"Culpability" by Bruce Holsinger

I'm a reader, and I typically have one book on my Kindle, an audio book for when I'm in the car or doing chores, and sometimes even a real book to read by the pool or when tech reading devices won't suffice.

So, it's no surprise that I happened upon Bruce Holsinger’s Culpability. A 2025 release, this book is about what happens with the family who owns an AI-powered car that is involved in a crash. It is very current conceptually, and it easily drew me in from the AI/tech standpoint alone. The book had elements of artificial intelligence in many places (more than just this car), and it definitely aroused (purposely, for sure) the questions of ethics and responsibility. "Computational morality." Culpability... you could say.

Given the fact that the settings for the story are in and around the Chesapeake Bay and DC area, where I am from, there was an added pull to the book for me. A fairly quick read, it draws you in, in many ways. Elements that would have been seen as science-fiction a decade or two ago (ex: self driving cars, drones, heavy tech-saturation in everyday life), it feels a lot more like every day 2026. Especially when you are reading the book as someone who uses Gemini, ChatGPT, Perplexity, Copilot, Alexa, Siri, a Roomba, and so on.

The book gives you a lot to think about in this burgeoning world of tech innovation and AI. Especially when it comes to responsibility. Namely, who IS responsible and where exactly is that line? Not to mention, with some of these new systems, "smart devices," and "intelligent machines" out there, it somewhat begs the question of "how safe is safe enough?"

All of this makes it "not quite a beach read!" But a good read, indeed.

It left me thinking about AI policies (both for schools [given I'm a teacher] and for life, especially with our teens and preteens--but adults as well). It made me think about the iGeneration over the last 19 years with all of this tech at our disposal and what is it doing to our social side of life, our anxiety levels, our distractability, our cultural fiber. We are nearly at 2 decades of this human experiment since the iPhone's inception in 2007. I know my life is more distracted for sure! We all are enmeshed in this tech lifestyle, surrounded by these devices and systems, often putting the cart before the horse. Dependent on them yet not fully understanding the depth and breadth of how they fully impact us or how reliant we are on them. 

All of which, as with many things in life, showcases that life is not black or white... but the gray that lies between.

The last two years I've been teaching my 4th and 5th graders about machine learning and how it works. How it is reliant on the data sets that are used to train them, and how the way it works is solely dependent on the data that trains them. And there in lies the problem because we don't often have a full disclosure on what exactly the training sources are/were... and we don't know the level of bias that could be built in. 

Ethics and morality are a whole next-level conversation! My adult daughter has told me she's very glad she grew up and went to school in an era after AI. 

Culpability is a good read that definitely leaves you thinking a lot about the world in which we live. It left me thinking about the quote that often comes with AI these days: "Today's AI is the worst you will ever experience." Why? Because it is always growing, advancing, and improving--for better or for worse. AI certainly is faster and far more advanced now than the November 2022 release of ChatGPT. AI also is frequently now included and built into existing platforms (both in and out of education) and that inclusion has exploded. No one sees that stopping anytime soon. 

So....what are the governing policies going to be? What are the implications? The ramifications if anything goes wrong? Are we working with ethics, morality, and responsibility as we are building up and improving these systems (and inventing new ones). What is the culpability of all parties involved? All good questions to ask!

Images from https://www.amazon.com/Culpability-Novel-Bruce-Holsinger/dp/1954118961, https://itchronicles.com/artificial-intelligence/where-is-ai-used-today/, and https://techvidvan.com/tutorials/artificial-intelligence-applications/

Social Media's Big Tobacco Moment

I've seen "it" slated as "Social Media's 'Big Tobacco' Moment" in at least a half dozen locations.

What is the "it?" The "it" is the fact that social media court cases are starting to loudly prove that yes, social media is an addiction, and it can cause harm to kids. 

Two landmark trials have been in the news in the past six weeks. Earlier this year on March 24th Meta (parent company to Facebook) was ordered by a jury in New Mexico to pay $375 million due to violating state consumer protection laws, viewing both the Facebook and Instagram platforms to be "a breeding ground for predators." The very next day, March 25th, a lawsuit in California sided with a 20-year-old female who was suing Meta & Google (who owns YouTube), awarding her $6 million for causing years of mental health issues. The endless scrolling, algorithms, and purposeful addictive nature created by social media companies were ruled to be the blame for endangering children. And while tech companies are appealing these verdicts, multiple additional lawsuits are cropping up. The very loud message: tech companies knew the dangers in these devices, platforms, and programs... and sold them to our kids anyway.

So the table is turning when it comes to technology, apps, doomscrolling, and more. 

For those who don't get the "Big Tobacco Moment" reference, here's the backstory. Smoking, which long goes back in our historic timeline, really became glamorized throughout society from the 1920s to 1960s. Seemingly everyone smoked. Despite growing scientific studies over time that this is not a healthy habit, smoking had been pitched as "It's all on the person, and it is a personal choice." Awareness and science began leaning more heavily to "The product is the problem, and we need to pitch the product as such." Tobacco companies put a lot of money into advertising and debunking these claims. The tide slowly began turning in 1965 when a Congressional ruling stated that cigarette packages need mandatory warning labels. Then, TV and radio ads were banned in 1970. But despite all of this, smoking continued to be a large part of global culture, with people viewing it as "cool," relaxing, and socially acceptable, regardless of what science had to say. 

Things significantly began changing in 1994 when several cigarette company CEOs came before Congress to say that nicotine was not addictive nor dangerous to your health (despite scientific evidence proving otherwise). The downfalls continued to come with multiple lawsuits. In 1998 there was a Master Settlement Agreement for over $206 billion, covering 46 states and making it the largest settlement in US history. This loudly emphasized that yes, smoking causes serious health risks, diseases, and cancer. This led to a 2-3 decade decline in smoking, where now in 2025 less than 10% of American adults smoke. Clearly the pendulum has swung and a majority of Americans now outwardly see the perils of this habit.

Which now takes us back to "Social Media's Big Tobacco Moment." With the first iPhone coming out in 2007, we are now nearly 2 decades into this "social experiment" of allowing handheld mini-computers into our daily lives. Not just adults, but kids and teens too. Throw in iPads, tablets, and ready-to-use laptops at every age, where are we now? Many of us (grownups and kids alike) are completely sucked into our devices:

• autoplaying the next video,
• scrolling scrolling down the suggested path created by stronger and more stringent algorithms than even a decade ago,
• fearing the loss of our "streaks"which brings us repeatedly back every day,
• riding the comparison mentality, stuck in social media with FOMO (fear of missing out),
• neglecting those around us while being addicted to what our online friends have to say,

Then insert AI in here, which makes everything even more complicated, addicted, and fuzzy as to where the blended line separating reality and "fake news" actually exists. All of which leads to an overwhelming state of loneliness and disconnectedness despited the moniker of "social" media.

And none of these features came by accident. Designers and programmers built these devices to act exacty in this way: holding our focus, bringing money to the company through our hijacked attention, and profiting off our clicks. 

And I must admit: I fall just as victim to it as all the rest! I am no better than any of the rest of us. Despit my "tech teacher, book reading" self! It makes us feel weak for getting sucked into the vortex and having no self control. And I'm an adult. What about our kids and our teens and our young adults?

But maybe... just maybe... it's all in the addictive nature of the dopamine-hitting design versus our own willpower. Just like the addictive nature of tobacco. Souds like it's not a fair fight. How are we ever to win? Perhaps though more guardrails that tech companies clearly need to help protect us all, old and small.

What that means is that we all need to both become informed citizens, and then start behaving like them. Advocate for safer design and legislation--especially those that protect our kids. That might look like taking action, signing petitions, or voicing your concerns to your community.

Additionally, we the parents, educators, and consumers all need to step up and fight the addictive nature and parent both ourselves and our children. This can also do include:

• Turning off all non-essential notifications to help us become less connected to our devices.
• Eliminating "tech-grazing time" by building in more boundaries in our homes and schools. This could look like "no-phone-zones" or windows of time where we don't use tech. (For example: before bedtime, right when we get up, less multi-tasking on multiple devices).
• Removing the apps on our phones that suck us in the quickest: games, social media, and other ones that get our most addictive attention. We need to break our own bad habits.
• Carefully curating your feed. Make it a space of inspiration, not gloomy news or topics that lend toward depression or anxiety, pulling you deeper into doomscrolling.
• Building in time limits on your kids devices, and creating opportunities where you "tech together" then play or learn together in no-tech ways too. 

The pull is hard. But it's not just us. The game IS rigged. And now by way of social media's 'Big Tobacco Moment," courts, doctors, researchers, educators, parents, and even some platform designers are saying what maybe we have already felt for a long time: The problems isn't just us or our willpower. The product is flawed by designed to keep us stuck. 

So it's up to all citizens to keep up the noise, the lawsuits, the conversations, the advocating for better guardrails, and the protection of our kids. It's also our role as parents and educators to really speak about how these tools work our brains, hearts, and emotions. Tech is a tool... but it isn't our everything or even a fraction of what is important. People are. That is certainly worth fighting for.

Images from https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/march-30-social-medias-big-tobacco-moment-newslitproject-xf2ac/ and https://highschool.latimes.com/news/a-big-tobacco-moment-for-big-tech-the-cost-of-addictive-design/ and Time Magazine cover screenshot from https://onlineexhibits.library.yale.edu/s/sellingsmoke/page/big-tobacco--big-lawsuits and https://www.thetimes.com/business/companies-markets/article/social-media-addiction-lawsuit-tiktok-meta-mark-zuckerberg-5q2mbkmsn

Control Alt Achieve's Public NotebookLM with AI Policies, Guidelines and Frameworks

Eric Curts from Control Alt Achieve is one of my go-to edtech gurus. Not only is Control Alt Achieve an amazing resource for teachers, he was a dynamic speaker at FETC last year and one of my favorite follows. 

Eric had a recent post entitled Public NotebookLM with AI Policies, Guidelines, & Frameworks from January 20th, 2026. NotebookLM is an amazing tool for using AI to synthesize information. I learned about it last year at the 2025 FETC: The Future of Educational Technology Conference. It's known as a "thinking partner" where you are upload your own documents to use as your data set and you can interact directly with your own set of sources. You can learn more about NotebookLM here.

With his post, Eric included 40 resources (at this time of writing) in his AI Public NotebookLM. Additionaly, he has provided public access to that digital collection. Once inside this NotebookLM, you you can interview the resources through AI to answer specific AI-related edtech questions you may have based on your specific AI-centric goals or guidelines you'd like to create. He's included some of the Studio features of NotebookLM, including an informative podcast created to detail the givven information.

Be sure to click this link to get to his Public NotebookLM with AI Policies, Guidelines and Frameworks. Here you will get his details post that includes the link to get you to this robust resource. You can then ask your own questions and create your own tools to help create what you need for your own school or district. 

I know AI can still be so scary to people out there, but there are so many features about it that can really help you ramp up your productivity. Every teacher out there knows the saying "teach harder, not smarter." This is a classic example of using the tools that are there to help you level up and do just that, maximizing your time in the smartest way possible. Eric's post and public NotebookLM are great for doing just that!

Image from https://www.controlaltachieve.com/2026/01/notebooklm-ai-guidance.html

What Was Lost Is Now Found

If you read my last post, you saw reference to my title above. It falls in the category of "A funny thing happened on the way to writing my next GTG blog post."

You know that feeling of déjà vu you get when you've done something before, but you go back to where you did it and there is absolutely no sign you've done it? But you know you did itA You are absolutely, certainly, 100% positive. Maybe it's akin to trying to find a now-lost item, or it's you, retracing your steps in a not-so-successful way.

That was me this weekend. I came to write my next blog post and was like: "Wait a minute!?! It's gone?!? My last post is gone! I wrote it last weekend, it was here, and now it's gone." Serious disappearing act. It starts to give you a distinct "I'm losing my mind" sensation. I've not been getting a lot of sleep lately, but could I legitimately have been so brainfogged that I dreamed I wrote about SpoGomi? That's a random dream!!

I looked everywhere--drafts, trash, did I post it on another date, is it hiding in my website history? Nope! No where to be found. I have absolutely no clue what I did, but into thin air that post went. Brain cells, blood, sweat, tears--gone! Perhaps that's a smidge dramatic, but I did NOT want to reinvent the wheel and spend the time rewriting the whole thing. Anyone who grew up in the late 1980s & 1990s who has ever lost a paper due to lack of saving it (before the excellent era of auto-save we all live in now), knows of this excruciating pain.

So I did what is becoming the natural new step in this modern-day life--I took it to the wonderful world of AI and asked if it could help. 

My AI of choice in this scenario was Gemini--figuring I'd score the best there since GTG is housed on Blogger, a Google product. When in the Googlesphere, let's stay in the Googlesphere, I thought. 

Well, guess what?! Gemini saved the day! I can't tell you how relieved I was when (after a couple queries back and forth) it popped out this:

I appreciated the confirmation both mentally and emotionally from Gemini that my mind was indeed intact. *Insert BIG sigh of relief here.*

But it really leveled up to me the power of AI. This was an amazing use of it for me! Recently a person dear to me passed and their executor went to AI to compile a list of things an executor needs to do for a person and their accounts--presto, quicko: an 11-point checklist of solid points spit out. Another good friend ran a series of AI exchanges in the form of a mock interview to prepare for a job interview coming up. Brilliant! Sharpening and leveling up resumes? Another amazing use. I've personally planned trips, designed flavor-compatible dinner companion sides and deserts, and created classroom curriculum and interactive games....among other things, all using AI. The scope of it's productivity and assistance in taking us to the next level is endless.

One of the things I always tell my elementary students is that our role in lives--as students, as people, as citizens of the world--is to be problem solvers. So here is an amazing tool that took what was lost in cyberspace and now it is found. Thank you, AI. Thank you for helping me solve my problems! Thank you for opening my eye to how endless the scope truly is!

Image created on Canva.com and the other one a screenshot from my exchange with Gemini.google.com

Animal Habitats Matching Game

Canva is my go-to place for making all things beautiful: presentations, class signs, image creation, graphic organizers, and more. I've written about it time and again.

With the influx of AI and the integration of AI tools in so many educational platforms over the last two years, Canva has done a great job of keeping pace. They've added to their "magic tools" in many ways, and it has been fun exploring them--especially the Canva Code--to see what potential they have. It's been a good way to learn along the way how to make tools that could be useful in the classroom. (See these posts for other interactives I've created this summer using Canva Coding: Independence Day & The Declaration of Interdependence and Plastic Eating Microbes to the Rescue one.)

This Animal Habitats Matching game is my latest adventure. Geared to the 4th or 5th grade level, this game was created using their "Canva Coding" tool. It started with the prompt: "Design an interactive matching game for 4th or 5th graders about animal habitats, with images of animals and their natural environments. Provide immediate feedback for correct and incorrect answers." Of course, it took a lot of tweaking, at least 6 versions, and hundreds of line of code for this game to pop out. I'm pleased with the outcome! The beauty of this drag-and-drop game is that it does all of the following:

• teaches animal habitats in a hands-on, interactive fashion;
• provides instant feedback for both correct and incorrect answers--while also keeping score of correct matches and attempts;
• provides hints when needed and positive reinforcement for learning;
• saves teachers time in creation of materials.

Make sure to take time to play. To see a larger version for an easier play, click here.

Animal Habitats Matching Game Design by Vicki Dabrowka, using Canva.com's Canva Code element.

Image from https://www.geeky-gadgets.com/canva-create-2025-canva-code/

The Environmental Cost of AI

I have been embracing AI and trying out a multitude of platforms: ChatGPT, Microsoft CoPilot, Claude, Google Gemini, Canva's "Magic Media Tools," and more. Increasingly, AI is integrated into existing platforms for teachers, students, everyone. I've used it for planning a trip to Spain, for the scrapbook commentary of my pics from that trip, for recipes, for lesson planning, for photo creation, for revising & summarizing, and  on and on more. Additionally, I'm planning a one-day teacher professional development workshop for one day this summer--so I've been living in it a lot!

Along my research travels, I ran across this infographic from Educators Technology that Med Kharbach, PhD. It describes the environmental impacts of AI. With us all on our computers all the time, we don't think that one more website might have as big of an impact as it does. But clearly, as it shows below, it's not just the website. There's the energy consumptions, carbon footprint, mineral mining & resource depletion, multiple levels of pollution, and transporation costs. It's a lot to consider here while technology's innovation solves many of our problems, it also creates new ones too... all of which highlights the importance of addressing environmental issues and making it a planetary priority!

Images from https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1092111519614816&set=a.558590699633570

Favorite Finds From FETC 2025

A few posts ago I wrote about my fabulous experience in January at FETC. 

I have been sorting through all of the amazing resources and wanted to share a list of the 25 new favorite websites and online resources--dialing in more than just my favorite sessions, but more into some of the websites I've been diving into since being at home. (I'm sure it won't surprise you the high number of AI-oriented websites. It's everywhere, including built into many teacher/school-oriented websites!)

Items with 🌟 are my personal favorites, and where I'd start if you are just toe-dipping in or looking for just a few tools to try! I most certainly haven't had the opportunity to play with them all, but am looking forward to giving them a go! (Might be a summer project!)

These are the tools I went in knowing about and have had some experience with, so they certainly get honorable mention! I get that they may not be known to everyone, hence why I included this list here!

• 🌟 Canva EDU & the Magic Media tools that are embedded in--I've written about this many times. Start here to learn more. Polls & Quizzes are new and there's an endless amount of cool tools here.

• 🌟 Chat GPT--We've been hearing a lot about this one for the last 2 years. Here's my first post on that subject. 

• Microsoft CoPilot--Think ChatGPT but the Microsoft's version.

• Curipod--Generate lessons & presentations with this classroom tool for teachers

• Khanmigo--click here to read my whole blog post on that.

🌟 Google Notebook LM

• Upload your own documents (ex: standards, operating manuals, your own notes) or website addresses and then you can use it similar to ChatGPT to ask questions off this uploaded data set--your own self-created ChatGPT
• Creates organized note summaries and adds tags for referencing
• Can generate timelines of dates listed in
• The program creates a podcast of the research and questions to assist in your own learning, so your notes literally are talking to you.
• Integrates with Google Tools
• 18 and up in terms of service so this is more of a teacher tool, but one I'm clearly very excited about!

Google Learn About

• Still experimental through Google Labs
• Brings in sources from many and includes exploration links
• Great for ready to use supplemental teaching resources on different topics

Napkin.AI

• Helps you create simple images for presentations through a drag-and-drop interface
• Works as a visual thinking tool for connecting ideas and concepts.
• The beauty of this tool is its simplicity--both in use and the images it creates.

🌟 Quizzizz

• Similar to the gamification of Kahoot but with greater capability and instant feedback
• Make quiz on anything, including pictures or websites
• Integrates with Google Classroom and other learning management systems.
• Allows for teacher reports and analytics to track student performance.
• In the free version, you can create 20 games and then delete and create more--the paid version allows for the creation of more quizzes.

Brisk Teaching

• An AI-powered lesson planning tool that aligns to curricular standards.
• Built-in tools for assessment as well as strategies to differentiate lessons.
• Integrates with Google tools and YouTube.

Gamma AI

• AI presentation and storytelling tool where you can create slides/visuals based on your prompt.
• Includes interactive elements like polls and quizzes to add in.

Magic School AI

• Tools for creating classroom materials like lesson plans, worksheets, activities, and assessments.
• Allows for differentiation and has built in interventions for students who are struggling.
• Has an AI chat integrated to assist students and help answer their questions during assignments.

School AI

• Though the name is similar to the one above, this is more of an AI integration tool for the teachers, their administrative tasks, and tracking student performance. 
• Shows insights into learning gaps or trends from the collected data.
• Free for teachers, paid subscriptions for student use

Suno

• AI music creator tool for generating original songs, narrating lessons, creating voice overs, or adding audible content.
• Has a text-to-speech generator with customizable voice options, including adding in different languages 
• The audio files can be exported for use in lesson plans or presentations.

🌟 WeWillWrite.com

• This is a social & collaborative writing game/tool--kind of like Kahoot with its gamification, but it makes writing more social and engaging.
• Students login with class code that the teacher creates.
• Point out literary elements, grammar, style, and tone in student writing. 
• Energizes writing when you need a boost

Snorkl

• An AI tool for differentiation and intervention for struggling learners
• Teachers can customize learning paths for students by the questions they upload, then set the parameter as to what type of feedback students get. 
• Depending on settings teachers create, students can go back and correct their answers.

🌟 FigJam

• With Google Jamboard gone, this is the next iteration of endless real-time collaboration whiteboard canvas for classrooms.
• It has the online sticky notes that Jamboard had, but also diagrams, templates, and other brainstorming sketch tools.

🌟 Quick, Draw! With Google

• This is great for teaching "machine learning" (the basis of how AI data sets are created), so you could argue it could go in the AI section. However, it does kind of go deeper than that. 
• It's an AI-based doodling game, making it fun to see if Google can guess your drawing.
• Gives instant feedback on drawings 
• Great way to introduce AI concepts & encourage creativity.

Teachable Machine

• A good follow up to Quick, Draw! with Google for exploring machine learning.
• Shows users how to train machine learning models through a user-friendly interface without coding but through images, sounds, or personal poses.
• Allows for real-time training and testing of their models within the browser.
• For all you tech/engineering teachers out there--you can take it to the next tech level and add a computer science component by adding arduinos or Raspberry Pi controllers.

🌟 Code.org's Ocean AI

• Coding lessons combining AI, STEM, ocean preservation, and environmental education! Go green!
• Tutorials using drag-and-drop coding make it great for beginners to see real world problem solving.

🌟 Padlet 

• Padlet has been around for awhile as a way to create collaborative visual boards as a way to share ideas, videos, and links in real time.
• Variety of board formats to choose from: grid, timeline, map.
• It now has AI components built in that include building Padlets by prompt, "I Can't Draw" AI image generators, and multimedia generators based on text prompts to help build out what you want to create.
• The paid version gets you more features and the ability to create more boards.

🌟 Helperbird Google Chrome Extension

• Use this chrome extension accessibility tool to help support anyone with dyslexia, trouble focusing, or other learning challenges. 
• Adapt fonts for readability on websites. 
• Has text-to-speech tools, tools for summarizing text, and immersive reading mode
• There is a paid version, but the free version is incredibly robust for reading and writing support.

🌟 The Achievery

• Free digital learning platform created by AT&T for K-12 covering these subjects: math, digital literacy, English language arts, social emotional learning, technology and engineering, digital arts, and science.
• Features clips from popular WarnerMedia films and TV shows, pairing lessons with standard-aligned activities.
• There are some really great lessons tied to digital literacy, AI ethics, and more.

Elementari

• Like a "chose your own adventure" for coding with kids to connect creativity with digital storytelling.
• Templates for creating interactive digital stories along with student-friendly tools for adding illustrations, animations, and narration
• Library of pre-made stories for inspiration or direct use.
• Free and paid levels are both available.

Header images from my computer! Logos from each website.

Top 10 TED Talks from 2024

The age-old traditions in the days between Christmas and New Year's include both looking forward and looking backwards. Making New Year's resolutions for the year ahead. Doing a year-in-review for the year that just passed. In thinking along the lines of both of these this week, it's no surprise when I saw this graphic on the TED Facebook page for the most popular TED Talks of 2024. 

Looking at the list of subjects, it's no surprise these are the top TED Talks: the economy & financial future of Generation Z, AI, Israeli-Palestinian relations, climate change, life beyond our planet, US politics & journalism in an election year, and women in the world of work. All of these topics have made headlines this past year, and all most certainly fall into the 3 tenets of TED: "Technology, Entertainment, and Design," 

If you are looking for some ways to direct your 2024 reflection and broaden your horizon, this list may be just the place to start.

Image from https://www.facebook.com/TED/posts/pfbid0P6rGtxFUAC3RJmst2Fi72mRm2reZm1Fb6bNd866A9SDPFvvaoTbCEsMgxkbQKigBl

Brave New Words: Sal Khan's Take on AI

Like I mentioned a few posts back, I'm knee deep in books lately. Here's another one that really got my teacher brain thinking.

Salman Khan, creator of Khan Academy, released "Brave New Words: How AI Will Revolutionize Education (And Why That's a Good Thing)" at the start of this year. I really enjoyed this one as an audiobook given that it was read by author Sal Khan. In a lot of ways, it was like listening to him detail one of his Khan Academy videos.

I've read a number of books and articles on artificial intelligence as well as attended several webinars since the release of ChatGP--exactly 2 years ago on November 30th, 2022. Not to mention, I've used AI quite a bit and written about it a number of times (see here and here). Similarly, I love the "Magic Tools" of Canva. I've also played around a bit with Khanmigo, (which is free to teachers), and which Sal Khan discusses quite a bit in Brave New Words. The Khanmigo for Educators tutorial to learn how to maximize Khanmigo as a digital teacher assistant is excellent.

It's no question that AI is here to stay, and I've heard it said that the AI of today is the slowest you will ever experience. Anyone who has used artificial intelligence in the last 2 years would probably NOT use the word "slow" to describe it.

In Brave New Words, Sal Khan continues the conversation that Richard Culotta had in his book Digital For Good: we can maximize technology in so many ways. Khan discusses the importance of using AI for personal learning that's available 24-7 for people. Through Khanmigo, the AI has been set up to ask questions along the way to build engagement and deepen the learning through the chat--where the chat asks questions as a way to have the user grow on their own knowledge. Yes, AI has limitations in that there are risk biases built into the data sets, and it can create over-reliance on a machine (which lacks emotional intelligence) versus human connection. Then there is the thought that many students have learned how to use it to shortcut their learning and thinking process because they essentially are using it to cheat. 

But Sal Khan's conversations in the book focuses on how to use AI as a tool. It is our role as educators to teach our students to use it in a way that can have real meaning. It can serve valuable purposes in automating repetitive tasks and upping one's productivity. AI can also be used to accelerate certain skills like brainstorming which in turn helps people deepen their own learning. In his book, Khan details several exchanges with AI in Khanmigo where the user can have interactive conversations when the AI assumes a role as a historic figure such as Harriet Tubman or Abraham Lincoln, or literary character Jay Gatsby. The AI is programmed to continually remind the user that it is, in fact, generative AI. Yet it also creates a power of engagement and enhancement for the learner. His book is excellent for leading teachers to think about ways to innovate in the classroom and re-think education and our role in it.

Check out Sal Khan's article "What Khan Academy’s Founder Thinks About AI in Education" in Next Big Ideas Club to learn more about his book. 

Or, see what Bill Gates has to say in his article "Sal Khan is Pioneering Innovation in Education…Again: 'Brave New Words' Paints an Inspiring Picture of AI in the Classroom" in Gates Notes. 

Or watch his 15 minute TED Talk here.

Image from https://www.amazon.com/Brave-New-Words-Revolutionize-Education-ebook/dp/B0CFPJ2FB1/ref=sr_1_1?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.ZL4f2k-1SGJYHfHGBQCC8Z8ItW_iE0UX2NuoMU62WIp93s378Jxhu27cQz-gee1pFSsJj1FBeGR0EGCL4kTP2T1NSe1AYdmjVVl56QElfLtKzhDA1oBckIkp-Ls2HR8rtAaNtF6RhSo-XpLeoAR_uWigEtWrlFeMbtNcPHfgGyVz2RdNF9WfOR2G_qQ6m1jxmMlN9u26iLxRT0wjwzo2nRAeJzNif3VFXTtlAWYo_mE.3jD5ENMNIk2ZMJMIE9D67H2fz8_z_x4Q4I_G0RnONxA&dib_tag=se&keywords=Salman+Khan&qid=1732370616&sr=8-1 and https://excelined.org/2023/09/20/sal-khan-returns-to-eie23-artificial-intelligence-the-future-of-education/video from https://youtu.be/hJP5GqnTrNo?si=VNecyD_CMwLq2NSF

"Digital For Good" When It Comes to Digital Decision Making

This year, I've been devouring books. Mostly on my Kindle app on my phone. (I know, it's crazy, my husband makes fun of me.) This year, though, I have also started consuming a lot of audiobooks--especially while I'm driving. Always one to soak up knowledge, I seemed to have replaced my podcast-listening during my car radio time the last 6 months or so with e-books.

Nonfiction books are good ones for me to listen to in the car. (That and mysteries, not sure why.) I think it's my podcast Pavlovian response: I'm in the car, I must be an info-junkie. Regardless, I happened on a really good one recently that ties into school, written by Richard Culotta--the CEO of ASCD* and ISTE.* His book: Digital for Good: Raising Kids Thriving in an Online World.

Digital For Good is indeed a good book, and it makes for excellent reading for all educators in today's world. Parents too. The title is spot on, and matches his theme about how we need to be using digital for good in today's world. I found the book also paralleled many of the concepts I teach at school through The Social Institute (a digital decision making curriculum platform created by Laura Tierney). The focus is on the positives, on making high character choices, and "the do's" versus "the don'ts" of digital citizenship. You can see the parallels in Digital for Good's 5 themes versus the 7 standards of "The Social Institute" in the images below. (Additionally, there's a lot of overlap between both of them with Google's Digital Citizenship Curriculum: "Be Internet Awesome.)

I found it interesting too, listening to many of Richard Culotta's points about digital democracy and the urgency toward building a civil digital world--especially so in the aftermath of the 2024 election. His emphasis on the importance of improving lives is striking: through digital government commitments in order to build a sustainable virtual world that is focused on humanity, democracy, and civility over profits from platforms and the spread of misinformation.

Looking at the publication date, I saw that Digital For Good came out July 21, 2021. This places us a year after the height of the pandemic, yet before former-president Donald Trump's Truth Social posted it's first post on February 16, 2022 and also before Twitter (now X) was acquired in October 2022 by Elon Musk.

It made me wonder "What would Richard Culotta Think About where we are today?" How would he write this book differently, addressing where we are, a mere 3 years later? 

Richard Culotta is still a strident defender of digital democracy for all here in 2024. In his current role as ASCD and ISTE CEO, he still emphasizes the importance of:

• Teaching self-control and accountability for balanced and healthy tech use;
• Building skills to identify the difference between true and misleading information;
• Being inclusive to all by way of respect, empathy, compassion, kindness, and equality in digital spaces;
• Using tech in a way that builds and enhances family, community, and relational connections;
• Operating with caution and privacy in mind to stay alert in order to keep ourselves and our information safe.

Just as with voting, it's up to us. We need to use our voice as educators, as parents, as citizens to speak up to create the world we want for ourselves and our children. Using our digital impact for good is a great place to start. So is reading this book!

*ASCD stands for Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development and ISTE for International Society for Technology in Education.

Image from https://www.amazon.com/Digital-Good-Raising-Thrive-Online-ebook/dp/B08CGWJZR1/ref=sr_1_1?crid=36BEXRZTWKTJA&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.sVoOtIHTD0AaXDP3n5DPr0xnZ-RQUA7v12PLJm93aynGjHj071QN20LucGBJIEps.c8k9IUzEyVM1ObefAnFKrH4YyDZngsUnR24hjA-KFnU&dib_tag=se&keywords=digital+for+good+richard+culatta&qid=1732293174&sprefix=digital+for+good%2Caps%2C117&sr=8-1, https://thesocialinstitute.com/blog/the-social-institute-launches-student-led-social-emotional-remote-program-to-address-challenges-facing-schools-and-students/, and 5 standards from the book created by me at canva.com using their Magic Media tools.

Happy Father's Day: June 16

I always like to pay tribute here at GTG to seasonal holidays--both traditional and environmental ones. Mother's and Father's Day in particular have been important ones to me and frequent past posts.

In fact, here are my 2 favorite Father's Day posts of all-time that I have written:

• The Hallmarks of a Good Father's Day (2016)
  
• When Father's Day, Civil War, & the Environment All Intersect (2021)
  

This year, I'm not going to lie: I was feeling a bit less inspired for creative genius. Maybe it's an end of the school year/brain-fry thing. Very possibly could be. Does it mean I love the Dads in my life any less. Not at all. But my juices weren't working to get it right and to say it with proper meaning.

So I decided to see what ChatGPT had to say by putting in the following prompt, purposely with the eco-twist and assigning a role for the AI generator to adopt.

Assume the role of an avid environmentalist. What are some thoughts or tie ins to Father's Day?

AI did not disappoint. Here is the verbatim response. Normally, I would not use AI in this way--as a direct quote. In fact, I really do not use it often. When I do use it, I use it as a springboard of inspiration. Then I "tweak the heck out of it" adding in my own thoughts and insights... definitely making it sound more like "me" as it has a blocky, formulaic sound to its writing

But I'm going be fully transparent here and simply quote ChatGPT's response & the 9 tenets it generated for my prompt. There are some solid succinct points here, and I'm going to let them stand, quoted directly as AI written. I'm not turning it in for a grade, nor am I turning it in as my own writing. I'm sharing it to present what it can do. 

Additionally, I used the texts per tenant to create AI generated art through Canva's "Magic Tools". 

In doing so, I hope it illustrates how AI can indeed be used for inspiration....and for wishing the Dads out there "Happy Father's Day." May your day be one of family, togetherness, and making memories!

* * *

As an avid environmentalist, Father's Day can be a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the importance of preserving the environment for future generations. 

Here are some thoughts and tie-ins:

1. Legacy of Nature
Father's Day is about celebrating the legacies our fathers and father figures leave behind. One of the greatest legacies we can pass on is a healthy and thriving planet. This day can be a reminder of our responsibility to protect natural resources, biodiversity, and ecosystems for our children and grandchildren.

2. Connecting Generations
Fathers often teach their children about the world around them, including nature. Father's Day can be a perfect time to share outdoor activities such as hiking, fishing, birdwatching, or gardening. These activities not only strengthen family bonds but also instill a love and respect for the environment in younger generations.

3. Sustainable Gifts
Choosing eco-friendly and sustainable gifts for Father's Day can promote environmental consciousness. Gifts like reusable water bottles, solar-powered gadgets, organic and locally sourced products, or even planting a tree together, can be meaningful and beneficial for the environment.

4. Educational Opportunities

Father's Day can be an opportunity to educate families about environmental issues. Fathers can share their knowledge about climate change, conservation, and sustainable living with their children, fostering a household culture that prioritizes environmental stewardship.

5. Green Traditions
Starting new family traditions that emphasize sustainability can make Father's Day even more special. Activities such as organizing a neighborhood clean-up, visiting a national park, or committing to reducing household waste are ways to honor fathers while contributing to environmental protection.

6. Advocacy and Action
Encouraging fathers to take an active role in environmental advocacy can amplify efforts to combat climate change and protect natural habitats. This can include participating in environmental campaigns, supporting green policies, or volunteering for conservation projects as a family.

7. Appreciation of Nature’s Beauty
Father's Day can be a day to appreciate the beauty of nature and the role it plays in our lives. Taking time to enjoy and respect the environment can be a powerful reminder of why it's crucial to protect it. Fathers can lead by example, showing their children the value of preserving our planet’s natural wonders.

8. Reflection on Future Generations
Father's Day is a time to think about the future we want for our children. Reflecting on how our current actions impact the environment can inspire us to make more sustainable choices. It’s about ensuring that future generations inherit a planet that is as vibrant and full of life as the one we enjoy today.

9. Encouraging Environmental Responsibility
Fathers have a unique role in teaching responsibility, including environmental responsibility. Using Father's Day as a platform to discuss and implement eco-friendly practices at home can create a lasting impact on children's attitudes towards the environment.

By integrating these thoughts and actions into Father's Day celebrations, we can honor our fathers and father figures while also committing to the protection and preservation of our planet for future generations.

As disclosed above, text from the ChatGPT prompt "Assume the role of an avid environmentalist. What are some thoughts or tie ins to Father's Day?" Images created using Canva's Magic Tools using the text above as prompts to generate the photos.

Things To Love This February: FETC Follow Up

I love me a good conference. I mean, only if it is a REALLY good conference. One filled with loads of workshops by engaging presenters, with ideas that you can put into place the very next day.

Two annual conferences fit that bill for me: MAEOE (my environmental Superbowl) and FETC (an edtech extravaganza). 

January 23-26, 2024 they held the 44th annual Future of Education Technology Conference (FETC) in Orlando, Florida. I've been twice (in 2017 and 2018) and each time, I soak up information like a sponge. 

It didn't work out for me to go this year, but I was thrilled when I got their email announcing their free February 14th's Best of FETC: Top Takeaways and Future Trends for 2024 webinar.  Moderated by Rita Ferrandino (FETC Founder), Jennifer Womble (FETC Conference Chair), and Micha Ward (FETC Education Reporter & District Administration).

If you are an edtech junkie, it's definitely worth a listen. On top of the synergetic experiences they all had, some of their big topics of conversation were:

• Certification & Badge programs
• eSports
• Robotics, coding, & drones
• Creativity as engagement
• All aspects of  artificial intelligence: upholding academic integrity, productivity helps to teacher, and AI-built into products as "magic"
• How tech can leverage people with disabilities with assistive technologies
• Cyber security and digital citizenship
• 3D printing
• Augmented and virtual reality.

One of their big thoughts included the optimism they are seeing in education. The tools that are out there are really giving teachers some of their time back--helping them to automate grading, co-creating lesson plans and streamline teachers work, and making teaching fun again. (Dan Fitzpatrick, author of The AI Classroom, was one of the keynote speakers.) 

Other places to go learn more about how FETC was this year:

• Hit up social media (especially X, formerly Twitter) and the hashtag #fetc.
• FETC blog posts:
• Your FETC 2024 Recap, Narrated by AI
• Anything from their FETC 2024 Category
• #FETC #NotAtFETC--A Padlet crowd-sourced with resources and FETC slide decks  

Additionally, FETC is planning monthly webinars will continue to follow their name, carrying the edtech conversation into the "future." You can click here to learn more about that and those future topics. 

The world of technology both in and out of the classroom is exciting right now. I expect there will be lots happening in the future! FETC will definitely have its finger on the pulse!

Image from https://www.techedmagazine.com/event/fetc-learning-experience/

The Magic of Canva When It Comes to Digital Design

Canva is one of my go-to design websites. It recently got even more fun with the addition of a lot of their "Magic" elements. They released their Magic Tools™ a few weeks ago. Just in time for a little magical wonderment for the Halloween season. Take a look at some of the AI generated awesomeness that it can do:

I ran across a post in the Facebook Canva Teachers Community and used a prompt created by teacher & "Canvassador" LaNedra Johnson that had darling pictures she created using the following prompt:

"Magic Media -> Text to Image -> Enter Prompt: Chibi (girl/boy), (color) hair, with glasses books, lap top, desk, professional, ultra realistic, Pixar style, 3d render, photo, anime, illustration"

So I tried my hand at it, as it certainly was an invitation to play. I tweaked the prompt somewhat and came up with the following:

I got 4 images upon my first prompt, and I could regenerate the images and tweak the text as many times as I liked. 

Of course, thinking about the Halloween & Thanksgiving seasons ahead, I had to get creative with that too.

I think we're about to have a lot of fun in my Digital Design class we have for upper elementary. 

(Note: At the start of the year, I did have the students and their parents fill out the Canva Consent form since they are under the age of 13.)

All photos created at canva.com, video from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVCRcNlY1yw

Contemplating the Complicated Emotions That Come With Back to School Season

Back to School season always hits me with such a myriad of emotions. 

I love teaching and I love my job (especially as it has evolved over the years). I adore my fellow colleagues and always learn so much from them and appreciate how teachers have a wonderfully wicked sense of humor. I thrive on those "ah-ha" moments that my students have when they learn something new or that connection finally clicks for them. I do a silent "yes" (arm & fist "yes" gesture included) when I see student struggle coalesce into confidence and complete understandings. In my role as Tech Specialist, I get the opportunity to experience that with my teachers learners too when they also acquire new tech skills I have taught them. I have a true love of learning, soaking up new trends and seeking to continually becoming wiser within my field.  

BUT...I love my summers!!! They are so hard to say goodbye to. Teachers are blessed with having this 6-12 week block off in the summer to relax, refresh, and rejuvenate between school years. Time to "BE"--off schedule, outside, at the pool, napping, reading, less stressed! In my 30+ years of teaching, I've seen the people who see "teacher summer" as decadent and perhaps like to laugh at the concept of "easy living." But then there are the people I know, love, and live with who see how vital that summer block is for decompressing, reflecting, and reinvigorating to prepare for all the demands that teachers face during the 9-10 month school year. Even moreso, here in the post-Covid world of 2020 and 2021, Many of us still are in recovery mode, warding of the PTSD of pandemic teaching, given the demands of that era of education seems to be the gifts that keep giving.

So now, here we are, at the front end of another school year. 

I have been experimenting a lot lately with ChatGPT. while playing around with it, I fed it the prompt "back to school season" and it spit out 5 paragraphs about what all that 4 word phrase entails. I then typed in the following prompt: 

"Using the information listed above, write a lighthearted, positive welcome back poem to teachers, elevating them for the school year ahead, and paying tribute to all of the things they do for their students and students' families all year long. Honor them as unsung heroes and wish them good tiding for a super year ahead. "

ChatGPT responded with a 7 stanza poem (in less than 60 seconds, of course), showcasing its power and prowess. As one should do when using generative artificial intelligence, I read through it, generated a few versions through the AI, merged a few, then made it my own by sprinkling in a bit of me. Full disclosure, it was a combined work, with ChatGPT getting a bulk of credit for it. (Demonstrating good practice, I've credited it below.). Here's the outcome:

Ode to Back-to-School Season & Our Teachers

Goodbye dear summer and our teacher delight,

The time has come for school to resume its flight.

Adventures lie ahead within classrooms we'll share,

With backpacks and supplies, all readily prepare.

Unsung champions, mentors so true,

Through challenges faced, teachers help us breakthrough.

From numbers and words, to wisdom's embrace, 

Teachers light every paths with knowledge and grace.

Teaching so much more than mere words on a page, 

Cultivating wisdom and hearts that engage,

Teachers do it with patience and care each day,

Providing students a chance to learn, laugh, and play.

So here's to you, Teachers, with hearts of gold, 

As the new school year's story starts to unfold. 

May your classrooms resound with joy and with cheer,

As we wish you super success for a very good year.

Just as each new year is unique and different, teachers need to embrace the changes and challenges that lie ahead. With the growing questions and curiosities and concerns and celebrations of AI, this quote spoke to me. I found in the public AI Classroom Facebook Group. The quote is by author Amanda Fox, coauthor of The AI Classroom: The Ultimate Guide to Artificial Intelligence in Education (and co-written by Dan Fitzpatrick and Brad Weinstein). I like the focus on collaboration and the importance of mixing human intelligence (HI) and artificial intelligence (AI) together to make something better than before. [Vicki Davis, known as "Cool Cat Teacher" and the creator of "The 10 Minute Teacher" podcast has written a lot about the combination of HI + AI.]

Teachers, may your upcoming school year greet you with good energy and adventure for what is ahead. May we all serve as inspiration to each other, lift each other up on the hard days, and make amazing memories during the year ahead.

Poem above modified and shortened from 3 generated poems by Chat GPT on August 19th, 2023 using the prompt listed above, quote image from https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=670851428412638&set=a.591901022974346&type=3; back to school image created at Canva.com and https://www.excitededucator.com/home/back-to-school-resources