-chair of the UAL AI group and lead author of the UAL AI Principles for all staff.