Dispositions, discernment, and productive inquiry as reflective practice

Considering rapid advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the growing demand for the convergence of disciplinary knowledge, ideas, and expertise, a paradigm shift toward context-based learning is necessary. This paper introduces three key principles for transitioning from content-driven to context-driven learning—dispositions, discernment, and productive inquiry—and curriculum design that supports this learning. Through an iterative cycle of discernment, prompt, prototype, and iteration within real-world challenge spaces, students cultivate their unique dispositions while practicing discernment and productive inquiry as tools for learning. Drawing on a case study from the University of Southern California’s Iovine and Young Academy, a school that engages students in chellanges at the intersections of technology, design, and business, we illustrate how the Challenge-Based Reflective Learning (CBRL) framework and its related practices equip learners to navigate complex sociotechnical entanglements and develop reflective practice essential in the age of AI. Emphaszing associative learning over progressive learning, the framework offers practical ways in which CBRL phases and practices can be incorporated into higher education curricula and courses. We discuss the role of humanities education across disciplines as a vital domain for interrogating ethical, social, and cultural dimensions of emerging challenges of the future.