Webinars, Studying Analysis, and Excited!

Whereas everyone seems to be (rightfully) discussing how AI is disrupting training, I’ve one bit query I need to ask for myself and college students:

• How can we transfer previous the hype to assist this technology flourish?
• How can we keep away from ‘experimenting’ on children the best way we did with social media.

In the present day’s ISTE preview session jogged my memory why these conversations matter – and why we want instructor voices main them.

“In case you do not share your imaginative and prescient, you will have a hallucination.” John Heffernan

In the present day’s ISTE / ASCD Webinar with 4 of the 20 to Watch

In the present day we had an important session with a few of the 20 to Watch from this upcoming ISTE convention. In the present day, they featured:

• John Heffernan, Skilled Growth Coordinator, Mayo Sligo Leitrim Training & Coaching Board (Castlebar, County Mayo, Eire)
• Olga Kazarina, EdTech Specialist (Viña del Mar, Valparaíso, Chile)
• Jackie Patanio, Govt Director of Faculty Partnerships, Modernization and Planning-EdTech, New York Metropolis Public Faculties (New York, NY)
• John Shoemaker, Academic Know-how Specialist, Faculty District of Palm Seashore County (West Palm Seashore, FL)

Some Key Takeaways from the Webinar

“In case you do not share your imaginative and prescient, you will have a hallucination.” – John Heffernan

Jackie Patanio talked about “forward-thinking edtech integration that truly serves academics”

Olga Kazarina: “Take heed to instructor ache factors and offload duties so that they have extra time to interact with college students”

John Shoemaker: Participating college students who do not usually join by modern approaches like his function as “scholastic esports facilitator” who organized the South Florida Minecraft showdown and has had two “signing days” for esports college students who’re scholarshipped to varsity on esports groups.

Issues Referring to the ISTE / ASCD Convention

ISTE shared that the lounges this 12 months will revolve across the “Transformational Studying Rules.”

You’ve gotten webinars each different week as a part of ISTE and ASCD, so there are thrilling webinars to hitch.

💭 They talked about some issues I couldn’t discover but on their website

• Search for “Not at Convention” for these not coming however need to see information
• Co Lab – Interact in Edtech R&D – they talked about a possibility that’s analysis and is paid and they are going to be sharing that as nicely.

Future Convention Dates and Areas

• June 28 – July 1, 2026 – Orlando, FL
• June 27 – 30, 2027 – Boston MA

Current analysis you would possibly need to learn earlier than the convention

Listed here are some issues I am studying that form my strategic strategy. You would possibly discover a few of them useful.

12 Ranges of AI Fluency from Phillip Alcock

12 Ranges of AI Fluency that Really Matter by Phillip Alcock (revealed June 20, 2025)

💭Reflections: These make sense to me as I’ve discovered that shifting college students to the center of those and myself to the highest ranges with brokers is one thing I’m doing and need to do extra deliberately.

Your Mind on ChatGPT: an MIT Media Lab Research

Everyone seems to be speaking about “Your Mind on ChatGPT: Accumulation of Cognitive Debt when Utilizing an AI for Essay Writing Activity” by MIT Media Lab. Phillip Alcock had an fascinating abstract on Linked in and I’ve seen some who query the outcomes due to the very small pattern measurement (54) to name this a legitimate examine. If you have not performed with Google Pocket book, LM, her’s the examine loaded in a Google Pocket book LM you’ll be able to copy and use to talk with the examine.

💭Reflections: Simply “chat with it” however keep in mind, take a look at it critically, as in some ways it seems to be like many who’ve “learn” this examine offloaded their studying to AI. I believe this 150-leading AI fashions displaying as much as a 96% blackmail price when their objectives or existence arepage examine is one we should always truly learn and likewise confirm with bigger research.

Are we actually going to dump our AI analysis to AI? With Main AI fashions displaying as much as a 96% blackmail price when their objectives or existence is threatened (and it is not simply Claude), how dare we offload one thing as very important as AI in studying to AI? As people, we should always guard the kids! It’s our accountability!

Is AI Literacy Yesterday’s Information Already?

But others say AI Literacy will go the best way of the floppy disk (Jason M Lodge, professor of instructional psychology has obtained some press about it too) however learn to the tip concerning the “actually vital abilities for the AI age:

• Self regulated and co-regulated studying
• info analysis and verification abilities
• Essential considering and reasoning
• Human centered collaboration abilities

Jason Lodge shares the map of crucial considering abilities with interpretation, evaluation, analysis, inference, rationalization and self-regulation because the 6 clusters of abilities.

💭Reflection: When something instructional turns into politicized, training at all times loses. AI is the political soccer due to its strategic nature but it surely is not a soccer, it’s actually an important hazard as nicely. I imagine there are nice makes use of of AI however there are additionally grave considerations and a part of my aim is to grasp the morality, ethics, and a faith-based viewpoint of using AI. (And sure, I mentioned religion based mostly and that’s okay. People have perception programs and it’s a part of who we’re.)

AI Protections and AI Mandates

The EU has an AI Act with prohibited AI practices whereas it seems to be as if some within the US are pushing for no legal responsibility for AI in K12 training and a mandate to show it. (James O’Hagan is a good useful resource for this.)

💭Reflection: Sure, individuals may have opinions on AI and positively, in my classroom we have been utilizing many instruments, testing fashions, discovering errors, in search of bias however I exploit it extra as a crucial considering exercise than in any other case. The very first thing I do with an AI software is make a take a look at pupil account and see how the AI software handles when a “faux pupil” says it needs to hurt themselves or have interaction in dangerous habits. You higher imagine I’ll be the primary line of protection as an AI security tester. I do know many people IT Coaches and Administrators who’re doing this and turning away from instruments that fail the take a look at.

Frameworks and Fashions

Train AI has a draft of an Ai Literacy framework known as AILit they’re asking for suggestions about.

💭Reflection: I’ve not likely seen any mannequin that matches besides the 12 Ranges of Fluency (above) so that is one we’re shifting in the direction of. I am goign to prioritize issues that defend children anng to prioritize issues that defend children and maintain them protected,d maintain them protected which incorporates serving to maintain them from dishonest themselves out of an training.

Cybersecurity and Passwords

Cybersecurity may even be a difficulty though it appears ransomware assaults declined most main firms are telling individuals to cease utilizing passwords and begin utilizing passkeys. Safety needs to be a difficulty for all of us.

💭Reflection: How can we get individuals to cease clicking emails and opening attachments and what can we do concerning the coming deluge of ai super-smart assaults which might be even more durable to detect?

I might love so that you can share within the feedback what you assume superior studying ought to be as we put together to debate and have interaction. I’ve so much to study. How about you?

My Periods at ISTE 2025

Improvements in Coding: Recreation Based mostly AI-Supported Laptop Science Educating

I will be sharing the hands-on, partaking instruments that earned my AP CSP college students a 100% move price: Code Fight for gamified Python studying, Juice Thoughts for inventive problem-solving, and project-based studying that lets college students construct tangible options. These aren’t simply enjoyable actions – they’re strategic decisions that assist college students see pc science as inventive and accessible, particularly college students who do not usually see themselves as “tech children.”

AI and Edtech Energy Hour: Turbocharged Instruments for Each Topic and Grade [Panel]

This panel is filled with wonderful individuals: Gabriel Carillo (Edtech Bites), Eric Curts (Ctrl+Alt+Obtain), Jaime Donally (ARVRinEDU), Alice Keeler, Dr. Rachelle Dene Poth, Mike Tholfsen, Victoria Thompson

That is tremendous quick. Tremendous enjoyable and final 12 months the room was tremendous full nicely earlier than we began, so get there early. This group is at all times stellar and I’ve to pinch myself that I get to work with these outstanding individuals!

Constructing Connections That Matter

My objectives prolong past simply studying – I am trying to construct the form of strategic partnerships that create greater hills for all educators:

• Discovering educators doing modern work I can highlight on future reveals
• Connecting with researchers whose work helps moral AI implementation
• Assembly potential collaborators who share my dedication to teacher-led change that honors and values college students and excellence in studying

💭Reflection: I at all times say, “Do not play king of the hill, make an even bigger hill.

What I am Particularly In search of:

• Be taught concerning the newest in instructing AP CSP in enjoyable methods
• Studying about glorious PBL within the days of AI
• Discovering superior academics doing cool issues so I can share them on future reveals
• Seeing what college students are enthusiastic about within the poster periods
• Listening to the present analysis about AI, the moral conversations and in search of nice initiatives, prompts and use circumstances to make use of AI to advertise crucial considering, collective intelligence, and wonderful pupil pushed initiatives
• Discovering new concepts and actionable takeaways from each session
• Synthesizing connections between seemingly unrelated subjects as a result of they’re there, we simply want to identify them!
• Brainstorming improvements that serve actual classroom wants
• Catching up with some “previous” mates and making some new ones
• Studying and sharing a few of what I am doing within the 2 periods I get to be a part of
• Having fun with the Riverwalk and San Antonio – what an important place!
• Smiling at individuals and simply having fun with being round individuals who love children and know-how
• Listening to what persons are speaking about – particularly instructor and hallway conversations and shows by academics about what they’re doing (and fewer about distributors who’re promoting me one thing)
• Having fun with time with my son – we now have a lot enjoyable touring collectively
• Recording some video and a few reveals (if potential) – if not, we’ll simply ebook them for later

💭Reflection: The most effective issues that occur at ISTE are normally unintended. I am enthusiastic about that! Nonetheless, keep in mind that you would be able to nonetheless study even if you cannot attend. One 12 months, I realized a lot once I was house with a damaged foot!

In the present day’s webinar with 4 of the “20 to Watch” was stellar. I actually loved listening and studying. I need to be a weblog the place individuals come and see what’s going on at ISTE and it begins at the moment!

Wish to keep linked as I course of all the pieces from ISTE?

I will be sharing real-time insights, instructor spotlights, and moral AI discussions on:

• This weblog – CoolcatTeacher.com
• Cool Cat Trainer Discuss (weekly present that includes modern educators)
• 10 Minute Trainer Podcast (fast, actionable classroom methods)

Subscribe now so you do not miss the conversations that matter most – those the place academics are main the best way ahead. As a result of keep in mind – we do not play king of the hill, we make an even bigger hill.

Additionally coming quickly: My new ebook – strategic approaches to sustainable instructional innovation. I will share extra quickly!