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 299 Truth Over Trickery

Welcome to Episode 299 (“Truth Over Trickery”) of the EdTech Situation Room from July 26, 2023, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week, Dr. Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach) and Wesley Fryer (wesfryer.com/after) discussed recent developments in artificial intelligence (AI) and generative language models. They reviewed several articles, including concerns that ChatGPT is becoming less functional over time and may be losing capabilities. The hosts explored issues around copyright infringement and intellectual property regarding large language models trained on copyrighted content, sparked by comedian Sarah Silverman’s lawsuit against OpenAI. They dove into the implications of AI influencers, election interference threats, and new AI products like Anthropic’s Claude model and Google’s Notebook LM note-taking tool. Throughout, Jason and Wes emphasized the need for transparency and ethical principles in AI development. They argued homework and assessments may need to be reconsidered in light of generative language models. The hosts also covered social media trends, security issues, and the importance of media literacy. They promoted critical thinking and authentic creation in classrooms. In closing, Jason and Wes shared their “Geeks of the Week,” including the historical audio tour app autio.com, the “Airalo E-Sims” product for travelers, an upcoming free AI conference, and several upcoming edtech conferences with option presenter calls: NCCE 2024 and DLAC 2024. 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. GPT-4 is becoming less functional (Ethan Mollick, Twitter)
  10. The Homework Apocalypse (Ethan Mollick, One Useful Thing; 1 July 2023)
  11. What to Know About Claude 2, Anthropic’s Rival to ChatGPT (Time; 18 July 2023)
  12. Claude 2
  13. AI learned from their work. Now they want compensation (Washington Post; 16 July 2023)
  14. NotebookLM is Google’s new AI-driven notes app that is official as of today (Chrome Unboxed; 12 July 2023)
  15. Apple Tests ‘Apple GPT,’ Develops Generative AI Tools to Catch OpenAI (Bloomberg; 19 July 2023)
  16. Intelligence nominee warns generative AI poses threat to 2024 elections (Politico, 20 July 2023)
  17. Fully AI-Generated Influencers Are Getting Thousands of Reactions Per Thirst Trap (Futurism, 20 July 2023)
  18. Digital Avatars and Our Refusal to Die (LongNow, 21 July 2023)
  19. ByteDance Releases CapCut Plugin For ChatGPT (Search Engine Journal, 15 July 2023)
  20. The Once and Future ISTE (eSchool News; 13 July 2023)
  21. Threads now has ‘tens of millions’ of daily users. But its honeymoon phase may be over (CNN Business; 19 July 2023)
  22. Twitter replaces its bird logo with an X as part of Elon Musk’s plan for a super app (NPR, 24 July 2023)
  23. Wes’ Geeks of the Week: Autio and AI x Education Conference (Aug 5-6)
  24. Jason’s Geeks of the Week: Conference Presentation Opportunities at NCCE 2024 and DLAC 2024 – Travel pro-tip: Airalo E-Sims
The Making of Harry Potter” (CC BY 2.0) by Dave Catchpole

EdTechSR Ep 297 Exciting Apple Announcements

Welcome to episode 297 (“Exciting Apple Announcements”) of the EdTech Situation Room from June 7, 2023, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week, Dr. Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach) and Wesley Fryer (wesfryer.com/after) discussed the latest Apple announcements, including the new 15-inch MacBook Air with impressive features and an affordable price. They also explored the new Mac Pro and Mac Studio models, highlighting their upgradeability and performance capabilities. The unveiling of the Vision Pro, an augmented reality (AR) headset, sparked excitement about its potential applications in various fields. The hosts also touched on Apple’s entry into the virtual reality (VR) space, discussing its potential impact on education and other sectors. They further delved into the use of iPads in education, concerns about election misinformation on YouTube, the removal of malicious Chrome extensions, the risks associated with Chromebook extensions, and the challenges surrounding AI technology, particularly chatbots. The importance of media literacy and integrating lessons on AI and social media in classrooms was emphasized. In addition, Jason and Wes discussed the importance of clear rules and guidelines for device use in the classroom. They emphasized the need for effective classroom management in the digital age and suggested involving students in the conversation. They promoted interactive instruction and meaningful engagement with material. Wrapping up the episode, the hosts shared their “Geeks of the Week,” which included ChatPDF, Mark Rober’s recent commencement address at MIT, and a podcast episode about AI from Wes’ North Carolina school. 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: This summary was partly generated using summarize.tech.

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 – Podcast summarized with www.summarize.tech
  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. A Chatbot Was Designed to Help Prevent Eating Disorders. Then It Gave Dieting Tips (WSJ; 1 June 2023)
  10. Can a chatbot help people with eating disorders as well as another human? (NPR; 24 May 2023)
  11. What will stop AI from flooding the internet with fake images? (Vox; 3 June 2023)
  12. OpenAI still not training GPT-5, Sam Altman says (TechCrunch; 7 June 2023)
  13. A professor accused his class of using ChatGPT, putting diplomas in jeopardy (Washington Post, 18 May 2023)
  14. Here’s What Happens When Your Lawyer Uses ChatGPT (NYTimes, 27 May 2023)
  15. Teachers are on the front lines of a battle to change how teens use social media (CNN Business; 3 June 2023)
  16. YouTube rolls back its rules against election misinformation (TechCrunch, 3 June 2023)
  17. Apple introduces the 15‑inch MacBook Air (Apple PR)
  18. Apple unveils new Mac Studio and brings Apple silicon to Mac Pro (Apple PR)
  19. Apple’s $3,499 Vision Pro Headset Will Test Marketing Might (Bloomberg; 6 April 2023) – free from Yahoo Finance: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/apple-debuts-3-499-vision-211946203.html 
  20. Malicious Chrome extensions with 75M installs removed from Web Store (Bleeping Computer, 2 June 2023)
  21. Google Assistant kills off support for third-party note apps (ArsTechnica, 1 June 2023)
  22. Jason’s Geek of the Week: https://www.chatpdf.com/ 
  23. Wes’ Geeks of the Week: Mark Rober tells MIT graduates to throw themselves into the unknown (MIT News, 1 June 2023) and “Demystifying A.I.” on From the Horse’s Mouth
Goggle Reflection 1” (CC BY 2.0) by halseike

EdTechSR Ep 295 Generative AI Tools in Education

Welcome to episode 295 (“Generative AI Tools in Education”) of the EdTech Situation Room from May 24, 2023, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week, Dr. Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach) and Wesley Fryer (@wfryer) offered insights into the intriguing world of AI, generative tools, and educational technology. They delved into the remarkable accessibility and affordability of AI tools, which is empowering individuals and small businesses to innovate at an unprecedented scale. The duo pondered the consequences of AI-generated content, stressing the importance of critical evaluation to discern the veracity of information while recognizing the potential for both positive utilization and nefarious exploitation. The conversation transitioned to the trailblazing capabilities of OpenAI’s GPT-3, with the hosts eagerly awaiting its successor, GPT-4. They showcased OpenAI’s API, which enables developers to harness GPT’s prowess for their applications. The hosts also spotlighted temp-mail.org/en/, a nifty tool to create temporary email addresses to avert unwanted communication. Dr. Neiffer shared that he can be reached via Twitter as “@techsavvyteach,” and also on Blue Sky, while Wes Fryer is accessible at wesfryer.com/after. Furthermore, they announced that the EdTech Situation Room is a weekly podcast, normally airing on Wednesday evenings at 9 PM Eastern Time. Before wrapping up, they urged the audience to immerse themselves in generative AI tools, especially in areas of personal expertise, to unravel their implications. Stay savvy, stay safe, and continue exploring the boundless horizons of educational technology! The show is live-streamed and archived simultaneously on YouTube Live as well as our Facebook Live page via StreamYard.com. Please follow @edtechSR on Twitter for updates, and join us LIVE on Wednesday nights if you can. All shownotes are available on edtechSR.com/links. AI Disclosure: This summary was generated with ChatGPT4 using the ChatGPT-specific chunking program chatgpt-prompt-splitter.jjdiaz.dev. (Full ChatGPT conversation available.)

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 – Podcast summarized with ChatGPT 4 and ChatGPT PROMPTs Splitter
  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 (Mastodon: @wfryer@mastodon.cloud – Twitter: @wfryer ) – wesfryer.com/after
  9. The government can’t seize your data — but it can buy it (TechCrunch; 21 May 2023)
  10. The True Cost of a Free TV – Telly TV (Wired, 17 May 2023)
  11. YouTube Will Start Showing 30-Second Unskippable Ads (Cord Cutter News; 17 May 2023)
  12. Google will start deleting inactive accounts after two years (ArsTechnica, 16 May 2023)
  13. Market dips briefly after AI image of fake explosion near Pentagon goes viral (The Hill; 22 May 2023)
  14. Newspaper Apologizes For Accidentally Running Deranged Ai-Generated Article (The Byte/Futurism; 16 May 2023)
  15. Using AI to Implement Effective Teaching Strategies in Classrooms: Five Strategies, Including Prompts (SSRN; 24 March 2023)
  16. On the Dangers of Stochastic Parrots:Can Language Models Be Too Big? (Association for Computing Machinery, 2021)
  17. Fact Check Team: How will Montana’s TikTok ban work? (NBC Montana; 24 May 2023)
  18. Flipboard becomes first app to support Bluesky, Mastodon and Pixelfed all in one place (TechCrunch, 23 May 2023)
  19. Meta slapped with record $1.3 billion EU fine over data privacy (CNN, 22 May 2023)
  20. Wes’ Geek of the Week: The Seamless Clipboard
  21. Jason’s Geek of the Week: https://temp-mail.org/en/
ChatGPT circuit board” (CC BY 2.0) by focusonmore.com

EdTechSR Ep 292 AirTags for Everyone

Welcome to episode 292 (“AirTags for Everyone”) of the EdTech Situation Room from May 3, 2023, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach) and Wesley Fryer (@wfryer@mastodon.cloud) delved into various AI topics, including the potential benefits of AI writing assistants like Grammarly, and AI tutors like Mr. Reindeer, which allowed for customization and personalization of learning. They also discussed AI-powered tools like Canny and Summarize.tech. While acknowledging the ethical issues surrounding AI, such as concerns over privacy and the mass production of false information, the hosts expressed concerns about the implications of generative AI that could determine real-time thoughts with an 81% accuracy rate, potentially leading to mind-reading and dystopian outcomes. The conversation touched on the ongoing debate around ebooks versus physical books, the use of AirTag devices and smart thermostats, Twitter’s new verification process, and recent AI advancements, such as synthetic voices and groundbreaking studies that used AI to passively decode thoughts. The hosts shared their own travel experiences, recommended Rick Steves’ app for audio tours, and wrapped up the episode by thanking their viewers, inviting feedback, and encouraging interaction with chatGPT. (AI Attribution: This podcast / video summary was initially generated with summarize.tech and slightly edited.) The 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 @edtechSR on Twitter and @edtechsr@mastodon.education on Mastodon for updates, and join us LIVE on Wednesday nights (normally) if you can at 9 pm Eastern / 8 pm Central / 7 pm Mountain / 7 pm Pacific or 3 am UTC. All shownotes are available on http://edtechSR.com/links. 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 Twitter and on Mastodon!
  4. Audio podcast feed (Subscribe with iTunes or Stitcher)
  5. Video version on YouTube – AI generated summary
  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 (Mastodon: @wfryer@mastodon.cloud – Twitter: @wfryer ) – wesfryer.com/after
  9. Mr. Ranedeer: Your personalized AI Tutor! (JustBJJ via GetHub)
  10. GPT AI Enables Scientists to Passively Decode Thoughts in Groundbreaking Study (Artisana; 1 May 2023)
  11. Grammarly rolls out its generative AI tools with these limits (9 to 5 Google; 27 April 2023)
  12. AI-Generated Joe Rogan Chats Up Steve Jobs Over His Use of LSD, Spat With Gizmodo (Gizmodo, 11 Oct 2023)
  13. An A.I. Hit of Fake ‘Drake’ and ‘The Weeknd’ Rattles the Music World (NY Times, 19 April 2023) gift link
  14. Google Authenticator now syncs 2FA with your Google Account, gets new icon (9 to 5 Google; 24 April 2023)
  15. Google issuing Chromebooks to employees as part of cost-cutting measures  (9 to 5 Google; 3 April 2023)
  16. Google will shut down Currents, the work-focused Google Plus replacement (The Verge; 12 April 2023)
  17. CTL launches next-gen Chomebox CBX3 with a 13th Gen Intel Core i7 (Chrome Unboxed; 14 April 2023)
  18. Gen Z Prefers Print Books, Not E-Books (Good eReader; 29 April 2023)
  19. NYPD’s answer to TikTok car theft challenges: 500 free AirTags (Verge, 1 May 2023)
  20. Mastodon fixes “confusing” sign-up process to attract users fleeing Twitter (ArsTechnica, 2 May 2023)
  21. Jason’s Geek of the Week: Rick Steves Audio Tours
  22. Wes’ Geeks of the Week: canny.io (example) – summarize.techplay.htTikTok and Media Literacy (thread)
Elvis, Tucker and Frank now have Apple AirTags” (CC BY 2.0) by Tobyotter

EdTechSR Ep 289 Arkansas Social Media

Welcome to episode 289 (“Arkansas Social Media”) of the EdTech Situation Room from April 12, 2023, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach) and Wesley Fryer (@wfryer@mastodon.cloud) discussed the ongoing controversy over Twitter’s labeling (and mis-labeling) of media companies (like NPR) as “state propaganda,” the sweeping minimum age limit for social media use in Arkansas, and a series of AI related podcast episode recommendations. These included Hard Fork, In Machines We Trust, and the Cortex Podcast. The New York Police Department’s announcement about its embrace of robotic police assistants, predicted job impacts for AI, and the prospect of AI moving from generative art creation platforms to world destruction. New subscription fees for Google and ADT home security systems and slumping Apple hardware sales were also discussed. Geeks of the Week included the AI note taking platform Memoable, the Podcast series “The Last Soviet,” the Media Education Lab’s “AI in Education” series, and Amy Webb’s SXSW 2023 Emerging Tech presentation. (No AI generated video summary this week!) The 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. This edited video / podcast summary was initially generated by AI using www.summarize.tech. Please follow @edtechSR on Twitter and @edtechsr@mastodon.education on Mastodon for updates, and join us LIVE on Wednesday nights (normally) if you can at 9 pm Eastern / 8 pm Central / 7 pm Mountain / 7 pm Pacific or 3 am UTC. All shownotes are available on http://edtechSR.com/links. 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 Twitter and on Mastodon!
  4. Audio podcast feed (Subscribe with iTunes or Stitcher)
  5. Video version on YouTubeAI generated summary
  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 (Mastodon: @wfryer@mastodon.cloud – Twitter: @wfryer ) – wesfryer.com/after
  9. Elon Musk Decides NPR Is Not State Propaganda After All (Gizmodo, 9 Apr 2023)
  10. NPR quits Twitter after being falsely labeled as ‘state-affiliated media’ (NPR; 12 April 2023)
  11. Arkansas governor signs sweeping bill imposing a minimum age limit for social media usage (CNN Business; 12 April 2023)
  12. PBS Joins NPR in Quitting Twitter Over State-Backed Label (Bloomberg, 12 Apr 2023)
  13. NYPD robocops: Hulking, 400-lb robots will start patrolling New York City (ArsTechnica, 12 Apr 2023)
  14. A.I. Vibe Check With Ezra Klein + Kevin Tries Phone Positivity (Hard Fork; 7 April 2023)
  15. Generating creativity (In Machines We Trust; 5 April 2023)
  16. Jobs lost, jobs gained: What the future of work will mean for jobs, skills, and wages (McKinsey & Company; 28 November 2017)
  17. #134: AI Art Will Make Marionettes Of Us All Before It Destroys The World (Cortex Podcast, 19 Oct 2023)
  18. Google and ADT have a new security system with lots of subscription fees (ArsTechnica, 29 March 2023)
  19. Analysts say Mac sales are down 40% as post-pandemic PC sales slump continues (ArsTechnica, 10 April 2023)
  20. Jason’s Geek of the Week: Memoable
  21. Wes’ Geeks of the Week: Podcast series: “The Last Soviet”“AI in the Classroom” webinar series from the Media Education LabAmy Webb Launches 2023 Emerging Tech Trend Report | SXSW 2023
Arkansas” (CC BY 2.0) by Gamma Man

EdTechSR Ep 285 Sydney is Scary

Welcome to episode 285 (“Sydney is Scary”) of the EdTech Situation Room from March 1, 2023, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach) and Wesley Fryer (@wfryer@mastodon.cloud) discussed the latest developments in artificial intelligence (AI), tech corrections, Google and Apple news, privacy, social media, hardware news, media literacy, and geeks of the week. One significant topic of discussion was OpenAI’s announcement of an API for ChatGPT and Whisper Speech to Text Tech. The hosts noted that this development could result in a host of new tools that utilize the power of the OpenAI platform and ChatGPT, enabling developers to create new and innovative solutions. They also cautioned against blindly accepting the information generated by AI tools and suggested that users fact-check the information they receive. The hosts also discussed the potential impact of ChatGPT on education, specifically on essay writing, assessment, and college admissions. They noted that ChatGPT’s capabilities pose significant challenges to traditional essay writing and assessment methods and that its ability to generate convincing responses could potentially disrupt the college admissions process. Another topic discussed on the show was Facebook’s new fee for verification. The hosts compared this fee to a protection fee and noted that while they would not pay to have a checkmark next to their name on social media platforms, some users might pay the fee to avoid having their data traded. Overall, the hosts emphasized the importance of experimenting with AI tools and sharing the results with the community. They also urged caution when using such tools and stressed the need to fact-check the information they generate. The show provided valuable insights into the latest developments in education technology and their potential impact on the future of education. Geeks of the Week included Camel – Camel – Camel, Durable AI website generator and “The Last Soviet” podcast. AI Use Disclosure: ChatGPT was used to summarize and generate the topics for this show description. 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 9 pm Eastern / 8 pm Central / 7 pm Mountain / 7 pm Pacific or 3 am UTC. All shownotes are available on http://edtechSR.com/links. 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 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 (Mastodon: @wfryer@mastodon.cloud – Twitter: @wfryer ) – wesfryer.com/after
  9. Archive.today – website capture (similar to Archive.org WayBack Machine)
  10. OpenAI announces an API for ChatGPT and its Whisper speech-to-text tech (The Verge; 1 March 2023)
  11. Bing’s A.I. Chat: ‘I Want to Be Alive. 😈’ (New York Times; 17 February 2023) 🎁Link – archive.today version
  12. A Conversation With Bing’s Chatbot Left Me Deeply Unsettled (New York Times; 17 February 2023)🎁Link – archive.today version
  13. Sunday Special: An Episode of ‘Hard Fork’ (NYTimes The Daily)
  14. Microsoft limits Bing chat to five replies to stop the AI from getting real weird (The Verge; 17 February 2023)
  15. Microsoft “lobotomized” AI-powered Bing Chat, and its fans aren’t happy (ArsTechnica, 17 Feb 2023)
  16. Google’s AI chatbot Bard makes factual error in first demo (The Verge; 8 February 2023)
  17. Sci-fi becomes real as renowned magazine closes submissions due to AI writers (ArsTechnica; 21 February 2023)
  18. Inside the Minds of Spiders, Octopuses and Artificial Intelligence (Ezra Klein podcast, 24 Feb 2023)
  19. Episode 409: ChatGPT takes on the smart home (Internet of Things Podcast, Stacey Higginbotham and Kevin C. Tofel, 9 Feb 2023)
  20. Ban TikTok? (Today Explained podcast, 21 Feb 2023) – Mastodon quote on Project Texas
  21. Project Texas: The Details of TikTok’s Plan to Remain Operational in the United States (Lawfare, 26 Jan 2023)
  22. YouTube tests adding podcasts to ‘Create’ button alongside other new podcast tools & analytics (9 to 5 Google; 20 February 2023)
  23. Apple flexes lobbying power as Apple Watch ban comes before Biden next week (The Hill; 17 February 2023)
  24. Will Meta Begin Charging for Verified Accounts?  Yes!  (Snopes; 28 February 2023)
  25. Twitter’s two-factor authentication change “doesn’t make sense” (ArsTechnica, 20 Feb 2023)
  26. Facebook’s new $12 fee is straight out of Don Corleone’s playbook (Washington Post, 23 Feb 2023) #GiftLink
  27. Social media used to be free. Not anymore. (Vox, 21 Feb 2023)
  28. Jason: Camel Camel Camel
  29. Wes: Durable AI website generator and The Last Soviet Podcast
Sydney AI from Microsoft (MidJourney)” (CC BY 2.0) by Wesley Fryer

EdTechSR Ep 283 AI Promises and Perils

Welcome to episode 283 (“AI Promises and Perils”) of the EdTech Situation Room from February 1, 2023, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach) and Wesley Fryer (@wfryer@mastodon.cloud) discussed topics including Internet censorship / content moderation, TikTok bans, “The Tech Correction,” artificial intelligence, free speech, and media literacy. They also shared their thoughts on the impact of technology on education, safety concerns related to installing apps, and the intersection of technology and performance-based assessments. Additionally, they mentioned some news articles, including Indian police detaining students over a banned BBC Modi documentary, a decades-old law obstructing a nationwide TikTok ban, the U.S. Air Force’s plan to install surveillance tools powered by AI technology in Central Command sites, and recent layoffs in the tech industry. The hosts shared their experiences with using AI tools like GPT-3 and discussed the potential implications of AI-generated content for student learning and assessment. They also mentioned some other articles related to AI, including one on the potential of AI to improve the accuracy of cancer diagnoses and another on the risks of bias in AI decision-making. Overall, the podcast offered a thoughtful and informative discussion on the latest trends and issues in the world of technology and education. (AI Disclosure: This show summary was initially created by ChatGPT. The show title was also influenced by ChatGPT queries.) 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 9 pm Eastern / 8 pm Central / 7 pm Mountain / 7 pm Pacific or 3 am UTC. All shownotes are available on http://edtechSR.com/links. 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 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 (Mastodon: @wfryer@mastodon.cloud – Twitter: @wfryer ) – wesfryer.com/after
  9. Apple should be required to let iPhone users sideload apps, Biden admin says (ArsTechnica, 1 Feb 2023)
  10. White House goes after app store ‘gatekeepers’ Apple and Google (The Verge; 1 February 2023)
  11. Smartphone Shipments Are Imploding. Is Apple’s iPhone Next? (CNet, 31 Jan 2023)
  12. Apple beefs up smartphone services in “silent war” against Google (Ars Technica; 25 January 2023)
  13. Microsoft has laid off entire teams behind Virtual, Mixed Reality, and HoloLens (Windows Central; 20 January 2023)
  14. AI-powered surveillance sought for US Central Command (Defense News, 31 Jan 2023)
  15. Gmail creator says ChatGPT might ‘destroy’ Google within 2 years (BGR, 30 Jan 2023)
  16. The AI Ethics War Will Make the Content Moderation Debate Look Like a Picnic (Observer, 20 Jan 2023)
  17. Netflix stirs fears by using AI-assisted background art in short anime film (ArsTechnica, 1 Feb 2023)
  18. OpenAI announces ChatGPT Plus at $20 a month (The Verge; 1 February 2023)
  19. GPT Zero
  20. Scores of Stanford students used ChatGPT on final exams, survey suggests (Stanford Daily; 22 January 2023)
  21. ChatGPT passes MBA exam given by a Wharton professor (NBC News; 24 Janaury 2023)
  22. Decades-old law forms biggest obstacle to nationwide TikTok ban, lawmaker says (ArsTechnica, 30 Jan 2023)
  23. Indian police detain students over BBC’s Modi documentary (Deutsche Welle, 25 Jan 2023)
  24. When Fox entered the hen house (Robert Reich, 26 Jan 2023)
  25. Jason’s Geek of the Week: MidJourney
  26. Wes’ Geeks of the Week: Top Gun: Maverick – Official Trailer IN LEGOArchive.Today (example) – new podcast: “Wes and Shelly Share”

EdTechSR Ep 282 OpenAI Kenyan Laborers?

Welcome to episode 282 (“OpenAI Kenyan Laborers?”) of the EdTech Situation Room from January 25, 2023, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach) and Wesley Fryer (@wfryer@mastodon.cloud) discussed AI, Apple news, Google news, Twitter news, media literacy, security, connectivity, miscellaneous tech topics, and “Geeks of the Week.” Specific topics included: OpenAI and Microsoft have announced a multi-billion-dollar partnership extension. The Alperovitch Institute published an article discussing a five-day experience with ChatGPT. Microsoft’s new AI can simulate anyone’s voice with just 3 seconds of audio. The Observer published an article about the AI ethics war and how it will make the content moderation debate look like a picnic. Apple recently released a new full-size HomePod with new features, and has reportedly delayed AR glasses and is putting all hopes on mixed reality headsets. AT&T will pay out a $60 million settlement to thousands of customers, and there is hope that Google won’t kill off “Assistant Memory.” The DOJ is suing Google for ad dominance and wants to break the company up. The Supreme Court is poised to reconsider key tenets of online speech. There has also been an upturn in affordable Chromebooks and Google Docs has become a better listener with more accurate voice typing tools. On a separate note, white nationalist Nick Fuentes is back on Twitter. (end of summary) The previous show summary was generated by ChatGPT by OpenAI. 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 9 pm Eastern / 8 pm Central / 7 pm Mountain / 7 pm Pacific or 3 am UTC. All shownotes are available on http://edtechSR.com/links. 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 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 (Mastodon: @wfryer@mastodon.cloud – Twitter: @wfryer ) – wesfryer.com/after
  9. OpenAI and Microsoft announce extended, multi-billion-dollar partnership (ArsTechnica, 23 Jan 2023)
  10. Five Days in Class with ChatGPT (Alperovitch Institute, Thomas Rid, 22 Jan 2023)
  11. Microsoft’s new AI can simulate anyone’s voice with 3 seconds of audio (Ars Technica; 9 January 2023)
  12. The AI Ethics War Will Make the Content Moderation Debate Look Like a Picnic (Observer; 20 January 2023)
  13. Apple’s full-size HomePod is back with new features (ArsTechnica, 18 Jan 2023)
  14. Apple Reportedly Delays AR Glasses and Puts All Hopes on Mixed Reality Headsets (GizModo, 18 Jan 2023)
  15. Why It’s Okay to Buy A Mac With Only 8 GB RAM (How-to Geek; 17 January 2023)
  16. The new Mac mini is proof that Google needs to rethink Chromeboxes (Android Central; 19 January 2023)
  17. AT&T to pay out $60M settlement to thousands of customers (WBTV Charlotte, 20 Jan 2023)
  18. I really hope Google doesn’t kill off “Assistant Memory” before it sees the light of day (Chrome Unboxed; 31 December 2022)
  19. CES 2023 highlights an upturn in affordable Chromebooks (Chrome Unboxed; 10 January 2023)
  20. Google Docs becomes a better listener with more accurate voice typing tools in its latest update (Chrome Unboxed; 10 January 2023)
  21. The DOJ sues Google for ad dominance, wants to break company up (ArsTechnica, 24 Jan 2023)
  22. White Nationalist and Nazi Nick Fuentes Is Back on Twitter (New Republic, 24 Jan 2023)
  23. Supreme Court Poised to Reconsider Key Tenets of Online Speech (NYTimes, 19 Jan 2023) #GiftLink
  24. OpenAI Used Kenyan Workers on Less Than $2 Per Hour to Make ChatGPT Less Toxic (Time, 18 Jan 2023)
  25. You Toot Too, Right? – Twitter API fallout, Section 230, TikTok ban, tech layoffs, AmazonSmile RIP (TwIT Podcast, 23 Jan 2023)
  26. Jason’s Geek of the Week: Dan Willingham’s New Book: Outsmart Your Brain: Why Learning is Hard and How You Can Make It Easy
  27. Wes’ Geeks of the Week: AirTable of Pending Journalists for Verification on PressCheck and TextSplit for iOS
Photo by Glenn Horgan on Unsplash

EdTechSR Ep 281 Stories of Piracy

Welcome to episode 281 (“Stories of Piracy”) of the EdTech Situation Room from January 18, 2023, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach) and Wesley Fryer (@wfryer@mastodon.cloud) discussed ChatGPT / Artificial Intelligence / AI, new Apple product news, “tech correction” / social media / Twitter news, and some copyright / licensing / “right to repair” news. A “lessons learned from CyberWar in Ukraine” article was also highlighted. Geeks of the Week included an ABC feature video about students at Wes’ school creating a prosthetic leg for a golden retriever dog, and used USB-C chargers compatible with Mac laptops on eBay. Jason and Wes also shared some stories about music and DVD piracy from the past, giving this episode its title. 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 9 pm Eastern / 8 pm Central / 7 pm Mountain / 7 pm Pacific or 3 am UTC. All shownotes are available on http://edtechSR.com/links. 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 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 (Mastodon: @wfryer@mastodon.cloud – Twitter: @wfryer ) – wesfryer.com/after
  9. ChatGPT Thread from Tiffany Peltier
  10. Torry Trust ChatGPT Slide Deck
  11. Stop feeding the hype and start resisting (Iris Van Rooij, 14 Jan 2023)
  12. Every new Apple product coming in 2023 (Macworld; 18 January 2023)
  13. Seattle public schools sue social media companies for allegedly harming students’ mental health (CNN Business; 9 January 2023)
  14. Twitter continues to disrespect developers with weak explanation on third-party clients not working (9 to 5 Mac; 17 January 2023)
  15. Is Twitter dying? And what would that mean for journalism? (Columbia Journalism Review, Mathew Ingram, 12 Jan 2023)
  16. Parler owner laid off 75% of staff and has only 20 employees left, report says (ArsTechnica, 11 Jan 2023)
  17. Belarus Legalizes Pirating Media From ‘Unfriendly’ Countries (PC Magazine; 10 January 2023)
  18. John Deere relents, says farmers can fix their own tractors after all (ArsTechnica, 9 Jan 2023)
  19. Defending Ukraine: Early Lessons from the Cyber War (Brad Smith, Microsoft, 22 June 2022)
  20. Wes’ Geek of the Week: Dog who lost leg to cancer gets a prosthetic leg thanks to clever high schoolers (WCNC Charlotte, 18 Jan 2023)
  21. Jason’s Geek of the Week: MacBook USB-C Chargers… used?
FBI Anti-Piracy Warning!” (CC BY 2.0) by bizmac