In this episode of Learning Unleashed, Tim Needles, an art educator and author, discusses the evolving relationship between art and technology, particularly the role of AI in creativity and education. They explore how AI can enhance artistic expression, democratize creativity, and the challenges educators face in preparing students for a rapidly changing technological landscape. The conversation highlights the importance of maintaining traditional art forms while embracing new tools that can augment the creative process.

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Tim Needles is an artist, educator, performer, and author of STEAM Power: Infusing Art Into Your STEM Curriculum. He is a TEDx Talk speaker, a technology integration specialist, and teaches art and media at Smithtown School District and Five Towns College. His work has been featured on NPR, in the New York Times, Columbus Museum of Art, Norman Rockwell Museum, Alexandria Museum of Art, Katonah Museum of Art, and Cape Cod Museum of Art. He’s the recipient of ISTE’s Technology in Action Award and Creativity Award, NAEA’s Eastern Region Art Educator Award & ArtEdTech Outstanding Teaching Award, and The Rauschenberg Power of Art Award. He’s also a National Geographic Certified Teacher, PBS Digital Innovator, a NASA Solar System Ambassador, an ISTE Community leader, NAEA ArtEdTech interest Group chair, and an Adobe Creative Educator. He’s active on social media at @timneedles.

We have learned a lot since ChatGPT launched, and teachers turned to plagiarism detectors to thwart students using generative AI to complete assignments on the down low.  We revisit the topic of  “uncheatable” assessments incorporating what we've discovered.

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Get the Book: Storytelling With Purpose |  Hacking GenAI in Education: Conversation Starters

Michael Hernandez is an award-winning educator and speaker who brings more than 20 years of classroom experience to addressing some of the most existential challenges in education today: artificial intelligence, steep declines in student engagement, and the need for authentic learning experiences. The solution: digital storytelling as a framework for learning.

Rather than viewing storytelling as a nice-to-have reward for students after their “real work” has been completed, this book shows educators how to use story projects — from data visualizations to social media posts, to podcasts and video documentaries — as the scaffold upon which to position curricular skills and knowledge. The process helps students make interdisciplinary connections, activates higher-level thinking and critical analysis skills, and provides multimodal learning opportunities.

Rachelle Dene Poth discusses her new book on teaching with AI and integrating emerging technologies in the classroom. She emphasizes the importance of educators being open-minded and creative in incorporating AI into different content areas. The conversation also touches on topics such as AR/VR, the metaverse, and the challenges of funding and access to resources. Rochelle shares her experiences with grant writing and highlights the role of AI as an assistant and enhancer in the process.

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Rachelle Dene Poth is an accomplished edtech consultant, presenter, author, blogger and teacher. She currently teaches Spanish and a course on emerging tech that covers AR/VR, artificial intelligence, coding, gaming, digital citizenship, video animation and more. She presents regularly at conferences on technology and ways to drive student learning. Poth is the president of the ISTE Teacher Education Network and serves on the leadership team for the ISTE Mobile Learning Network. At ISTE19, she received the Making IT Happen Award and a Presidential Gold Award for volunteer service to education. She’s a Buncee Ambassador, Edmodo Certified Trainer, Nearpod Certified Educator and PioNear, Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert and Google Certified Educator Levels I and II. Poth is the author of In Other Words: Quotes That Push Our Thinking, The Future Is Now: Looking Back to Move Ahead and Unconventional Ways to THRIVE in EDU. She’s a contributing author to Education Write Now, Volume 3; several volumes of the Edumatch book Snapshot in Education; and the ISTE book Gamify Literacy. Poth is a regular blogger for Getting Smart and DefinedSTEM.

Today, we discuss the importance of understanding student data privacy laws and how they have evolved. We emphasize the need for educators to have conversations about data privacy and to make informed decisions when using tech tools with students. The conversation also touches on the challenges of navigating legal terms and agreements, the role of IT departments in vetting tools, and the importance of teacher training on data privacy. The guest provides practical tips for teachers, such as checking with their IT department for approved tools and using personal accounts for testing.

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Laurel Aguilar-Kirchhoff (@LucyKirchh), M.S.Ed., is a former history and science educator who now serves as a professional development coordinator and digital learning specialist. Aguilar-Kirchhoff works with educators, administrators and students to successfully integrate educational technology into curriculum for lasting student learning outcomes. Her areas of expertise include digital citizenship, media literacy, blended learning, curriculum instruction and design, and edtech and innovation. She was recognized as the 2018 National History Day California Teacher of the Year, was a top six finalist for the National History Day Teacher of the Year, and was the Inland Area CUE (IACUE) Administrator of the Year in 2022. She’s a Google Certified Trainer, Leading Edge Certified Online Blended Teacher and a member of the iCivics Education Network. Aguilar-Kirchhoff served on the ISTE Digital Citizenship PLN Leadership team and is currently an ISTE Community Leader.

The conversation explores the importance of including students in discussions about AI and digital citizenship. It emphasizes the need to consider the ethical implications of AI and the impact it has on various content areas. Overall, the conversation highlights the need for ongoing conversations and education around AI and digital citizenship and resources to assist in those conversations.

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Resources: Digital Citizenship in Action | Hacking GenAI in Education: Conversation Starters

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Dr. Kristen Mattson is a former middle school English teacher and high school library media specialist who has long supported teachers, leaders and learners with innovative curriculum and instruction. She currently serves as managing partner for Edvolve, which aims to help teachers and leaders transform digital citizenship education. She also teaches graduate courses on media literacy and digital citizenship at the University of Illinois. In addition to Digital Citizenship in Action, she is the author of Ethics in a Digital World (ISTE, 2021). She was named an ISTE Emerging Leader in 2018, and developed one of ISTE U’s first courses, Digital Citizenship in Action.

The conversation explores the role of AI in education and the challenges and opportunities it presents for educators. The guests discuss their book, ‘The Savvy Ed Tech Leader,’ which offers innovative strategies for EdTech leaders to boost their influence and elevate their careers. They emphasize the importance of soft skills, collaboration, and strategic planning in implementing new technologies. The conversation also touches on redefining the perception of AI and its potential to save teachers time and enhance instruction. The guests provide advice for navigating conferences and finding relevant information. The episode concludes with a discussion on the importance of continuous learning and growth in the field of education.

Sheryl Abshire, Ph.D., is a highly respected educator, author and speaker known for her lifelong dedication to advancing education through technology integration. As the chief technology officer for the award-winning Calcasieu Parish Public Schools in Louisiana for over two decades and a recognized teacher, library/media specialist, school principal and university faculty member for 20+ years, she has demonstrated exceptional leadership in incorporating cutting-edge technology into the district’s curriculum and operations. Her published works and sought-after speaking engagements at national and international conferences have solidified her status as a thought leader in the field.

Frankie Jackson is a nationally recognized chief technology officer (CTO) in K-12, leading education technology initiatives for 30+ years at the state and national levels, working in large districts with 25,000 to 118,000 students. Jackson serves on the Consortium for School Networking’s (CoSN) Policy Committee, Advanced Professional Learning Committee, Cybersecurity Advisory and Driving K-12 Innovation Board. She’s the Cybersecurity Coalition for Education project lead, certifying education leaders as cybersecurity evaluators. She’s also an instructional content designer and subject matter expert for the CoSN Certified Education Technology Leader (CETL) project management course for technology school leaders.

Donna Williamson has served as a Consortium for School Networking (CoSN) board member, executive board member and officer; as the chair and founder of CoSN Alabama Leaders; and co-chair of the CoSN conference. She’s a frequent speaker at national and state conferences, presenting on topics such as innovation, edtech leadership, communication and soft skills in edtech, data analytics and more. In 2019, Williamson shifted her focus to consulting and project facilitation in the education technology field as a consultant and project director for the CoSN Early Career K-12 CTO Academy. She has received many awards, including the ISTE Making It Happen Award, the Alabama Education Technology Association Sally Moore Award, the National Withrow CTO Award for Educators Honorable Mention, EdTech Digest’s Trendsetter Award and Alabama’s 2016 Marbury Technology Innovation Award.

Join us for a behind-the-scenes chat with two of the staff at ISTE as they prepare to bring you a pop-up book store, new books, and an opportunity to meet over 20 ISTE authors at this year's conference.

 ISTE Live 24 | Blindsided by AI: The bigger picture

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Valerie Witte is a Senior Acquisitions Editor at ISTE, bringing experience from previous roles at Peachpit Press, Pearson Education, University of California Press, and Morgan Kaufmann Publishers. Valerie Witte holds a 2004 - 2006 Writing University of San Francisco MFA. Valerie Witte contributes valuable insights to the industry with a skill set that includes leadership, writing, social media, publications, and proofreading.

Emily Reed is currently a Director of Books and Journals at ISTE. She joined ISTE in 2012 and has assisted in the publication of many of the organization’s book offerings. In addition to shepherding books through editing and production, Emily manages the two ISTE research journals, Journal of Research on Technology in Education and Journal of Digital Learning in Teacher Education, and organizes the bookstore at the ISTE conference.

In this episode, we discuss The benefits of engaging special education teachers and generative AI in the initial stages of lesson planning.  Ideally, assistive technology and AI tools should be used to start a task, not complete it. We explore the potential of AI in providing feedback on student work, which could save teachers time and provide more personalized learning experiences.

**Get the Book:   The New Assistive Tech | Blindsided by AI: The bigger picture

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Christopher Bugaj is a founding member of the Assistive Technology Team for Loudoun County Public Schools in Virginia. He hosts “The A.T.TIPSCAST,” a multiple award-winning podcast featuring strategies to design educational experiences. He also co-hosts the “Talking With Tech” podcast that features conversations about augmentative and alternative communication. Bugaj is the creator of ATEval2Go, an iPad app that helps education professionals perform technology assessments for students. He co-produces and co-authors the “Night Light Stories” podcast that features original stories for children. A frequent presenter, he has delivered over 300 live or digital sessions at local, regional national and international events. He has designed and taught online ISTE courses on assistive technology and Universal Design for Learning (UDL). He has also co-written or written multiple ISTE books, including The Practical (and Fun) Guide to Assistive Technology in Public Schools and The New Assistive Tech.

Teacher wellness is increasingly a top priority across the education community. In this discussion, we explore how technology, particularly AI, can help alleviate some of the stress by automating tasks and lightening the cognitive load. Our guest emphasizes the need for professional development and time for teachers to learn how to use new technologies effectively. We end by acknowledging the need for administrators to give teachers the space and permission to prioritize their well-being.

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Resources: Tech for Wellness | Blindsided by AI | Jumpstart Guides

Meredith Masar Boullion (@realtechfored) is an ISTE Certified Educator and a district technology facilitator with the Calcasieu Parish School Board in Louisiana, where she works with K-12 teachers to support the integration of technology in the most relevant and meaningful ways. In this role, Bouillon communicates with all district teachers through a weekly educational technology newsletter, website and professional development app. She designs learning experiences to meet the professional development needs of teachers, including face-to-face events, online courses and webinars. She holds a master’s degree in instructional media from Wilkes University.

As school and life demand more of us, finding balance is more important than ever. Today, we explore three simple practices that can help us maintain a more even keel and experience joy in the midst of our tech-driven lives.

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Resources: Pathways to Wellbeing | Blindsided by AI | Jumpstart Guides

Susan Brooks-Young has 38 years of experience in PK-12 education as a teacher, school administrator and professional development provider. She has written many books, including Creating Content With Your Tablet; Making Technology Standards Work for You: A Guide for School Administrators, Third Edition; and A Better Approach to Mobile Devices: How Do We Maximize Resources, Promote Equity, and Support Instructional Goals?