Will AI Transform Teaching and Learning?

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Larry Cuban has some great thoughts–as always–on the potential of AI to change education.

Yet there is little evidence that classroom use of these previous technologies forced classroom teachers to rethink, much less reshape, instruction. Nor have I found convincing evidence that these technologies altered fundamentally how teachers teach, increased student engagement, or raised test scores.

So I have concluded that those pushing AI use in classrooms fail to understand the complexity of teaching.

Yes, there have been any number of technological revolutions meant to forever change the landscape of teaching and learning. Most of these revolutions have fallen by the wayside or have never seen their true potential realized. I’m looking at you, 1:1 computing initiatives.

I’m of the mind that the failures of these technologies to revolutionize teaching and learning don’t fall on the technologies. They are, after all, just tools with no consciousness, no agenda, and no determination of how best to use them.

That part is up to us, the human implementors of said tools. When we can’t figure out how to leverage tools properly or, as is far more often the case, refuse to implement the tools, failure is assured.

Far too often, I hear the argument from some teachers that, “What I’m doing works, and I don’t need to learn anything new,” or the ever-so-sinister, “I only do my learning in the summer and don’t have time for this.”

Perhaps most damnable is this statement: “Technology has never been shown to increase test scores, so we don’t need to use it.”

Because all we’re worried about is test scores. And that’s the real problem.

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OpenAI partners with Wharton for a new course focused on leveraging ChatGPT for teachers

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OpenAI has partnered with the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School to launch a new course titled “AI in Education: Leveraging ChatGPT for Teaching.” This initiative aims to empower educators to effectively integrate generative AI into their teaching practices, enhancing learning experiences.

The class is just as much about what you as a teacher can do with AI to make your life better and make you a more effective educator, a less stressed out educator, as much as it is about how do you create assignments for your students? – Ethan Mollick

Professors Lilach and Ethan Mollick, co-founders of Wharton’s generative AI lab, co-teach the course. They emphasize the program’s dual focus: assisting educators in using AI to improve their teaching efficiency and developing assignments that engage students with AI tools.

Ethan Mollick notes that while discussions about AI in education often center on concerns like cheating and plagiarism, the course aims to highlight AI’s positive transformations to pedagogy. By embracing AI, educators can create more dynamic and personalized learning environments.

This collaboration reflects a broader trend in higher education to adapt to technological advancements and prepare educators and students for the evolving landscape of AI in the classroom.

Dissertation Tales, Part 1 – A first draft of my introduction

Because I believe each of us is responsible for sharing our learning with the world, I’m sharing a bit of my work.

As my prospectus meeting approaches in a couple of weeks, I’m racing through revisions to my work. I know it won’t be perfect, but I still have a lot I want to complete before that meeting.

Why? Because writing can constantly be improved.

So, a big chunk of the introduction to my dissertation is presented here with little comment unless you know something about my research. At least, this is where it sits right now.

Introduction

The idea of distance learning, the forerunner of online or virtual learning, is not new and has been a topic of exploration for a significant portion of human history. Members of Plato’s Academy used the technology of writing to study Socrates’s great conversations from a distance (Nagy, 2020). Caleb Phillips launched the first shorthand correspondence course by mail in 1728 (Tulane University, n.d.). In the 1890s, the company that would become known as the International Correspondence School (ICS) and later Penn Foster was launched. Within a decade, there were some 250,000 students enrolled worldwide (Buesch, 2020). In 1932, the University of Iowa broadcast programming on the first educational television station and received mail from viewers as far as 500 miles away (University of Iowa, 2022).

Of course, the world of science fiction is no stranger to the idea of distance or virtual learning, as Isaac Asimov, in his 1951 short story, “The Fun They Had,” saw students learning from mechanical teachers (1974) while the children of Ray Bradbury’s seminal “Fahrenheit 451” learned through interactive screens since books were no longer legal (1953). Andrew “Ender” Wiggins spent much of his education in an immersive virtual learning environment, including hours of military simulations disguised as games (Card, 1985). In the far-flung space of the 24th century, crew members, students, and their families aboard the USS Enterprise NCC 1701-D join essentially any time or place and experience events directly in a fully immersive virtual environment through the ship’s Holodeck (Fontana & Roddenberry, Allen, 1987). The virtual learning world even attracts those beyond their schooling years who want to escape their ordinary lives, much like the earthly society depicted in “Ready Player One,” as millions live their lives inside the OASIS (Cline, 2015).

But here in the real world, the COVID-19 pandemic triggered a rapid and unprecedented expansion of virtual academies within public schools in the United States. This urgent shift to virtual learning responded to the imperative of continuing education while ensuring safety. The pandemic forced a sudden transition to online education in spring 2020, initially as an emergency measure (Black et al., 2021). This shift introduced many students and educators to virtual learning, previously available to a small percentage of the student population. Before the pandemic, only 3% of school districts in the United States operated virtual schools. This number grew ninefold by the 2021-2022 school year (Diliberti & Schwartz, 2021). While the COVID-19 pandemic brought about significant growth in virtual academy offerings, it also destabilized many of the foundations of public education, creating an urgent need for rethinking public schooling (Ladson-Billings, 2021).

Many school leaders agree that teaching students skills for repetition, recognition, memorization, or any skills related to collecting, storing, and retrieving information are in decline, giving rise to a set of contemporary skills that includes creativity, curiosity, critical thinking, collaboration, communication, growth mindset, global competence, and a host of other skills (Zhao & Watterston, 2021). These skills fall within the overarching concept of deeper learning, a set of competencies students must master to develop a keen understanding of academic content and apply their knowledge to the classroom and 21st-century job problems (William & Flora Hewlett Foundation, 2013). The science of how children learn, grow, and master complex skills has made significant strides in recent years, supporting the ideals of deeper learning. One of the critical components of the science of learning and development is creating learning environments filled with safety and belonging (Learning Policy Institute, n.d.), whether the environment be in-person or virtual. This knowledge is essential for the education of all children, but it has particular strength in achieving educational equity in areas where we have previously fallen short.

References

Asimov, I. (1974). The best of Isaac Asimov (1. ed). Doubleday & Company.

Black, E., Ferdig, R., & Thompson, L. A. (2021). K-12 virtual schooling, COVID-19, and student success. JAMA Pediatrics, 175(2), 119. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2020.3800

Bradbury, R. (1953). Fahrenheit 451. Ballantine Books.

Buesch, K. (2020, October 6). New exhibit: 1920s distance learning. Clarke Historical Museum. http://www.clarkemuseum.org/12/post/2020/10/new-exhibit-1920s-distance-learning.html

Card, O. S. (1985). Ender’s game. Tor Books.

Cline, E. (2015). Ready player one (First mass market edition). BDWY Broadway Books.

Diliberti, M., & Schwartz, H. L. (2021). The rise of virtual schools: Selected findings from the third American school district panel survey. RAND Corporation. https://doi.org/10.7249/RRA956-5

Fontana, D. C., & Roddenberry, G. (Writers), & Allen, C. (Director). (1987, September 28). Star Trek: The Next Generation [Broadcast]. In Encounter at Farpoint. Syndicated.

Ladson-Billings, G. (2021). I’m here for the hard re-set: Post-pandemic pedagogy to preserve our culture. Equity & Excellence in Education, 54(1), 68–78. https://doi.org/10.1080/10665684.2020.1863883

Learning Policy Institute. (n.d.). Science of learning and development. Learning Policy Institute. Retrieved March 13, 2024, from https://learningpolicyinstitute.org/topic/science-learning-and-development

Nagy, G. (2020, March 26). The idea of immediate learning in an age of necessitated distance education. Classical Inquiries. https://classical-inquiries.chs.harvard.edu/the-idea-of-immediate-learning-in-an-age-of-necessitated-distance-education/

Tulane University. (n.d.). The evolution of distance learning. Retrieved September 20, 2024, from https://sopa.tulane.edu/blog/evolution-distance-learning

University of Iowa. (2022). Milestones in University of Iowa history. https://175.uiowa.edu/milestones-university-iowa-history

William & Flora Hewlett Foundation. (2013, April 23). Deeper learning defined. https://hewlett.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Deeper_Learning_Defined__April_2013.pdf

Zhao, Y., & Watterston, J. (2021). The changes we need: Education post-COVID-19. Journal of Educational Change, 22(1), 3–12. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10833-021-09417-3

Empowering Students, Relieving Teacher Burnout

From a practical perspective, you are doing all the work, delivering whole-class instruction to learners—instruction that you are staying up until 2:00 a.m. to design. As a result, students come to believe it is your job to do all of the work. You are exhausted, and students are disengaged or excluded. That is a bad deal all around.

In education, we often find ourselves trapped in a cycle where teachers shoulder the bulk of the responsibility, crafting lessons late into the night and delivering instruction to a room full of passive learners. The quote above from “The Shift to Student-Led” by Catlin Tucker and Katie Novak captures this predicament perfectly:

From a practical perspective, you are doing all the work, delivering whole-class instruction to learners—instruction that you are staying up until 2:00 a.m. to design. As a result, students come to believe it is your job to do all of the work. You are exhausted, and students are disengaged or excluded. That is a bad deal all around.

This dynamic leads to teacher burnout and deprives students of the opportunity to take ownership of their learning. When teachers do all the work, students become passive recipients of knowledge, disengaged from the learning process. This traditional model of education is unsustainable for teachers and ineffective in fostering deeper learning and student agency.

The science of learning and development emphasizes the importance of creating environments where students are active participants in their learning journey. By shifting to a student-led approach, we empower students to take charge of their learning, make decisions, and engage in meaningful, authentic tasks. This increases their motivation and investment in the learning process and helps them develop critical skills such as problem-solving, collaboration, and self-regulation.

From a practical standpoint, this shift can significantly reduce the burden on teachers. Instead of spending hours designing one-size-fits-all lessons, teachers can focus on guiding and supporting students as they explore, inquire, and create. This approach fosters a more dynamic and interactive classroom environment where students are at the center of their learning experience.

The transition to student-led learning is not without its challenges, but the benefits far outweigh the effort required to make this shift. Teachers can reclaim their time and energy while students develop the skills and mindset needed to succeed in an ever-changing world. It’s a win-win situation that promises to transform education for the better.

A Study In…

Diving into more authentic learning topics, I’ll share some insights from Jay McTighe’s book “Teaching for Deeper Learning” which has some great ideas for making learning more meaningful.

One of the first concepts McTighe discusses is framing learning around big ideas. Curriculum experts advise prioritizing a smaller number of conceptually larger, transferable ideas because there is too much information to cover everything (which is why essential standards are important), and trying to do so results in superficial learning. Focusing on larger ideas enhances knowledge retention and application, which is crucial in our rapidly changing world.

One way to reimagine how we plan units is to think of them as “A Study In…” some concept or big idea. McTighe gives these examples:

Argument Writing: A Study in Craftsmanship
Impressionism: A Study in Revolution
The Four Seasons: A Study in Change
The Pentagon Papers: A Study in Deception
Four Films by Hitchcock: A Study in Obsession
Weight Training: A Study in Proper Technique
Whole Numbers: A Study in Rules and Relationships

This is a very different way of thinking about unit planning, and it would be a great conversation for teachers, coaches, and principals as we begin another school year.

The Importance of a Graduate Profile

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Graduate Profile. Portrait of a Graduate. Portrait of a Learner. Three different names for the same thing.

A Graduate Profile is a set of competencies that define the “enduring skills” schools want their students to have when they graduate.

Why is it important to have a graduate profile?

Battelle for Kids, a thought leader in the Portrait of a Graduate space, released a report this year called “The Future of the Portrait of a Graduate” and shared this reminder:

I’ve often heard the Portrait of a Graduate or Graduate Profile referred to as the “north star” for our work, which is appropriate. Everything we do should align with our Graduate Profile as we prepare students for a future we can’t predict, but we can give them the skills for success.

Focusing on those enduring skills prepares our students for those changes we can’t see. Remember when no one knew about generative AI tools like ChatGPT? And now people are using those tools with great success!

“I say this often in regard to generative AI, but it’s worth repeating: Prior to the arrival of ChatGPT in November 2022, very few people had any hands-on experience in interacting with and using large language models. The people who are using them productively today are not trained in the specifics of generative AI but in ways of thinking that allow one to make use of the tool as an aid to the human work, rather than outsourcing our thinking to something that does not actually think or reason.” – John Warner, Inside HigherED

Always look to the future. As Wizard’s Seventh Rule tells us, “Life is the future, not the past.”

No More Warehouse Institutions

When will we finally stop sending our kids to huge buildings managed by bureaucracies that are more concerned with making sure everyone changes class on time than they are with making sure that everyone is prepared to participate in our society?

From Redesigning High Schools: 10 Features for Success

Moving from “doing school” to “learning”

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I love learning—I really do. But my dreadful experience with “school” still influences much of my work in education.

I hated “school.” It was pointless for me, as it is for so many other students.

From John Warner:

One of the distinctions I often draw in thinking about engagement and education is that there is a difference between “learning” and “doing school.”

Learning is, you know, learning. Doing school is engaging in the behaviors that result in satisfying the demands of a system built around proficiencies as determined by assessing the end products of a process. You can successfully do school without learning much of anything. At least that was my experience through many periods of my own schooling.

My belief is that organizing schooling around doing school is part, a big part, of the current problem of student disengagement. When classwork is purely an instrument for getting a grade and moving on to the next check box, learning becomes incidental. It may happen, but it doesn’t have to happen.

Warner interviews Susan Blum, author of I Love Learning; I Hate School and Ungrading: Why Rating Students Undermines Learning (and What to Do Instead), on her new book Schoolishness: Alienated Education and the Quest for Authentic, Joyful Learning

JW: One of my personal obsessions is thinking about the difference between “learning” and “doing school” where doing school is essentially just a series of behaviors designed to achieve the desired grade with the minimal necessary effort. This seems counterproductive on its face, but you say it’s even deeper than that.

SB: Given how much time, energy, and money nearly everyone in our world spends in school, this “doing school,” as Denise Pope called it, is tragic. Students have learned to imitate learning; to provide a performance, a facsimile of whatever each teacher demands as evidence of learning. So much of what we do in schools doesn’t work, whether by “work” we mean learn or thrive or prepare for a competent, meaningful life beyond school. The central organizing concept for me was a contrast between alienation, brought about by numerous sorts of disconnections, such as doing things only because of coercion, and authenticity, which is connection, meaning, genuineness, and even use.

Read the full interview here

The End of the Experiment

Greetings Starfighters,

It’s mid-July, and the sun is beating down on my old Kentucky home with an intensity that I don’t have the words to describe. The new school year is coming, and already, the calendar fills with meetings, conferences, and all the usual trappings.

The past weekend provided what may prove to be the turning point in the 2024 US presidential election.

I still don’t know how to describe my religious upbringing. While I’m not sure it was a full-blown cult, it certainly echoed many of the telltale signs of Christian cults. And those groups have only grown in size and number in the past twenty years, especially since a black man was elected president.

I am disturbed by the growing number of people who are assigning former President Trump almost godlike status, emphasizing that he is untouchable and ordained to lead.

It sounds an awful lot like what good Christians are supposed to be on watch for to know the arrival of the Antichrist, if you believe such things.

All I know is that, after this weekend’s assassination attempt, I’m inclined to agree with John Naughton’s assessment that the American experiment with democracy is ending.

A dark cloud hangs over this country, and my mind turns to my daughter and all the students I serve. What will happen next, and how will it affect their future?

Quote of the Day

“But most of the terrible things that happen in this land don’t happen because of evil men, not really. They happen because of people who just don’t know any better.” (Sebastien de Castell, Traitor’s Blade)

Musical Interlude

This summer’s Dave Matthews Band tour has seen the resurrection of several older songs from the band’s catalog. One of those making regular appearances is one of my favorites, The Last Stop.

Here’s a live version from this past May:

Long Read of the Day

Last week at a conference, an interesting session asked two teachers to dribble a basketball for 30 seconds without stopping. When they failed, the only feedback given was “try harder.”

How many times have we heard that? How many times have we been the ones telling students that? Does it really work? Can’t they just be more resilient and try harder?

They can, but trying harder doesn’t always accomplish the goal, and, more often than not, it just frustrates you. Resiliency isn’t always what it’s cracked up to be. Soraya Chemaly talks more about The Resilience Myth…

Over years I had really absorbed the idea that resilience was 9/10th the ability to persevere, be gritty, try to stay optimistic, etc. and 1/10th having a supportive social circle. When my family was thrown into the deep end of a crisis, it became clear that nothing I could do as an individual could compare to what we all needed, which was a combination of love, friendship, compassionate listeners, and actual material resources, such as access to good health care and medicine.

Video of the Day

Can AI create a documentary film? Maybe…

Artistic legend Brian Eno is featured in a unique documentary that changes every time it’s watched. The film uses special software to create countless versions of Eno’s story, a story that the producers are constantly adding more content to. I’m sure it’s a trip, as most anything associated with Eno always has been. But, the ideas behind the film’s creation echo much of Eno’s own ideas about the constantly changing nature of the world around us.

Final Thoughts

Maybe we should rethink our facts of life…

Transforming Schools with Cutting-Edge Systems Thinking: Unlocking the Secrets of New Science in Education

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Are you curious about how modern science can revolutionize education? Let’s explore the world of systems thinking and see how it can transform schools into thriving, dynamic ecosystems.

Finding Order in Chaos

Where can we find order in the chaos of school life? It’s not about rigid rules but about the natural patterns that emerge from interactions among teachers, students, administrators, and parents. We can create a more harmonious and effective educational environment by fostering these natural connections.

How Do Complex Systems Change?

Change in education isn’t just about big reforms. It’s the small, strategic tweaks that can lead to significant transformations. Think of it like a ripple effect – introducing a new teaching method or technology can change classroom dynamics, boost teacher collaboration, and increase student engagement. Recognizing these interconnected changes helps manage and amplify their positive impacts.

Creating Flexible and Adaptive Structures

Rigid systems can’t keep up with the fast-paced world of education. We need flexible structures that can adapt to change. For example, a curriculum that allows teachers to tailor lessons to their students’ interests can make learning more engaging and effective. Similarly, professional development that encourages experimentation can foster a culture of innovation and continuous improvement.

Simplifying Without Losing Complexity

How do we simplify education without losing its richness? By focusing on core principles and values while allowing for diverse expressions of these principles. This could mean emphasizing foundational skills but giving teachers the freedom to choose how to teach them. Concentrate on essential outcomes and allow for creativity in achieving them.

Sale

Leadership and the New Science: Discovering Order in a Chaotic World

Wheatley, Margaret J. (Author)
English (Publication Language)
248 Pages – 09/03/2006 (Publication Date) – Berrett-Koehler Publishers (Publisher)

Balancing Autonomy and Accountability

How can we balance teachers’ need for autonomy with the school’s need for accountability? We can create a sense of ownership and satisfaction by involving teachers in goal-setting and decision-making. At the same time, clear goals and metrics ensure that the school remains focused on its mission. Collaborative goal-setting, transparent evaluations, and supportive leadership are key.

Embracing New Science in Education

The “new science”—insights from physics, biology, and chemistry—emphasizes holism and relationships over isolated parts. Schools should be seen as ecosystems where every role and interaction matters. This perspective encourages leaders to consider the broader impacts of their decisions and create environments that nurture positive relationships.

Imagine a school where teachers are not just cogs in a wheel but vital, dynamic components. Where students’ learning experiences are shaped by a web of influences – home life, peer interactions, and community resources. This holistic approach can lead to more comprehensive and effective educational strategies.

Conclusion

We can transform schools into adaptive, resilient, and thriving communities by applying systems thinking and insights from new science. This approach addresses the complexities of modern education and harnesses every individual’s potential to contribute to meaningful, sustained improvement. Embrace the interconnectedness of educational ecosystems and watch as natural order, constructive evolution, and balanced autonomy emerge, creating a better future for education.

Must-Read: Margaret Wheatley’s Leadership and the New Science

If you’re intrigued by the idea of using cutting-edge science to transform education, Margaret Wheatley’s Leadership and the New Science is a must-read. Wheatley explores how quantum physics, biology, and chaos theory principles can revolutionize our understanding of leadership and organizational dynamics. She shows how we can create flexible, adaptive, and thriving organizations by shifting from a mechanistic view to a holistic perspective. This book is packed with insights that will challenge your thinking and inspire innovative approaches to leading and learning. Dive into Wheatley’s groundbreaking work to unlock the secrets of new science and transform your educational organization.