Category: Learning

  • Al is making us stupid

    Research by Microsoft (pdf) shows tech industry users show a reduction in critical thinking as use of AI increases.

  • Attention Attention Attention

    Remember when it was Location, location, location? With the Attention Economy we are the ones getting mined (that’s a polite word for it), especially now, with social media up on the inauguration dias. I’m sure the tech bros and the president figure they can outwit each other, but us users are going to pay either way.

    Chris Hayes, legacy media (MSNBC) newscaster, has a new book out about attention. It’s on my list. Here is an interview at another legacy media outlet, the NYTimes.

    I am now basing my grades and interactions in my classes on what I call Attention Units; 20 minutes, a previously normal maximum for “attention span” measured for university lectures. This dates back about a decade when I was teaching with Howard Rheingold’s book in my Digital Media course at University of Tokyo.  Net Smart covers 5 parts of online digital life, the first being Attention. Then I jumped over most of that section, but gradually have come to realize it was the most important. Thus I have upgraded that into my learning and teaching.

  • Curipod beats Kahoot

    I just discovered Curipod, a lesson creator with AI feedback built in. It looks like a valuable tool more suited to language learners than Kahoot. I like the flexibility of customization while there is a good lot of lesson templates. For now, it looks like short writing sessions can set a scene for discussion.

    Oh, and most of the functions are available for free. Sadly, if you want feedback to student writing in a non-English language (something my students would actually read), you have to negotiate school or district pricing, which I have not looked into yet.

  • Good Question

    How can we harness AI for learning without it being a crutch, when kicked out, doesn’t leave us flat on the ground? I kept thinking about Khanmigo and how it never just gives the answer and makes the students go through the steps. Can we do that with language learning? The Unresolved Tension Between AI and Learning.

  • Dron on AI for Learning

    This interview of Jon Dron on using AI for education is not typical. His stance is clear. It makes sense. It doesn’t go overboard. He admits when he is not sure of something.

    He is against LMSs, even though he developed some big ones for the Canadian educational system.

    (Via Stephen Downes, of course)