Week in Edtech 6/18/25 (Part 1): Professors Battle Cheating, Students Lose Sleep, Meta Buys Scale AI, AI Use Doubles, Gallup & McKinsey Reveal AI Trends, OpenAI Faces Backlash, Handwriting Returns, Parents Drive College Choices, and More!

Jun 25, 2025

Matt Tower from Whiteboard Advisors joins the discussion about the evolving edtech landscape. They highlight the rise of AI use in education and workplaces, revealing that it's doubled in just two years. There's concern over OpenAI's push into colleges, with critics fearing increased cheating. Professors are now turning back to blue books and flipped classrooms to combat AI plagiarism. They also delve into how poor tech habits are impacting student performance and the vital role parents play in shaping post-high school choices.

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INSIGHT

Banning AI Revives Engagement

Banning AI tools like ChatGPT revives student engagement and deepens classroom discussions.
AI was perceived to cheapen education, and removing it restored a sense of meaningful learning.

INSIGHT

Workplace AI Use Doubles

AI use in the workplace has doubled in two years, reaching 8% daily users.
Despite seeming low, this represents rapid adoption across the entire workforce.

INSIGHT

OpenAI’s College Role Sparks Backlash

OpenAI’s foray into college sparked backlash due to trust and cheating concerns.
Faculty and students criticize AI’s impact even while recognizing its inevitability.

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Join hosts Alex Sarlin and Matt Tower as they explore the evolving edtech landscape—from rising AI use to old-school solutions for modern challenges.

✨ Episode Highlights:

[00:00:20] Banning AI boosts student engagement and brings back handwritten assessments
[00:03:23] Gallup finds AI use in the workplace has doubled in two years
[00:06:15] OpenAI’s college push sparks backlash over trust and cheating concerns
[00:09:30] Professors turn to blue books and flipped classrooms to fight AI plagiarism
[00:13:20] Meta’s $15B investment in Scale AI reshapes the AI training data market
[00:21:40] Poor sleep linked to tech use and lower student performance, says new data
[00:29:01] Study finds most students rely on parents for post-high school plans—and parents don’t know the options

➡️ Go to Part 2 to listen to the guest interviews this week

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