Episode Summary: In this episode of the EdTech Learning Lab, host Tela Vessa sits down with Dr. Sharon F. Chen, Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at Stanford University, to discuss the creation of the newly launched "Thinking Habits in the AI Era" CME course. Together, they explore the critical need for explicit, reflective thinking in medicine to combat AI-driven "cognitive offloading," unpack the development of the Thinking Habits Matrix (THM), and share behind-the-scenes insights into how clinical subject-matter experts and instructional technologists collaborate to build impactful, visually stunning learning experiences.

Key Takeaways:

• Combating Cognitive Complacency: As AI tools become more integrated into healthcare, practitioners risk relying too heavily on automated solutions. Explicit critical reflection is vital to ensure patient care remains deliberate and human-centered.
• The Thinking Habits Matrix (THM): Developed over years of clinical and educational research, the THM is a problem-solving framework that acts as a shared "language." It helps physicians step back, reflect on their decision-making, and eventually coach learners to do the same.
• Scaffolding the Learning Process: You can't coach what you don't practice. The new CME course intentionally slows down the learning process, requiring practitioners to self-reflect using their own patient cases before they ever touch an AI coaching tool or attempt to guide their peers.
• The Secret to EdTech Collaboration: Successful projects require more than just technical skills. A shared vision, mutual respect for everyone's time, and open, iterative brainstorming are what turn a good concept into a great educational tool.

Resources Mentioned:

• Thinking Habits in the AI Era: Find the new asynchronous, interactive CME-accredited course live on Cloud CME.
• Stanford Graduate School of Education (GSE): Mentioned for the collaborative work on learning science and reflective practices with Dr. Shima Salehi.
• Articulate Rise 360: The authoring tool utilized by the Stanford EdTech team to build the self-paced learning modules.

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• Want to collaborate? Learn more about our work at Stanford EdTech: https://med.stanford.edu/edtech.html