EdTechSR Ep 339 Social Media Challenges in Schools

Welcome to episode 339 (“Social Media Challenges in Schools”) of the EdTech Situation Room from November 6, 2024, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week, Dr. Jason Neiffer (aicentrist.com) and Dr. Wesley Fryer (wesfryer.com) tackled pressing tech issues with a focus on educational impacts. Key topics included Apple’s latest hardware releases like the Mac Mini with the M4 chip, MacBook Pro upgrades, and Apple Intelligence features such as direct ChatGPT integration and the new Image Playground app. The hosts shared their thoughts on how Apple’s seamless AI integration is enhancing productivity and creativity for educators and students alike. The discussion took a serious turn with an in-depth look at the dangers of TikTok challenges in schools, highlighting a recent JAMA Psychiatry article on the blurred lines between social media stunts and real mental health crises among youth. Wes and Jason reflected on the responsibilities of parents, educators, and tech companies in mitigating these risks. They also explored the mental health impact of grade-tracking apps, noting the anxiety these tools can create for students, especially those with learning differences. AI developments were front and center, including Ireland’s national AI training strategy for government workers and OpenAI’s new search engine tool, prompting a debate on search literacy in the age of AI. The episode also touched on Anthropic’s new desktop app for Claude and its experimental computer control feature, showcasing the rapid evolution of AI-powered tools for daily tasks. “Geeks of the Week” included Wes’ announcement of PodCamp CLT, a podcasting conference in Charlotte, NC, on December 7, and Jason’s upcoming webinar on Notebook LM for educators, along with his new home automation project using Home Assistant software. 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 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. Microsoft just delayed Recall again (The Verge; 31 October 2024)
  10. OpenAI’s search engine is now live in ChatGPT (The Verge; 31 October 2024)
  11. Anthropic’s Claude AI chatbot now has a desktop app (The Verge; 31 October 2024)
  12. Google to develop AI that takes over computers, The Information reports (Reuters; 26 October 2024)
  13. AI training for Government workers major part of smart tech plan amid ‘clear economic opportunities’ despite job fears (The Irish Sun, 6 Nov 2024)
  14. APPLE FAN BOY ALERT: New Apple Stuff
  15. The MacBook Air gets a surprise upgrade to 16GB of RAM (The Verge; 30 October 2024)
  16. Schools issue prom warning to pupils over missing iPads (The Times, 31 Oct 2024)
  17. Apple’s iOS 18.2 public beta starts opening up access to more AI features (The Verge; 6 November 2024)
  18. For fame or a death wish? Kids’ TikTok challenge injuries stump psychiatrists (ArsTechnica, 6 Nov 2024)
  19. The surprising source of kids’ stress lurking on parents’ phones (Vox; 26 October 2024)
  20. Jason’s Geeks of the Week: https://www.home-assistant.io/ ; NotebookLM Webinar; AI Playdate at the University of Montana
  21. Wes’ Geeks of the Week: ChatGPT LIVE Web SearchChatGPT conversation archive for tonight’s articles – [VIDEO] Classroom Management Digital Tips for Middle School Teachers (17.5 min) – PodCampCLT.com (7 Dec 2024)
EdTechSR Ep 339 Social Media Challenges” (CC BY 2.0) by Wesley Fryer

EdTech Situation Room Episode 46

Welcome to episode 46 of the EdTech Situation Room from April 4, 2017, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach) and Wes Fryer (@wfryer) discussed Apple’s announced spec update for the Mac Pro, a recent Google sponsored survey indicating teens think Google is cooler than Apple, and a variety of articles and movies tangentially related to intelligence, artificial intelligence, and cyborgs. As usual they discussed continuing improvements to home assistant technologies like Google Home, as well as articles about recent privacy protection rule changes in the United States and their implications for US consumers. Privacy discussions also included Quincy Larsen’s February 2017 post, “I’ll never bring my phone on an international flight again. Neither should you.” Jason shared a shout out to the Note to Self Podcast episode, “Blind Kids, Touchscreen Phones, and the End of Braille?” On the topic of digital distractions, Jason provided an update about his continuing use of the Google WiFi router and hotspot, which now provides potentially helpful parental controls. Geeks of the week included the multi-platform wireless projection streaming solution “Prijector” from Wes (via the @gsfeadmins Episode 12 podcast) and a hearty endorsement of two-factor authentication from Jason , inspired by the Reply All Podcast Episode #91: The Russian Passenger. Check our shownotes below for all referenced links from the show, which are also available on http://edtechsr.com/links. Be sure to follow us on Twitter @edtechSR for updates. Next week we’ll be back on Wednesday night but will broadcast 2 hours earlier than normal. If you listen to and enjoy the show, please provide us with feedback by submitting our short listener survey on http://wfryer.me/edtechsr.

Shownotes:

  1. EdTech Situation Room Listener Survey: wfryer.me/edtechsr
  2. Follow @edtechSR on Twitter!
  3. Audio podcast feed (Subscribe with iTunes or Stitcher)
  4. Video version on YouTube
  5. Check out our video podcast feed and subscribe to our YouTube Channel (episodes also in this YouTube playlist)
  6. Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach) – blog: blog.ncce.org
  7. Wesley Fryer (@wfryer) – blog: speedofcreativity.org
  8. Apple Updates MacPro Specs; Promises Redesigned Model; (CNet; 4 April 2017)
  9. Teens think Google is cooler than Apple (says Google survey) (CNet; 4 April 2017)
  10. “The Next Human” (Apri 2017, National Geographic)
  11. Movie: Ghost in the Shell (2017)
  12. Elon Musk launches Neuralink, a venture to merge the human brain with AI (27 Mar 2017, The Verge)
  13. 3D Printing Video: How Weta Workshop Made Ghost in the Shell’s Robot Skeleton! (6:44)
  14. Alien intelligence: the extraordinary minds of octopuses and other cephalopods (28 Mar 2017, Guardian)
  15. European Prize for Women Innovators (2 April 2017, Click Podcast)
  16. An audacious vision: Researchers aim for first human eye transplant within the decade (Nov 2016, StatNews)
  17. Movie: Arrival (2016)
  18. What the Repeal of Online Privacy Protections Means for You (29 Mar 2017, NYTimes)
  19. I’ll never bring my phone on an international flight again. Neither should you. (14 Feb 2017, Quincy Larsen)
  20. Smart home tech helps veterans overcome their broken bodies (cNet, 4 April 2017)
  21. Blind Kids, Touchscreen Phones, and the End of Braille? (Note To Self, WNYC, 31 August 2016)
  22. Google WiFi helps keep you off the internet at night (Engadget; 3 April 2016)
  23. Wes’ Geek of the Week: Prijector (via @gsfeadmins Episode 12)
  24. Jason’s Geek of the Week: Two-Factor Authorization – encouraged by Reply All Podcast #91: The Russian Passenger

Mac by [[[Matías]]], on Flickr
Mac” (CC BY 2.0) by [[[Matías]]]

EdTech Situation Room Episode 25

Welcome to episode 25 of the EdTech Situation Room from October 12, 2016, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach) was out on assignment, so Wesley Fryer (@wfryer) joined Miguel Guhlin (@mguhlin) for a lively conversation about the positive power of Internet technologies to connect us to information as well as each other. Discussion also focused on Google’s new Duo videoconferencing and collaboration platform/app, the implications of AI (artificial intelligence) for our lives and our classrooms, and a recent anti-tech rant by educational policy wonk Diane Ravitch. Wes shared a shout-out to the new “Voices of DARPA” podcast, and Miguel reflected on how the outbreak of “predatory academic journals” reminds of the mid-2000’s as blogs exploded and many pundits heralded the end of information trust and credible sources. Miguel’s Geeks of the Week included the OneNote app and OneNote for Teachers, The Microsoft Selfie app (no that’s not a joke, it’s a real app) and Google Duo. Wes’ Geeks of the Week included the free “Simple Footnotes WordPress Plugin” and the amazing “Interactive Current Earth Wind Map” shared last week during landfall of Hurricane Matthew by @thekidshouldsee. Check out past episode shownotes on http://edtechsr.com/links and be sure to follow @edtechSR for updates on Twitter http://twitter.com/edtechsr as well as on Facebook. If you listen to the show, please submit our listener survey using the shortened link http://wfryer.me/edtechsr which forwards to a Google Form. Thanks to our live viewers who joined us for this show! Next week we’re likely to feature some special guests from Maine, and will be moving the show to start two hours earlier at 8 pm Eastern / 7 pm Central / 6 pm Mountain / 5 pm Pacific. Please join us live if you can, give us a shout out if you listen or watch later!

Shownotes:

  1. EdTech Situation Room Listener Survey: wfryer.me/edtechsr
  2. Follow @edtechSR on Twitter!
  3. Audio podcast feed (Subscribe with iTunes or Stitcher)
  4. Video version on YouTube
  5. Check out our video podcast feed and subscribe to our YouTube Channel (episodes also in this YouTube playlist)
  6. Special guest Miguel Guhlin (@mguhlin)
  7. Wesley Fryer (@wfryer)
  8. How Google’s Bicycle-Riding Internet Tutors Are Getting Rural Indian Women Online (Wall Street Journal, 3 Oct 2016)
  9. Duo is replacing Hangouts in Google’s batch of preinstalled apps (PC World, Oct 7, 2016)
  10. Venture capitalist Marc Andreessen explains how AI will change the world (Vox, 5 Oct 2016)
  11. Barack Obama Talks AI, Robo Cars, and the Future of the World (Wired, Oct 2016)
  12. “Democracy”: The Problem with Technology, part 1 (Diane Ravitch, 12 Oct 2016)
  13. “Voices from DARPA” Podcast, Episode 1: Molecule Man (27 Sep 2016 – YouTubeSoundCloud)
  14. What Are Predatory Open Access Journals And Why Should We Worry? (Huffington Post Canada, 4 Oct 2016)
  15. YouTube Creator Studio Boot Camp (Oct 4-25)
  16. CARRDSS System Joyce Valenza, 2008 – Tech Tools 4 Writing (thanks Marta Tome)
  17. Miguel’s Geeks of the Week: OneNote app and OneNote for TeachersMicrosoft Selfie appGoogle Duo
  18. Wes’ Geeks of the Week: Simple Footnotes WordPress Plugin (used in #dw4jc “hashtags” chapter) and Interactive Current Earth Wind Map (via “The Kid Should See This”)