Is critical thinking becoming a lost skill in the age of AI?

In Episode 352 of My EdTech Life, Dr. Alfonso Mendoza sits down with Melissa Morgan, Founder of Coraltalk , to explore why conversation, not content consumption, is the key to real learning.

This episode dives deep into why oral assessment, dialogue-based learning, and conversational AI may be the most effective way to combat AI-assisted cheating while actually improving student understanding. Melissa shares the origin story of Coraltalk , inspired by teaching Buddhist monks through dialogue, and explains how speaking out loud strengthens retention, metacognition, and critical thinking.

Chapters
0:00 Welcome And Guest Introduction
1:45 Melissa’s Path To Edtech
3:42 Dialogue Over Monologue Insight
6:51 Coraltalk  Mission And Approach
10:25 Combating AI Cheating With Orals
13:22 Teacher Setup And Voice Options
15:45 Student Growth And Learning Artifacts
18:42 Assessment Modes And Adaptive Difficulty
22:37 Classroom Feedback Loops And Data
25:47 Practice, VR Potential, And Efficacy
28:47 Stats On Retention And Critical Thinking
31:02 Teacher Sentiment And Adoption
33:52 Privacy, Compliance, And Trust
36:37 Efficiency Gains And Small-Group Teaching
39:57 Misconceptions: AI Replacing Teachers
42:29 Human Connection And Lasting Impact
44:39 Lightning Round: Kryptonite, Billboard, Swap
47:44 Closing, Thanks And Resources

Sponsor Shoutout
Thank you to our sponsors: Book Creator, Eduaide.AI, and Peel Back Education for supporting My EdTech Life.

Get 3 Months of Book Creator Premium Access Free!
Use Code: MyEdTechLife

Stay Techie ✌️

Peel Back Education exists to uncover, share, and amplify powerful, authentic stories from inside classrooms and beyond, helping educators, learners, and the wider community connect meaningfully with the people and ideas shaping education today.

Authentic engagement, inclusion, and learning across the curriculum for ALL your students. Teachers love Book Creator.

Support the show