06. Empowering Students With AI: Lessons From the Past, Opportunities for the Future with Jody Britten

Learning to Change

When Google first came on the scene, it forced teachers to change the way they taught learners and to ask “better questions”. The common adage was, if it could be Googled (by the student), it wasn’t a good question. Now, with the rise of AI tools, we are again forced to look at our teaching methods and how to better support learners. But the question can’t only focus on how AI can or should be used by teachers. The more impactful change is in how teachers can integrate and implement AI in a way that benefits the learners. This time, it’s about helping learners ask better questions. It’s a shift from a traditional form of education to a culture of agency and inquiry. To dive deep into this topic, I’ve asked Jody Britten to join me on the show. Jody Britten is the Director of Learning Technologies at the Team4Tech Foundation. She is a relentless advocate for leveraging technology to empower social change, a former teacher, professor, and consultant specializing in innovation, learning, and measuring impact. She is passionate about finding ways to optimize teams through data-informed decisions and evidence-based practices. Her work has been featured in USA Today, EdWeek, EdTech Magazine, and more. We’ll discuss data privacy, the labor of training large language models, and the biggest changes we expect to see when it comes to AI in education. LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE TO HEAR: Why we have to recognize that we’ve been using AI in education for longer than we think Key points to consider when evaluating a tool to use in your classroom The difference between open and closed model tools Why educators need to consider the possibilities of AI tools beyond fear of cheating How AI tools can support a culture of agency and inquiry Why we’re not yet at a tipping point with AI and ChatGPT Why youth need to be included in the conversation about using AI tools RESOURCES: Team4Tech Foundation ChatGPT Elicit Bard LEARN MORE ABOUT MELISSA EMLER AND MODERN LEARNERS: Modern Learners Modern Learners Community