Edtech Insiders Week in Edtech 6/25/25: MIT Study on AI Sparks Brain-Rot Fears, Cheating Scandal in Debate Nationals, Teachers Sound the Alarm on LLMs, and More! Feat. Sara DeWitt of PBS KIDS & José Francisco Ochoa Ordóñez of Academia del Océano
Jul 4, 2025
Sarah DeWitt, Senior VP at PBS KIDS, shares insights on navigating funding cuts and the implications of AI in educational media. She highlights the organization's adaptability in providing quality content despite financial challenges. José Francisco Ochoa Ordóñez, co-founder of Academia del Océano, discusses democratizing access to marine education through innovative hybrid models. Both guests emphasize the need for critical engagement with technology in education while advocating for sustainable practices and community involvement in learning.
AI Snips
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Episode notes
AI Hampers Cognitive Development
- Using AI as a crutch reduces cognitive friction and harms knowledge retention and skill development.
- Avoid relying on AI to fill gaps; it inhibits intellectual growth and critical thinking skills.
AI Cheating in Debate Nationals
- At the National Speech and Debate Championships, two teams were disqualified for using ChatGPT in opening statements.
- AI cheating detection is disrupting academic competitions and raising integrity concerns.
Nuanced AI Research Needed
- Early AI research like the MIT paper raises concerns but is limited and not peer-reviewed yet.
- Media skew toward negative AI narratives risks overlooking nuanced, positive research findings.