Using AI Without Outsourcing Thought

The CSPT Education Committee is pleased to present the upcoming CSPT Education Symposium on "Using AI Without Outsourcing Thought". The symposium will be on 

Monday, June 8, 2026

9 AM PT / 10 AM MT / 11 AM CT / 12 PM ET / 1 PM AT / 1:30 PM NT

This is a timely discussion on AI in teaching and learning. We will focus on critical thinking, assessment, and practical use in educational settings. We are pleased to feature:

Michael Lee, PhD

Geisel School of Medicine, New Hampshire, USA

Soroush Sabbaghan, PhD

University of Calgary

Teaching Thinking in an AI-Embedded University

Michelle Arnot, PhD

University of Toronto

Personalized student learning  through course trained AI- Virtual Tutor can expand student thinking

Dr. Soroush Sabbaghan is an Associate Professor at the Werklund School of Education at the University of Calgary and serves as the inaugural Generative AI Educational Leader in Residence at the Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning. His work focuses on the intersection of educational technology, teacher development, and equity. He has developed multiple AI-powered tools to support inclusive and evidence-informed teaching practices which are used in K–12 and higher education settings. Soroush has led several collaborative research projects on the ethical integration of generative AI in education, working closely with educators across Canada and internationally. He has served as Principal Investigator on funded studies examining the role of co-designed AI tools in reshaping professional values in teacher education and has published widely on AI literacy, human-centered design, and educational integrity. He is also the editor of Navigating Generative AI in Higher Education: Ethical, Theoretical, and Practical Perspectives, a volume that explores critical tensions and forward-looking frameworks for responsible AI use in academic settings

Dr. Michelle Arnot obtained her H.BSc. from Queen's University, Canada and her PhD in Pharmacology from the University of Alberta, Canada. She is currently a Professor, Teaching Stream, and the Associate Chair, Undergraduate Education in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology at the University of Toronto. Following completion of her scientific training in neuro- and ion channel pharmacology, she has developed extensive experience in curricula development and is interested in how different teaching methods and interventions play a role in student learning and engagement. Her diverse curricula development and educational scholarship pursuits focus on teaching and learning within the context of experiential learning, community engaged learning, developing students’ professional and research skills, expanding EDIIA across program curricula and integrating Gen AI into student learning through a variety of means to improve student GenAI literacy while maintaining their critical thinking. These topics largely underscore her invited talks and publications. She is engaged in a variety of leadership and mentorship roles at the University of Toronto and was awarded the Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching in Life Science Award.