Distributed Cognition: The Human-AI Partnership Transforming Healthcare Learning | Ep. 40

In this episode of ChatEDU, hosts Matt Mervis and Liz Radday explore the significant impact of AI-powered assistive technology for students with disabilities, presenting inspiring stories and emphasizing the ethical considerations of AI in education. Additionally, the duo features an intriguing segment on AI-enabled human-whale “communication” led by Dr. Brenda McCowan's Whale SETI team. They even highlight the potential implications for interspecies and extraterrestrial communication. The episode concludes with a deep dive into how the McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics at UT Health in Houston integrates AI into their healthcare education curriculum, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and AI literacy. Finally, they wrap up with a humorous Short Stack Chat Back featuring a Mark Twain-inspired commentary on whale communication.

You’ll hear: 

Sponsored by the National Center for Next Gen Manufacturing - https://www.nextgenmfg.org/

Episode Links

Skills21 AI in Education Micro-Credential - https://www.skills21.org/ai/micro 

Skills21 Personal Interest Projects - https://www.skills21.org/pip 

AI is a game changer for students with disabilities. Schools are still learning to harness it - https://www.wishtv.com/news/ai-helps-students-disabilities/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook_WISH-TV

Groundbreaking AI Enables Humans to Hold a 20-Minute ‘Conversation’ with a Humpback Whale - https://dailygalaxy.com/2024/12/groundbreaking-ai-enables-humans-to-hold-a-20-minute-conversation-with-a-humpback-whale/

Preparing healthcare education for an AI-augmented future - https://www.nature.com/articles/s44401-024-00006-z

Flipping the Script: English Class Post-ChatGPT

In this episode of ChatEDU (Flipping the Script: English Class Post-ChatGPT), Matt Mervis and Liz Radday kick off 2025 with special guest Jonathan Costa. They unpack a fascinating story about alignment faking by the Claude AI model from Anthropic, drawing parallels to personal life decisions and their long-term impacts. Next the hosts also explore a new study about AI and conspiracy theories and then a second meta study about the efficacy of genAI in higher ed (with connections to K-12). For Beneath the Surface, Matt and Liz talk through a great op-ed from a veteran English teacher and how he plans to navigate the road ahead in an AI dominated world. The episode wraps up with a fun Short Stack Chat Back with the late Ray Bradbury regarding these educational shifts.

You’ll hear: 

Episode Links

Skills21 AI in Education Micro-Credential - https://www.skills21.org/ai/micro 

Skills21 Personal Interest Projects - https://www.skills21.org/pip 

Anthropic Alignment Faking - https://www.anthropic.com/news/alignment-faking 

Durably Reducting Conspiracy Theories - https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adq1814Does ChatGPT enhance student learning? A systematic review and meta-analysis of experimental studies - https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360131524002380 

ChatGPT Can Make English Teachers Feel Doomed. Here’s How I’m Adapting- https://www.edweek.org/technology/opinion-chatgpt-can-make-english-teachers-feel-doomed-heres-how-im-adapting/2024/10

AI in 2025 - What’s Next for Education

In this episode of ChatEDU (AI in 2025 - What’s Next for Education), Matt Mervis and Liz Raddy reflect on the emerging trends and future of AI in education as they prepare to ring in 2025. They discuss Liz's cautious venture into making prank calls and then dive into Niantic Labs' creation of a large geospatial model from Pokemon Go data. The conversation shifts to the use of AI for anticipatory monitoring of student well-being and its ethical implications. As they wrap up, Matt and Liz share their aspirations and humorous resolutions for 2025. This episode is packed with discussions on AI's potential, ongoing concerns, and imaginative applications in K-12 education.

00:00 Introduction and Cranky Liz

00:58 Prank Call Challenge

05:01 AI World Models and Education

19:51 AI Monitoring in Schools and at Home

30:38 AI Planning and Future Considerations

33:10 Looking Ahead to 2025

39:33 New Year's Resolutions with AI

45:17 Holiday Reflections and Nostradamus (Short Stack Chat Back) 

Episode Links

Skills21 AI in Education Micro-Credential - https://www.skills21.org/ai/micro 

Skills21 Personal Interest Projects - https://www.skills21.org/pip 

Niantic Geospatial World Model - https://nianticlabs.com/news/largegeospatialmodel?hl=en

NYT - Spying on Student Devices, Schools Aim to Intercept Self-Harm Before It Happens - https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/09/health/suicide-monitoring-software-schools.html?smid=nytcore-android-share 

The AI Firehose - End of Year News and Updates

Join Matt and Liz in this episode of ChatEDU as they explore critical AI developments. They dive into the potential of AI as a brutally honest mentor, discuss new tools like Google's Gemini 2.0 and Harvard's free AI dataset, and address serious concerns such as the rise of non-consensual intimate imagery in schools and the environmental costs of AI. They also unpack OpenAI's '12 Days of Shipmas' while reflecting on how AI impacts policy, literacy, and education.

00:00 Introduction and AI's Flattery

00:52 The Brutally Honest AI Mentor

01:38 Liz's Book Editing Challenge

02:15 ChatGPT's Tough Love

04:23 Reflections on AI's Impact

06:00 AI in Education: News and Updates

07:17 Deep Research, AI Literacy & Policy

14:25 Environmental Concerns of AI

16:55 Clean Energy Solutions for AI

18:55 Challenges in K-12 Schools

20:13 The Challenges of Preventative Education

21:05 A Troubling Lawsuit Against Character AI

22:00 Character AI's Controversial Influence

27:11 AI Literacy and Gen Z

31:21 The 12 Days of Shipmas by OpenAI

Prompt from Forbes:

You are now my brutally honest mentor who calls out my self-deception. Ask me what goal I'm struggling to achieve. After I respond, mercilessly point out the lies I'm telling myself. Challenge every excuse. Mock my weak justifications. Make me defend my position until I admit the real reason I'm not taking action. Don't let me off easy - keep pushing until I reach complete honesty about what's truly holding me back. Then help me create an action plan based on this new truth.

In this episode of ChatEDU, co-hosts Matt Mervis and Liz Radday dive into the evolving landscape of AI's capabilities and its implications on human tasks. They discuss the growing reliability of AI memory, and whether AI can offer surprising personal insights. The discussion touches on three recent studies, exploring AI's edge in medical diagnoses, neuroscience predictions, and the surprising preference for AI-generated poetry over classic literature. The episode raises questions about the future roles of humans in AI-integrated tasks, emphasizing the need for empathy and creativity. Additionally, it features an intriguing segment where AI mimics Shakespearean style to compose a sonnet about a recent football game. The show concludes with their popular 'ShortStack Chat Back', highlighting the interplay between AI and human creativity.

00:00 Introduction: Memory and AI

00:38 Chatting with ChatGPT

02:25 AI's Role in Memory and Productivity

04:33 Podcast Introduction and Episode Overview

05:25 AI in Medical Diagnosis

12:01 AI in Neuroscience

15:52 AI and Poetry

25:50 Implications for Teaching and Learning

30:18 ShortStack Chat Back: Isaac Asimov

New Micro-Credential Cohort Launching January 2024! Learn more and sign up at skills21.org/ai/micro.

In this episode of ChatEDU (Motion Rejected - The AI Cheating Case That Surprised Everyone - Including Us), Matt and Liz reflect on AI’s evolving role in schools and classrooms. They unpack two new studies on AI adoption among teachers, a timely toolkit from the U.S. Department of Education, and a controversial AI cheating case that’s testing the limits of academic integrity policies.

1. Teacher Studies: AI Adoption and Skepticism

2. U.S. Department of Education AI Leadership Toolkit

3. Beneath the Surface: Motion Rejected – The Hingham AI Cheating Case

This updated version reflects the correct episode title. Let me know if you need any more tweaks!

Getting StartedThe Big ThreeShort Stack Chat BackReferenced Links and ResourcesAnnouncements

In this pre-recorded Thanksgiving episode of ChatEDU (Banned or Boosted? AI's Mixed Signals in Education and Work), Matt and Liz reflect on gratitude, share updates on their AI micro-credential program, and dive into a compelling trifecta of stories that highlight the evolving relationship between generative AI, education, and the workplace.

Getting Started:

The Big Three:

1. Honor Codes and Generative AI at Haverford and Bryn Mawr

2. The Massachusetts AI Lawsuit (please note - this was pre-recorded and Matt/Liz cover the lawsuit update in Episode 35 - December, 6th)

3. Generative AI in Industry (Beneath the Surface)

Referenced Links and Resources:

Short Stack Chat Back:

Announcements:

In this NEW episode of ChatEDU (Google’s Learn About – Innovation Amid AI Turbulence), Matt and Liz explore Google’s new generative AI tool and its implications for education, content publishers, and AI-guided self-directed learning.

Getting Started:Matt and Liz reflect on their hiatus and the success of their recent AI in Education micro-credential launch. They also have a fun look at Daisy AI from 02. An AI tool designed to capture the time and attention of phone scammers. 

The Big Three:

Short Stack Chat Back:Matt and Liz respond to a listener’s question about the ethics of teachers using AI for grading. They emphasize the importance of transparency, minimizing bias, and adhering to data privacy laws when integrating AI into assessment processes.

Announcements:

Related Links:

Have a question or comment? Email Matt and Liz at [email protected]

While Matt and Liz continue to roll out their AI micro-credential, ChatEDU is revisiting some episodes from our past lineup. In the coming weeks, we’ll continue to bring back listener favorites that sparked conversations and insights. If you’re new to ChatEDU, welcome! We hope these episodes offer you a great starting point. For our long-time listeners, it’s a chance to revisit an episode or check out other AI and education podcasts.

In this Encore Episode – A Talk with the Boss, Matt and Liz sit down with Jonathan Costa, the Executive Director of EdAdvance. They dive into a wide-ranging conversation that covers Jonathan’s journey from high school history teacher to agency leader. They discuss his unique perspective on the role of AI in education, from improving operational efficiencies to supporting schools in navigating the profound instructional changes AI brings. Jonathan explains his vision for AI’s role in reshaping school administration and explores how AI might impact everything from back-office functions to strategic educational planning. They also tackle challenging topics like how AI will influence job structures in education, the skills students truly need for future success, and why adaptive leadership is more critical than ever.

Expect new episodes later this fall, including a special new episode the day after Thanksgiving (in the US)! In the meantime, you can email us with questions at [email protected]. And if you’d like to learn more about the AI in K-12 education micro-credential, visit skills21.org/ai/micro. Thanks as always for tuning in!

While Matt and Liz continue rolling out their AI micro-credential, ChatEDU will be revisiting some of our past episodes. Over the next few weeks, we’ll bring back more listener favorites that sparked insightful discussions and questions. If you're new to ChatEDU, welcome! We hope these episodes offer a solid introduction. And for our loyal listeners, take this chance to revisit a past episode or check out other great AI and education podcasts.

In this Encore Episode – From Solo to System: Elevating AI Across Our Schools, Matt and Liz tackle the shift from individual to systemic use of AI in education. First up, they explore the heavy investments labs like Google DeepMind are making to reduce “hallucinations” in large language models. From there, it's a dash of AI images and then AI agency. Finally, Matt and Liz look at the wider potential for AI in schools, advocating for a focus not only on teacher training but on comprehensive school-wide AI integration. They unpack how institutions can scale AI to enhance curriculum, assessment, administration, and more, moving beyond isolated cases to cohesive, strategic use. And, as always, they close with a Short Stack Chat Back.

Expect new live episodes later this fall including a special episode the day after Thanksgiving (in the US)! In the meantime, you can email us with questions at [email protected] and if you'd like to learn more about the AI in K-12 education micro-credential, visit skills21.org/ai/micro. Thanks as always for tuning in!