What happens when artificial intelligence can generate answers in seconds, but students still need to learn how to think critically, make decisions, and solve real-world problems?

In this episode of One Voice in CS, hosts Dr. Marcus Borders, Bettie Mustatt-Parker, and Shanna Bohrer sit down with educator, filmmaker, and AI innovator Tarquinn Curry to explore one of the most important questions facing education today: How do we design learning experiences that remain meaningful in the age of AI?

Tarquinn introduces his "Prediction Zone vs. Judgment Zone" framework, challenging educators to rethink assignments, assessments, and classroom experiences in a world where AI can predict and generate content with increasing accuracy. Together, the group discusses how educators can move beyond simply detecting AI use and instead create learning opportunities that prioritize human reasoning, creativity, reflection, and decision-making.

The conversation explores responsible AI integration, equitable access to emerging technologies, and practical strategies educators can use to help students develop the skills that machines cannot easily replicate. Whether you're new to AI or already experimenting with it in your classroom, this episode offers a thoughtful and actionable look at what teaching and learning can become when we focus less on what AI can do and more on what learners should do.

This episode of One Voice in CS features host Julie York in conversation with Anindita Nath, an interdisciplinary data scientist with deep roots in AI/ML and a strong commitment to CS education. Anindita shares her journey from a humble background in India — where her parents were her first and most important mentors — through a pivotal coding competition that bridged her love of abstract mathematics with computer science, to earning a full scholarship for a PhD program at the University of Texas at El Paso. Along the way, she credits a series of mentors (including a substitute teacher and her PhD advisor) for opening doors she didn't know existed. Now established in her field, she gives back through programs like Microsoft TEALS, Girls Who Code, CodePath, and Data for Impact, with a particular focus on supporting women and underrepresented groups in STEM. The conversation centers on the compounding power of mentorship, the importance of belonging in CS classrooms, and practical advice for teachers on guiding students toward resources and visibility.

How do we create learning experiences where every student feels seen, supported, and empowered to succeed?

In this episode of One Voice in CS, hosts Dr. Marcus Borders, Bettie Mustatt-Parker, and Shanna Bohrer sit down with educator and learning designer Spence Ray to explore the intersection of artificial intelligence, accessibility, and human-centered learning.

Drawing from experiences in both traditional and virtual learning environments, Spence shares insights on designing classrooms that prioritize belonging, support neurodivergent learners, and leverage technology in ways that enhance — not replace — meaningful human connection. The conversation examines how educators can thoughtfully integrate emerging technologies while maintaining a focus on equity, student agency, and authentic learning experiences.

Together, the hosts and Spence discuss the importance of creating inclusive spaces where learners can thrive, the role of empathy in educational design, and practical considerations for educators navigating the rapidly evolving landscape of AI in education. Whether you're a classroom teacher, instructional coach, district leader, or simply curious about the future of learning, this episode offers valuable perspectives on keeping people at the center of innovation.

In this episode of One Voice in CS, host Shawn Patrick Higgins sits down with three CSTA equity fellows — Michelle, Leah, and Coach Hicks — to discuss their collaboratively built course, Empowering CS for New Teachers. All three came to CS teaching without a CS background, each receiving their own version of "the phone call" that landed them in a classroom they hadn't planned for. Drawing on those lived experiences, they designed the course to address the most common pain points for new CS teachers: navigating available curriculum, combating isolation, building a professional network, and overcoming imposter syndrome. The conversation moves beyond logistics into something deeper — all three reflect on how their most effective teaching moments came not from mastering content, but from prioritizing relationships, creating safe and structured environments, and connecting students to real-world relevance. The episode closes with a resonant shared message: every teacher is a CS teacher, and no one has to figure it out alone.

In this episode of One Voice in CS, host Julie York speaks with Allison Braley, Computer Science Specialist at the Maine Department of Education and former middle school CS teacher. Allison shares how her classroom experiences, from rethinking the importance of HTML to witnessing a struggling student thrive through coding, shaped a philosophy centered on computational thinking, failure recovery, and equitable access over programming expertise. She discusses the unique collaboration happening in Maine between CS and AI education, the challenge of supporting K–8 generalist teachers who feel unqualified to teach CS, and why getting students , especially girls and special education students, into computer science early is the most powerful equity tool available.

Recorded live at the CAL-MSCS Models of Practice Summit in beautiful Monterey, CA, this episode features candid interviews with educators and leaders across California who are helping to reimagine and expand access to computer science. Hear from classroom teachers Garrett Lloyd, Aimee Lee, and Justin Jimenez as they share their growth as CS beginners and what they’re eager to bring back to their students.

Principal Kip Glazer offers powerful insight on resilience, purpose, and leading with heart. Steering committee members and statewide CS champions Rudy Escobar, Lilibeth Mora, Doug Henderson, and Shaina Glass discuss identity, access, and collaboration across diverse communities. From entry points to equity, from resources to real talk—this episode captures the collective momentum toward ensuring CS is for all.

Host Shawn Patrick Higgins edits the interview between Justine Chavez-Crespin and Evan Shieh, Executive Director of the Young Data Scientist League, whose work centers on data justice and critical AI literacy. Evan shares how his organization's Data Is Power program puts students from underrepresented communities in the driver's seat on AI ethics — analyzing bias in language models, studying unequal tech access, and presenting findings at international conferences. He reflects on his own path into CS, from feeling like an outsider in college to building machine learning models during ACL rehab, and makes the case that the most important skills in the AI era aren't advanced math or coding — they're curiosity, interdisciplinary thinking, and the ability to connect technical work to real human communities.

Inspired by R2-D2 at age 10, Dr. Cynthia Breazeal went on to create Kismet—the world's first social robot—and pioneer the field of social robotics at MIT. Now, she's on a mission to democratize AI literacy for every student and teacher, not just computer science majors.

Through MIT's RAISE initiative, Dr. Breazeal has developed hundreds of hours of free, open-source curriculum reaching over 170 countries. Her philosophy? AI isn't about replacing humans—it's about empowering them. From kindergarteners to high schoolers, students need to understand how AI works, think critically about its impact, and use it as a tool for "computational action"—making things that make a difference in their communities.

As the U.S. prepares for its 250th anniversary, Dr. Breazeal is launching Day of AI USA, aiming to train 20,000 teachers and reach one million students. Her message is clear: in the age of AI, human creativity, empathy, wisdom, and collaboration matter more than ever. Students still need to learn to code, think critically, and work together—because AI is a powerful tool, but it's humans who shape the future.

What if generative AI isn't the enemy of learning to code — but one of the best tools we can hand our students? In this episode, host Julie York sits down with Dr. Beth Simon and Dr. Kate Lockwood, two CS educators bridging the high school-to-college divide, to talk about a new CSTA professional development course that charts a practical middle path between banning AI and going full vibe-code. They share how focused, free tools and simple sentence frames can help students build stronger debugging, testing, and critical thinking skills — and why the conversation matters now more than ever.

What started with tinkering on an Omega computer with a cousin in rural North Carolina led to a career bridging industry and education. This CS educator spent years in programming, systems administration, and disaster recovery at IBM before realizing their true calling: explaining difficult concepts in ways that make them accessible.

Now working at Data Science for Everyone, they're developing K-12 learning progressions for data literacy—because in today's world, working with data and computational tools shouldn't be reserved for CS electives. The vision is bold: integrate data science across all subjects so every teacher can recognize data literacy opportunities in their content area, with CS educators as frontline support.

Their teaching philosophy is refreshingly human: normalize problem-solving, celebrate without surprise ("I knew you could do it"), and create spaces like the "Hidden Figures room" where students work together at their own pace. They emphasize academic risk-taking—school is the safe place to take big swings—and learning to internalize feedback as growth, not criticism.

On AI, their stance is clear: students need to understand the math, statistics, and algorithms behind the "magic." AI is a tool that elevates existing expertise—like giving a chef better pans—not a replacement for human development, lived experience, or the connections that spark true creativity. In an age where attention is monetized, students need computational literacy paired with self-reflection, relationship-building, and perseverance.