In this episode of ChatEDU (Tool Time - Our Fall AI Tool Review), Matt and Liz welcome special guest Abbe Waldron to explore the landscape of AI tools in education. They discuss what's working, what's challenging, and what might be coming next.

Getting Started:

Matt humorously arrives late to the podcast recording, leading to a playful exchange about using ChatGPT to role-play difficult conversations.

In the News:

Study finds ChatGPT eases students’ cognitive load, but at the expense of critical thinking

• Recent research comparing Google vs. ChatGPT for student research tasks

• Students using ChatGPT reported lower cognitive load

• Google users produced more detailed and thorough arguments

• Discussion of three types of cognitive load:

• Extraneous (filtering unnecessary information)

• Intrinsic (complexity of material)

• Germane (mental effort for processing information)

Beneath the Surface: Popular AI Tools in Education

Special guest Abbe Waldron shares insights on trending educational AI tools:

1. Magic School AI:

• Offers pre-designed prompts for teachers

• Suite of tools for various educational tasks

• Designed with teacher feedback in mind

2. School AI:

• Features "Spaces" for student conversations with historical figures

• Provides tutorials for standardized tests

• Offers accessibility features like voice input

3. DiffIt:

• Quickly creates differentiated materials

• Allows adjustment by grade level

• Generates supplementary exercises and resources

Key Discussion Points:

• Teacher adoption varies widely

• Most use seen in high school, some in middle school

• Free features available despite paywalls

• Discussion of teacher guilt around AI use

• Need for critical thinking when using AI outputs

• The state of “student-facing” AI

Looking Ahead:

Abbe shares her vision for future AI tools including integration with published academic content

Short Stack Chat Back:

Dr. Spock offers a logical perspective on the cognitive load study, emphasizing the need to balance technological assistance with maintaining necessary cognitive challenges for learning.

Have a question or comment? Please email Matt and Liz at chatedu@edadvance.org 

Related Links:

• EdAdvance AI Resources: skills21.org/AI

• EdAdvance AI Micro-Credential: skills21.org/ai/micro 

• Cognitve Load / Research Study - https://www.psypost.org/study-finds-chatgpt-eases-students-cognitive-load-but-at-the-expense-of-critical-thinking/ 

• Magic School AI: magicschool.ai

• School AI: schoolai.com

• DiffIt: app.diffit.me

• Perplexity: perplexity.ai

• Khanmigo (Teacher): khanmigo.ai/teachers