Learning-to-learn in the age of generative AI: A scoping review and conceptual framework

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With the rapid integration of generative AI (GenAI) into higher education, concerns over cognitive offloading, overreliance, and diminished critical thinking underscore an urgent need to prioritize learning-to-learn (L2L) competencies. However, the lack of a clear and detailed conceptualization of L2L, a key 21st-century skill for lifelong learning, hinders interdisciplinary research and limits the development of informed, pedagogically sound AI applications. This paper presents a scoping review of L2L definitions within pedagogical and psychological literature, based on sources retrieved from ERIC, Scopus, and Web of Science. The review follows the PRISMA-ScR framework and identifies 21 relevant publications. We propose a novel three-layered framework organized by conceptual broadness: Dimensions (dispositions like cognitive and metacognitive skills), Processes (actionable activities such as self-regulation), and Tools (concrete strategies like retrieval practice), providing entry points for researchers from varying disciplines. We further highlight existing GenAI research efforts addressing these layers, outline current limitations, and propose directions for future exploration, with a focus on higher education. By unifying L2L theory with GenAI practice, this framework provides an actionable foundation for educational technologies in an AI-driven era.

Highlights:

• Three-layer learning-to-learn (L2L) framework (Dimensions, Processes, Tools) to guide AI‑enhanced learning system design.
• Synthesizes L2L definitions from 21 studies identified by a PRISMA-ScR review and offers actionable paradigms for teaching L2L, for example, using AI-supported systems.
• Maps L2L components to GenAI application use cases in higher education.
• Positions L2L as key to reducing GenAI overreliance and fostering learner agency.