In this episode we explore four practical questions educators and district leaders can ask before adopting AI tools in classrooms. Drawing on Daniel Willingham’s framework for evaluating educational technology, we look at how schools can move beyond “we can’t be left behind” thinking and make more deliberate decisions about when AI helps learning—and when it may quietly replace something important.

Topics covered:

• Why AI adoption is different from earlier classroom technologies
• Daniel Willingham’s four questions for evaluating new edtech
• The risks of adopting AI tools too quickly
• Why “narrow” AI tools may be easier to evaluate than broad chatbots
• What schools may sacrifice when AI replaces older classroom practices
• Why districts need clear evaluation plans for AI initiatives
• How teachers and leaders can think more honestly about AI trade-offs

Sources:

https://www.facebook.com/DTWillingham/posts/i-still-hear-this-justification-re-ai-in-classrooms-its-out-there-we-cant-be-lef/1245588610883142/

https://theeducationequation.org/episodes/daniel-willingham-uva/transcript