TCAPSLoop Podcast

Greetings and welcome to some potentially useful "Tips to Unlock the Practical Potential of Artificial Intelligence in Education." We aim to offer actionable tips to seamlessly integrate artificial intelligence into your teaching practices. Far from replacing teachers, AI serves as a dynamic tool to amplify your impact, to help foster personalized learning experiences and streamline your administrative tasks. Discover how practical AI can enrich the learning environment, empower your practice, and redefine the future of education."

00:34 - Moment of Zen

• “People who count their chickens before they are hatched act very wisely because chickens run about so absurdly that it's impossible to count them accurately.” - Oscar Wilde

02:18 - FOCUS ON SEL:

Reference Article: 4 Ways to Use AI in Implementing Restorative Practices

04:29 - CREATE RESTORATIVE REFLECTIONS

1. Prompt: A student violated (school rule). Generate five reflection questions to help the student think about their choices and improve their behavior and rectify the situation. This should be at a third-grade reading level. 

07:30 - COMPOSE CUSTOMIZED SOCIAL STORIES

1. Prompt: Write a narrative about a fifth-grade student who stole another student’s lunch money and then returned it and apologized, at a third-grade reading level, 500 words in length.

09:22 - GENERATE DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR RESTORATIVE CIRCLES

1. Prompt: Generate 10 open-ended questions I can use to facilitate a discussion about excessive cell phone use with my students.

10:26 - BUILD CREATIVE SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING LESSON PLANS

1. Generate a multistep lesson plan that teaches students how to (name the skill, such as use coping skills, use appropriate language, walk in the hallways, clean up after themselves, get along with others, etc.), at a fourth-grade level.

11:05 - FOCUS ON EFFICIENCY

• DOK Questions

15:08 - FOCUS ON EQUITY

• Choice Board Generator - UDL

22:10 - Tech Tool of the Week

• Magic School - MagicSchool.ai

Please rate and review the podcast on your app of choice and leave us a comment on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram

Thank you so much for listening and inspiring!

Hosts: Danelle Brostrom, Larry Burden

Um and Ramble Editing: Larry Burden

Cover art created with help from Adobe Firefly.  

In a rapidly advancing digital era, the need for computer science education has never been more crucial. It's not just about learning to code; it's about fostering critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and preparing students for a future where technology is at the forefront of every industry.

Today, we're diving deep into the reasons why educators, parents, and policymakers are recognizing the value of bringing computational thinking into the curriculum and why computer science is more than coding.

00:36 - Moment of Zen 

Computations are everywhere, once you begin to look at things in a certain way. - Rudy Rucker

01:00 - ChatGPT changes in the news!

02:14 - What is Computer Science?

03:24 - What is Computational Thinking? - Computational thinking is an interrelated set of skills and practices for solving complex problems, a way to learn topics in many disciplines, and a necessity for fully participating in a computational world - Digital Promise Computational Thinking for Next Generation Science Toolkit

06:30 - In Michigan, and all over the US, there is a big focus on reaching all students with CS, especially those not currently well-represented in CS careers. Why is this important?

• Demographics show that 67% of AI specialists are white and 91% are men.

08:42 - More than a Glitch - Meredith Broussard

09:30 - Vocational models, Micro-learning and Equity

12:41 - What is a "Foundational Computer Science Class" and why is it a baseline? - MI CS Standards

17:02 - TCAPS Computer Science Weeks - bit.ly/TCAPSCodes 

20:57 - Computer Science and Digital Citizenship

22:51 -  Tech Tool of the Week: https://www.csedweek.org/

Additional Resources to share: 

• CS Equity Guide (written for California, but useful for us as well) 

Please rate and review the podcast on your app of choice and leave us a comment on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram

Thank you so much for listening and inspiring!

Hosts: Danelle Brostrom, Larry Burden

Um and Ramble Editing: Larry Burden

Cover art created with help from Adobe Firefly.  

We're on our 4th AI podcast and the water just keeps getting deeper. Our goal was to discuss the importance of student equity in regards to Artificial Intelligence. The actual conversation went considerably broader and promises more to come. 

00:28 - Moment of Zen 

"Ability is nothing without opportunity." -  Napoleon Bonaparte

01:12 - It's all happening very quickly, Is the April 2023,  AI and Our Kids: Common Sense Considerations and Guidance for Parents, Educators, and Policymakers; A Common Sense Media Position Paper, already outdated?

03:04 - Equity and the new digital divide:

• AI and the next digital divide in education | Brookings 

5:48 - It's game changing tool. Let's learn from or inclusion of Digital Citizenship lessons.

6:30 - How do Large Language Models (LLM's) work? The bias of the data set.

MIT Student Used AI to make her headshot "more professional". It gave her lighter skin and blue eyes.

9:54 - 80/20 data science model

10:55 - EdSource Article: Researchers Linda Choi & Candice Handjojo

• 33% of 12- to 17-year-olds nationwide — had already used ChatGPT to help with school assignments.

11:45 - Good AI Guidelines:

• AI Guidance for Schools Toolkit 

14:01 - Upcoming Professional Development:

• AI Professional Development - WIREDTC/aiEDU- Stay Tuned to wiredtc.net to sign up!

15:17 - How are you finding good AI tools?

• MACUL

💡Teach AI — aiEDU

💡RumorGuard 

16:43 - Are we Chicken Little? Is this another thing that we are overhyping?

17:24 -  Inside Higher Ed article written by Susan D’Agostino

“the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Educational Technology released a report offering insights and recommendations on AI in teaching and learning. The report is 71 pages, but if pressed, its message might be reduced to five words contained within it: “Emphasize humans-in-the-loop.”

18:01 -  Tech Tool of the Week: Good AI Toolkits

• 💡AI Literacy Lessons for Grades 6–12 | Common Sense Education

19:34 - How does a teacher fit AI in?

DISTRICT LEVEL RESOURCE:

• ✅AI Guidance for Schools Toolkit

If AI gives every child a personal tutor, and every teacher a personal assistant, what are the implications if we don’t use these tools?

Thank you so much for listening...

and inspiring!

Hosts: Danelle Brostrom, Larry Burden

Um and Ramble Editing: Larry Burden

Cover art created with help from Adobe Firefly.  

According to ChatGPT our guest today is a visionary leader who has been driving a transformative change within our school district bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience in implementing AI solutions in the classroom. Evan will be sharing insights on the potential of AI to revolutionize education, the challenges and ethical considerations that come with it, and the exciting projects they've been working on to make learning more engaging, effective, and accessible. If he doesn't end up doing these things you can find Evan O'branovic on LinkedIn and express your displeasure.

01:01 - Moment of Zen 

“I dream of a better tomorrow, where chickens can cross the road and not be questioned about their motives.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

01:41 - What are the best AI tips you’ve come across so far?

04:24 - What should schools be focusing on?

12:09 - What's the role of Artificial Intelligence in five years?

14:23 - Artificial Intelligence and student equity.

15:55 - What are you using AI for?

Thanks again for listening and inspiring!

Links to the Socials coming soon!

Hosts: Evan O'branovic, Larry Burden

Um and Ramble Editing: Larry Burden

This is one of the best conversations we've had on the pod. Part 2 of our 3 part Artificial Intelligence in Education primer is a must listen. the podcast runs longer than usual because the conversation touched on many important topic regarding the future of education as a whole.  We take our diamond tipped carbide bits and drill down into the education systems subfloor to test it’s foundations for the future Artificial Intelligence load.

00:55 - Moment of Zen 

“Chickity-check yo' self before you wreck yo' self” - Ice Cube

01:20 - “If we don’t talk about it, if we don’t begin the conversation, it’s going to happen anyways and we just won’t get to be part of the conversation,” he said. “We just have to be forward thinking and not fear change.” - Jake Carr, mr.carr.on.the.web

01:55 - How will AI change classroom experience?

05:33 - Using AI to build to mastery

06:55 - AI bias, accuracy, equity

10:28 - Be cautious with your AI investment

13:49 - Student privacy

17:21 - Breaking News! Executive Order regarding AI

18:22 - Hallucinations

19:22 - AI and changing skill sets

20:14 - Galaxy Brain Ideas Future thinking with AI! 

"In looking at coverage of the kinds of writing uploaded from ChatGPT, Shelley Rodrigo the senior Writing Director University of Arizona, also present-elect of NCTE, said it’s easy to see a pattern that others have commented on: Most of it looks like something that would score well on an AP exam. “Part of me is like, ‘O.K., so that potentially is a sign that that system is broken.’”

32:50 - Tech Tool of the Week:

links coming soon!

Thanks again for listening and inspiring!

Links to the Socials coming soon!

Hosts: Danelle Brostrom, Larry Burden

Um and Ramble Editing: Larry Burden

Today's introduction is composed by ChatGPT...

"Today we're delving into the fascinating world of Artificial Intelligence in Education. AI is transforming the way we learn and teach, and we're here to explore the potential, challenges, and opportunities it brings to our educational landscape. In this episode, we'll discuss how AI is personalizing learning, enhancing classroom experiences, and even changing the role of educators. So, whether you're an AI enthusiast, an educator looking to stay ahead of the curve, or a even a student curious about the future of learning, stay tuned because we've got a lot to uncover." 

01:24 - Moment of Zen 

“Machine can do the work of fifty ordinary men, but no machine can do the work of one extraordinary man.” - Alan Turing

04:21 - What is AI? What is ChatGPT?

• AI is here to stay, and will only get more powerful

06:54 - AI and cheating - not a simple correlation - how can it support teaching and learning?

• AI can save teachers time (complete mundane administrative tasks)

11:29 - Favorite AI tools for teachers:

• Chat GPT - https://chat.openai.com/ 

18:29 - Tech Tool of the Week:

Diffit.me - Use it to align intervention materials with what is being covered in class

https://web.diffit.me/ explains more about what it can do

Thanks again for listening and inspiring!

Links to the Socials coming soon!

Hosts: Danelle Brostrom, Larry Burden

Um and Ramble Editing: Larry Burden

It's a Bonus TCAPS Loop Podcast!  Jennifer Ehalt from Common Sense Education hosts Matt Smith from MACUL and our very own Danelle Brostrom as they kick off DigCit week.

Thank you Jen for allowing us to repurpose your content for the podcast! Check out Common Sense Education for all the DigCit content and stay plugged into the TCAPS socials for more info regarding TCAPS' own DigCit week.

Shortly after the Wall Street Journal published the article "Chromebooks were once good for schools now there becoming e-waste," TCAPS' Executive Director of Technology and todays co-host Evan O'Branovic had a conversation with the Ticker’s Craig Manning for his article “The Chromebook Question: Do School Laptops Cost Too Much For What They Offer?" On today's podcast we dive a bit deeper into that question and recommend some criteria to consider before making your next edtech investment.

00:54 - Moment of Zen 

“Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less.”

- Marie Curie

01:26 -Ticker Chromebook article background

05:02 - TCAPS Chromebook history

09:04 - What is the right device? the conversation is changing.

09:47 - 4 principles school boards and parents should consider when purchasing EdTech - 2022 Article in the Conversation by Lucas Johnson

10:24 - Why Technology?

• SAMR Method

14:08 - Is it compatible with current infrastructure?

21:00 - Safety and student privacy?

23:24 - Why Chrombooks?

Thanks again for listening and inspiring!

Links to the Socials coming soon!

Hosts: Evan O'Branovic, Larry Burden

Um and Ramble Editing: Larry Burden

Did you know Common Sense Education’s Digital Citizenship Week has occurred every 3rd week in October for the last 11 years? That's shockingly longer than this podcast has been potentially useful and certainly longer than TikTok has been a thing. In those years this topic has only become more relevant to our students and there well being and education. Today's pod is a sneak peak into what to expect and what resources are available on Common Sense Education.

00:49 - Moment of Zen 

“May your choices reflect your hopes, not your fears.”

– Nelson Mandela

01:13 - DigCit Week Introduction and History

02:45 - What have we learned from previous years?

04:04 - What's new this year?

• New Digital Well-Being lessons for Middle School and High School were co-developed with the Center for Digital Thriving at Harvard Graduate School of Education. 

07:35 - What are your plans for engagement?

• Elementary Resources

10:05 - A protocol to get this in front of students?

• This is low hanging fruit. Common Sense has made it so easy to make this a “thing” in your district or school - it’s important and necessary and lifesaving to get people talking about digital citizenship.

12:57 - Common Sense Family Engagement Toolkits

• It's a perfect time to share things from the Family Engagement Toolkits in district and school newsletters: https://www.commonsense.org/education/toolkit/family-engagement-resources, conversation starters: https://www.commonsense.org/education/family-resources

14:35 - Tech Tool of the Week:

Common Sense - Protecting Student Privacy for Teachers - https://www.commonsense.org/education/training/privacy

Thanks again for listening and inspiring!

Links to the Socials coming soon!

Hosts: Danelle Brostrom, Larry Burden

Um and Ramble Editing: Larry Burden

We are back for the 7th year of potentially useful TCAPSLoop EdTech Podcasts. This week's episode set's up some of the topics we will likely be covering throughout the year as Danelle and I countdown our "Top 3 Topics in Education for 2023/24".

00:59 - Moment of Zen 

Maybe it’s not about trying to fix something that’s broken. Maybe it’s about starting over and creating something better.” – Unknown

01:21 - State of the Pod Address

03:42 - The Top 3 Topics in Education

04:38 - Danelle’s #3:  Accessibility - using research to ensure inclusion 

• TCEA Webinar last week

07:35 - Larry's #3:  Microlearning -Microlearning is the delivery of learning content in a short, succinct way, typically 3-5 minutes. Condensing large quantities of information into bite-sized training drives better engagement and knowledge retention for learners, and saves valuable time and money for employers.

• Microlearning Strategies: https://www.edume.com/blog/what-is-microlearning

11:02 - Danelle’s #2 - Digital Wellness - intersection of is widely known as digital citizenship with news literacy. 

• New report from Common Sense - Constant Companion: A Week in the Life of a Young Person's Smartphone Use | Common Sense Media
  • This year, Common Sense has focused our research efforts on hearing directly from young people about both the role and the impact of media and technology in their lives. This report fills a gap in our understanding of how teens actually use their smartphones, combining data from kids' phones themselves with feedback from our Youth Advisory Council. And they told us that the draw of their smartphone is both complicated and powerful. Here's what else we learned from this report:
    • Teens are fielding a barrage of notifications from the apps on their phones. On a typical day, participants received a median of 237 notifications. Of those, about a quarter arrived during the school day, and 5% at night.  

13:01 - Larry’s # 2 - Academic Recovery/Accelerated Learning - Accelerated learning may sound like a method for speeding through lessons to cover everything students didn’t learn in previous grades. It's not. Accelerated learning does not look back. It moves kids forward to tackle grade-level content, providing them with help when they need it. It’s not “just-in-case” remediation. It's “just-in-time” scaffolding.

• Techniques: https://www.hmhco.com/blog/accelerated-learning-techniques-for-the-classroom

15:25 - Consensus #1 - Artificial Intelligence - We’ve stepped on the gas instead of hitting the brakes.

• Stanford Graduate School of Education Dean Daniel Schwartz in his opening remarks. “I want to emphasize that a lot of AI is also going to automate really bad ways of teaching. So [we need to] think about it as a way of creating new types of teaching.”

20:23 - Tech Tool of the Week:

FigJam - jamboard sunsetting in 2024

Thanks again for listening and inspiring!

Hosts: Danelle Brostrom, Larry Burden

Um and Ramble Editing: Larry Burden