EdSurge Podcast

Lynn Rogoff, a seasoned producer and director of historical stories, and Jared Tenbrink, a doctoral student focused on preserving indigenous culture, discuss the innovative use of AI chatbots for historical education. They explore the potential of chatting with AI versions of figures like Sacagawea while addressing concerns about authenticity and critical thinking. The conversation highlights the importance of engaging with primary sources rather than relying solely on AI. They also celebrate the successful representation of Native perspectives in the arts, paving the way for future storytelling.

Emily Tate Sullivan, a senior reporter at EdSurge focusing on early childhood and K-12 education, discusses the booming trend of smartwatches for kids. She delves into the implications of these devices on child development and family dynamics, addressing safety concerns versus the desire for connectivity. The conversation highlights parental anxieties over technology's impact, balancing monitoring with children's independence, and the challenges faced by families in a digital age. Sullivan shares insights from her in-depth research, revealing the complexities surrounding this modern parenting dilemma.

Terrence Sejnowski, a biology professor at UC San Diego and a pioneer in AI language models, dives into the intriguing parallels between AI chatbots and the human brain. He discusses how AI reveals our limited understanding of human cognition and emphasizes the role of sleep in learning and memory. Their potential in education is highlighted, along with the challenges posed by traditional assessments. Sejnowski also navigates the complexities of human-AI interactions and the importance of creating effective regulations as these technologies evolve.

Join Jenny Guimant, a math teacher from Indianapolis, Angela Fleck, a sixth-grade social studies teacher in Spokane, and Adam Swinyard, Superintendent of Spokane Public Schools, as they dive into the complexities of smartphone bans in schools. They share real classroom experiences, highlighting the improvements in student engagement and social interactions. The discussion also touches on the challenges teachers face with policy enforcement, the shift towards alternative technology for learning, and how to promote extracurricular activities as a healthy distraction from screens.

Gina Peterson, a dedicated adult learner, shares her journey of returning to education and the stark realities of today’s job market. Guy Berger, an economic research director at the Burning Glass Institute, highlights how the value of a college degree is shifting, with many graduates feeling ghosted by employers despite countless applications. They discuss the mounting pressures of competition, the emotional strain of job hunting, and the crucial role of networking and interpersonal skills in securing opportunities in this challenging landscape.

When the web was new back in the late 1990s, Robert Ubell was among those pushing for its adoption to help students who couldn’t get to a campus — over the objections of professors who thought it would always be sub-par. The online learning pioneer says the history of online’s growth offers lessons for those trying teaching innovations today.

Over the past few months, a group of educators has been designing and testing a system that uses ChatGPT to serve as an assistant to instructors as they build courses for students. One key point of the series of design workshops is to learn how educators can make the most effective uses of AI, and where it’s less helpful.

As pandemic relief funds run out — which helped many students connect to the internet to keep up with their studies — there’s a danger that the “homework gap” could suddenly widen, argues Nicol Turner Lee, director of the Brookings Institution’s Center for Technology Innovation, in a new book.

The high cost of college is changing how high schoolers think about whether or not to go. A new book, “Rethinking College,” argues for changing the narrative around higher education to be more welcoming to gap years, apprenticeships and other alternatives to college at a time where a degree is so expensive that students worry about its value.

A student who was just a few classes shy of graduating from Morehouse College was excited to try its new online program designed for students trying to finish their degrees. It turned out to be a more challenging process than he expected. Here’s how he helped to improve the program for himself and future students.