ChatEDU: AI in Education

In this live episode of ChatEDU (Live Comp Sci - AI in Computer Science Education), Matt and Liz dive into the future of computer science education in an age dominated by AI, The episode was recorded in front of a live audience with the Connecticut Computer Science Teachers Association and features discussions on AI's impact on teaching and learning in computer science, insights from a new Teach AI and CSTA report, and live Q&A with educators. Getting Started:Matt and Liz kick off the episode by thanking the Connecticut Computer Science Teachers Association team for hosting their first live recording. They joke about the large crowd and share their excitement about the evening's discussions on AI in education.Matt introduced Google’s Notebook LM, a tool that transforms PDFs into engaging NPR-style interviews. Matt uploaded the evening’s feature story on AI and CS which became a short podcast. He joked that they could now retire (which Liz objected to streneously).  Beneath the Surface: AI is Changing Computer Science Education:Matt and Liz explore the shifting landscape of computer science education, including the controversial idea that coding may become obsolete as AI advances. They discuss the Teach AI and CSTA report, "Guidance on the Future of Computer Science Education in an Age of AI," which outlines how computer science teaching must adapt to new AI technologies in the following briefs:  Whether kids still need to learn to code. How AI can support teachers in teaching and feedback. How to teach students to be ethical, critical consumers of AI. The Importance of "Code Sense":The episode unpacks the Teach AI report's emphasis on "code sense"—the foundational understanding of programming that remains crucial despite AI’s capabilities. They discuss the need for students to learn coding to understand, debug, and critically assess AI-generated outputs. Live Audience Q&A: AI and Ethical Use:The audience engages with the topic of ethics in AI education, including the role of middle school educators in teaching students to use AI responsibly. Liz highlights the importance of starting these conversations early to help students develop critical thinking skills around technology. AI in Assessment:Discussion on Code.org’s AI Teaching Assistant, designed to support computer science teachers with real-time feedback and assessment. Teachers share their experiences and the potential benefits of integrating AI into the classroom. Short Stack Chat Back:Matt and Liz end the episode with their "Short Stack Chat Back," featuring an imagined response from Alan Turing on the importance of learning to code, emphasizing that students must be creators, not just consumers, of intelligent systems. Announcements:Matt and Liz announce upcoming live ChatEDU sessions with other organizations and tease future episodes focusing on AI in various educational settings. They invite listeners to join the conversation by emailing their thoughts and questions at chatedu@edadvance.org  Related Links: Teach AI and CSTA Report on the Future of Computer Science Education.https://www.teachai.org/cs  Google’s Notebook LM: https://research.google.com/notebook-lm/  Code.org AI Teaching Assistant: https://code.org/ai  Netflix Documentary "Coded Bias" https://www.netflix.com/title/81328723  Contact Us:Have questions or comments? Email Matt and Liz at chatedu@edadvance.org. Don't forget to rate, review, and subscribe to ChatEDU on your favorite podcast platform!

In this episode of ChatEDU (Missing in Action - Why OpenAI Won’t Release Their AI Content Detection Tool) Matt and Liz explore why OpenAI has not released their AI content detection tool and they unpack the funky intersection between a rock-solid content detection tool and competitive business interests. Getting Started:  Matt and Liz discuss recent Surgeon General warnings, touching on topics like social media use, parental stress, and the challenges of modern parenting. In the News: 1. Google's DeepMind and AI Literacy: Introduction of AlphaProteo, a new tool for designing protein binders using AI. Google.org's "Experience AI" program, offering free project-based resources for young people to create AI and machine learning projects. Discussion on the importance of AI literacy beyond generative AI tools. 2. Harvard Study on AI Tutors: Results show AI tutors nearly doubling learning gains compared to traditional methods in a physics course. AI tutors allowed for personalized, adaptive learning experiences. Implications for the "flipped classroom" model and potential for more interactive, hands-on learning in class. 3. OpenAI's New Model - O1 Preview: Advancements in complex problem-solving and reasoning capabilities. Discussion on potential risks, including a "medium" security risk for biological and chemical weapons development. Beneath the Surface: OpenAI's AI Detection Tool OpenAI developed a watermarking system in 2022 to detect AI-generated text. The company has not released this tool, likely due to competitive pressures and potential loss of users. Discussion on the California Digital Content Provenance Standards Bill and its potential impact. Comparison with YouTube's AI detection tools for content creators. Short Stack Chat Back:  Mr. Rogers offers a gentle perspective on scientific advancements and the importance of using new technologies responsibly. Announcements:  Matt and Liz will be recording their first live ChatEDU session with the Connecticut Computer Science Teachers Association. Upcoming episodes will feature live Q&A sessions. Have a question or comment? Please email Matt and Liz at chatedu@edadvance.org  Related Links: EdAdvance AI Resources: skills21.org/AI Google’s AlphaProteo; https://deepmind.google/discover/blog/alphaproteo-generates-novel-proteins-for-biology-and-health-research/  Google's Experience AI challenge: https://blog.google/technology/families/improving-ai-literacy-in-young-people/  Harvard Study on AI Tutors: https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2024/09/professor-tailored-ai-tutor-to-physics-course-engagement-doubled/?utm_source=perplexity  OpenAI O1 Preview: https://openai.com/index/introducing-openai-o1-preview/  OpenAI’s Unreleased Content Detection Tool: https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/370419/chatgpt-schools-ai-cheating-plagiarism-detection  California Digital Content Provenance Standards Bill: https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/bills/ca_202320240ab3211

In this episode of ChatEDU, Matt and Liz explore how AI and humans can collaborate to enhance creative problem-solving based on a recent Harvard Business School study. classrooms. Getting Started: Matt and Liz chat about Liz's recent camping trip to celebrate her 4-H camp's 100th anniversary. Matt demonstrates Eleven Labs' new Text to Sound Effects System, showcasing how AI is transforming audio production (all while rudely interrupting Liz!). In the News: AI as an Assignment Evaluator: Matt and Liz discuss a large-scale study from National Taiwan University involving over 1,000 students. Key findings: 75% of students accepted AI evaluators, but 51% reported format issues. 47% of students attempted to "hack" the AI grading system, raising concerns about fairness and accuracy. UK's First "Teacherless" AI Classroom: A private school in London is launching an AI and VR-based classroom. The setup includes three learning coaches for 20 students, challenging the "teacherless" claim. Matt and Liz critically examine the high cost and limited scalability of this model. Beneath the Surface: AI and Creative Problem Solving Matt and Liz examine a Harvard Business School study on AI's role in creative problem-solving: Researchers compared human-generated ideas with AI-generated solutions for circular economy challenges. Findings: Human solutions were more novel, while AI solutions were more feasible. The best outcomes resulted from human-AI collaboration, with humans refining AI-generated ideas. Matt and Liz relate these findings to their experiences with Personal Interest Projects (PIP) and Capstone projects, where students use AI tools like Sidekick for ideation and project management. Short Stack Chat Back: Thomas Edison opines on how AI and humans make problem-solving better together. Announcement: Matt and Liz introduce their new 6-week micro-credential course on "AI in K-12 Education," offered in partnership with Southern Connecticut State University. To learn more, visit www.skills21.org/ai/micro  Have a question or comment? Please email Matt and Liz at chatedu@edadvance.org Related Links: EdAdvance AI Resources: skills21.org/AI Micro-credential registration: skills21.org/AI/micro National Taiwan University Study: https://arxiv.org/abs/2407.05216  The “Teacherless AI Classroom”: https://news.sky.com/story/uks-first-teacherless-ai-classroom-set-to-open-in-london-13200637  HBR Problem Solving Study with AI: https://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/generative-ai-and-creative-problem-solving 

In this episode of ChatEDU (From Solo to System - Elevating AI Across Our Schools), Matt and Liz explore how schools need to move beyond focusing just on teacher AI professional learning to realize the full potential of AI and benefits of generative AI. Getting Started:  Matt and Liz discuss if they’d pay extra $ for grad school to keep their kids out of the basement and how that might be related to AI “training” runs. You have to listen to understand!  Then in the News: Ideogram 2.0: Matt and Liz discuss Ideogram 2.0 and how this new release addresses (sort of) the challenge of rendering accurate text along with images. They explore its potential applications in education and test it live during the podcast. Executive Functioning and AI: Liz shares insights from a recent study showing that students who struggle with executive functioning find generative AI significantly more useful for schoolwork than their peers. Beneath the Surface: Matt and Liz examine how schools and organizations can move from individual AI use cases to more cohesive, systemic, strategic uses of AI: Discussion of McKinsey's report on organizational transformation through generative AI Exploration of Yale University's $150 million investment in AI initiatives Analysis of how generative AI can drive innovation in schools, from ideation to project completion Examination of AI's role in upskilling educators and administrators as part of strategic systems efforts Short Stack Chat Back: G.K. Chesterton analyzes the analogy between parents investing in their children's education to prevent basement-dwelling and AI companies investing in longer training runs to reduce hallucinations. Have a question or comment? Please email Matt and Liz at chatedu@edadvance.org Related Links: EdAdvance AI Resources: skills21.org/AI McKinsey Report: "Gen AI's next inflection point: From employee experimentation to organizational transformation" https://mck.co/3LXQN8K Yale University AI Initiative: https://news.yale.edu/2024/08/28/yale-announces-150-million-support-leadership-ai  Study on Executive Functioning and AI: https://www.psypost.org/students-with-concentration-issues-turn-to-chatgpt-and-similar-ai-tools-study-finds/

In this episode of ChatEDU (A Talk with the Boss - The Jonathan Costa Interview), Matt and Liz interview Jonathan Costa, the Executive Director of EdAdvance. They discuss the impact of AI on education and Jonathan's vision for the future of learning. The three have a great conversation on a range of topics including:  AI and Education EdAdvance's approach: Using AI to improve service quality and efficiency internally, while helping districts rethink public education through an AI lens Vision for AI in education: Improving quality of work rather than eliminating positions Challenges: Adapting curriculum and assessment to an AI-integrated world Rethinking Education Need to reduce curriculum content by approximately 50% Focus on teaching "durable" skills that can't be easily replicated by AI Importance of self-directed learning and mastery of skills Shift from "just in case" to "just in time" learning Assessment and Accountability Current assessment methods are a significant barrier to educational improvement Need to align assessment with skills that matter most for future success Challenge of changing public perception about educational accountability AI in Personal Life Jonathan discusses how AI has impacted his hobbies: golf, gym workouts, and cycling AI tools can help set goals and track progress in various areas of life Advice for Educators Embrace AI and don't be afraid to make mistakes Focus on where students are going rather than where education has been Use AI to encourage student interest and skill development Closing Thoughts Importance of collaboration and goodwill in navigating the AI transition in education Excitement about the potential for positive change in education through thoughtful AI integration

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 

In this episode of ChatEDU (The Storm Rolled In - Stanford's AI Research Tool), Matt and Liz explore the implications of Stamford University's new AI research tool, STORM, and its potential impact on education and research skills. First in our Intro: Matt and Liz discuss the recent Olympics.  They highlight the artistic swimming competition of course and some interesting AI intersections. These include Google's DeepMind winning a medal in the International Math Olympiad and an ad for Google’s Gemini that made the Internet go nuts!  Then in the News: AI-Generated Video Tools: Matt introduces new AI video generation tools like Runway Gen-3 and Kling, discussing their potential use in education and the need for critical evaluation skills. AI in College Essays: Liz shares findings from a Foundry 10 study revealing that a third of students admitted to using AI in some capacity for their college application essays, sparking a discussion on fairness and ethics in the application process. Beneath the Surface: Matt and Liz examine Stanford University's new AI research tool, STORM (Synthesis of Topic Outlines Through Retrieval and Multi-perspective Question Asking): Demonstration of STORM's capabilities by quickly generating a comprehensive abstract for Liz's dissertation topic Discussion on the implications of such powerful research tools for education and skill development Exploration of the balance between efficient task completion and the value of productive struggle in learning Consideration of how educators might need to adapt teaching and assessment methods in response to AI tools Short Stack Chat Back: Roald Dahl-Style - Claude provides a three-sentence analysis of the future of research skills in a world with AI tools like STORM, written in the style of Roald Dahl. Have a question or comment? Please email Matt and Liz at chatedu@edadvance.org Related Links: Runway Gen 3 - https://runwayml.com/product  Kling AI Video Generation - https://klingai.org/  Foundry 10 Study on AI in College Essays - https://www.foundry10.org/stories/new-research-ai-is-changing-the-college-application-process  Stanford University STORM Tool - https://storm.genie.stanford.edu/  Dear Sydney Ad - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NgtHJKn0Mck  And Just for Liz :). French Artistic Swimming Masks - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVW02j-1jH4 Artistic Swimming Moonwalk -  ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4zEy166sg0⁠⁠ 

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)