Navigating AI Friction and Future Work Anxiety in Schools with Dr. Iro Konstantinou

In this episode from the Festival of Education at Wellington College 2026, host Daniel Emmerson speaks with Dr Iro Konstantinou, Head of Research and Impact at Eton College. Dr Konstantinou discusses the role of artificial intelligence in education, highlighting findings from primary data gathered across diverse UK schools. She explores the concept of cognitive offloading, how students' perceptions of AI are influenced by their background and social media, and how schools can prepare students for an AI-impacted workplace by fostering critical thinking and transferable skills. Key Topics & Timestamps 00:00 Cognitive Struggle and Early AI Perceptions 00:28 Introducing Dr Iro Konstantinou 01:23 Highlights from the Festival of Education 02:00 Overview of Research at Eton College 03:25 Gathering Primary Evidence on Student AI Use 05:24 Regional Disparities and Student Attitudes Towards AI 06:57 Personal AI Usage and Data Privacy Awareness 08:24 The Role of Social Media in Shaping AI Perceptions 09:19 Teachers' Concerns and the Cognitive Offloading Trap 11:04 Classroom Strategies: Prohibition vs Socratic Prompting 12:11 Workplace Anxiety and Changing University Choices 14:27 Supporting Schools with Industry Skills and Best Practice 15:25 Community Outreach and Collaboration at CIRL 17:11 How to Connect and Get Involved with Eton’s Research Key Takeaways & Highlights Academic Skepticism vs. Overconfidence: Students at highly selective academic schools often express a desire to maintain "cognitive struggle" and avoid AI, whereas students in other settings use AI for personal tasks without fully grasping data privacy risks. The Influence of Social Media: Many young people rely on social media platforms rather than formal guidance to form their understanding of AI ethics, safety, and application. Diverse Classroom Approaches: Teacher responses range from strict prohibition to incorporating Socratic prompting, highlighting the need for explicit metacognitive training to support critical thinking. Shift in Workplace Expectations: Students are altering higher education paths due to career automation concerns, pointing to a need for schools to emphasize transferable human skills and philosophy-driven thinking. Democratising Educational Research: Outreach initiatives focus on sharing best practices and supporting schools in underserved areas to ensure AI evidence-based guidance is accessible across the sector. Resources Mentioned The Tony Little Centre for Innovation and Research in Learning (CIRL) at Eton College: Research hub focusing on pedagogy, evidence-informed practice, and AI impact. https://cirl.etoncollege.com/ Department for Education (DfE) Gen AI Product Safety Standards: Standards addressing friction in learning and cognitive offloading risks. https://www.gov.uk/government/publica... Guest Contact Information Guest: Dr Iro Konstantinou (Head of Research and Impact, Eton College) Dr Iro Konstantinou is an education researcher and adviser specialising in evidence-informed practice across schools, universities, and the wider education sector. She currently serves as Head of Research and Impact at Eton College, where she leads research on curriculum development, professional learning, equity, and the impact of AI on education. Previously, she held academic and leadership roles at Pearson, UCL, and the University of Warwick. She is also a trained coach, having completed an undergraduate course in coaching at the University of Cambridge. LinkedIn:   / dr-iro-konstantinou