Porta Mosana

Investigate how AI and human perseverance can coexist in meaningful learning, and develop strategies that motivate students to choose effort over shortcuts in an AI-driven world.

The Project

The Project

What happens when artificial intelligence becomes a normal part of the classroom? At Porta Mosana College in Maastricht, a bilingual secondary school offering higher professional and pre-university education, this question has become central to the way students learn. All pupils in the upper years (ages 15–18) now receive guidance on the responsible use of AI, exploring both its opportunities and its risks.

But one challenge remains: how do we ensure that students continue to value genuine effort when AI can offer instant solutions? This project invites you to explore exactly that question. The goal is to understand how we can motivate pupils to embrace the “hard way” of learning; the kind that builds resilience, deep understanding, and a true sense of accomplishment.

You will delve into psychological and educational frameworks such as Self-Regulated Learning, Self-Determination Theory, and Desirable Difficulties, which explain how autonomy, competence, and perseverance fuel motivation. Beyond these scientific models, you will also explore frameworks such as the Inner Development Goals and Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey, viewing learning as a transformative process shaped by challenge and growth.

Your task will be to connect these ideas to real classroom practices. How can teachers and schools encourage students to stay critically engaged when AI tools are just a click away? What kinds of interventions (small nudges, reflections, or activities) could make effort feel meaningful again?

Working closely with teachers and educational innovators at Porta Mosana College, you will analyze student experiences, identify motivational barriers, and design practical strategies or tools to strengthen authentic learning. The outcomes could inform both daily educational practice and broader policy discussions on AI in education.

Beyond the school itself, your results will be shared with the LVO school council’s pilot group and EDLAB (Maastricht University’s Centre for Educational Innovation), ensuring regional visibility and potential for wider adoption.

If you are passionate about the future of learning, intrigued by how psychology and technology intersect, and ready to help reimagine education in the age of AI, then this is your chance! Join this project to help define what meaningful learning looks like when the machines can think too.

Do you like this project? Then apply for PREMIUM now!

Research-oriented

In this project, the focus is on “discovering something new”
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The Client

The Client

The bilingual (English) department of Porta Mosana College in Maastricht, offering higher professional and pre-university secondary education, is at the forefront of integrating AI into learning. This school year, all pupils in years 4, 5, and 6 (ages 15–18) received an introduction to the responsible use of AI, highlighting both opportunities and risks. Central to the approach is the human-in-the-loop principle, ensuring students remain active participants in the learning process. Still, challenges remain—particularly the risk of cognitive offloading, where reliance on AI without critical reflection undermines meaningful learning and independent thinking.

Co-Creator Client

This client might join the team for brainstorm sessions, meetings, and preparatory sessions. The co-creator is more actively involved in/during the project execution.