The Ghost Learner Paradox: A Systematic Review of Metacognitive Laziness in the Age of Generative AI
Keywords:
Generative AI, Metacognitive Laziness, Cognitive Offloading, Ghost Learner, Critical Thinking, Higher Education, Self-Regulated LearningAbstract
The rapid proliferation of Large Language Models (LLMs) and agentic artificial intelligence has fundamentally disrupted the landscape of higher education, precipitating a crisis of cognitive engagement. This systematic review investigates the "Ghost Learner" paradox, a phenomenon wherein students maintain or improve their academic performance metrics while genuine cognitive and metacognitive involvement is significantly diminished. Adopting the PRISMA 2020 guidelines, we synthesized peer-reviewed literature from 2023 to 2026 to examine the mechanisms of AI-induced cognitive offloading. Findings indicate a critical distinction between beneficial offloading (which frees working memory for higher-order reasoning) and detrimental substitution (which fosters "metacognitive laziness" and bypasses productive struggle). Furthermore, the emergence of agentic AI exposes the structural vulnerability of traditional, output-centric assessment models, leading to systemic skill atrophy in independent reasoning, epistemic vigilance, and critical thinking. The review concludes that mitigating this paradox requires an institutional pivot from teaching basic AI literacy to fostering AI fluency. Educators must redesign pedagogical frameworks toward process-oriented assessments that verify authentic human presence and co-regulation, ensuring that AI serves as a cognitive scaffold rather than a substitute.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Febriyanti Febriyanti, Tohir Muntoha, Ajeng Ninda Uminar (Author)
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