AI for All: A National Plan to Teach America’s Youth | Ep. 56

6 snips

May 2, 2025

Matt and Liz tackle the challenges of AI in education, revealing how lesson plans often reinforce outdated practices. They discuss innovative AI tools, such as agentic AI that assists college admissions, questioning the readiness of institutions for such autonomy. A bold executive order is introduced, promoting nationwide AI literacy in K–12 schools. The conversation highlights the importance of intentional design in AI to enhance student engagement and outcomes, while also reflecting on the future of teaching and learning with these technologies.

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ANECDOTE

Bias in AI Lesson Plans

A study found AI-generated lesson plans often promote teacher-centered classrooms with limited student agency.
Custom prompt engineering can create lesson plans that foster deeper engagement and student choice.

ADVICE

Use Targeted AI Prompts

Use detailed, directive prompts to ensure AI lesson plans include student engagement and avoid defaulting to worksheets.
Build prompt libraries aligned to district goals for better AI-assisted instruction.

INSIGHT

Agentic AI Potential and Limits

"Agentic AI" aims to be a teammate by reasoning, acting, and adapting beyond being a mere chatbot.
Though promising, current agentic AIs still fail spectacularly in complex real-world tasks like running businesses.

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As educators convene for the EdAdvance Spring AI Conference, this episode is sponsored by Kiddom, the AI-powered curriculum platform helping teachers save time and improve outcomes with high-quality instructional materials and human in the loop tools.

In this episode of ChatEDU (AI for All: A National Plan to Teach America’s Youth), Matt and Liz open with a deep dive into lesson design bias, unpack a new wave of AI agents in higher ed, and explore the implications of a bold new executive order on AI literacy in U.S. schools.

Story 1 – Bias in the Bot: Lesson Plans That Miss the Mark A recent study finds that AI-generated lesson plans often reinforce outdated, teacher-centered models, relying heavily on worksheets with little room for student agency or collaboration. Matt and Liz look at why this happens and how better prompts (like those from Skills21’s own libraries) can help educators reclaim the power of these tools.

Story 2 – Agents in Admissions: AI Goes to CollegeAt ASU+GSV, Element451 demoed “agentic AI,” a tool designed to guide prospective students through visits, applications, and financial aid. But is higher ed ready for autonomous AI helpers? A recent test at Carnegie Mellon, where bots failed to run a simulated business, suggests we still have a long way to go.

Beneath the Surface – A Presidential Push for AI LiteracyOn April 23, the Trump administration signed an executive order promoting nationwide AI literacy across K–12. From dual enrollment pathways to a new White House task force, the plan is ambitious. Matt and Liz explore what it could mean for schools and how Skills21’s new student-facing literacy initiative fits right in.

Bright Byte – AI vs. Wildlife TraffickingThe EcoSolve initiative is using AI to monitor and flag illegal animal trade across six countries. It’s working and showing how generative AI can serve global environmental goals when used with purpose and precision.

Related Links

Study: Pedagogical Bias in AI-Powered Educational Tools

https://socialinnovationsjournal.com/index.php/sij/article/view/10004/8134

Element451 Agentic AI Demo

https://element451.com/

Carnegie Mellon Agent Simulation – Business Insider

https://www.businessinsider.com/ai-agents-study-company-run-by-ai-disaster-replace-jobs-2025-4

Executive Order on AI Literacy – EdSurge

https://www.edsurge.com/news/2025-04-24-trump-executive-order-calls-for-artificial-intelligence-to-be-taught-in-schools

Skills21 AI Prompt Library

https://www.skills21.org/prompts

TeachAI – National AI Literacy

Frameworkhttps://www.teachai.org/ailiteracy

EcoSolve Wildlife Monitoring – Global

Initiativehttps://www.acamstoday.org/eco-solve-using-ai-to-disrupt-global-wildlife-trafficking/

Sponsors

This episode is sponsored by Kiddom, helping educators bring powerful curriculum and responsible AI into the classroom. Download their AI & Assessment white paper at: https://go.kiddom.co/chatEDU

Ongoing support for ChatEDU is provided by the National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing. Learn more at: https://www.nextgenmfg.org

Have a question or comment?

Email Matt and Liz at: chatedu@edadvance.orgAnd don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe to ChatEDU on your favorite podcast platform.