Everyone is aware that student enrollment in educational institutions is declining at an alarming rate. In many universities and colleges, several academic departments are approaching the brink of closure due to the continuous decrease in admissions. Multiple factors have contributed to this emerging crisis, but one of the most significant is the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI). Artificial intelligence now provides students with ready-made, personalized solutions to many of the academic problems they encounter. Consequently, many young people are discovering alternative ways of earning a livelihood instead of following the traditional educational pathway: attending classes, working hard to earn a degree, and then seeking employment. This conventional route is becoming less attractive, particularly as employment opportunities continue to shrink. News reports frequently indicate that industries across the world are laying off employees and replacing many routine tasks with AI-powered technologies and automated systems. In such circumstances, it has become imperative to rethink and redesign the traditional classroom. Our classrooms must become more innovative, creative, and relevant to the demands of the twenty-first century. This vision can be termed as the “Classroom Next” Which emphasizes on rejuvenation of classroom learning environment as more engaging and productive in the sense as scholars such as Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky argue that learning occurs through active engagement rather than passive reception of information. In the absence this shift in education process we shall soon have plenty of degree holders without necessary skills.
Economists such as Gary Becker viewed education primarily as an investment that increases productivity and employability. As such traditional model is weakening because AI increasingly performs routine cognitive work.
Before discussing this concept further, it is worthwhile to briefly revisit the history of human language and communication. During the time of Aristotle, it was believed that teaching people to write would weaken their memory. Aristotle argued that writing would diminish the human capacity for memorization, and therefore he opposed its widespread use. Nevertheless, writing continued to evolve. Humanity progressed from writing by hand to using the typewriter, then to computers where words were electronically typed, and today we can simply speak into digital devices that instantly convert speech into written text. Language has continuously evolved throughout human history, and its development cannot be halted. AI-assisted writing represents the latest stage in this ongoing linguistic evolution. The classroom, particularly in disciplines such as literature, languages, and the social sciences, must evolve in a similar manner. Traditional educational systems have largely relied on coursework followed by written examinations which according to Paulo Freire is called the “banking model” of education, according to which teachers deposit information into passive learners. Instead, he advocated dialogue, critical consciousness, and transformative education. Subsequently, students are required to produce a thesis, which is theoretically expected to contribute original knowledge. However, in the era of generative AI, the authenticity of such written work has become increasingly difficult to verify.
Therefore, our educational practices require substantial reform. During coursework, greater emphasis should be placed on oral discussions, collaborative learning, creativity-oriented activities, debates, and problem-solving exercises. Students should regularly present their ideas before committees of experts who may ask spontaneous and challenging questions. During these assessments, students should not have access to AI-powered devices, enabling evaluators to assess the genuine knowledge, critical thinking, and communication skills acquired throughout their studies because educational theorists such as Grant Wiggins argued that assessment should resemble real-life performance rather than artificial examinations. Similarly, the traditional written thesis should gradually be replaced or supplemented with real-world, project-based learning. Students should be assigned projects that address genuine social, political, economic, environmental, or technological challenges. Such projects must not remain theoretical; instead, they should demonstrate practical solutions that can be implemented within society. Degrees should be awarded only after students have successfully completed projects that produce measurable and meaningful social impact. Furthermore, the evaluation of these projects should extend beyond university faculty. Assessment committees should include university professors alongside successful entrepreneurs, industrialists, policymakers, technological experts, and professionals from relevant industries. Such multidisciplinary evaluation would ensure that academic work is judged not only for its theoretical merit but also for its practical applicability and societal relevance.
This approach would encourage students to innovate, create, and produce original work rather than merely reproduce existing knowledge. It would shift higher education from information transmission to knowledge creation and problem-solving. Economists such as Gary Becker viewed education primarily as an investment that increases productivity and employability. As such traditional model is weakening because AI increasingly performs routine cognitive work. Finally, every student should undergo a rigorous viva voce examination. During this examination, candidates should respond to spontaneous, on-the-spot questions posed by the evaluation committee. Since these questions would not be known beforehand, the examination would effectively assess authentic understanding, analytical ability, creativity, and intellectual maturity rather than memorized or AI-generated responses.
Only after successfully demonstrating the required knowledge, practical competence, ethical responsibility, and problem-solving abilities should a candidate be awarded a university degree. The purpose of higher education in the AI era should no longer be merely to certify academic achievement but to prepare graduates who are genuinely capable of contributing to society through original thinking, innovation, and practical solutions, because as thinkers such as Katherine Hayles and Rosi Braidotti argue that, humans increasingly think and create alongside intelligent technologies rather than in opposition to them.
The writer is a professor of English at Government Emerson University, Multan. He can be reached at zeadogar@ hotmail.com and Tweets @Profzee