Welcome to episode 321 (“AI Integration Insights”) of the EdTech Situation Room from March 6, 2024, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week, Dr. Jason Neiffer (aicentrist.com) and Dr. Wesley Fryer (wesfryer.com) explored the ever-evolving landscape of artificial intelligence and its profound implications for education and technology. Amidst the scenic backdrop of the NCTIES conference in Raleigh, North Carolina, and the anticipation of spring break, the co-hosts delved into pressing topics that captivate the attention of educators and tech enthusiasts alike. The conversation kicked off with insights into the significance of AI integration in educational settings, reflecting on how these technologies are reshaping teaching, learning, and professional development. The co-hosts examined the latest developments in AI legislation, highlighting its impact on educational technology and policy. The discussion ventured into the realm of digital privacy, with a focus on recent executive orders aimed at curbing the sale of personal data to foreign entities, underscoring the ongoing challenges and ethical considerations surrounding data privacy and security. A highlight of the episode was the exploration of innovative AI tools and platforms, offering a glimpse into the future of education and the potential of AI to enhance learning experiences. Dr. Neiffer shared his experiences with AI integration in the Montana Digital Academy, while Dr. Fryer provided insights from his role as a middle school media literacy and STEM teacher. In light of the NCTIES 2024 conference, the co-hosts discussed the importance of collaborative professional development and the exchange of ideas among educators. The episode also touched on broader implications of AI on educational practices, the dynamics of digital education, and the role of technology in addressing contemporary challenges in the education sector. “Geeks of the Week” included notable mentions of the latest AI-driven educational tools and resources, offering valuable insights for educators aiming to leverage technology in enhancing learning environments. Our show was live-streamed and archived simultaneously on YouTube Live as well as Facebook Live via StreamYard.com. Please follow us on Facebook, Mastodon and Substack, 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, as well as options for our show title! Stay savvy and safe!
Welcome to episode 320 (“Privacy and Platform Shifts”) of the EdTech Situation Room from February 21, 2024, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week, Dr. Jason Neiffer and Dr. Wesley Fryer, joining from their diverse locales of Montana and North Carolina, dove into a rich dialogue exploring the evolving landscape of digital privacy, the shift in platforms due to new technological integrations, and the profound implications for educators and learners. In a world increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence, the co-hosts unpacked the potential of AI in revolutionizing not just educational practices but also the broader societal interactions, drawing attention to the pressing issues of digital droughts affecting agricultural economies and the potential for wildfire risks. The discussion ventured into the realms of policy, with insights into legislation aimed at protecting youth online, and the innovative strides in virtual reality, highlighting the quest for immersive learning environments. As digital citizenship continues to be a pivotal theme, Fryer and Neiffer emphasized the importance of navigating the complexities of tech integration with foresight and ethical consideration. “Geeks of the Week” included an exploration of perplexity AI as a tool for enhancing research and the groundbreaking developments in virtual reality, pointing towards a future where education transcends traditional boundaries. Our show was live-streamed and archived simultaneously on YouTube Live as well as Facebook Live via StreamYard.com. Please follow our @EdtechSR page on Facebook, mastodon.education/@edtechsr on Mastodon for updates, subscribe to us on Substack, 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, as well as options for our show title! Stay savvy and safe!
Welcome to episode 319 (“Tech Titans Testify”) of the EdTech Situation Room from January 31, 2024, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week, Dr. Jason Neiffer (aicentrist.com) and Dr. Wesley Fryer (wesfryer.com) delved into a variety of current topics at the intersection of technology, education, and policy. Discussions kicked off with an exploration of the unusual weather patterns affecting the United States, including an unprecedented heatwave followed by a forecast of more snow, showcasing the bizarre weather phenomena exacerbated by climate change. The conversation quickly pivoted to pressing cybersecurity concerns, highlighting FBI warnings about potential Chinese cyberattacks on U.S. critical infrastructure. The episode also covered the testimony of tech CEOs before Congress, where topics ranged from social media’s impact on youth to digital privacy challenges and the responsibilities of tech companies in moderating content. In a lighter vein, Dr. Fryer shared exciting updates from the Webb Space Telescope, offering a glimpse into the universe’s marvels and the scientific community’s latest discoveries. The episode further discussed the rise of artificial intelligence, its implications for education and security, and the innovative uses of AI in creating new educational content and tools. Reflecting on the digital landscape, the hosts touched upon the evolving role of smart speakers and the potential shifts in browser technologies, pointing to a future where technology is increasingly integrated into our daily lives and learning environments. “Geeks of the Week” included a nod to the Hardfork podcast for its insightful analysis of media and journalism’s digital transformation and the Voices of DARPA podcast, shedding light on defense research projects that could influence future educational technologies. Our show was live-streamed and archived simultaneously on YouTube Live as well as Facebook Live via StreamYard.com. Please follow our @EdtechSR page on Facebook, mastodon.education/@edtechsr 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, as well as options for our show title! Stay savvy and safe!
Welcome to episode 318 (“Deepfake Democratic Threats”) of the EdTech Situation Room from January 24, 2024, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week, Dr. Jason Neiffer (aicentrist.com) and Dr. Wesley Fryer (wesfryer.com) embarked on a comprehensive exploration of the latest developments in artificial intelligence, copyright laws, and the impact of technology in education and society at large. The conversation kicked off with a deep dive into Meta’s investment in Nvidia AI chips, underscoring Mark Zuckerberg’s commitment to bolstering AI capabilities with billions of dollars. This move signals a significant shift towards more advanced AI integrations across various platforms and services. In the realm of AI and intellectual property, the hosts discussed the new certificates for copyright-compliant AI, highlighting the challenges and controversies surrounding AI-generated content and its compliance with copyright laws. Despite these efforts, notable tools like ChatGPT have faced scrutiny for potential copyright issues. A concerning trend in the misuse of AI technology was addressed through the discussion of a fake Joe Biden robocall, which misled voters in New Hampshire. This incident illustrates the growing problem of deepfake technologies and their potential to disrupt democratic processes. The hosts also delved into the legal and ethical dimensions of AI, discussing perspectives on whether training generative AI models on copyrighted works constitutes fair use. This topic sparked a debate on the future of intellectual property in an AI-dominated landscape. From an economic viewpoint, a MIT study shed light on the limitations of job automation by AI, suggesting that only a fraction of tasks involving vision are economically viable for AI automation. This finding prompts a reevaluation of AI’s impact on the workforce and the need for a balanced approach to integrating these technologies. On the technological front, updates to Google Chrome and ChromeOS were discussed, including new generative AI features and enhancements aimed at improving user productivity and focus. The hosts also touched on Google’s latest AI video generator, Lumiere, capable of creating whimsical scenarios featuring cute animals, showcasing the lighter side of AI advancements. Apple’s recent developments were a hot topic, with discussions on the App Store rule changes, the sale of Vision Pro headsets, and innovative features like Stolen Device Protection to safeguard iPhones against theft. The conversation also highlighted Apple’s plans to integrate generative AI into iPhones, emphasizing the company’s strategic direction towards embracing AI technology. In education, the release of Microsoft’s AI-powered reading tutor as a free resource marked a significant milestone in leveraging AI to enhance learning experiences. The update to the National Ed-Tech Plan, its first since 2017, was praised for its forward-looking vision in integrating technology into education. Finally, the hosts reflected on the dire consequences of accessing forbidden content in North Korea, as highlighted in a BBC report, and the vulnerabilities of cash apps in facilitating theft, underscoring the broader societal implications of technology adoption and security. Our show was live-streamed and archived simultaneously on YouTube Live as well as Facebook Live via StreamYard.com. Please follow our @EdtechSR page on Facebook, mastodon.education/@edtechsr 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, as well as options for our show title! Stay savvy and safe!
Welcome to episode 317 (“Digital Privacy Predicaments”) of the EdTech Situation Room from January 17, 2024, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week, Dr. Jason Neiffer (AIcentrist.com) and Dr. Wesley Fryer (wesfryer.com/after) delved into pressing issues surrounding digital privacy, the ethical implications of AI in education, and the latest advancements in EdTech tools and platforms. Highlights of the discussion included the evolving landscape of digital privacy laws, innovative uses of AI in the classroom, and the potential impacts of new technology policies on educators and students. The episode also covered key updates from major tech companies and their influence on educational technology. “Geeks of the Week” featured insightful resources and tools beneficial for educators. Although the specific “Geeks of the Week” links from this episode are not provided here, they typically include cutting-edge educational tools, tips, and articles shared by Jason and Wes, contributing to the professional growth of educators and the enhancement of learning environments with technology. 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!
Welcome to episode 316 (“AI Legislative Insights”) of the EdTech Situation Room from January 10, 2024, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week, Dr. Jason Neiffer (aicentrist.com) and Dr. Wesley Fryer (wesfryer.com/after) discussed a range of topics focusing on the intersection of technology, education, and policy. Key discussions included the latest developments in AI legislation and its impact on educational technology, in-depth analysis of current tech trends, and thoughtful debates on various EdTech policies. The episode also delved into the broader implications of AI on educational practices and the dynamics of digital education. ‘Geeks of the Week’ included the Everyday AI Podcast, Beeper (software which integrates multiple chat apps) and the AI Resource Guides from EdTech PlayDate CLT. 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!
Welcome to episode 266 (“AI for Excel”) of the EdTech Situation Room from August 10, 2022, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach) and Wesley Fryer (@wfryer) discussed features in ChromeOS 104 and 105, an AI bot for Excel formulas, and an increased price for Twitter Blue. Google’s warrantless video permissions for police, survey results about political violence in the U.S., and GenZ search preferences for TikTok over YouTube were also highlighted topics. Additionally, subscription based cars, and latest Meta’s chatbot fail were explored Geeks of the Weeks included Kible and Ad Observatory. Check out our shownotes for links to all the articles we discussed, and subscribe to our Substack to receive all the links we discussed and also didn’t have time to talk about in this week’s show in your email inbox! Our show was live streamed and archived simultaneously on YouTube Live as well as our Facebook Live page via StreamYard.com, and compressed to a smaller video version (about 100MB) on AmazonS3 using Handbrake software. Please follow us on Twitter @edtechSR for updates, and join us LIVE on Wednesday nights (normally) if you can at 10 pm Eastern / 9 pm Central / 8 pm Mountain / 7 pm Pacific or 3 am UTC. All shownotes are available on http://edtechSR.com/links. Stay savvy and safe!
Welcome to episode 236 (“Shame on Canon”) of the EdTech Situation Room from October 20, 2021, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach) and Wesley Fryer (@wfryer) discussed the biggest announcements from Apple’s Monday “Unleashed” event, The Apple Music Voice plan, Google’s Pixel 6 Event announcements, and the forthcoming launch of Chrome OS 94 with better human sounding voices. Other topics included MacOS’ forthcoming update to “Monterey” on October 25th, the Google Assistant’s updated code to stand up to profane users, and Canon’s distasteful choice to disable all-in-one scanning features for users when they run out of ink. A counter-point to last week’s article about a former Pentagon official declaring the US has already lost the AI race with China, the mental and physical health costs of TikTok, and Facebook’s concerns about Instagram losing youth marketshare were also discussed. Possibilities for “an effective social media regulator,” Facebook’s secret blacklist of prohibited people, organizations and topics, Donald Trump’s announced “Truth Social” platform, and some miscellaneous articles about drones saving dogs from volcanoes, Russian space snafus and the confused Missouri governor who thinks “view HTML source” is criminal hacking were final article topics rounding out the show. Geeks of the Week included SortMyList.com, a podcast about Charles Babbage by Steven B. Johnson, a whimsical videoconferencing platform in beta (ooo for web) and the New York Times’ new invite-only audio app experiment. Our show was live streamed and archived simultaneously on YouTube Live as well as our Facebook Live page via StreamYard.com, and compressed to a smaller video version (about 100MB) on AmazonS3 using Handbrake software. Please follow us on Twitter @edtechSR for updates, and join us LIVE on Wednesday nights (normally) if you can at 10 pm Eastern / 9 pm Central / 8 pm Mountain / 7 pm Pacific or 3 am UTC. All shownotes are available on http://edtechSR.com/links. Stay savvy and safe!
Welcome to episode 235 (“TikTok is Huge”) of the EdTech Situation Room from October 13, 2021, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach) and Wesley Fryer (@wfryer) discussed Epic’s ongoing court battles over third party smartphone app payment processors with both Apple and Google, as well as upcoming tech events next week by Apple, Google and Samsung. Options for editing PDF files in a web browser (including on Chromebooks) included a new Acrobat extension from Adobe, the Squid app from the Google Play Store and DocHub. The incredible growth and reach of TikTok (which is somehow slipping under the radar now for would-be Congressional regulators and regulation advocates) was highlighted, along with the alleged futility of US military efforts to develop robust artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities relative to China. Lastly, an article highlighting the Internet ignorance of many U.S. citizens was discussed. Geeks of the Week included an eye opening article by a high school student who successfully prank hacked his school district (and provided a comprehensive analysis for his IT department to use afterward) and the bill cutting service, AskTrim.com. Our show was live streamed and archived simultaneously on YouTube Live as well as our Facebook Live page via StreamYard.com, and compressed to a smaller video version (about 100MB) on AmazonS3 using Handbrake software. Please follow us on Twitter @edtechSR for updates, and join us LIVE on Wednesday nights (normally) if you can at 10 pm Eastern / 9 pm Central / 8 pm Mountain / 7 pm Pacific or 3 am UTC. All shownotes are available on http://edtechSR.com/links. Stay savvy and safe!
Welcome to episode 224 (“Stores Watch You”) of the EdTech Situation Room from July 21, 2021, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach) and Wesley Fryer (@wfryer) discussed the extent of retail facial recognition and why it matters, Automattic’s acquisition of PocketCasts, the recent FTC ruling supporting the “Right to Repair,” and ongoing proposals for “Big Tech Regulation” / “The Tech Correction.” Additional topics highlighted included useful iOS apps for sketchnoting, Chromebook advice, improvements in Zoom for ChromeOS, the increased national focus on vaccine disinformation and more. Please see our shownotes for links to all these articles and resources! Our show was live streamed and archived simultaneously on YouTube Live as well as our Facebook Live page via StreamYard.com, and compressed to a smaller video version (about 100MB) on AmazonS3 using Handbrake software. Please follow us on Twitter @edtechSR for updates, and join us LIVE on Wednesday nights (normally) if you can at 10 pm Eastern / 9 pm Central / 8 pm Mountain / 7 pm Pacific or 3 am UTC. All shownotes are available on http://edtechSR.com/links. Stay savvy and safe!