EdTechSR Ep 301 Adjusting to AI

Welcome to Episode 301 (“Adjusting to AI”) of the EdTech Situation Room from August 16, 2023, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week, Dr. Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach) and Wesley Fryer (wesfryer.com/after) reflected on the evolution of social media and technology over the past 15-20 years. Neiffer suggested today’s social media allows for curation of information by finding creators to follow. He and Fryer aim to elevate the conversation and share interesting findings as “filters” for each other and listeners. The pair touched on Neiffer’s recent presentations about AI to various administrator groups. He suggested policies and ongoing conversations as AI integrates into society and classrooms. Several AI-related articles were discussed. One covered Pearson expecting revenue growth from AI, showing publishers are embracing the technology. The hosts considered how API access allows companies to easily implement AI like ChatGPT. They speculated customized AI could be trusted more when trained on a publisher’s proprietary material. An interview between Lawrence Lessig and Tristan Harris highlighted the need for thoughtful AI regulation given its power. Neiffer praised Claude AI for aiming to align with human rights. He recommended “constitutional AI” (like Claude.ai) that explicitly identifies its values for “alignment.” Other topics included Google’s aggressive AI research, ChatGPT custom instructions, Apple’s satellite emergency SOS, the end of free accounts on Wakelet, and a lawsuit by far-right activists over leaked identities. The hosts emphasized the importance of media literacy regarding AI and social media. For his “Geek of the Week,” Fryer shared examples of using ChatGPT for practical classroom tasks like spreadsheets and rubrics. Neiffer highlighted an AI tool called Upscale that enhances low resolution images. The show was live-streamed and archived simultaneously on YouTube Live as well as Facebook Live via StreamYard.com. Please follow @edtechSR on Twitter and @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 claude.ai, as well as options for our show title!

Shownotes

  1. Subscribe to our EdTechSR Substack Newsletter!
  2. EdTech Situation Room Listener Survey: wfryer.me/edtechsr
  3. Follow @edtechSR on Twitter and on Mastodon!
  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: @neif@mastodon.cloud – Twitter: @techsavvyteach) – blog: blog.ncce.org
  8. Wes Fryer – wesfryer.com/after
  9. Pearson eyes AI revenue growth but concedes some tools are imports of ChatGPT (Evening Standard; 31 July 2023)
  10. Project Gemini: Google wants to dethrone ChatGPT and others with yet another secret AI initiative (Chrome Unboxed; 16 August 2023)
  11. ChatGPT can now remember who you are and what you want (The Verge; 20 July 2023)
  12. Outstanding Larry Lessig #AnotherWay [PODCAST] “Taking Seriously The Threats Posed by A.I., with Tristan Harris”
  13. Family rescued from wildfires in Maui thanks to iPhone’s Emergency SOS via Satellite (9to5Mac, 9 Aug 2023)
  14. Wakelet Legacy & Premium Plans (Wakelet; 5 July 2025)
  15. Why has Wakelet introduced plans? (Wakelet)
  16. A better internet for readers (SubStack, 10 Aug 2023)
  17. Far-right Patriot Front members sue leftist activist for allegedly leaking their identities (Seattle Times, 8 Aug 2023)
  18. Wes’ Geeks of the Week: stelfiett.com – Personal ChatGPT Use Examples: Spreadsheet formulasAssessment RubricAI Generated video with pictory.ai 
  19. Jason’s Geek of the Week: https://www.upscale.media/
Galileo Supercomputer detail” (CC BY 2.0) by CINECA

EdTechSR Ep 300 Educators Eye AI Ethics

Welcome to Episode 300 (“Educators Eye AI Ethics”) of the EdTech Situation Room from August 2, 2023, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week, Dr. Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach) and Wesley Fryer (wesfryer.com/after) welcomed viewers to the milestone 300th episode of the EdTech Situation Room on August 2, 2023. They discussed technology’s rapid advancements, particularly in artificial intelligence (AI), and how educators can thoughtfully integrate new tools into the classroom. The hosts reflected on the show’s history analyzing educational technology news over 299 prior episodes. They outlined the main topics to be covered, including AI, tech policy, Apple, Google, social media, and their weekly “Geeks of the Week” recommendations. Jason and Wes delved into several Google Chrome updates, examining their implications for users and schools. They critiqued proposed regulations cracking down on tech giants in Canada and Europe as going too far in restricting online linking and personalized ads. However, the hosts agreed greater privacy protections are needed in the U.S. Shifting to AI, the hosts were excited by Claude, Anthropic’s new AI chatbot alternative to ChatGPT. They were impressed with Claude’s ability to mimic a user’s writing style when provided samples and to generate content based on analyzing uploaded PDFs. Jason and Wes discussed AI’s potential to transform assessments, emphasizing the need for educators to thoughtfully integrate it into their practice. They also covered several other AI topics, including ethical AI development, using AI in Hollywood productions, and the Worldcoin project linking cryptocurrency to biometric facial/retinal scanning. In closing, Jason and Wes shared their “Geeks of the Week,” including downloadable instructions for 6800 Lego kits and the Google Robotics Lab Segment of the July 28th New York Times Hard Fork Podcast. The show was live-streamed and archived simultaneously on YouTube Live as well as Facebook Live via StreamYard.com. Please follow @edtechSR on Twitter and @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 claude.ai, as well as options for our show title!

Shownotes

  1. Subscribe to our EdTechSR Substack Newsletter!
  2. EdTech Situation Room Listener Survey: wfryer.me/edtechsr
  3. Follow @edtechSR on Twitter and on Mastodon!
  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: @neif@mastodon.cloud – Twitter: @techsavvyteach) – blog: blog.ncce.org
  8. Wes Fryer – wesfryer.com/after
  9. What Is Worldcoin? Here’s What To Know About The Eyeball-Scanning Crypto Project Launched By OpenAI’s Sam Altman (Forbes, 24 July 2023)
  10. Netflix Pulls AI Content Creation From Job Listing After Backlash (Newswekk; 31 July 2023)
  11. The Writers’ Strike Over AI Is Bigger Than Hollywood (The Markup; 29 July 2023)
  12. Google will ‘supercharge’ Assistant with AI that’s more like ChatGPT and Bard (The Verge; 31 July 2023)
  13. Dario Amodei, C.E.O. of Anthropic, on the Paradoxes of A.I. Safety and Netflix’s ‘Deep Fake Love’’ (New York TImes; 21 July 2023)
  14. OpEd: Lindsey Graham and Elizabeth Warren: When It Comes to Big Tech, Enough Is Enough (NYTimes, 27 July 2023) #GiftLink
  15. Meta loses battle in EU, will ask for consent to show personalized ads (ArsTechnica, 1 Aug 2023)
  16. Elon Musk’s Unmatched Power in the Stars (NYTimes, 28 July 2023) #GiftLink 
  17. Meta starts blocking news in Canada over law on paying publishers (Reuters, 1 Aug 2023)
  18. Google Chrome officially removing the download bar for a new tray UI (9to5Google, 2 Aug 2023)
  19. First look at the new Microsoft 365 Chromebook integration (About Chromebooks; 24 July 2023)
  20. ‘No sign’ Apple will launch generative AI in 2024, says Kuo (9to5Mac, 2 Aug 2023)
  21. Jason’s Geek of the Week: You Can Download Instructions for More Than 6,800 LEGO Kits for Free (LifeHacker; 29 July 2023)
  22. Wes’ Geek of the Week: Google Robotics Lab Segment, NYT Hard Fork Podcast (28 July 2023, at 40:00) – Mastodon share
Anders Sandberg on the Ethics of Uploading” (CC BY 2.0) by david.orban

EdTech Situation Room Episode 142

Welcome to episode 142 of the EdTech Situation Room from July 24, 2019, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach) and Wesley Fryer (@wfryer) discussed why data privacy is complicated, the FTC’s $5 billion fine of Facebook, the limitations of SMS for 2 factor authentication (2FA) / multi-factor authentication (MFA), and exciting recent Apollo 11 50 year anniversary moon landing media coverage. Updates to Google’s smartwatch software (WearOS) as well as ChromeOS, Apple’s expected announcement of its new $3000 MacBook portable, the return of MDM-powered parental control apps like MyPact to the iOS App Store, and Apple’s pleas to avoid 25% tariffs on Chinese manufactured electronic components were also highlighted. The increasingly fractured landscape of podcasting (sadly coming to a walled garden paid app near you,) the prospect of “Peak Podcast” time, and Jason’s recent experiences with the wild world of urban electric scooters (where “the repo man” now thrives) were discussed with a remarkable tone of clarity laced with humor. Geeks of the Week included the DarkNet Diaries podcast (@darknetdiaries) and the “Timeline” tool from the Knight Foundation. Please follow us on Twitter @edtechSR for updates, and join us LIVE on Wednesday nights if you can (normally) 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.

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. Wes Fryer (@wfryer) – blog: speedofcreativity.org
  8. Why You Can’t Just Ask Social Media To Forget You (Mind Matters, 1 July 2019)
  9. F.T.C. Approves Facebook Fine of About $5 Billion (New York Times; 12 July 2019)
  10. Judge allows suit against AT&T after $24 million cryptocurrency theft (ArsTechnica, 23 July 2019)
  11. MOON LANDING: Apollo 11 Had a Hidden Hero: Software (Wall Street Journal; 14 July 2019)
  12. Wear OS in 2019: Here’s where it is, and where it needs to be [Video] (9 to 5 Google; 23 July 2019)
  13. This Latest Addition Makes Virtual Desks In Chrome OS 76 My Favorite New Feature (Chrome Unboxed, 21 July 2019)
  14. LTE Chromebooks Could Soon Be Far More Common (Chrome Unboxed, 24 July 2019)
  15. 16-inch MacBook Pro rumored to launch in October with ~$3000 starting price (9 to 5 Mac; 23 July 2019)
  16. OurPact returns to App Store, reviving debates about Apple’s impartiality (ArsTechnica, 12 July 2019)
  17. Apple asks Trump administration to exclude Mac Pro parts from tariffs (ArsTechnica, 23 July 2019)
  18. How podcasts grew into a multimillion-dollar industry (The Verge; 19 July 2019)
  19. Have We Hit Peak Podcast? (New York Times; 18 July 2019)
  20. Apple Plans to Bankroll Original Podcasts to Fend Off Rivals (Bloomberg; 16 July 2019)
  21. They Said You Could Leave Electric Scooters Anywhere — Then The Repo Men Struck Back (The Verge; 24 July 2019)
  22. Jason’s Geek of the Week: DarkNet Diaries podcast (@darknetdiaries)
  23. Wes’ Geek of the Week: Timeline by Knight Lab (@knightfdn) (Example: Fryer Family Media Timeline)
Fryer Family Media Timeline

EdTech Situation Room Episode 70

Welcome to episode 70 of the EdTech Situation Room from October 18, 2017, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach) and Wes Fryer (@wfryer) discussed Google’s new “Advanced Protection” security mode, hacker threats in several US states to parents of students, Microsoft Windows 10 “Creator Updates,” and reports that our solar system has a mysterious “Super Earth” 9th planet well beyond the orbit of Neptune. Additional topics included several updates to Google Earth and Google Maps mashups, recent Amazon advertising mistakes, the importance of media literacy education, and the emerging narrative of how Russian operatives appear to have subverted democracy in the U.S. 2016 Presidential election using Facebook targeted ads. “Speed round” article topics included a new Russian cryptocurrency, Netflix’ push for original movie and show content, Equifax hack blame falling on “one IT guy,” RSA encryption hacks, the cost of product placement advertisements, Eli Pariser’s “Filter Bubble,” and the secrets of Yahoo search. Geeks of the week included a $10 “FIDO U2F Security Key” and the weather website and app “Dark Sky.” Please follow us on Twitter @edtechSR for updates, and reach out to us if you listen to the show! The EdTech Situation Room is produced live each week (almost) on Wednesday nights at 9 pm Central / 8 pm Mountain time. Thanks for tuning in. Stay safe and stay savvy!

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. Wes Fryer (@wfryer) – blog: speedofcreativity.org
  8. Google’s ‘Advanced Protection’ Locks Down Accounts Like Never Before (Wired, 17 Oct 2017)
  9. Google Safety Center
  10. Google Advanced Protection Program
  11. Dark Overlord hacks schools across U.S., texts threats against kids to parents (CSO, 9 Oct 2017)
  12. Desktop Outlook will get a redesign with the biggest changes happening on Macs (ArsTechnica, 16 Oct 2017)
  13. Windows 10’s Fall Creators Update is now available (The Verge, 17 Oct 17)
  14. Windows 10 Fall Creators Update: the 10 best new features (The Verge, 17 Oct 17)
  15. NASA press release says our solar system has a 9th planet (Futurism, 13 Oct 2017)
  16. The Super-Earth that Came Home for Dinner (NASA JPL, 4 Oct 2017)
  17. NASA’s new ion thruster breaks records, could take humans to Mars (Futurism, 13 Oct 2017)
  18. Space out with planets in Google Maps (Google, 16 Oct 2017)
  19. Nukemap: An Interactive Simulator by @wellerstein
  20. MISSILEMAP by @wellerstein
  21. Google Tour Builder for any Subject by Eric Curts (@ericcurts)
  22. Amazon is telling customers that people bought gifts for their non-existent baby (The Verge, 09/19/2017)
  23. Is Amazon recommending bomb ingredients? (BBC News, 19 Sep 2017)
  24. What Facebook Did to American Democracy (The Atlantic, 12 Oct 2017)
  25. Media Literacy Resources by NewseumEd
  26. Teaching Media Literacy by Rene Hobbs (Media Education Lab)
  27. NPR Show “On The Media”
  28. Authoritarian Cryptocurrencies Are Coming (Bloomberg, 17 Oct 2017)
  29. Putin green lights launch of the CryptoRuble (Russia Today, 17 Oct 2017)
  30. Netflix plans to spend $8 billion to make its library 50 percent original by 2018 (The Verge, 16 October 2017)
  31. Former Equifax CEO Blames One IT Guy for Massive Hack (NBC News, 5 Oct 2017)
  32. Falling through the KRACKs (@matthew_d_green , 16 Oct 2017)
  33. KRACK mass Wi-Fi attack: Who is to blame? (ZDNet, 17 Oct 2017)
  34. As devastating as KRACK – New vulnerability undermines RSA encryption keys (ZDNet, 17 Oct 2017)
  35. Here’s how much social media stars get paid to post ads (ReCode, 14 September 2017)
  36. “The Filter Bubble: How the New Personalized Web Is Changing What We Read and How We Think” by Eli Pariser (2011)
  37. TEDTalk: Beware Online Filter Bubbles by Eli Pariser (2011)
  38. Verizon Open Sources Yahoo! Search: Verizon Reveals The Secrets Of Yahoo Search (Wired, 26 September 2017)
  39. G Camp OKC – Saturday November 4, 2017 (@gcampOKC)
  40. Geek of the Week (Jason) Best cross platform weather app: https://darksky.net
  41. Geek of the Week (Wes) $10 “FIDO U2F Security Key” (compatible with Google 2 Step Verification)

EdTech Situation Room Episode 47

Welcome to episode 47 of the EdTech Situation Room from April 12, 2017, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week special guest Beth Holland (@brholland) joined Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach) and Wes Fryer (@wfryer) for discussions focusing on Anderson Cooper’s recent 60 Minutes Episode “What is ‘brain hacking?’ Tech insiders on why you should care,” new IoT (Internet of Things) home hacking episodes, the federated (and FREE / open source) social networking platform “Mastodon,” and helpful articles on finding a secure VPN to protect your privacy. Geeks of the Week included realtimeboard.com (from Beth), Google Flights (from Jason) and an $18 6 port smart ID USB charging hub (from Wes). 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 at our regular time: 10 pm Eastern, 9 pm Central, 8 pm Mountain, 7 pm Pacific. 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. Beth Holland (@brholland) – current publications: brholland.com/writing
  7. Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach) – blog: blog.ncce.org
  8. Wesley Fryer (@wfryer) – blog: speedofcreativity.org
  9. What is “brain hacking”? Tech insiders on why you should care (9 April 2017, 60 Minutes – Anderson Cooper)
  10. From 1 June 2016 Episode 12: Ex-Googler slams designers for making apps addictive like ‘slot machines’ (Business Insider, 25 May 2016)
  11. From 1 June 2016 Episode 12: How Technology Hijacks People’s Minds — from a Magician and Google’s Design Ethicist (Tristan Harris, 19 May 2016)
  12. The attention economy and the Net by Michael Goldhaber (FirstMonday, April 1997)
  13. Four simple changes to take back control. (Time Well Spent, n.d.)
  14. Jason’s Classroom 2.0 Session on Digital Distraction
  15. Computers can now read your emotions. Here’s why that’s not as scary as it sounds (World Economic Forum, 31 March 2017)
  16. Why everything is hackable: Computer security is broken from top to bottom (8 April 2017, The Economist)
  17. Thousands of Hacked Home Routers are Attacking WordPress Sites (wordFence, April 11, 2017)
  18. Learning from Twitter’s mistakes: Privacy and abuse-handling tools in Mastodon (3 March 2017, Eugen Rochko)
  19. 5 Reasons You Should Join Me on Mastodon (5 April 2017, Wes Fryer)
  20. Updated Mastodon Instance List: instances.mastodon.xyz
  21. Wes Fryer on Mastodon: https://mastodon.cloud/@wfryer
  22. A Maker of Smart Garage Openers Responded to a Bad Amazon Review by Remotely Disabling the Customer’s Device (Slate, 5 April 2017)
  23. Burger King’s new ad forces Google Home to advertise the Whopper (The Verge, 12 April 2017)
  24. This company is microchipping its workers to give them an all-access pass to the office by (Mashable, 5 April 2017)
  25. Brain Targeted Teaching by Mariale Hardiman (@marialehardiman) – book: “The Brain-Targeted Teaching Model for 21st-Century Schools”
  26. Good luck finding a safe VPN (Engadget, 7 April 17)
  27. The Biggest Misconceptions About VPNs (Lifehacker, 5 April 17)
  28. Your Pick For the Best VPN Service Is Private Internet Access (Lifehacker, 6 April 2017)
  29. Beth’s Geek of the Week: Realtime Board – educators get a free account and can then create teams for their students.
  30. Jason’s Geek of the Week: Google Flights / How Technology Has Failed to Improve Your Airline Experience (New York Times, 12 April 2017)
  31. Wes’ Geek of the Week: Vogek USB Charger Desktop Charging Station with Smart Identification (400+ ratings with 4.5 stars, $18)

EdTech Situation Room Episode 30

Welcome to episode 30 of the EdTech Situation Room from November 22, 2016, where technology news meets educational analysis. Visit http://edtechsr.com/links to access all referenced links from our show (as well as some we didn’t have time to discuss.) This week Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach) and Wesley Fryer (@wfryer) discussed the challenges of “fake news” continuing to be shared in the aftermath of the U.S. election, and the responsibilities we have to vet and verify articles before passing them on to others. The future of net neutrality in the Trump administration, the rumored end to development of Apple’s AirPort routers, and the impact of both robotics and artificial intelligence on global labor markets were also addressed. As always, Jason and Wes focused on the impact and relevance of these stories for teachers. Please 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. You can also reach out to Jason and Wes on Twitter to share feedback, questions, or just let them know you’re tuning into the show! If you’re in the United States on holiday this week, have a restful and joy-filled Thanksgiving break!

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)
  7. Wesley Fryer (@wfryer)
  8. Zuckerberg Says He’ll Take Steps to Solve Facebook Fake News (Bloomberg Technology, 19 Nov 2016)
  9. Most students can’t tell the difference between sponsored content and real news (22 November 2016)
  10. Your Filter Bubble is Destroying Democracy (Wired, 22 November 2016)
  11. Facebook’s fake news problem is way bigger than fake news (Vox 18 November 2016)
  12. Please Stop Sharing Links to These Sites (Patheos, 18 September 2016)
  13. False, Misleading, Clickbait-y, and Satirical “News” Sources (Melissa Zimdars)
  14. Bernie Sanders Could Replace President Trump With Little-Known Loophole (The Huffington Post, 15 November 2016)
  15. Education, Not Income, Predicted Who Would Vote For Trump (538, 22 Nov 2016)
  16. Trump’s FCC transition team may spell the end of net neutrality (Recode, 21 November 2016)
  17. Apple axes Wi-Fi router division, apparently signaling the end of AirPort (AppleInsider, 21 Nov 2016)
  18. With Apple abandoning AirPort, here are the best alternative Wi-Fi routers for Mac users (AppleInsider, 21 Nov 2016)
  19. Why Some Apple Fans Are Considering a Hackintosh (Motherboard, 7 Nov 2016)
  20. Twitter’s long-overdue anti-harassment tools might finally make a difference (Vox, 18 November 2016)
  21. Apple exploring the possibility of moving iPhone manufacturing to United States (AppleInsider, 17 Nov 2016)
  22. [VIDEO] & transcript: Robots and the Future of Jobs: The Economic Impact of Artificial Intelligence (Council on Foreign Relations, 14 Nov 2016)
  23. The Fourth Industrial Revolution: What It Means and How to Respond (Foreign Relations, Dec 2015)
  24. Wes’ TEDx presentation audio: “Digital Citizenship in the Surveillance State”
  25. Geek of the Week by Jason: Amazon Prime Phones
  26. Geek of the Week by Wes: Google Quick, Draw!
  27. Advocacy Advice (from Wes)