Shifting Schools: Conversations for K12 Educators

Fiona Goodall, a special educator with over 20 years of experience, discusses the transformative potential of AI in assisting neurodivergent learners. She shares practical insights on using AI to enhance social interactions, helping students simplify friend invitations and foster connections. Fiona addresses the importance of thoughtful integration of AI in literacy support while highlighting ethical concerns. With a cautious yet optimistic view, she emphasizes the need for educators to harness AI responsibly to enrich personalized learning experiences.

Dr. Federica Fornaciari, a Professor and children's book author with expertise in emerging technologies and privacy, explores the delicate balance between innovation and ethics in education. She discusses the importance of incorporating ethical considerations in AI, emphasizing critical media literacy to combat misinformation. Federica highlights how innovation can foster emotional connections within educational communities and stresses the need for transparency in technology use. Her insights delve into AI's role in enhancing creativity while addressing the ethical implications of its deployment.

Professor Anna Mills, a community college writing teacher and advocate for critical AI literacy, delves into the challenges and opportunities of integrating AI into education. She discusses the importance of fostering intrinsic motivation in students while navigating AI's role in writing assignments. Mills emphasizes the need for clear boundaries and collaboration between K-12 and higher education. Additionally, she highlights innovative methods to maintain writing integrity and enhance student privacy in the age of AI.

In this episode, Jeff Utecht interviews Michelle Kassorla, an associate professor of English at Georgia State University, about using generative AI in higher education. They discuss the importance of teaching AI literacy, the role of AI in the writing process, and the benefits of using AI to support student learning. Michelle shares her insights on assessment, transparency, and the creative opportunities that AI provides for students. She also discusses the development of AI literacy standards for higher education and offers practical tips for integrating AI into the classroom. Michelle Kassorla, Ph.D., an Associate Professor at Georgia State University, Perimeter College, has more than 30 years of experience teaching English and Composition. She teaches With and Against AI in Composition I and II courses, integrating AI into all assignments this academic year. She's on the AI Expert Panel for EDUCAUSE, leading the AI Literacy committee for Higher Education. A recipient of a Center for Excellence in Teaching, Learning, and Online Education fellowship, she published "Teaching with GAI in Mind" in the EDUCAUSE Review and co-authors a textbook and papers with Eugenia Novokshanova. She's a Co-Principal Investigator in the "Perceptions of AI" study at GSU. She shares her insights on LinkedIn and her blog, "The Academic Platypus." As a mother of eight boys, she's continually inspired to excel. Connect with our guest: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mkassorla/ Takeaways Teaching AI literacy is crucial in higher education to help students understand the limitations and biases of AI models. AI can be used to support the writing process by providing feedback on grammar and punctuation, generating topic ideas, and assisting with research. Assessment should focus on voice, tone, audience, transparency, and accuracy rather than traditional grammar and punctuation. AI can free up time for teachers to focus on higher-order thinking skills and creative aspects of writing. Developing AI literacy standards for higher education can help guide educators in teaching AI effectively. Thank you to our amazing show sponsor! Lebra https://www.lebrahq.com/

Dayamudra Dennehy, a tenured ESL community college faculty with a focus on ethical AI integration in education, delves into the crucial role of student voices in discussions about generative AI. She shares her innovative project where students create AI manifestos to explore ethical considerations. Dayamudra emphasizes the importance of educators adopting a growth mindset and collaborating in the responsible use of technology. Her expansive background in various educational contexts enriches the conversation about creating inclusive AI practices in classrooms.

In this engaging conversation, Amy Oswalt, a dedicated educator and founder of Conduit, shares her insights on scenario-based learning and its transformative potential in neurodiverse education. She discusses how creative thinking and AI can alleviate anxiety and enhance personalized learning. Amy emphasizes the importance of collaboration between educators and families to foster emotional growth. With a focus on customizing assistive technologies, she advocates for a future where all students can explore diverse possibilities and thrive.

Dr. Min Sun, a professor at the University of Washington, shares insights on how AI can revolutionize education through her work at AmplifyLearn.ai. She discusses Colleague.ai, a specialized AI assistant that simplifies tasks for K-12 educators, enhancing efficiency in lesson planning and grading. Min emphasizes the need for thoughtful AI design to improve education quality and equity, envisioning a future where AI fosters personalized learning and collaboration, ultimately transforming teaching practices and reducing teacher burnout.

Dr. Laura Dumin obtained her PhD in English from Oklahoma State University in 2010. She is a professor in English and Technical Writing at the University of Central Oklahoma who has been exploring the impact of generative AI on writing classrooms. Laura has been experimenting with transformative learning (TL) tools and scholarship of teaching and learning methods (SoTL) in the classroom for over 7 years. She finds that when students are engaged in the lessons, learning can happen organically, leading to more interesting class periods and longer-term gains in understanding concepts. Laura mixes her background in technical writing into all her courses, bringing ideas of audience and clear communication into assignments. When she is not teaching, she works as a co-managing editor for the Journal of Transformative Learning, was a campus SoTL mentor, and directs the Technical Writing BA and advises the Composition and Rhetoric MA program. She runs a Facebook learning community to allow instructors to learn from each other. https://www.facebook.com/groups/632930835501841 Big bold ideas explored this week: Allowing students to use AI in their rough drafts and final drafts of papers can be a valuable learning experience. Reflecting on the effectiveness of AI tools and using the right tool for the job is crucial. Preserving individuality and voice in writing is important in the age of AI. Having conversations with students about AI, including discussions on bias and prompt engineering, is essential. AI can enhance accessibility in education and make learning more inclusive. Connect with our guest: www.linkedin.com/in/laura-dumin157 ldumin157.com https://www.facebook.com/groups/632930835501841 Thank you to our show sponsor Lebra learn more: https://www.lebrahq.com/

Explore the transformative power of AI in higher education and its potential to personalize learning experiences. Discover how AI is reshaping student life, from mental health support to enhanced campus services. Engage with critical questions surrounding AI integration and its role in redefining the educational landscape. Learn about innovative strategies that improve student engagement and streamline processes, as well as unique use cases from institutions leading the way in AI implementation.

💡 On our power of play series this week we talk with Hayes Greenfield is founder of Creative Sound Play (CSP), a sound-based, generative learning system for Pre-K, as well as an award-winning jazz musician, notable film composer, and innovative educator. His book, Creative Sound Play for Young Learners (Routledge, Eye on Education Series, 2024), invites educators to use sound-making as collaborative educational play. Hayes began working as a teaching artist in public and private K-12 schools. He created and implemented curricula for K-12 students, and professional development workshops for special needs District 75 teachers in New York City. Notably, he created a Pre-K program for PNC Bank's "Grow Up Great Initiative," devoted five years to codifying CSP at the Lenox Hill Early Childhood Center's Head Start program, and consulted at Bank Street Head Start. Founder and lead educator for CSP, Hayes guides Pre-K teachers in his sound-based pedagogy and offers in-person and remote coaching sessions to accompany his self-paced video curriculum. An exceptional speaker Hayes has presented at the NAEYC, NHSA, A Joyous Celebration of Ideas, the Next Wave Center for Artistry and Scholarship, and other conferences. A jazz musician, Hayes is proud to be endorsed by Yamaha, Vandoren, and Eventide. He has released 10 critically acclaimed CDs including two award-winning family CD's Jazz-A-Ma-Tazz and Music for a Green Planet, and has performed at festivals and venues throughout the US, Canada, and Europe. Hayes' Jazz-A-Ma-Tazz school assembly program has reached over 300,000 young people and his music has been wonderfully received and reviewed in The New York Times, The New Yorker, Wall Street Journal, Billboard, Child Magazine, Downbeat, Jazz Times and more. As film composer, Hayes has scored more than 70 films, documentaries, commercials, animations, and TV specials. 🎙️Connect with our guest https://www.creativesoundplay.com/ https://www.hayesgreenfield.com/ https://www.instagram.com/creativesoundplay/ https://www.facebook.com/thehayesgreenfield https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiC0eCONgJfJSXJGO6fALsA Want to take this episode further and map out your personal plans for having a playful summer? 🏖️ Explore our six-part planner, download it free : https://shiftingschools.lpages.co/power-of-play/ 👏🏻Thank you to our incredible sponsors for supporting this series: MackinVision: https://home.mackin.com/mackinvision/ Lebra: https://www.lebrahq.com/ 📨Tell us about your thoughts on this episode: info@shiftingschools.com