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2026: Introduction to teaching and learning in higher education

Cognitive Offloading and GenAI in Engineering and Design Education

  • Max Angenius
  • Zhaleh Pourjam Alavijeh
  • Riccardo Centazzo
  • Thushadh Wijesekere
  • Asala Bandak
Submitted
September 18, 2026
Published
April 30, 2026

Abstract

Education is an ever-evolving topic where new techniques, methods, and technologies for teaching and learning emerge, with one of the most recent being Generative AI (GenAI). GenAI offers opportunities to improve learning activities while at the same time introducing new risks. Cognitive offloading is a phenomenon practiced by humans for a long time, where cognitive activities are supported by external means, e.g., counting with your fingers or using a calculator. GenAI is a service, e.g., ChatGPT, that offers the potential to improve teaching and learning by offloading cognitive tasks, but it is yet to be understood if and how the use of these types of services is beneficial or harmful for students’ learning. In this report, a qualitative interview study has been conducted to understand the impact of GenAI on teaching and learning in engineering education, specifically focused on cognitive offloading. The report provides insights about GenAI’s impact related to cognitive offloading, teaching, and learning.

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