Are Robots Winning? Managing Teacher Anxiety Over AI in Schools

"God, I hate AI." If that’s your first thought when you hear "ChatGPT” you are not alone. It’s like a drunk guy crashed a party, and no one knows how to get him to leave.

In this episode, I sit down with Jesse Dukes, producer of the magnificent podcast on AI in schools called The Homework Machine. We discuss the findings his podcast team lays out about the complicated ins and outs of a “drunk guy” (as I put it) who has “crashed the party” (as Jesse and The Homework Machine puts it). Jesse (not the drunk guy) is so articulate and so sensitive to the information his team’s research gathered and reported that listening to him talk is just plain enjoyable! Whether you care about AI in schools or not!

But you should care.

This is a super important and complicated issue. Please listen. It’s food for thought we really need to digest.

Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

We discuss:

The "drunk guy": Why AI feels so intrusive and chaotic right now.

More than tech: Unpacking the "disruptions" hitting schools (it's not just the bots).

The district response: The shocking reality of how school districts are (or aren't) handling the AI wave.

The kids are alright: How students are actually using and responding to AI, and why their perspective might just give you hope.

Feeling hopeless about the future? Jesse’s advice is simple: "If you want to feel hopeful, talk to a teenager." If you’re not an educator but if you’re a parent, a boss or just someone trying to keep up, this episode will give you a grounded perspective on navigating an increasingly artificial world.

External links

Rand report: “AI Use in Schools Is Quickly Increasing but Guidance Lags Behind”

Stanford article: “Cheating: The AI Elephant in the Classroom”

Teaching Systems Lab, MIT

Teach Lab podcast

The Homework Machine

Connect & Share

Got a story to share? What’s your experience with AI in the classroom? in your kids’ lives? in your own life? Add to the crucial conversation about the social and educational impacts of this insidious technology. Leave us a message about it. 413.239.4158. We’d love to play it on the air, confidentially if you prefer, so others can gain from your thoughts.

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Credits

Founder and Host: Betsy Burris

Co-Host: Joe Johnson

Producer: Jullian Androkae of PodVision

Audience Development: Andreea Coscai of PodVision

Music: Tom Burris/Jabbering Trout

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.teachingthroughemotions.com/subscribe