EdTechSR Ep 341 Blue Sky Rising

Welcome to episode 341 (“Blue Sky Rising”) of the EdTech Situation Room from December 4, 2024, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week, Dr. Jason Neiffer (aicentrist.com) and Dr. Wesley Fryer (wesfryer.com) explored the surge in popularity of Bluesky as a social platform for educators, the rising importance of media literacy, and the expanding role of AI in classrooms and personal security. Jason shared insights from Montana’s first AI Play Date event, and Wes highlighted a fantastic media literacy teaching example making national headlines. The hosts also discussed the hidden security risks of smart devices, the unexpected afterlife of Redbox kiosks, and the powerful implications of voice cloning technologies. Other topics included privacy concerns surrounding Bluesky post-scraping and the Supreme Court’s upcoming review of the FCC’s Universal Service Fund. Our show was live-streamed and archived on YouTube Live via StreamYard.com. Please follow our @EdTechSR page on Facebook, @edtechsr@mastodon.education on Mastodon for updates, and join LIVE on Wednesday nights if you can. All show notes are available at edtechSR.com/links.

Show Notes

  1. Subscribe to our EdTechSR Substack Newsletter!
  2. EdTech Situation Room Listener Survey: wfryer.me/edtechsr
  3. Follow EdTechSR on FacebookBlueSkyMastodon and Substack!
  4. Audio podcast feed (Subscribe with iTunes or Stitcher)
  5. Video version on YouTube
  6. Check out our video podcast feed and subscribe to our YouTube Channel (episodes also in this YouTube playlist)
  7. Jason Neiffer: aicentrist.com
  8. Wes Fryer: wesfryer.com
  9. Your Bluesky Posts Are Probably Training AI (404 Media Podcast, 4 Dec 2024)
  10. Facebook Friend Safety Tips (Wes Fryer on Speed of Creativity, 1 Dec 2024)
  11. https://play.ai/ (audio cloning and text to audio)
  12. Grammarly on MacOS
  13. Freepik AI Generator
  14. “Downranking Links” – Twitter (and Threads) Have Made a HUGE Mistake (Hank Green on YouTube, 16 min, 29 Nov 2024)
  15. A seventh grade media literacy class demonstrates how to handle tough conversations this Thanksgiving (CBS News, 28 Nov 2024)
  16. The Hidden Lifespan of Smart Devices: What the FTC’s Report Means for Consumers (Consumer Reports; 26 November 2024)
  17. The Redbox Removal Team (404Media, 28 Nov 2024)
  18. Supreme Court To Review Legality Of FCC-Managed Universal Service Fund (MSN, 23 Nov 2024)
  19. Jason’s Geek of the Week: ChatGPT Summary for Chrome
  20. Wes’ Geek of the Week: “The 12 Days of AI” via Kevin Hodgeson (@dogtrax.bsky.social)
Blue Sky Rising” (CC BY 2.0) by Wesley Fryer

EdTechSR Ep 338 AI Security Concerns

Welcome to episode 338 (“AI Security Concerns”) of the EdTech Situation Room from October 23, 2024, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week, Dr. Jason Neiffer (aicentrist.com) and Dr. Wesley Fryer (wesfryer.com) explored the latest developments in technology, AI advancements, and their educational implications. The show opened with a lighthearted discussion about digital media preservation, sparked by San Francisco’s costly move to retire 5.25-inch floppy disks from its subway system. The co-hosts reflected on the importance of safeguarding old media formats and backing up digital assets. Shifting to security issues, they covered a disturbing incident of a Zoom hack that disrupted a school board meeting, highlighting the vulnerabilities of virtual platforms. Additionally, they discussed the growing adoption of passkeys as a promising, passwordless future for internet security, with Dr. Neiffer sharing his experiences using passkeys through OnePassword. The conversation then turned to the ongoing battle over internet data caps, with public outcry urging the FCC to ban them. Both hosts shared their excitement about fiber internet expansion, noting its importance for equitable digital access. AI developments dominated the latter half of the show. They discussed Anthropic’s release of Claude 3.5 Sonnet and its groundbreaking “Computer Use” feature, which allows the AI to perform desktop tasks autonomously. While this innovation offers potential time-saving benefits for educators, it also raises significant security concerns, as experts warn of increased cyberattack risks. The hosts also reflected on a tragic case involving Character.AI, where a chatbot’s inappropriate interactions contributed to a teenager’s suicide. This case underscored the urgent need for stronger guardrails on AI interactions with minors. To wrap up, the co-hosts highlighted the evolving role of AI agents and discussed how platforms like make.com and Google Gemini could streamline data management and automate administrative tasks for educators. “Geeks of the Week” included make.com (Jason) – a powerful tool for automating tasks using AI and integrations, and a Passkeys Guide from OnePassword (Wes) – a resource for exploring passwordless security solutions. 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, @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, as well as options for our show title! AI image generated by Wes Fryer using Ideogram. Stay savvy and safe!

Shownotes

  1. Subscribe to our EdTechSR Substack Newsletter!
  2. EdTech Situation Room Listener Survey: wfryer.me/edtechsr
  3. Follow EdTechSR on FacebookBlueSkyMastodon and Substack!
  4. Audio podcast feed (Subscribe with iTunes or Stitcher)
  5. Video version on YouTube
  6. Check out our video podcast feed and subscribe to our YouTube Channel (episodes also in this YouTube playlist)
  7. Jason Neiffer: aicentrist.com
  8. Wes Fryer: wesfryer.com
  9. Introducing computer use, a new Claude 3.5 Sonnet, and Claude 3.5 Haiku (Anthropic Blog; 22 October 2024)
  10. Claude AI Can Now Control Your PC, Prompting Concern From Security Experts (Pc Magazine; 23 October 2024)
  11. Anthropic flags AI’s potential to ‘automate sophisticated destructive cyber attacks (ZDnet, 16 Oct 2024)
  12. “use wrapper with chatgpt ai key” https://mistyai.com and https://www.typingmind.com are ones Jason has used…
  13. Playing with AI and databases: Google has options to connect sheets
  14. https://www.make.com/en/ai-automation is a powerful tool for AI integrations
  15. Also https://n8n.io/ is AI workflow automation
  16. Chatbot that caused teen’s suicide is now more dangerous for kids, lawsuit says (ArsTechnica, 23 Oct 2024)
  17. Apple is ‘concerned’ about AI turning real photos into ‘fantasy’ (The Verge; 23 October 2023)
  18. Canva has a shiny new text-to-image generator (The Verge; 22 October 2024)
  19. San Francisco to pay $212 million to end reliance on 5.25-inch floppy disks (ArsTechnica, 23 Oct 2024)
  20. A world without passwords is in sight (Vox; 23 October 2024)
  21. Zoom hack derails Quilcene school board’s LGBTQ+ books decision (PT Leader, 23 Oct 2024)
  22. Passkeys with 1Password: https://1password.com/product/passkeys 
  23. Jason’s Geek of the Week: PROJECT! Install ChromeOS on PC with Google Play Store [Intel & AMD]
  24. Wes’ Geeks of the Week: How internet influencers, algorithms and crowds are altering our politics, our society and our very relationship to reality-with guest Renée DiResta (Thinking Clearly Podcast) and Nov 4th “Invisibile Rulers” MediaEd Webinar
EdTechSR Ep 338 AI Security Concerns” (CC BY 2.0) by Wesley Fryer

EdTechSR Ep 337 Teaching and Parenting in the AI Era

Welcome to episode 337 (“Teaching and Parenting in the AI Era”) of the EdTech Situation Room from October 16, 2024, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week, Dr. Jason Neiffer (aicentrist.com) and Dr. Wesley Fryer (wesfryer.com) explored the complexities of integrating AI into education. They discussed how school administrators, teachers, and parents are grappling with challenges like AI-assisted plagiarism, privacy concerns, and balancing innovation with ethical responsibility. Topics included the evolving role of professional development in addressing AI misconceptions, the antitrust push against Big Tech, and the transformative potential of emerging technologies like Apple’s Vision Pro. In “Geeks of the Week,” Jason highlighted tools like OpenMCQ and photo generation apps, while Wes showcased resources for emergency preparedness and media literacy. Our show was live-streamed and archived on YouTube Live via StreamYard.com. Please follow our @EdTechSR page on Facebook, the #edtechSR hashtag on BlueSky, @edtechsr@mastodon.education on Mastodon for updates, and join LIVE on Wednesday nights if you can. All show notes are available at edtechSR.com/links.

Shownotes

  1. Subscribe to our EdTechSR Substack Newsletter!
  2. EdTech Situation Room Listener Survey: wfryer.me/edtechsr
  3. Follow EdTechSR on Facebook, BlueSkyMastodon and Substack!
  4. Audio podcast feed (Subscribe with iTunes or Stitcher)
  5. Video version on YouTube
  6. Check out our video podcast feed and subscribe to our YouTube Channel (episodes also in this YouTube playlist)
  7. Jason Neiffer: on BlueSkyon Mastodon – aicentrist.com
  8. Wes Fryer: on BlueSkyon Mastodon – wesfryer.com
  9. Student was punished for using AI—then his parents sued teacher and administrators (ArsTechnica, 16 Oct 2024)
  10. People are using AI bots to create nude images of almost anyone online (BGR, 16 Oct 2024)
  11. The Vision Pro is being used to assist surgeons during live procedures (9to5Mac, 16 Oct 2024)
  12. The Antitrust Revolution: Liberal democracy’s last stand against Big Tech (Harpers Magazine, (Oct 2024) – Wes’ Mastodon thread
  13. WordPress saga escalates as WP Engine plugin forcibly forked and legal letters fly (The Register, 14 Oct 2024)
  14. SpaceX Calls New Starship Test a Success, Captures Rocket at Landing (Voice of America, 13 Oct 2024)
  15. Jason’s Geeks of the Week: OpenMCQ from MTDA – Fotorama from AppNation – Stupid AI Tricks
    • “From all of our interactions what is one thing that you can tell me about myself that I may not know about myself”
    • “Roast me like one of your French girls”
  16. Wes’ Geeks of the Week: Webinar on Google’s NotebookLM (archived) –  Radio for preparedness: What lessons can we learn from Hurricane Helene? (47 min) – Wes’ Communitarian Prepper
EdTechSR Ep 337 Teaching and Parenting in the AI Era” (CC BY 2.0) by Wesley Fryer

EdTechSR Ep 335 NotebookLM Revolution

Welcome to episode 335 (“NotebookLM Revolution”) of the EdTech Situation Room from September 18, 2024, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week, Dr. Jason Neiffer (aicentrist.com) and Dr. Wesley Fryer (wesfryer.com) delved into Google’s NotebookLM advancements, including the “Audio Overview” feature revolutionizing document interaction. They explored OpenAI’s new reasoning model, Apple’s latest innovations from the 2024 event, and AI ethics with Taylor Swift’s stance on deepfakes. Other topics included Australia’s proposal to ban social media for children, Brazil’s action against Twitter/X, and game-changing tools like Descript and GPT integrations for productivity. Our show was live-streamed and archived on YouTube Live via StreamYard.com. Please follow our @EdTechSR page on Facebook, @edtechsr@mastodon.education on Mastodon for updates, and join LIVE on Wednesday nights if you can. All show notes are available at edtechSR.com/links.

Shownotes

  1. Subscribe to our EdTechSR Substack Newsletter!
  2. EdTech Situation Room Listener Survey: wfryer.me/edtechsr
  3. Follow EdTechSR on FacebookMastodon and Substack!
  4. Audio podcast feed (Subscribe with iTunes or Stitcher)
  5. Video version on YouTube
  6. Check out our video podcast feed and subscribe to our YouTube Channel (episodes also in this YouTube playlist)
  7. Jason Neiffer (Mastodon: mastodon.cloud/@neif) – aicentrist.com – blog: blog.ncce.org
  8. Wes Fryer (Mastodon: mastodon.cloud/@wfryer) – wesfryer.com
  9. NoteBook LM From Google: https://notebooklm.google/
  10. Ethan Mollick on Substack: https://substack.com/@oneusefulthing 
  11. OpenAI Announces a Model That ‘Reasons’ Through Problems, Calling It a ‘New Paradigm’ (Atlantic, 11 Sept 2024)
  12. NotebookLM’s new ‘Audio Overview’ turns your notes into a mini podcast (9 to 5 Google; 11 September 2024)
  13. iPhone 16, Apple Intelligence, AirPods 4 and more: Everything revealed at Apple Event 2024 (The Verge; 10 September 2024)
  14. Taylor Swift cites AI deepfakes in endorsement for Kamala Harris (ArsTechnica, 11 Sept 2024)
  15. Pavel Durov and Elon Musk are not free speech champions (Disconnect, 6 Sept 2024)
  16. Australia’s Prime Minister wants to ban social media for children (Engadget; 10 September 2024)
  17. 14 dead as Hezbollah walkie-talkies explode in second, deadlier attack (ArsTechnica, 18 Sept 2024)
  18. Jason’s Geek of the Week: GPT for Docs
  19. Wes’ Geeks of the Week: DescriptWes and Shelly Share Ep 39PodCampCLT (9 Dec 2024)
EdTechSR Ep 335 NotebookLM Revolution” (CC BY 2.0) by Wesley Fryer

EdTechSR Ep 334 Considering AI Regulation

Welcome to episode 334 (“Considering AI Regulation”) of the EdTech Situation Room from August 29, 2024, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week, Dr. Jason Neiffer (aicentrist.com) and Dr. Wesley Fryer (wesfryer.com) explored the rapidly evolving world of AI, including the implications of California’s sweeping AI safety legislation and the broader challenges of algorithmic accountability. Discussions spanned the role of AI in education, emerging AI-powered tools like Google’s Gemini, and the sustainability challenges posed by large-scale AI systems. They also touched on Apple’s upcoming product announcements, Tumblr’s migration to WordPress, and YouTube’s rise as the top podcast platform. The ethical, social, and technological dimensions of these developments provided a rich tapestry of insights. Our show was live-streamed and archived on YouTube Live via StreamYard.com. Please follow our @EdTechSR page on Facebook, @edtechsr@mastodon.education on Mastodon for updates, and join LIVE on Wednesday nights if you can. All show notes are available at edtechSR.com/links.

Shownotes

  1. Subscribe to our EdTechSR Substack Newsletter!
  2. EdTech Situation Room Listener Survey: wfryer.me/edtechsr
  3. Follow EdTechSR on FacebookMastodon and Substack!
  4. Audio podcast feed (Subscribe with iTunes or Stitcher)
  5. Video version on YouTube
  6. Check out our video podcast feed and subscribe to our YouTube Channel (episodes also in this YouTube playlist)
  7. Jason Neiffer (Mastodon: mastodon.cloud/@neif) – aicentrist.com – blog: blog.ncce.org
  8. Wes Fryer (Mastodon: mastodon.cloud/@wfryer) – wesfryer.com
  9. California legislature passes sweeping AI safety bill (The Verge; 28 August 2024)
  10. 100M Token Context Windows (Magic.dev; 29 August 2024)
  11. Apple targets Sept. 10 debut for new iPhones, AirPods and watches, Bloomberg News reports (Reuters; 23 August 2024)
  12. ChatGPT makes Siri more intelligent in iOS 18: Here’s how (9 to 5 Mac; 21 August 2024)
  13. Report: Amazon to Launch Paid Version of Alexa in October (Thurott.com; 27 August 2024)
  14. TikTok must face lawsuit over 10-year-old girl’s death, US court rules (Reuters; 28 August 2024)
  15. Tumblr to move its half a billion blogs to WordPress (TechCrunch, 28 Aug 2024)
  16. YouTube’s Growth As A Podcast Power Player Revealed In Cumulus Media And Signal Hill Insights’ Podcast Download – Spring 2024 Report (WestwoodOne, 8 July 2024)
  17. Harmful ‘Nudify’ Websites Used Google, Apple, and Discord Sign-On Systems (Wired, 29 Aug 2024)
  18. Wes’ Geeks of the Week: How to Attribute AI (via MLA) and Zbib and NASA What’s Up?
  19. Jason’s Geek of the Week: LibreOffice 24.8 is Now Available
EdTechSR Ep 334 Considering AI Regulation” (CC BY 2.0) by Wesley Fryer

EdTechSR Ep 332 AI and CyberThreats

Welcome to episode 332 (“AI and Cyber Threats”) of the EdTech Situation Room from August 7, 2024, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week, Dr. Jason Neiffer (aicentrist.com) and Dr. Wesley Fryer (wesfryer.com) explored the latest advancements in AI technologies, discussing their ethical implications and potential in educational settings. They examined pressing cybersecurity challenges, highlighting infrastructure vulnerabilities and proactive measures for resilience. The conversation also covered updates on digital privacy policies and regulatory shifts, with a focus on their impact on educators and students. Critical topics like media literacy and the ethical dilemmas posed by generative AI rounded out the episode, emphasizing the importance of thoughtful engagement in a rapidly evolving tech landscape. Our show was live-streamed and archived on YouTube Live via StreamYard.com. Please follow our @EdTechSR page on Facebook, @edtechsr@mastodon.education on Mastodon for updates, and join LIVE on Wednesday nights if you can. All show notes are available at edtechSR.com/links.

Shownotes

  1. Subscribe to our EdTechSR Substack Newsletter!
  2. EdTech Situation Room Listener Survey: wfryer.me/edtechsr
  3. Follow EdTechSR on FacebookMastodon and Substack!
  4. Audio podcast feed (Subscribe with iTunes or Stitcher)
  5. Video version on YouTube
  6. Check out our video podcast feed and subscribe to our YouTube Channel (episodes also in this YouTube playlist)
  7. Jason Neiffer (Mastodon: mastodon.cloud/@neif) – aicentrist.com – blog: blog.ncce.org
  8. Wes Fryer (Mastodon: mastodon.cloud/@wfryer) – wesfryer.com
  9. A neurological disease stole Rep. Jennifer Wexton’s voice. AI helped her get it back. (NPR, 25 Jul 2024)
  10. Human Reader (Chrome extension from ElevenLabs)
  11. OpenAI Unleashes ‘Advanced Voice Mode’ Following ScarJo Controversy (PC Mag; 30 July 2024)
  12. OpenAI co-founder Schulman leaves for Anthropic, Brockman takes extended leave (TechCrunch; 5 August 2024)
  13. The SOS satellite calling feature on Apple’s latest iPhones can be literally life-saving: B.C. search and rescue group saves hikers stranded on a glacier from wildfire (CBC, 28 Jul 2024)
  14. ‘You are a helpful mail assistant,’ and other Apple Intelligence instructions (The Verge; 5 August 2024)
  15. Apple’s AI Features Rollout Will Miss Upcoming iPhone Software Overhaul (Bloomburg; 28 July 2024) – paywall free version
  16. Apple leads tech rout after Berkshire Hathaway sells more than half of its stake (Business Outside, 5 Aug 2024)
  17. Now that Google is a monopolist, what’s next? (Verge, 6 Aug 2024)
  18. Jason: ChatGPT Prompt Optimizer
  19. Wes: New media literacy lesson: InfluencersAdobe PodcastDescript
EdTech Situation Room – Episode 332” (CC BY 2.0) by Wesley Fryer

EdTechSR Ep 329 Apple’s AI Move

Welcome to episode 329 (“Apple’s AI Move”) of the EdTech Situation Room from June 26, 2024, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week, Dr. Jason Neiffer (aicentrist.com) and Dr. Wesley Fryer (wesfryer.com) discussed a variety of technology topics through an educational lens. Key discussions included Apple’s recent advancements in AI, their strategic decisions regarding AI integration, and the implications for educational technology. The episode also covered the ongoing challenges with tech privacy, the evolving digital divide among students regarding access to AI tools, and innovative applications of AI in social media. “Geeks of the Week” included Jason’s recommendation of Notion, a comprehensive note-taking and organization app, and Wes’s highlight of a family audio preservation project using digitized tapes from 1972. Our show was live-streamed and archived on YouTube Live via StreamYard.com.(Facebook changed their live streaming policies, so unfortunately we can’t live stream there until we get at least 100 likes on our Facebook page!) Please follow our @EdtechSR page on Facebook, @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, as well as options for our show title! Stay savvy and safe!

Shownotes

  1. Subscribe to our EdTechSR Substack Newsletter!
  2. EdTech Situation Room Listener Survey: wfryer.me/edtechsr
  3. Follow EdTechSR on FacebookMastodon and Substack!
  4. Audio podcast feed (Subscribe with iTunes or Stitcher)
  5. Video version on YouTube
  6. Check out our video podcast feed and subscribe to our YouTube Channel (episodes also in this YouTube playlist)
  7. Jason Neiffer (Mastodon: mastodon.cloud/@neif) – aicentrist.com – blog: blog.ncce.org
  8. Wes Fryer (Mastodon: mastodon.cloud/@wfryer) – wesfryer.com/after
  9. It’s Time to Believe the AI Hype (Wired, 17 May 2024)
  10. Microsoft Provides Update on Recall, Addresses Complaints (Thurott.com, 7 June 2024)
  11. Google is Working on a Recall Feature for ChromeOS (Thurott.com, 6 June 2024)
  12. OpenRecall
  13. AIs are coming for social networks (The Verge, 18 June 2024)
  14. Introducing Apple Intelligence, the personal intelligence system that puts powerful generative models at the core of iPhone, iPad, and Mac (Apple PR)
  15. What are all these Apple executives doing with their legs? (WaPo, 14 June 2024) – paywall free version
  16. OK, fine, here’s Apple Intelligence (Jason Snell @ Six Colors, 13 June 2024)
  17. The iPhone Is Now an AI Trojan Horse (The Atlantic, 10 June 24) – paywall free version
  18. The iPad’s new Calculator actually might have been worth the 14-year wait (Macworld, 10 June 2024)
  19. SpaceX’s Starlink May Be Keeping the Ozone From Healing, Research Finds (Futurism, 15 June 2024) – Related CustomGPT story
  20. Wesley’s Geeks of the Week: 1972 Christmas Audio Letter (on YouTube) with analog tape photoSteven Johnson & Michael Specter on the Future of Life (27 April 2023)
  21. Jason’s Geek of the Week: Notion… wow.
EdTechSR Ep 329: Apple’s AI Move” (CC BY 2.0) by Wesley Fryer

EdTechSR Ep 326: Live from Japan!

Welcome to episode 326 (“Live From Japan!”) of the EdTech Situation Room from May 8, 2024, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week, Dr. Jason Neiffer (aicentrist.com) joined live from Kyoto, Japan, and Dr. Wesley Fryer (wesfryer.com) joined from Charlotte, North Carolina. They discussed a variety of topics including Jason’s travel experiences in Japan, the latest Apple product updates, and the significance of privacy and security in technology. Key discussions included: Jason’s culinary adventures in Japan and observations on the strong dollar’s impact on travel costs. The latest updates to Apple’s iPads, with a focus on their implications for education and the mixed reactions from the tech community. The importance of multi-factor authentication highlighted by a major healthcare cyber attack due to its absence. The role of debate in developing critical thinking skills in an AI-dominated world. Media literacy and the new challenges posed by sophisticated propaganda and misinformation campaigns. “Geeks of the Week” included Google’s free webinar series “Generative AI for Teachers” (from Wes), and Amazon Prime’s series “Fallout” based on the popular video game (from Jason). 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, @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, as well as options for our show title! Stay savvy and safe!

Shownotes

  1. Subscribe to our EdTechSR Substack Newsletter!
  2. EdTech Situation Room Listener Survey: wfryer.me/edtechsr
  3. Follow EdTechSR on Facebook, Mastodon and Substack!
  4. Audio podcast feed (Subscribe with iTunes or Stitcher)
  5. Video version on YouTube
  6. Check out our video podcast feed and subscribe to our YouTube Channel (episodes also in this YouTube playlist)
  7. Jason Neiffer (Mastodon: mastodon.cloud/@neif) – aicentrist.com – blog: blog.ncce.org
  8. Wes Fryer (Mastodon: mastodon.cloud/@wfryer) – wesfryer.com/after
  9. Google’s New AI Predicts Molecular Behavior, Which Could Supercharge Drug Discovery (CNet, 8 May 2024)
  10. Our Students’ Future in an AI-World is Debatable (Higher Education Digest; 3 May 2024)
  11. Related: The American Lyceum
  12. AIs can now pull quotes from articles without hallucination (Stefan Bauschard; 8 May 2024)
  13. This Week in Tech 977 Gahoo Yoogle (with Amy Webb and Kevin Rose)
  14. Mitt Romney Reveals Twisted Reason Why Congress Moved to Ban TikTok (New Republic, 6 May 2024)
  15. OMG NEW APPLE STUFF!  Everything announced at Apple’s Let Loose iPad event (Engadget; 8 May 2024)
  16. Apple’s Crushing iPad Ad Trashed By Hugh Grant, Justine Bateman & Almost Everyone Else (Deadline, 8 May 2024)
  17. Is Apple BEHIND on AI???  Fitting Facts To The Narrative At The Washington Post (John Gruber, Daring Fireball; 6 May 2024)
  18. The New Propaganda War (The Atlantic, June 2024)
  19. How your behavior became the world’s biggest resource (Technically Optimistic Podcast, 24 April 2024)
  20. Change Healthcare cyberattack was due to a lack of multifactor authentication, UnitedHealth CEO says (AP News, 1 May 2024)
  21. UnitedHealth says Change hackers stole health data on ‘substantial proportion of people in America’ (TechCrunch, 22 Apr 2024)
  22. Jason’s Geeks of the Week: ChatGPT… for travel advice! and Fallout on Amazon Prime
  23. Wes’ Geeks of the Week: Democracy and Human Rights Need Your Voice! (2.5 min) and all recorded “Webinars with Wes” are FREE! And free Grow with Google course “AI for Educators”
AI Jason in Japan” (CC BY 2.0) by Wesley Fryer

EdTechSR Ep 325: Privacy and TikTok Ban

Welcome to episode 325 (“Privacy and TikTok Ban”) of the EdTech Situation Room from April 24, 2024, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week, Dr. Jason Neiffer and Dr. Wesley Fryer delve into a variety of technology and educational topics. They discuss Dr. Neiffer’s upcoming trip to Japan, providing insights into the extensive planning required for such an adventure. The conversation quickly transitions to pressing issues in tech and education, notably the recent U.S. legislation potentially affecting TikTok. This move by Congress, framed as a national security issue, opens broader debates on data privacy and the influence of social media on public opinion. The episode also covers the significant impact of artificial intelligence on content creation and the ethical implications of AI technologies. Updates from tech giants like Google and Apple are discussed, highlighting upcoming events and product enhancements that could influence educational practices. “Geeks of the Week” includes personal tech recommendations and educational resources, emphasizing tools that effectively integrate technology into educational settings. 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, @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, as well as options for our show title! Stay savvy and safe!

Shownotes

  1. Subscribe to our EdTechSR Substack Newsletter!
  2. EdTech Situation Room Listener Survey: wfryer.me/edtechsr
  3. Follow EdTechSR on Facebook, Mastodon and Substack!
  4. Audio podcast feed (Subscribe with iTunes or Stitcher)
  5. Video version on YouTube
  6. Check out our video podcast feed and subscribe to our YouTube Channel (episodes also in this YouTube playlist)
  7. Jason Neiffer (Mastodon: mastodon.cloud/@neif) – aicentrist.com – blog: blog.ncce.org
  8. Wes Fryer (Mastodon: mastodon.cloud/@wfryer) – wesfryer.com/after
  9. Author granted copyright over book with AI-generated text—with a twist (ArsTechnica, 18 Apr 2024)
  10. How One Author Pushed the Limits of AI Copyright (Wired; 17 April 2024)
  11. Deepfakes in the courtroom: US judicial panel debates new AI evidence rules (ArsTechnica, 24 Apr 2024)
  12. OpenAI’s GPT-4 can exploit real vulnerabilities by reading security advisories (The Register; 17 April 2024)
  13. Cool or creepy? Microsoft’s VASA-1 is a new AI model that turns photos into ‘talking faces’ (Tom’s Guide; 18 April 2024)
  14. Biden signs TikTok ‘ban’ bill into law, starting the clock for ByteDance to divest it (The Verge, 24 Apr 2024)
  15. Is the new TikTok ban for real? (Vox; 24 April 2024)
  16. China bans government officials from using iPhones for work, Wall Street Journal reports (Reuters, 6 Sept 2023)
  17. What the evidence really says about social media’s impact on teens’ mental health (Vox; 12 April 2024)
  18. Schools Want to Ban Phones. Parents Say No. (WSJ; 20 April 2024)
  19. Nation-state hackers exploit Cisco firewall 0-days to backdoor government networks (ArsTechnica, 24 Apr 2024)
  20. An Apple event is coming: What are you most excited to see? (9 to 5 Mac; 23 April 2024)
  21. Apple Releases Open Source AI Models That Run On-Device (MacRumors, 24 Apr 2024)
  22. Jason’s Geek of the Week: eSIMS for Travel!
  23. Wes’ Geeks of the Week: [PODCAST] How Should I Be Using A.I. Right Now? by Ezra Klein with Ethan Mollick and Apple in China – Face-Off: The U.S. vs China
EdTech Situation Room: Ep 325” (CC BY 2.0) by Wesley Fryer

EdTechSR Ep 324: Deep Dives into Disinformation

Welcome to episode 324 (“Deep Dives in Disinformation”) of the EdTech Situation Room from April 17, 2024, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week, Dr. Jason Neiffer and Dr. Wesley Fryer discussed a variety of important topics in educational technology and AI’s impact on education, from San Diego, California and Charlotte, North Carolina respectively. Jason opened the episode by sharing his experiences at the ASU + GSV conference, which brought together leaders in education and technology. The discussions at the conference focused heavily on the integration of AI in educational settings and the ethical implications of new technologies. Wes and Jason then delved into the pressing issue of Kremlin-backed actors spreading disinformation through sophisticated AI tools. They discussed the evolution of disinformation tactics and the crucial role of media literacy in combating these threats. The co-hosts explored various other technological updates, including new developments from Google and Microsoft, emphasizing the educational potentials and challenges of these innovations. They also addressed the need for thoughtful integration of AI tools in education, to enhance learning without compromising ethical standards. “Geeks of the Week” featured valuable tools and resources for educators. Among these, Jason highlighted an AI-powered music creation tool, emphasizing its potential to revolutionize educational content delivery. 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, @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, as well as options for our show title! Stay savvy and safe!

Shownotes

  1. Subscribe to our EdTechSR Substack Newsletter!
  2. EdTech Situation Room Listener Survey: wfryer.me/edtechsr
  3. Follow EdTechSR on Facebook, Mastodon and Substack!
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  6. Check out our video podcast feed and subscribe to our YouTube Channel (episodes also in this YouTube playlist)
  7. Jason Neiffer (Mastodon: mastodon.cloud/@neif) – aicentrist.com – blog: blog.ncce.org
  8. Wes Fryer (Mastodon: mastodon.cloud/@wfryer) – wesfryer.com/after
  9. Texas will use computers to grade written answers on this year’s STAAR tests (Texas Tribune, 9 April 2024)
  10. Hard Fork Podcast: “A.I.’s Data Wall + a Surprise Privacy Bill + What Happened to the TikTok Ban?” (12 Apr 2024)
  11. AI Music Generation Takes Center Stage: Udio and Suno
  12. Kremlin-backed actors spread disinformation ahead of US elections (ArsTechnica, 17 Apr 2024)
  13. https://substack.com/@katieharbath 
  14. The great rewiring: is social media really behind an epidemic of teenage mental illness? (Nature; 29 March 2024)
  15. Apple Plans to Overhaul Entire Mac Line With AI-Focused M4 Chips (Bloomberg; 11 April 2024)
  16. Apple is reportedly planning a big AI-focused M4 Mac upgrade (The Verge; 11 April 2024)
  17. Jason’s Geek of the Week: AI Chat Battle!
  18. Wes’ Geek of the Week: StoryGraph
EdTech Situation Room: Episode 324” (CC BY 2.0) by Wesley Fryer