ChatEDU – The AI & Education Podcast

Jonathan Costa, Executive Director of EdAdvance, shares his insights on the dynamic role of AI in education. He advocates for reducing curriculum content to focus on 'durable' skills that withstand automation. Costa emphasizes the importance of adapting assessments to align with future success and encourages educators to embrace AI as a tool for innovation. He also reflects on how AI enhances personal pursuits like fitness and golf. This thought-provoking conversation is a call to rethink education for a rapidly changing world.

In this episode of ChatEDU (Simulated Minds - Using AI to Deepen Research Insights), Matt and Liz explore the use of AI in social science research, focusing on a study from NYU and Stanford about using large language models to simulate research participants. First in our Intro: Matt and Liz discuss a trend of women using AI to fact-check men's height claims on dating apps. They then explore contrasting organizational approaches to AI adoption: AI Bans in Organizations: Matt shares an anecdote about a friend's workplace banning all access to generative AI, while Liz discusses similar bans in various organizations. Moderna's AI Adoption: Liz highlights Moderna's extensive use of custom GPTs across their organization, with 750 custom GPTs created and 40% of users actively using them weekly. Then in the News: Grok2 Image Generation Tool: Matt introduces Elon Musk's new AI model, Grok2 which lacks typical content filters. They discuss its potential misuse in school settings and the challenges it presents for educators and parents. Student Attitudes Toward AI in Education: Liz shares findings from a global AI student survey by the Digital Education Council, revealing that many students believe overuse of AI in teaching devalues education and negatively impacts academic performance. Beneath the Surface: Matt and Liz examine a research paper on using large language models to predict results of social science experiments: Discussion of the study's methodology using AI to simulate research participants based on demographic profiles Exploration of potential applications in cost-effective pilot studies and augmenting traditional research methods Demonstration of the approach using Liz's doctoral dissertation on student self-efficacy in high school mathematics Simulation of a research participant named Amber and comparison of AI-generated responses to actual research data Short Stack Chat Back: A simulated Charles Darwin summarizes this week’s Beneath the Surface in three short sentences. Have a question or comment? Please email Matt and Liz at chatedu@edadvance.org  Related Links: Digital Education Council Global AI Student Survey: https://www.digitaleducationcouncil.com/post/digital-education-council-global-ai-student-survey-2024  NYU and Stanford Research Paper: https://docsend.com/view/ity6yf2dansesucf#  EdAdvance AI Resources: skills21.org/AI  Grok2 Image Woes: https://www.theverge.com/2024/8/14/24220173/xai-grok-image-generator-misinformation-offensive-imges 

Matt and Liz dive into the intriguing world of AI in education, beginning with highlights from the Olympics. They explore groundbreaking achievements, like DeepMind's success in the Math Olympiad, and discuss the implications of AI tools like STORM from Stanford. This tool promises to revolutionize research skills, raising questions about efficiency versus the value of learning through struggle. They also tackle the ethical dilemmas surrounding AI-assisted college essays and the necessity for critical evaluation of AI-generated content.

In this special summer episode of ChatEDU (Crash Course - Building Your AI Professional Learning Plan), Matt and Liz explore strategies for developing effective AI professional learning plans for educators. Intro Matt welcomes Liz back and then quizzes her with a paragraph full of “AI tell words” to see how many she can identify.  Liz puts Matt in the “hotseat”, as she inquires about how he approaches AI professional learning for back-to-school and beyond. They discuss a range of issues including: Foundation and Baseline Understanding Matt unpacks his approach to establishing a baseline understanding of AI for educators Covers the "great everything making machine" concept and demonstrates AI capabilities Addresses how teachers have responded to AI in the past year Differentiated Learning Approaches Elementary school focus: Productivity tools and building AI literacy foundations Middle and high school: Durable and vulnerable assessments, potential student-facing AI pilots Advanced users: Exploring Leon Furze’s AI assessment scale Academic Integrity and Guidelines Importance of consistent, district-wide guidelines for AI use Implementing guidelines: Human steps and procedures for addressing potential misuse Engaging Professional Learning Techniques Matt shares his approach to making AI professional learning engaging and relevant Emphasizes the importance of humanity, humor, and vulnerability in presentations Ongoing Professional Learning Strategies Connecting AI to district priorities and ongoing initiatives Suggestions for embedding AI learning into regular school activities (faculty meetings, lunch and learns) Importance of continuous learning due to rapidly evolving AI landscape Special Populations and AI Brief discussion on AI tools for students with special needs and multilingual learners Mention of translation tools and their ease of use Skills21.org/prompts - Prompt library Skills21.org/AI - AI resources page AI student scenarios document Professional learning survey (Google Form) AI policy/guideline examples AI literacy resources for K-12 Have a question or comment? Please email Matt and Liz at chatedu@edadvance.org UDIO.com - AI music generation tool Suno.ai - Another AI music tool mentioned Skills21.org/ai - Destination for Matt’s AI tools, resources and contact for PL support 

In this episode of ChatEDU (AI on the Field - Our Interview with Tech Coach Ed Duclos), Matt and Liz interview Ed Duclos. Ed is a technology (and HS athletics) coach from South Windsor High School in Connecticut. They discuss his district's experiences implementing AI in education over the past year. Key points include: South Windsor's approach of encouraging AI exploration Formation of teacher and student AI squads Criteria for selecting student-facing AI tools Evolution of literacy education and importance of AI literacy Strategies for integrating AI into writing processes Development of AI guidelines and teacher expectations Potential for AI tutors to complement teachers' work Ed shares some wonderful insights on implementing AI and emphasizes the need for flexibility as the technology evolves. The discussion highlights ethical AI use, critical thinking, and adapting teaching practices for an AI-integrated future. We loved chatting with Ed, and hope you’ll enjoy this special summer episode! 

In this special summer episode of ChatEDU (The Predication Show - Forecasting AI in Edu), Matt and Liz explore potential futures for AI in education using a forecasting prompt from Professor Ethan Mollick. First, Matt and Liz introduce the episode concept, explaining how they’ll use Professor Mollick's "Four Futures" AI scenarios to make predictions about various educational topics. Then they dig into the forecasting on topics including:  Universal translators implanted in earlobes Potential for real-time translation across languages Possibility of animal or even alien language translation Timeline estimates for development AI in early learning environments Interactive storytelling and personalized tutoring Potential for AI playmates and emotional intelligence Concerns about over-reliance on AI and human teacher roles AI addressing or exacerbating educational inequities Potential for free AI tutoring and leveling the playing field Risks of widening gaps between well-funded and under-resourced schools AGI's potential to revolutionize education access (with caveats) AI influence on student creativity and project-based learning AI as a brainstorming and project management tool Concerns about balancing AI assistance with original thinking Potential for immersive simulations and personalized mentorship AI-generated excuses for late homework (a lighthearted exploration) Increasingly sophisticated and personalized excuses Ethical concerns and the importance of honesty The hosts discuss the implications of these scenarios, balancing excitement for potential benefits with awareness of risks and ethical considerations. Have a question or comment? Please email Matt and Liz at chatedu@edadvance.org  Related Links: Professor Ethan Mollick's "Four Futures" AI Forecasting Prompt: skills21.org/prompts (See Leadership)

Guest co-host Jonathan Costa discusses Google's potential domination in AI for education, covering LearnLM for teacher productivity, responsible Gemini experience for teens, safety measures, and impact on educational AI market. The episode also explores OpenAI and Thrive Global partnership, a framework for AI in schools, and upcoming features like learning coach powered by LearnLM.

In this episode of ChatEDU (What a Character - The Secret Life of character.ai and Teens), Matt and Liz explore the wildly popular character.ai platform and how its approach might be leveraged for AI in K-12 education. First in our Intro Matt welcomes Liz back from her international travels and they discuss the reported perils of AI use and drinking (though it does not appear to apply to them!).  Then in the News AI Content Detection Updates - After a detailed sidebar on custom bots, Matt provides an update on two recent studies (higher ed / K-12) illustrating the limitations of educators in identifying AI-generated writing. They discuss the implications for academic integrity and assessment strategies. PISA Assessment Results - Liz discusses the latest PISA (Program for International Student Assessment) results, focusing on the new creativity assessment and the performance of U.S. students compared to other countries. Beneath the Surface: Matt and Liz explore character.ai, a hugely popular but underreported AI platform among teens. They discuss: The platform's massive user base (233 million users worldwide) High engagement rates (average 2 hours per user) Types of characters available (historical figures, fictional characters, etc.) New voice call feature Potential applications and concerns for K-12 education Together, the hosts provide some guidance on how educators might explore character-based AI interactions in their classrooms. Short Stack Chat Back: Tolkien-Style - Claude provides a three-sentence summary of the future of chatting with AI characters in the style of J.R.R. Tolkien. Have a question or comment? Please email Matt and Liz at chatedu@edadvance.org

In this episode of ChatEDU, Matt and Liz interview Charli Hughes, a recent high school graduate heading to the University of Connecticut in the fall. Charli discusses her summer internship at Medtronic (where she works on the Hugo Robot Assisted Surgery System), and her journey into computer science through robotics competitions.  Charli is one of the most thoughtful voices out there on AI, it just so happens that she is a recent high school graduate. Don’t miss her insights and opinions on what’s next for AI in K-12 education.

Educators are taking charge in integrating AI, no matter the policy constraints. A study reveals AI like GPT-4 often delivers better moral guidance than human ethicists. The hosts tackle the mental health toll of social media on youth and advocate for healthier tech interactions. They emphasize a proactive stance for teachers, highlighting resources like the Teach AI Toolkit. The conversation underscores the importance of ethical discussions while navigating the complex relationship between AI and education.