In this episode of ChatEDU, Matt and Liz explore how AI and humans can collaborate to enhance creative problem-solving based on a recent Harvard Business School study. classrooms.

Getting Started: Matt and Liz chat about Liz's recent camping trip to celebrate her 4-H camp's 100th anniversary. Matt demonstrates Eleven Labs' new Text to Sound Effects System, showcasing how AI is transforming audio production (all while rudely interrupting Liz!).

In the News:

1. AI as an Assignment Evaluator:

2. • Matt and Liz discuss a large-scale study from National Taiwan University involving over 1,000 students.

   • Key findings: 75% of students accepted AI evaluators, but 51% reported format issues.

   • 47% of students attempted to "hack" the AI grading system, raising concerns about fairness and accuracy.

3. UK's First "Teacherless" AI Classroom:

4. • A private school in London is launching an AI and VR-based classroom.

   • The setup includes three learning coaches for 20 students, challenging the "teacherless" claim.

   • Matt and Liz critically examine the high cost and limited scalability of this model.

Beneath the Surface: AI and Creative Problem Solving Matt and Liz examine a Harvard Business School study on AI's role in creative problem-solving:

• Researchers compared human-generated ideas with AI-generated solutions for circular economy challenges.

• Findings: Human solutions were more novel, while AI solutions were more feasible.

• The best outcomes resulted from human-AI collaboration, with humans refining AI-generated ideas.

Matt and Liz relate these findings to their experiences with Personal Interest Projects (PIP) and Capstone projects, where students use AI tools like Sidekick for ideation and project management.

Short Stack Chat Back: Thomas Edison opines on how AI and humans make problem-solving better together.

Announcement: Matt and Liz introduce their new 6-week micro-credential course on "AI in K-12 Education," offered in partnership with Southern Connecticut State University. To learn more, visit www.skills21.org/ai/micro

Have a question or comment? Please email Matt and Liz at chatedu@edadvance.org

Related Links:

• EdAdvance AI Resources: skills21.org/AI

• Micro-credential registration: skills21.org/AI/micro

• National Taiwan University Study: https://arxiv.org/abs/2407.05216

• The “Teacherless AI Classroom”: https://news.sky.com/story/uks-first-teacherless-ai-classroom-set-to-open-in-london-13200637

• HBR Problem Solving Study with AI: https://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/generative-ai-and-creative-problem-solving

In this episode of ChatEDU (From Solo to System - Elevating AI Across Our Schools), Matt and Liz explore how schools need to move beyond focusing just on teacher AI professional learning to realize the full potential of AI and benefits of generative AI.

Getting Started:

Matt and Liz discuss if they’d pay extra $ for grad school to keep their kids out of the basement and how that might be related to AI “training” runs. You have to listen to understand!

Then in the News:

• Ideogram 2.0: Matt and Liz discuss Ideogram 2.0 and how this new release addresses (sort of) the challenge of rendering accurate text along with images. They explore its potential applications in education and test it live during the podcast.

• Executive Functioning and AI: Liz shares insights from a recent study showing that students who struggle with executive functioning find generative AI significantly more useful for schoolwork than their peers.

Beneath the Surface:

Matt and Liz examine how schools and organizations can move from individual AI use cases to more cohesive, systemic, strategic uses of AI:

• Discussion of McKinsey's report on organizational transformation through generative AI

• Exploration of Yale University's $150 million investment in AI initiatives

• Analysis of how generative AI can drive innovation in schools, from ideation to project completion

• Examination of AI's role in upskilling educators and administrators as part of strategic systems efforts

Short Stack Chat Back:

G.K. Chesterton analyzes the analogy between parents investing in their children's education to prevent basement-dwelling and AI companies investing in longer training runs to reduce hallucinations.

Have a question or comment? Please email Matt and Liz at chatedu@edadvance.org

Related Links:

• EdAdvance AI Resources: skills21.org/AI

• McKinsey Report: "Gen AI's next inflection point: From employee experimentation to organizational transformation" https://mck.co/3LXQN8K

• Yale University AI Initiative: https://news.yale.edu/2024/08/28/yale-announces-150-million-support-leadership-ai

Study on Executive Functioning and AI: https://www.psypost.org/students-with-concentration-issues-turn-to-chatgpt-and-similar-ai-tools-study-finds/

In this episode of ChatEDU (A Talk with the Boss - The Jonathan Costa Interview), Matt and Liz interview Jonathan Costa, the Executive Director of EdAdvance. They discuss the impact of AI on education and Jonathan's vision for the future of learning. The three have a great conversation on a range of topics including:

AI and Education

• EdAdvance's approach: Using AI to improve service quality and efficiency internally, while helping districts rethink public education through an AI lens

• Vision for AI in education: Improving quality of work rather than eliminating positions

• Challenges: Adapting curriculum and assessment to an AI-integrated world

Rethinking Education

• Need to reduce curriculum content by approximately 50%

• Focus on teaching "durable" skills that can't be easily replicated by AI

• Importance of self-directed learning and mastery of skills

• Shift from "just in case" to "just in time" learning

Assessment and Accountability

• Current assessment methods are a significant barrier to educational improvement

• Need to align assessment with skills that matter most for future success

• Challenge of changing public perception about educational accountability

AI in Personal Life

• Jonathan discusses how AI has impacted his hobbies: golf, gym workouts, and cycling

• AI tools can help set goals and track progress in various areas of life

Advice for Educators

• Embrace AI and don't be afraid to make mistakes

• Focus on where students are going rather than where education has been

• Use AI to encourage student interest and skill development

Closing Thoughts

• Importance of collaboration and goodwill in navigating the AI transition in education

• Excitement about the potential for positive change in education through thoughtful AI integration