Welcome to episode 315 (“Debriefing Our AI PlayDate”) of the EdTech Situation Room from January 3, 2024, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week, Dr. Jason Neiffer (AIcentrist.com) and Dr. Wesley Fryer (wesfryer.com/after), along with their special guest, Dr. Heather Kaiser, delved into a variety of thought-provoking topics. Dr. Kaiser, drawing on her experience as an online fifth-grade teacher, shared valuable insights on the effectiveness of Learning Management Systems and strategies for engaging students in virtual classrooms. The conversation then shifted to the burgeoning role of AI in education, exploring innovative AI tools and their potential to revolutionize teaching and learning. Highlighting the gamification of education, Dr. Kaiser shared how she incorporates tools like Classcraft, enhanced by AI technologies, to create immersive and engaging learning experiences. The episode also touched upon the significance of collaborative professional development and the sharing of resources, with a focus on “EdTech PlayDates” as a platform for such interactions. Discussions on emerging technologies brought to light new developments like ARM-based processors in Microsoft devices, Microsoft Co-Pilot, and their implications for education. The co-hosts also addressed pressing issues like the mental health impacts of social media on adolescents, emphasizing the need for regulatory measures and responsible technology usage. To conclude, the “Geeks of the Week” segment featured a variety of tools and resources. Dr. Kaiser recommended Mizu and Snorkel for creating interactive learning experiences, while Dr. Neiffer highlighted Sunno, an AI-powered music creation tool. This episode offers a comprehensive look at the intersection of AI, technology, and education, providing valuable insights for educators navigating the digital landscape. Our show was live-streamed and archived simultaneously on YouTube Live as well as Facebook Live via StreamYard.com. Please follow @edtechsr@mastodon.education on Mastodon for updates, and join LIVE on Wednesday nights if you can. All shownotes are available on edtechSR.com/links. AI Disclosure: An initial draft of this episode summary was generated using youtubetranscript.com and a custom GPT on ChatGPT 4, as well as options for our show title! Stay savvy and safe!
Shownotes
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- Jason Neiffer (Mastodon: mastodon.cloud/@neif – Twitter: @techsavvyteach) – blog: blog.ncce.org
- Wes Fryer (Mastodon: mastodon.cloud/@wfryer) – wesfryer.com/after
- Archived resources from 27 Dec 2023 PlayDate
- 20 Jan 2024: In-person EdTech PlayDate – AI Edition (Charlotte, NC)
- Report: Surface Pro 10 and Laptop 6 Are Coming in Spring 2024 With Intel and Qualcomm Chips (Thurott; 28 December 2023)
- Youth suicide rates rose 62% from 2007 to 2021: ‘People feel hopeless,’ one recent grad says (CNBC, 5 Dec 3023)
- To Minimize Harms and Maximize Benefits of Social Media to Adolescent Health, New Report Recommends Setting Industrywide Standards, New Protections Against Harassment (National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, 13 Dec 2022)
- A New Kind of AI Copy Can Fully Replicate Famous People. The Law is Powerless. (Politico, 30 Dec 2023)
- Heather’s Geeks of the Week: https://www.classcraft.com/ – https://mizou.com/ – https://snorkel.ai/
- Jason’s Geeks of the Week: https://copilot.microsoft.com/ … Music Generator by Suno
- Wes’ Geeks of the Week: Chrome browser extension “Show YouTube Video Upload Date” and “Breaking the Social Media Prism: How to Make Our Platforms Less Polarizing” by Chris Bail
