EdTechSR Ep 327 AI Search Evolution

Welcome to episode 327 (“AI Search Evolution”) of the EdTech Situation Room from May 22, 2024, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week, Dr. Jason Neiffer (aicentrist.com) and Dr. Wesley Fryer (wesfryer.com) discussed various topics, beginning with Jason’s recent trip to Japan, where he visited Hiroshima and experienced some unique weather patterns. The conversation quickly transitioned to an in-depth look at current technology news and its implications for education. Key discussions included the return of controversial figures to social media platforms, the impact of fractured social media ecosystems on communication and professional development, and the potential and challenges of federated social media platforms like Mastodon. The hosts emphasized the importance of educators exploring and understanding these evolving platforms to better navigate the digital landscape. The episode also highlighted significant updates from Google I/O and Microsoft, focusing on their AI advancements and new product announcements. Jason and Wes analyzed Google’s move to integrate AI into search results, comparing it to science fiction-like interactions and pondering its future implications for advertising, media, and user behavior. They also delved into Microsoft’s controversial “Recall” feature, which captures screenshots of users’ screens every few seconds, raising substantial privacy and security concerns. The hosts wrapped up with their “Geeks of the Week” segment. Jason recommended the Logitech Options+ software for enhancing mouse functionality with AI features, while Wes shared a personal throwback by showcasing a 1978 remix of Star Wars and a practical video on managing email effectively for a productive digital life. 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. OpenAI debuts GPT-4o ‘omni’ model now powering ChatGPT (TechCrunch; 13 May 2024)
  10. Google I/O 2024: everything announced (The Verge, 14 May 2024)
  11. Key January 6th Instigator, Nick Fuentes, Reinstatement on Twitter/X: The Implications (Just Security, 4 May 2024)
  12. Roblox Community Protests ‘Communism’ Update (404 Media, 9 May 2024)
  13. Microsoft Surface event: the 6 biggest announcements (The Verge; 20 May 2024)
  14. How the new Microsoft Recall feature fundamentally undermines Windows security (Double Pulsar, 21 May 2024) 
  15. Jason’s Geek of the Week: LogiTech AI Generator
  16. Wes’ Geek of the Week: Star Wars 1978 Remix (6 min) and Email Jedi Tricks (31 min)
EdTech Situation Room Epsiode 327” (CC BY 2.0) by Wesley Fryer

EdTechSR Ep 322: Openness Challenges Authoritarianism

Welcome to episode 322 (“Openness Challenges Authoritarianism”) of the EdTech Situation Room from March 20, 2024, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week, Dr. Jason Neiffer and Dr. Wesley Fryer navigated through the rapidly evolving landscape of technology, education, and policy. The episode offered in-depth discussions on the implications of new AI developments, with a particular focus on Google’s AI challenges and Microsoft’s latest endeavors in integrating AI into Windows. The conversation also touched on Apple’s strategic moves in AI and the broader impact of AI on educational practices and cybersecurity. Amid these discussions, the show highlighted the importance of open-source platforms in combating authoritarian regimes, as exemplified by Taiwan’s digital transformation under the leadership of its Digital Minister, Audrey Tang. The episode underscored the power of openness and transparency in fostering trust and democracy in the digital age. “Geeks of the Week” included insights into Stephen Johnson’s collaboration with Google on the Notebook LM project, showcasing the potential of AI in enhancing writing and creative processes. Additionally, the EFF’s podcast episode on “Open Source Beats Authoritarianism” was spotlighted, offering listeners a glimpse into Taiwan’s successful use of open-source principles to revolutionize government transparency and citizen engagement. 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. Formula 1 chief appalled to find team using Excel to manage 20,000 car parts (ArsTechnica, 20 March 2024)
  10. Elon Musk sues OpenAI over AI threat (Courthouse News Service; 29 February 2024)
  11. OpenAI and Elon Musk (Open AI Blog; 5 Match 2024)
  12. In Latest A.I. War Escalation, Elon Musk Releases Chatbot Code (NYTimes, 17 March 2024)
  13. Elon Musk sues OpenAI over AI threat (Courthouse News Service; 29 February 2024)
  14. OpenAI and Elon Musk (Open AI Blog; 5 Match 2024)
  15. In Latest A.I. War Escalation, Elon Musk Releases Chatbot Code (NYTimes, 17 March 2024)
  16. Report: Apple’s iPhone AI Plans May Leverage Google Gemini (Thurrott; 18 March 2024)
  17. Copilot Pro Users Can Now Access the AI Assistant in the Microsoft 365 Web Apps (Thurrott; 14 March 2024)
  18. Microsoft Brings GPT-4 Turbo to Free Version of Copilot (Thurrott; 13 March 2024)
  19. 4 Reasons to Use Microsoft Copilot Instead of ChatGPT (MakeUseOf, 14 March 2024)
  20. Wes’ AI Learning site and preso slides “Stories About AI” ai.wesfryer.com
  21. House passes a bill that could lead to a TikTok ban if Chinese owner refuses to sell (AP; 13 March 2024)
  22. Why Trump is now against a TikTok ban (Washington Post, 12 March 2024)
  23. The U.S. Wants to Ban TikTok for the Sins of Every Social Media Company (404; 13 March 2024)
  24. Automakers Are Sharing Consumers’ Driving Behavior With Insurance Companies (NYTimes, 11 March 2024)
  25. How to consume information in times of conflict (DFR Lab, 18 Mar 2024)
  26. A Forensics Expert on Princess Kate’s Photo—and How Credentialing Tools Can Help Build Trust in a World of Increasing Uncertainty (Time; 12 March 2024)
  27. Walmart Brings the Popular MacBook Air With the M1 Chip to Its Shelves (Walmart Corporate; 15 March 2024)
  28. “Disabling cyberattacks” are hitting critical US water systems, White House warns (ArsTechnica, 19 March 2024)
  29. Four big questions for DC following massive health care hack (Politico, 18 March 2024)
  30. Wes’ Geeks of the Week: [PODCAST] Exploring the Intersection of Information Integrity, Race, and US Elections by Tech Policy Press and Mastodon.Education suspended by Mastodon.Cloud and War Over TikTok
  31. Jason’s Geek of the Week: innovationrunsthroughit.com
EdTechSR Ep 322: Openness Challenges Authoritarianism” (CC BY 2.0) by Wesley Fryer

EdTechSR Ep 321: AI Integration Insights

Welcome to episode 321 (“AI Integration Insights”) of the EdTech Situation Room from March 6, 2024, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week, Dr. Jason Neiffer (aicentrist.com) and Dr. Wesley Fryer (wesfryer.com) explored the ever-evolving landscape of artificial intelligence and its profound implications for education and technology. Amidst the scenic backdrop of the NCTIES conference in Raleigh, North Carolina, and the anticipation of spring break, the co-hosts delved into pressing topics that captivate the attention of educators and tech enthusiasts alike. The conversation kicked off with insights into the significance of AI integration in educational settings, reflecting on how these technologies are reshaping teaching, learning, and professional development. The co-hosts examined the latest developments in AI legislation, highlighting its impact on educational technology and policy. The discussion ventured into the realm of digital privacy, with a focus on recent executive orders aimed at curbing the sale of personal data to foreign entities, underscoring the ongoing challenges and ethical considerations surrounding data privacy and security. A highlight of the episode was the exploration of innovative AI tools and platforms, offering a glimpse into the future of education and the potential of AI to enhance learning experiences. Dr. Neiffer shared his experiences with AI integration in the Montana Digital Academy, while Dr. Fryer provided insights from his role as a middle school media literacy and STEM teacher. In light of the NCTIES 2024 conference, the co-hosts discussed the importance of collaborative professional development and the exchange of ideas among educators. The episode also touched on broader implications of AI on educational practices, the dynamics of digital education, and the role of technology in addressing contemporary challenges in the education sector. “Geeks of the Week” included notable mentions of the latest AI-driven educational tools and resources, offering valuable insights for educators aiming to leverage technology in enhancing learning environments. Our show was live-streamed and archived simultaneously on YouTube Live as well as Facebook Live via StreamYard.com. Please follow us on Facebook, Mastodon and Substack, and join LIVE on Wednesday nights if you can. All shownotes are available on edtechSR.com/links. AI Disclosure: An initial draft of this episode summary was generated using youtubetranscript.com and a custom GPT on ChatGPT, as well as options for our show title! Stay savvy and safe!

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. Apple Has a New Open-Source AI Image Editor (LifeHacker, 7 Feb 2024)
  10. Google Chatbot’s A.I. Images Put People of Color in Nazi-Era Uniforms (The New York Times; 22 February 2024)
  11. Google Chatbot’s A.I. Images Put People of Color in Nazi-Era Uniforms #GiftLink https://bit.ly/3wQ9ff8 
  12. Claude 3 Released – (Anthropic; 4 March 2024)
  13. Ideogram 1.0 Released (Ideogram; 28 February 2024)
  14. The AI wars heat up with Claude 3, claimed to have “near-human” abilities (ArsTechnica, 4 Mar 2024)
  15. Windows 11 Gets its First Big Update of the Year With Copilot and Accessibility Improvements (Thurott.com; 29 February 2024)
  16. Biden executive order aims to stop Russia and China from buying Americans’ personal data (Engadget; 28 February 2024)
  17. Walmart isn’t buying Vizio for its hardware. It wants the TV maker’s ad business (Fast Company; 20 February 2024)
  18. $30 doorbell cameras can be easily hijacked, says Consumer Reports (ArsTechnica, 28 Feb 2024)
  19. Microsoft is Killing the Windows Subsystem for Android and Amazon Appstore on Windows 11 (Thurrott; 5 March 2024)
  20. Apple unveils the new 13- and 15‑inch MacBook Air with the powerful M3 chip (Apple Newsroom; 4 March 2024)
  21. Jason’s Geek of the Week: New York Public Library’s Digital Collections
  22. Wes’ Geeks of the Week: [VIDEO] Expert Behind Google’s Secret A.I. Writing Tool | Steven Johnson | How I Write Podcast and [PODCAST] How to Fix the Internet: “Open Source Beats Authoritarianism”
EdTechSR Ep 321: AI Integration Insights” (CC BY 2.0) by Wesley Fryer

EdTechSR Ep 320 Privacy and Platform Shifts

Welcome to episode 320 (“Privacy and Platform Shifts”) of the EdTech Situation Room from February 21, 2024, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week, Dr. Jason Neiffer and Dr. Wesley Fryer, joining from their diverse locales of Montana and North Carolina, dove into a rich dialogue exploring the evolving landscape of digital privacy, the shift in platforms due to new technological integrations, and the profound implications for educators and learners. In a world increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence, the co-hosts unpacked the potential of AI in revolutionizing not just educational practices but also the broader societal interactions, drawing attention to the pressing issues of digital droughts affecting agricultural economies and the potential for wildfire risks. The discussion ventured into the realms of policy, with insights into legislation aimed at protecting youth online, and the innovative strides in virtual reality, highlighting the quest for immersive learning environments. As digital citizenship continues to be a pivotal theme, Fryer and Neiffer emphasized the importance of navigating the complexities of tech integration with foresight and ethical consideration. “Geeks of the Week” included an exploration of perplexity AI as a tool for enhancing research and the groundbreaking developments in virtual reality, pointing towards a future where education transcends traditional boundaries. Our show was live-streamed and archived simultaneously on YouTube Live as well as Facebook Live via StreamYard.com. Please follow our @EdtechSR page on Facebook, mastodon.education/@edtechsr on Mastodon for updates, subscribe to us on Substack, and join LIVE on Wednesday nights if you can. All shownotes are available on edtechSR.com/links. AI Disclosure: An initial draft of this episode summary was generated using youtubetranscript.com and a custom GPT on ChatGPT, as well as options for our show title! Stay savvy and safe!

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. High school senior: Why aren’t more teachers embracing AI? (CNN OpEd, 16 Sept 2024)
  10. MTDA AI Framework via Michigan Virtual
  11. Sora by OpenAI (official)
  12. Musk’s X sold checkmarks to Hezbollah and other terrorist groups, report says (ArsTechnica, 14 Feb 2024)
  13. New Surgeon General Advisory Raises Alarm about the Devastating Impact of the Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation in the United States (US Dept of Human Services, May 2023)
  14. Senate poised to pass biggest piece of tech regulation in decades (Washington Post; 15 February 2024)
  15. Kids Online Safety Shouldn’t Require Massive Online Censorship and Surveillance: 2023 Year in Review (EFF, 28 Dec 2023)
  16. Media Literacy
  17. Here’s why conspiracy theories about Taylor Swift and the Super Bowl are spreading (NPR, 1 Feb 2024)
  18. After years of losing, it’s finally feds’ turn to troll ransomware group (ArsTechnica, 20 Feb 2024)
  19. Hardware
  20. After trying the Vision Pro, Mark Zuckerberg says Quest 3 ‘is the better product, period’ (The Verge; 13 February 2024)
  21. Wes’ Geeks of the Week:: Rewind: Third Wave Internet with Ben Tarnoff (Reimagining the Internet, 18 Jan 2024) and Grandparents of Media Literacy and wesfryer.com/after (reboot), 
  22. Jason’s Geek of the Week: Matt Wolfe Channel (YouTube)
EdTechSR Ep 320 Privacy and Platform Shifts” (CC BY 2.0) by Wesley Fryer

EdTechSR Ep 317 Digital Privacy Predicaments

Welcome to episode 317 (“Digital Privacy Predicaments”) of the EdTech Situation Room from January 17, 2024, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week, Dr. Jason Neiffer (AIcentrist.com) and Dr. Wesley Fryer (wesfryer.com/after) delved into pressing issues surrounding digital privacy, the ethical implications of AI in education, and the latest advancements in EdTech tools and platforms. Highlights of the discussion included the evolving landscape of digital privacy laws, innovative uses of AI in the classroom, and the potential impacts of new technology policies on educators and students. The episode also covered key updates from major tech companies and their influence on educational technology. “Geeks of the Week” featured insightful resources and tools beneficial for educators. Although the specific “Geeks of the Week” links from this episode are not provided here, they typically include cutting-edge educational tools, tips, and articles shared by Jason and Wes, contributing to the professional growth of educators and the enhancement of learning environments with technology. Our show was live-streamed and archived simultaneously on YouTube Live as well as Facebook Live via StreamYard.com. Please follow @edtechsr@mastodon.education on Mastodon for updates, and join LIVE on Wednesday nights if you can. All shownotes are available on edtechSR.com/links. AI Disclosure: An initial draft of this episode summary was generated using youtubetranscript.com and a custom GPT on ChatGPT 4, as well as options for our show title! Stay savvy and safe!

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. Microsoft launches a Pro plan for Copilot (TechCrunch; 15 January 2024)
  10. AI-Generated ‘George Carlin’ Comedy Special Blasted by Comedian’s Daughter (Rolling Stone; 11 January 2024)
  11. George Carlin: I’m Glad I’m Dead (2024) – Full Special (Dudesy via YouTube) CAUTION: Adult Themes and Salty Language
  12. OpenAI must defend ChatGPT fabrications after failing to defeat libel suit (ArsTechnica, 17 Jan 2024)
  13. Microsoft Tops Apple to Become Most Valuable Public Company (NYTimes, 12 Jan 2024) #GiftLink
  14. App Store to Be ‘Split in Two’ Ahead of EU iPhone Sideloading Deadline (MacRumors, 15 Jan 2024)
  15. Teen sued Utah over social media law requiring curfew for minors (ArsTechnica, 17 Jan 2024)
  16. Substack Realizes Maybe It Doesn’t Want To Help Literal Nazis Make Money After All (But Only Literal Nazis) (TechDirt, 10 Jan 2024)
  17. Hard Fork Podcast (NY Times)
  18. Apple Vision Pro’s Lengthy Sales Pitch Will Include 25-Minute Demo (Bloomberg; 14 January 2024)
  19. Supreme Court upholds Apple vs. Epic ruling, Apple must allow app developers to link to other payment systems (9 to 5 Mac; 16 January 2024)
  20. Even more Californians could be moving to Austin after Apple shuttered a San Diego office (San Antonio Express, 17 Jan 2024)
  21. Researcher uncovers one of the biggest password breaches in recent history (ArsTechnica, 17 Jan 2024)
  22. Passkeys may not be for you, but they are safe and easy—here’s why (ArsTechnica, 12 May 2023)
  23. CES 2024: AI everything, what we expect in Las Vegas and all the announcements so far (Engadget; 8 January 2024)
  24. The GE Profile Smart Indoor Smoker brings BBQ inside for $1,000 (Engadet, 8 Jan 2024)
  25. Jason’s Geek of the Week: FlightAware
  26. Wes’ Geek of the Week: Free virtual AI EdTech PlayDate: Saturday, Jan 20th, 10am to Noon ET (EventBrite Registration)
Digital Privacy Predicaments” (CC BY 2.0) by Wesley Fryer

EdTechSR Ep 268 Age of Bossware

Welcome to episode 268 (“Age of Bossware”) of the EdTech Situation Room from August 31, 2022, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach) and Wesley Fryer (@wfryer) discussed what to expect from Apple’s iPhone 14 event, the ongoing mystery of Apple’s “Self Repair Program,” and the impracticality of DIY repairing iOS and MacOS. Other topics included Google’s Chrome browser PWA store, the expansion of Google’s residential Fiber Internet service, and an announced partnership between T-Mobile and SpaceX for Starlink and 5G cellular service. The questionable Constitutionality of student digital test surveillance, the advent of “bossware” (workplace surveillance software,) and a terrible situation involving a father sending a photo of his young child to a doctor ending up losing all his Google account access forever were subjects rounding out this week’s show. Geeks of the Week included OpenCore Legacy Patcher (a free way to run latest MacOS on older Apple hardware,) software to bulk-edit Google Calendar events, NASA Artemis wallpaper, and a great “Land of the GIANTS” podcast episode on “The Facebook Election.” Our show was live streamed and archived simultaneously on YouTube Live as well as our Facebook Live page via StreamYard.com, and compressed to a smaller video version (about 100MB) on AmazonS3 using Handbrake software. Please follow us on Twitter @edtechSR for updates, and join us LIVE on Wednesday nights (normally) if you can at 10 pm Eastern / 9 pm Central / 8 pm Mountain / 7 pm Pacific or 3 am UTC. All shownotes are available on http://edtechSR.com/links. Stay savvy and safe!

Shownotes

  1. Subscribe to our EdTechSR Substack Newsletter!
  2. EdTech Situation Room Listener Survey: wfryer.me/edtechsr
  3. Follow @edtechSR on Twitter!
  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 (@techsavvyteach) – blog: blog.ncce.org
  8. Wes Fryer (@wfryer) – wesfryer.com/after
  9. What To Expect From Apple’s iPhone 14 Event (The Verge; 24 August 2022)
  10. Does Apple’s ‘Far out’ invite artwork hint at iPhone 14 features? Here are some guesses (9 to 5 Mac; 24 August 2022)
  11. Apple Self Service Repair program now extended to M1 MacBook models (9 5o 5 Mac; 22 August 2022)
  12. iFixit: Self Repair Program actually makes M1 MacBooks less repairable (9 to 5 Mac; 24 August 2022)
  13. Here’s an early look at Google’s Chrome browser PWA store (About Chromebooks; 22 August 2022)
  14. Google Fiber isn’t dead, it’s expanding (The Verge; 11 August 2022)
  15. Starlink and 5G joining forces? SpaceX and T-Mobile holding Starbase event Thursday (Space Explored; 24 August 2022)
  16. T-Mobile and SpaceX Starlink say your 5G phone will connect to satellites next year (The Verge; 25 August 2022)
  17. Scanning students’ rooms during remote tests is unconstitutional, judge rules (NPR, 26 Aug 2022)
  18. Workplace surveillance: how your boss is spying on you (NPR, 24 Aug 2022)
  19. A Dad Took Photos of His Naked Toddler for the Doctor. Google Flagged Him as a Criminal (NYTimes, 21 Aug 2022)
  20. Jason’s Geek of the Week: OpenCore Legacy Patcher (run latest MacOS on older Apple hardware)
  21. Wes’ Geek of the Week: Bulk Edit (Google) Calendar EventsNASA Artemis Wallpaper“The Facebook Election” on Land of the GIANTS Podcast

EdTechSR Ep 266 AI for Excel

Welcome to episode 266 (“AI for Excel”) of the EdTech Situation Room from August 10, 2022, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach) and Wesley Fryer (@wfryer) discussed features in ChromeOS 104 and 105, an AI bot for Excel formulas, and an increased price for Twitter Blue. Google’s warrantless video permissions for police, survey results about political violence in the U.S., and GenZ search preferences for TikTok over YouTube were also highlighted topics. Additionally, subscription based cars, and latest Meta’s chatbot fail were explored Geeks of the Weeks included Kible and Ad Observatory. Check out our shownotes for links to all the articles we discussed, and subscribe to our Substack to receive all the links we discussed and also didn’t have time to talk about in this week’s show in your email inbox! Our show was live streamed and archived simultaneously on YouTube Live as well as our Facebook Live page via StreamYard.com, and compressed to a smaller video version (about 100MB) on AmazonS3 using Handbrake software. Please follow us on Twitter @edtechSR for updates, and join us LIVE on Wednesday nights (normally) if you can at 10 pm Eastern / 9 pm Central / 8 pm Mountain / 7 pm Pacific or 3 am UTC. All shownotes are available on http://edtechSR.com/links. Stay savvy and safe!

Shownotes

  1. Subscribe to our EdTechSR Substack Newsletter!
  2. EdTech Situation Room Listener Survey: wfryer.me/edtechsr
  3. Follow @edtechSR on Twitter!
  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 (@techsavvyteach) – blog: blog.ncce.org
  8. Wes Fryer (@wfryer) – wesfryer.com/after
  9. ChromeOS 104 rolling out and introducing new features (Chrome Unboxed; 5 August 2022)
  10. Chrome OS 105 partial split windows and multitasking button details (About Chromebooks; 11 July 2022)
  11. Game-changer for Excel: Free AI bot creates any Excel formula you need (Boy Genius Report; 31 July 2022)  https://excelformulabot.com/
  12. ​​Twitter raises its Blue subscription price (MS PowerUser; 29 July 2022)
  13. Google, like Amazon, will let police see your video without a warrant (Verge, 27 July 2022)
  14. He surveyed 8,600 Americans about political violence. The results are beyond scary (LA Times, 21 July 2022)
  15. Nearly half of Gen Z is using TikTok and Instagram for search instead of Google, according to Google’s own data (Insider; 13 July 2022)
  16. The future of cars is a subscription nightmare (The Verge; 13 July 2022)
  17. Meta’s New AI Chatbot Loves Anti-Racism and Mean Girls (Gizmoto; 6 August 2022)
  18. Jason’s Geek of the Week: Kible
  19. Wes’ Geek of the Week: Ad Observatory (details)

EdTechSR Ep 254 ChromeOS Oh My

Welcome to episode 254 (“ChromeOS Oh My”) of the EdTech Situation Room from March 30, 2022, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach) and Wesley Fryer (@wfryer) discussed Google / ChromeOS news, Microsoft news, Apple news, technology headlines from the ongoing war in Ukraine, BigTech / The “Tech Correction,” and one article about Space Force. Geeks of the Week included an excellent Ezra Klein interview with Margaret Atwood, and early bird pricing for NCCE 2022! Check out our shownotes for links to all the articles we discussed, and subscribe to our Substack to receive all the links we discussed and also didn’t have time to talk about in this week’s show in your email inbox! Our show was live streamed and archived simultaneously on YouTube Live as well as our Facebook Live page via StreamYard.com, and compressed to a smaller video version (about 100MB) on AmazonS3 using Handbrake software. Please follow us on Twitter @edtechSR for updates, and join us LIVE on Wednesday nights (normally) if you can at 10 pm Eastern / 9 pm Central / 8 pm Mountain / 7 pm Pacific or 3 am UTC. All shownotes are available on http://edtechSR.com/links. Stay savvy and safe!

Shownotes:

  1. Subscribe to our EdTechSR Substack Newsletter!
  2. EdTech Situation Room Listener Survey: wfryer.me/edtechsr
  3. Follow @edtechSR on Twitter!
  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 (@techsavvyteach) – blog: blog.ncce.org
  8. Wes Fryer (@wfryer) – wesfryer.com/after
  9. Chrome OS virtual desks are getting a useful upgrade (About Chromebooks; 24 March 2022)
  10. Cameyo introduces PWA Windows apps for Chrome OS (Chrome Unboxed; 23 March 2022)
  11. Chrome OS: “A better Linux than Linux” so you can forget about Windows (TechRadar, 18 March 2022)
  12. How to identify images in Chrome using Google Lens (Chrome Unboxed; 23 March 2022)
  13. Chrome for Mac, Windows, & CrOS add Side Panel for accessing bookmarks, Reading List [U] (9 to 5 Google; 25 March 2022)
  14. Windows 11 version 22H2: Everything we know about Microsoft’s next big OS update (Windows Central; 23 March 2022)
  15. Microsoft Surface Laptop Se Review: Just Get A Chromebook (The Verge; 25 March 2022)
  16. Apple is reportedly planning a 15-inch MacBook Air (The Verge; 25 March 2022)
  17. Russia is risking the creation of a “splinternet”—and it could be irreversible (Technology Review; MIT Technology Review; 17 March 2022)
  18. How War in Ukraine Roiled Facebook and Instagram (NY Times, 30 March 2022)
  19. TikTok faces investigation into its impact on young people’s mental health (The Verge; 8 March 2022)
  20. Facebook paid GOP firm to malign TikTok (Washington Post, 30 March 2022)
  21. WithFed Up  Google, Conspiracy Theorists Turn to DuckDuckGo (The New York Times; 23 February 2022)
  22. The free speech search engine that never was (Recode; 16 March 2022)
  23. Space Force Gets Roughly 40% Increase in Biden Request (Defense One, 28 March 2022)
  24. Wes’ Geek of the Week: Margaret Atwood on Stories, Deception and the Bible (Ezra Klein Podcast)
  25. Jason’s Geek of the Week: NCCE 2022 Early Bird Pricing Ends THURSDAY!

EdTechSR Ep 244 Join our SubStack

Welcome to episode 244 (“Join our SubStack”) of the EdTech Situation Room from January 5, 2022, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach) and Wesley Fryer (@wfryer) discussed the case of two California teachers secretly recorded talking about LGBTQ student outreach, who used student laptop monitoring software to identify prospective club members. The DuckDuckGo privacy desktop web browser and Americans’ distrust of social media companies were also discussed. On the Google front, the new capability to host up to 500 meeting participants in a Google Meet videoconference for paying Google Workspace customers, changes to the “Your News Update” for the Google Assistant, and the potential dangers (according to the EFF) of the Google Chrome “Manifest V3” user tracking standard were highlighted. UBlock Origin as a free ad-blocking extension for Chrome and FireFox was extolled / recommend, and Google’s announced “major improvements” to Android were explored. Lastly, some tales of algorithmic poor choices by automated podcast advertisement selection programs were discussed. Geeks of the week included MapCrunch, James Webb space telescope links, and a good (but troubling) podcast about fascism in America by Vox Conversations. Our show was live streamed and archived simultaneously on YouTube Live as well as our Facebook Live page via StreamYard.com, and compressed to a smaller video version (about 100MB) on AmazonS3 using Handbrake software. Please follow us on Twitter @edtechSR for updates, and join us LIVE on Wednesday nights (normally) if you can at 10 pm Eastern / 9 pm Central / 8 pm Mountain / 7 pm Pacific or 3 am UTC. All shownotes are available on http://edtechSR.com/links. Please sign up for our NEW SubStack newsletter to receive all our show links each week in your inbox, including links we are not able to discuss on edtechsr.substack.com. 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!
  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 (@techsavvyteach) – blog: blog.ncce.org
  8. Wes Fryer (@wfryer) – wesfryer.com/after
  9. Two California teachers were secretly recorded speaking about LGBTQ student outreach. Now they’re fighting for their jobs (San Francisco Chronicle, 28 Dec 2021) – PDF version
  10. DuckDuckGo is working on a privacy-focused desktop browser (The Verge; 21 December 2021)
  11. Americans widely distrust Facebook, TikTok and Instagram with their data, poll finds (Washington Post, 22 Dec 2021 – gift link!)
  12. Host Google Meet meetings with up to 500 participants (Google Workspace Blog, 16 Nov 2021)
  13. Google Assistant gets rid of ‘Your News Update’ audio digest (9to5Google, 5 Nov 2021)
  14. Chrome Users Beware: Manifest V3 is Deceitful and Threatening (EFF, 9 Dec 2021)
  15. UBlock Origin for Chromefor FireFox
  16. Google Announces Major Improvements To Android Better Together At CES 2022 (Chrome Unboxed; 5 January 2022)
  17. Seriously, Affordable Chromebooks Are Getting Really Good [Video] (Chrome Unboxed; 19 June 2021)
  18. Podcasters Are Letting Software Pick Their Ads — It’s Already Going Awry (The Verge; 4 January 2022)
  19. Jason’s Geek of the Week: MapCrunch
  20. Wes’ Geeks of the Week: James Webb Telescope Wonder Links and Why fascism in America isn’t going away (Vox Conversations Podcast)

EdTechSR Ep 241 Twitter Upgrade Benefits

Welcome to episode 241 (“Twitter Upgrade Benefits”) of the EdTech Situation Room from December 8, 2021, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach) and Wesley Fryer (@wfryer) discussed the monetization of user location data (including minors) by Life360 and other companies, Twitter’s new “Twitter Blue” upgrade service, and Instagram’s forthcoming chronological feed feature. The latest chapter in the Apple vs. Epic legal battle,Microsoft’s new Office UI, and a surprising discouragement by MS Windows to users downloading the Chrome browser. The story of Chinese superstar Peng Shuai’s courageous accusations of sexual assault against a high ranking government official was discussed, and her subsequent disappearance as part of a government campaign to silence her voice as well as others speaking out for women’s rights in China. Google’s foray into 3D telepresence and a backstory update on the Missouri governor’s mystifying accusation of a journalist as a hacker for viewing public webpage source code were discussed. The release of ChromeOS 96 and the developing “shadow war in space” between the United States, Russia and China were final topics in this week’s show. Geeks of the week included a great Scribble Maps tutorial from Richard Byrne, and an excellent Ezra Klein Show podcast about “superforecasters.” Our show was live streamed and archived simultaneously on YouTube Live as well as our Facebook Live page via StreamYard.com, and compressed to a smaller video version (about 100MB) on AmazonS3 using Handbrake software. Please follow us on Twitter @edtechSR for updates, and join us LIVE on Wednesday nights (normally) if you can at 10 pm Eastern / 9 pm Central / 8 pm Mountain / 7 pm Pacific or 3 am UTC. All shownotes are available on http://edtechSR.com/links. Stay savvy and safe!

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) – wesfryer.com/after
  8. Life360 reality tweet: “”You can watch where your kids are, and so can anyone who buys this information”
  9. The Popular Family Safety App Life360 Is Selling Precise Location Data on Its Tens of Millions of Users (The MarkUp, 6 Dec 2021)
  10. There’s a Multibillion-Dollar Market for Your Phone’s Location Data (The MarkUp, 30 Sep 2021)
  11. Twitter will now let you pay to undo tweets and read ad-free news in the US (The Verge, 9 Nov 2021)
  12. Instagram says it’s working a new chronological feed option, could launch in early 2022 (9to5Mac, 8 Dec 2021)
  13. Epic v. Apple ruling put on hold after appeals court grants a stay (The Verge, 8 Dec 2021)
  14. Microsoft’s new Office UI is now rolling out to everyone (The Verge, 2 Dec 2021)
  15. Microsoft’s new Windows prompts try to stop people downloading Chrome (The Verge, 2 Dec 2021)
  16. Why Peng Shuai Has China’s Leaders Spooked (NY Times, 2 Dec 2021)
  17. Beijing Silenced Peng Shuai in 20 Minutes, Then Spent Weeks on Damage Control (NY Times, 8 Dec 2021)
  18. Here’s how Google’s experimental 3D telepresence booth works (The Verge, 2 Dec 2021)
  19. Video: Gavin’s Holographic teleconference with Bighead – Silicon Valley (Beware of NSFW language)
  20. Emails show what happened before Missouri gov. falsely called journalist a “hacker” (ArsTechnica, 3 Dec 2021)
  21. Microsoft Makes Breakthrough in the Quest to Use DNA as Data Storage (Gizmodo, 2 Dec 2021)
  22. Chrome OS 96 rolling out: Camera tweaks, Nearby Share in Android apps, more (9to5Google, 20 Nov 2021)
  23. Opinion: A shadow war in space is heating up fast (Washington Post, 30 Nov 2021)
  24. Jason’s Geek of the Week: Scribble Maps – Draw on Google Maps and More Without an Account (Richard Byrne, 19 Nov 2021)
  25. Wes’ Geek of the Week: Predicting the Future Is Possible. ‘Superforecasters’ Know How (Ezra Klein Show on NY Times, 3 Dec 2021