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Eat your Veggies, Avoid Depression

Fascinating…

A high intake of both fruit and vegetables was associated with lower depressive symptoms over time compared to a low intake. A moderate intake of veggies, but not fruit, was also associated with lower depressive symptoms versus low intakes.

“The findings present another argument for increasing fruit and vegetable intake in adults over 45 years of age

Source

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The Power of the Pen #Handwriting #EduSky

One of my favorite quotes is, “What the hand does, the mind remembers." It’s a reminder that handwriting is such a powerful tool. I’m fascinated by it, because, for many years, I relied on typing to take notes. It feels like that Edward Hays story of a guy with a magic Folger’s coffee can. The guy was given the Folder’s coffee can and stuffed all of lives great experiences into it. He focused on capturing great life experiences and then putting them in the can for safekeeping.

It was only years later that he discovers his Folger’s coffee can has a hole in it. It wasn’t designed to house all his precious lifetime experiences. When he looked behind him, he saw a long pile of discarded experiences. He was dismayed. So, someone counseled him to hold up the can and peer through it, and savor the experience in the moment.

That’s a lot what using keyboards and technology to take notes, make sense of the world feels like. Nothing of what I typed stuck, but what I wrote, did.

Research on the Power of Handwriting for Learning

Consider this research:

When writing by hand, brain connectivity patterns were far more elaborate than when typewriting on a keyboard, as shown by widespread theta/alpha connectivity coherence patterns between network hubs and nodes in parietal and central brain regions. Existing literature indicates that connectivity patterns in these brain areas and at such frequencies are crucial for memory formation and for encoding new information and, therefore, are beneficial for learning.

Our findings suggest that the spatiotemporal pattern from visual and proprioceptive information obtained through the precisely controlled hand movements when using a pen, contribute extensively to the brain’s connectivity patterns that promote learning.

Wow. This next point is pretty profound:

We urge that children, from an early age, must be exposed to handwriting activities in school to establish the neuronal connectivity patterns that provide the brain with optimal conditions for learning. Although it is vital to maintain handwriting practice at school, it is also important to keep up with continuously developing technological advances. Therefore, both teachers and students should be aware of which practice has the best learning effect in what context, for example when taking lecture notes or when writing an essay.

The Power of the Pen

…brain research shows that it is not just any motor activity that facilitates learning, but that accurately coordinating the complex hand movements while carefully shaping each letter when using a pen, is crucial (Pei et al., 2021). Apparently, the pen causes different underlying neurological processes that provide the brain with optimal conditions for learning and remembering…. Handwriting requires fine motor control over the fingers, and it forces students to pay attention to what they are doing. Typing, on the other hand, requires mechanical and repetitive movements that trade awareness for speed. Our results reveal that whenever handwriting movements are included as a learning strategy, more of the brain gets stimulated, resulting in the formation of more complex neural network connectivity. It appears that the movements related to typewriting do not activate these connectivity networks the same way that handwriting does.

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The Scientific Consensus: Ed Tech, SAMR, etc

Fashion isn’t my thing. I wear similar outfits from day to day, often with boring uniformity. Has Ed Tech ever been any more than changing fashion?

In my ongoing exploration of whether Ed Tech has fallen out of favor (and if it has, what should we be spending our electrons on?), James Abela writes a response to my query. Before I share what he said, which included mention of the popular, unsubstantiated SAMR model, let me frame the conversation a bit.

Science means being able to change your mind in light of new evidence (Source: Scientific American, 08/20/24)

Ed Tech Misgivings

Like many other Ed Tech advocates (whose origins date back to Apple //e computers in Tom Snyder’s One Computer Classroom or Hypercard/HyperStudio) observing, the turn Ed Tech has taken in the last 20 years is concerning. That turn is a fresh wave of hype around AI.

The patterns are so easy to pick out, to compare to ed tech of yesteryear that many are wondering, “Deja vu. Why are we doing this again? Why are schools forced to spend money better spent on teaching, libraries, professional learning about proven high-effect size instructional strategies?” And, funny enough, this charge is being led by Ed Tech advocates who have recanted.

After seeing some key data at Lamont—data that had been presented at a meeting of the American Geophysical Union just that week—he went home and asked his wife to pour him a drink, saying, “The conclusions of my thesis are wrong.” (source)

Their concern has resulted in a series of less than flattering articles, research studies, and shoot from the hip takedowns (see list at end of blog entry). Add AI to the mix and you see a host of anti-AI educators saying, “No, enough is enough.”

Some, however, fail to come to the realization that appears in that Scientific American article I linked above. For others, it is economic. I ask you, “Should an ed tech advocate be one simply because his/her economic interests are tied to it?” It’s not a big surprise.

What are ed tech advocates and organizations to do now that ed tech has “failed” to improve student achievement in demonstrable, widely replicable ways that are much more expensive that traditional paper and pencil means?

Backlash?

Ouch. Is there a backlash against Ed Tech going on, a realization that the evidence for Ed Tech is light, while it has been shown to be less than effective? If that’s so, why such a big push for Ed Tech at big events? Love to hear your thoughts.

On Mastodon, bigTanuki sagely observes (you may not be able to see this comment due to Mastodon’s protections):

I am not sure you can remove Tech from Education any more than any of us can remove Tech from our lives at this point.

Instead, I would argue that what is called “EdTech” is a cover for corporate Tech, and that technology was always meant to be invasive and exploitive. So any push back at this point is a consequence of feeling over-exploited. The tech is not in fact failing.

It was just never really designed to augment education. It was always meant to increase profits at the expense of the users.

We know this is true. Every year, we see educators caught up in the Ed Tech frenzy with companies seeking to build an audience with free tools, then see the gradual shift to paid plans. In the end, you get what you pay for.

Dendari suggests that Ed Tech was all about connection:

when we started the #EdTech revolution it was all about connection and bringing in that which couldn’t be done without the tech. Processes like #SAMR were developed and learning theories like #connectivism were developed. Massive open online courses #MOOCc were started. (Not the MOOC popularized by Stanford)

EdTech now means instruction from the computer. Of course we’ve known this doesn’t work since Skinner Boxes. We keep going back there because it’s cheaper.

We might make the same observation about frameworks like Dr. Ruben Puentedura’s 2010 SAMR model. When it first came out, pushed by Apple as part of their initiatives, it was quite attractive. What made it attractive was its simplicity.

Simple Isn’t Always Evidence-Based

As attractive as SAMR is, it’s NOT evidence-based. It has a limited research base, and Puentedura’s doctorate isn’t in validating SAMR as a reliable tool to use in the classroom. I know what you’re going to say, because I’ve said it myself.

“SAMR is a great way to have a conversation about educational technology in the classroom,” it is often said. James Abela, in his BlueSky response to me, says:

While I agree with what he is saying, the appearance of SAMR highlights the issue with ed tech today. We continue to rely on tools that are NOT evidence-based.

In conclusion, while the SAMR model and similar frameworks are widely used and can be beneficial for guiding technology integration in K-12 education, the scientific consensus emphasizes the importance of applying these models flexibly and in conjunction with sound pedagogical practices.

Ongoing research continues to refine our understanding of how best to leverage technology for enhanced learning outcomes. (source)

I keep coming back to Dr. McIver’s words from her keynote, cited in this blog entry:

What we can build this way is a world where policy is evidence based. Where we make data informed decisions, while understanding that the data isn’t perfect. Where kids are empowered to learn all of the skills they need to solve problems in their own communities. Where technological solutions are rationally evaluated, rather than uncritically worshipped.

The critical thinking that Dr. McIver calls for in her keynote is tough, hard work for the human brain:

The findings clearly show that mental effort, especially in tasks that demand sustained attention and cognitive focus, is inherently aversive.

The meta-analysis reveals that people from different walks of life—from students to healthcare workers and military employees—report negative emotions when engaging in mentally demanding activities.

Whether solving complex problems, navigating virtual reality environments, or performing cognitive performance tasks, the more effort the task required, the more unpleasant it felt to participants.

It should come as no surprise that ed tech advocates today may be less than eager to critically evaluate, rather than worship, new ed tech solutions flooding schools and siphoning precious funding. Now, though, those who oppose ed tech aren’t crazy stick-in-the-muds stuck in a rut of yesteryear.

They are people who have the evidence and say, “Ed Tech has failed. The frameworks (e.g. SAMR) you use are bunk. Why do you persist in pushing Ed Tech as a tool to enhance student achievement when paper-n-pencil activities will do? Why use fancy, expensive technologies when the Jigsaw Method, Direct Instruction, note-taking with paper and pencil will ensure long-term information retention?”

Let’s focus on uses of technology in schools that focus on productivity, on collaboration, on decomposition rather than some razzle dazzle tool of apparent innovation, a dazzling sparkler to distract from the mundane, rewarding hard work of teaching, learning, and leading.

List of ProEducation, Less Ed Tech

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MyNotes: What is Stoicism? #Stoicism

An impulse purchase, I picked up a copy of Tanner Campbell’s and Kai Whiting’s book, What is Stoicism? A brief and accessible overview. I’ve read some of Ryan Holiday’s stuff, as well as various translations of Epictetus' work (not Discourses, though). Tanner was kind enough to respond to my BlueSky post, writing:

‪Tanner Campbell‬ ‪@tannerocampbell.bsky.social‬

Thanks Miguel! Hopefully the next 40 pages have you feeling the same! Thanks so much for supporting our work! #Stoicism

A Few Thoughts

Every time I read a Stoic philosopher, I can’t help but slap my forehead and exclaim, “D’oh! Why didn’t I read this sooner?” It is silly to keep doing that, but I can’t help but realize how much I accomplished without Stoic principles (which, by the way, appear everywhere but one may not see them since they are expressed in different ways or in support of other perspectives).

“Virtue is not just theoretical knowledge; it is also practical like both medical and musical knowledge” (-Musonius Rufus)

I have to focus on the positive, but darn, when people ask for life’s instruction manual, I have wanted to point to Epictetus' work. Now, though, I may just give them a copy of What is Stoicism?

Toxic Stoicism?

At least one of the authors of this book, What is Stoicism?, suggests that there is a different, perhaps toxic, version of Stoicism out there on social media. I’m glad that didn’t find its way into what I’ve read so far. But it’s not really a surprise that ideas get perverted, twisted over time. Everyone wants to make a buck.

Of course, I found the book itself is very clear, thoughtful, and the ideas flow logically from one to the next. Nothing toxic about it.

Quadrant Note-Taking

In my more academic blog, I write about quadrant note-taking and promise to take my approach to this book. The problem with quadrant note-taking that I found is that I don’t know what the organizing principles are for each quadrant. And, as a result, my notes ended up in quadrants but a jumbled mess. I suppose one of the benefits is trying to make sense of them all.

To do that, I have to ask, these questions:

  • What should the four quadrants be?
  • What information/ideas should go into each?

So, I admit that I cheated. I uploaded pictures of my handwritten notes into Perplexity, then asked it to organize my notes into quadrants. This is what it came up with.

Quadrant Notes on Pages 1-41 of What is Stoicism?

Key Terminology

  • Stoa Poikile: Painted Porch
  • Eudaimonia: Living a life worthy of being lived
  • Virtue: Perfect moral character (just, temperate, wise, courageous)
  • Vice: Immoral character (unjust, cowardly, lacking self-control)
  • Indifferent: Neither virtue nor vice
    • Preferred indifferents: Rationally beneficial to pursue
    • Dispreferred indifferents: Detrimental to pursue
  • Impressions: What we believe is happening or true
  • Eph' hemin: That which is up to us (Dichotomy of Control)

Foundational Principles

  • Stoics do not declare moral absolutes
  • Context matters in moral decisions
  • The only way to achieve eudaimonia is through living a life of virtue
  • What you do is a manifestation of who you are; you are either virtuous or not
  • Becoming a good (virtuous) person cannot be hindered by external circumstances

Core Concepts & Practices

  • Prosoche: Practice of paying attention to thoughts, actions, attitudes, impressions, assents, and desires
  • Prokoptontes: Stoics in training progressing toward virtue
  • Testing impressions is the philosopher’s first and most important task
  • Falsely assenting to information or opinions is problematic
  • Our virtue is a product of our choices, thoughts, and actions

Dichotomy of Control

  • Some things are within our power to choose, others are not
  • Within our control: thoughts, emotions, actions, attitudes
  • Outside our control: body, property, reputation, office
  • Learn to accept limits of control
  • By realizing limits of control, we can limit negative impacts

If I had to do this over again, which I guess I will with the next set of pages, I will probably organize them differently than four quadrants.

Quotes

Now what didn’t come across in Perplexity’s summation of my notes are the quotes in the book. That makes sense, but I like quotes, so I’m sharing them below:

Epictetus

“Some things are good, others bad, and others indifferent; that the virtues and what partakes in the virtues are good, while things of the opposite nature are bad, and that wealth, health, and reputation are indifferent.”

You know, I had never read about the distinction between Virtue, Vice, and preferred indifferents vs dispreferred indifferents. That was quite interesting and helpful.

“The most important task of a philosopher and his first task, is to test out impressions and distinguish between them, and not to accept any impression unless it has been duly tested.”

This was quite an important quote, I thought, about impressions, or as the authors put it, “An impression is what we believe is happening (or what we believe to be true). If we proceed to believe it as fact, we have “assented to an impression.” So one must be careful about assenting to an impression. I liked how the authors of another book series, Crucial Conversations, put this:

  • Something happens-> We tell ourselves a story about it -> We act on the story we told ourselves rather than what actually happened

As you can imagine, that approach is problematic. With little to no evidence, it’s easy to goof things up.

“Some things are within our power, while others are not. Within our power are opinion, motivation, desire, aversion, and in a word, whatever is of our own doing; not within our power are our body, our property, reputation, office, and in a word, whatever is not of our own doing.”

The authors make an important point about what is in one’s power and what is not. They suggest that one “learn to accept the limits of any control we have and decide what is appropriate (or not) given these limits. By realizing the limits of control, we can limit the degree to which we can be negatively impacted.” Whew, powerful stuff, right?

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Ed Tech Backlash #EduSky #edtech

Ouch. Is there a backlash against Ed Tech going on, a realization that the evidence for Ed Tech is light, while it has been shown to be less than effective? If that’s so, why such a big push for Ed Tech at big events? Love to hear your thoughts.

‘We’re drinking the Kool-Aid’: Teacher fights against edtech deluge in classrooms — EducationHQ

Despite the blossoming body of evidence suggesting technology in schools might actually hinder learning, Australian education has been fooled by the vacuous claims of tech companies and relinquished control of our classrooms to those who care only about lining their own pockets, one teacher has argued.

Have you heard this in the United States?

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From One Uncertainty to the Next

Over the last few weeks, I’ve been reflecting on the issue of AI. My problem is that my reflections occur at odd moments, like while I’m watching television or reading a book. Or working on a project. It takes forever for these drops of insight to accumulate into a pool. I don’t feel anything about AI. I’m not passionately supportive of it, or vehemently against it. I don’t even blame Big Tech for wanting to make money off of me (and I dutifully pay a monthly fee for Perplexity AI…it’s nothing to get the benefit of answers more accurate than Google).

Some people like it, some people do not. There are many valid reasons for not. But, since I must rely on AI in my daily work (you don’t believe me, I can tell), I am less surprised when AI makes a mistake or doesn’t quite deliver on the desired output.

I was delighted to read this talk by Dr. Linda McIver, From Hypnotized to Heretic: Immunising Society Against Misinformation.

Solution Shaped

I got a laugh out of this keynote speaker’s explanation of AI results. Having had many similar conversations with Claude AI myself, this was spot on regarding Claude’s apologies for not following directions:

It’s humanising, anthropomorphic language. I apologise. I appreciate your patience. I made careless errors. I failed to carefully double check MY work. I made an oversight. You are holding ME accountable. I will strive to be more diligent.

But despite the apology, let’s be clear. Claude was working exactly as intended. Because LLMs are not designed to produce facts, right answers, or anything at all accurate or reliable. They are designed to produce statements that are plausible. As Lilly Ryan puts it, their statements are not facts, they are Fact Shaped.

And I would go further. Their summaries are not summaries. They are summary shaped. Their solutions are not solutions. They are solution shaped.

As I read Dr. McIver’s words, they resonate. After all, it is for this reason that I dumped Claude AI (I did have a pro account for a while and even developed an online, self-paced course that no one has bought yet) after weeks of suffering it’s mistakes, lack of internet connectedness, and overtaxed servers that always seem to cut any detailed discussion short.

In Claude AI’s favor, it’s the best coder out of the AI chatbots. But it’s not a finisher…it starts things, but doesn’t finish them (runs out of juice about the time my tokens give out, right before I wish they would, like that game at the carnival).

That said, who doesn’t know someone who starts projects well, but then never finishes them? I have been blamed for that myself. Having Claude as my AI intern taught me how irritating I could be.

Three Legged Puffin?

One of the examples Dr. McIver gives is that of a 3-legged puffin:

It didn’t matter which system I tried. It could show me a puffin, but never a 3 legged one. I tried a range of prompts, starting with “3 legged puffin” and increasing in desperation through “3 legged puffin with 3 legs” to “3 legged puffin with 3 legs that actually has 3 legs” through to “3 legged puffin with 3 actual legs with the third leg on its stomach.”

But, as another stark reminder of the fact that these systems do not think, it had no way of producing a 3 legged puffin.

Try as I might, none of my prompts yielded a 3-legged puffin, either. Dr. McIver went on to explore MORE reasons why AI was a failure, a big hoax. Like a gullible crowd at the Carnival, we kept coming back to give our tokens to play rigged games.

How Could It Be Better?

Then, the conversation flips over to what we could do better, what we must do to avoid getting suckered. What is that? Critical thinking, critical evaluation of information, and asking tough questions to fuel our reasoning.

Dr. McIver points out that what she wants education systems to produce are:

  • Critical Thinkers
  • Creative Problem Solvers WHO CRITICALLY EVALUATE THEIR OWN SOLUTIONS
  • Challengers of the Status Quo – people who ask WHY
  • Evidence based policy makers

Her conclusion is:

What we can build this way is a world where policy is evidence based. Where we make data informed decisions, while understanding that the data isn’t perfect. Where kids are empowered to learn all of the skills they need to solve problems in their own communities. Where technological solutions are rationally evaluated, rather than uncritically worshipped.

In fact, that desire for evidence-based everything is what started me down my current path. But I keep reminding myself, all I’m doing is lowering the uncertainty, not getting more certainty, of a hypothesis until it becomes a theory I can mostly rely on. The only people who have certainty are those who walk by faith alone, but that’s only self-deception, isn’t it?

Moving from Uncertainty to Certainty

Reading Dr. McIver’s words, I can definitely support critical thinking and the importance of solving problems. I’m not so sure that you can be evidence-based and believe in anything for a certainty…you can accept the reality that everything is subject to change. Maybe more physics and philosophy should be in everyone’s curriculum.

In fact, what if we all embraced that and taught our kids that from the very beginning. The problem? I didn’t really critically evaluate my false gods until middle age. My kids were grown and indoctrinated already. My life had been lived pretty much, already.

The Truth isn’t the truth. I’d rather we had a lot more of the truth, but even that is tough to ascertain given what we are (human beings who interpret the world as we are, not as it is).

The Desire to Believe

Unfortunately, I’m not sure evidence-based approaches are in the cards. It comes back to what we are in the first place. Human beings who, as the speaker points out, want to believe. And, to reach critical mass of unbelievers, you have to overcome so many obstacles. Santa Claus. Jesus. Saints. Devils and demons. Fairy tales taught to us as gospel when children.

You know, if I had to go back and change one thing, I would have asked my parents (and myself as a parent) to not teach children fantasy/pretend as if it was the literal truth. But that happens every day, doesn’t it?

But, we have to try. Not trying isn’t an option. We have to send the message out that there are truths out there that are obscured by the Truth we are taught growing up by well-meaning family and friends who were indoctrinated, brainwashed the same as we were.

Skeptical Thinking

I really like Melanie Trecek-King’s ThinkingIsPower.com approach. From FLOATER to systematic disconfirmation, there’s a lot to learn and embrace.

The goal, maybe, is to lower the level of uncertainty about ideas, to bring order to the chaos of living. If I feel sad about the lack of certainty, it’s because I was taught there was certainty about things that aren’t so.

Now, I’m a little more skeptical. AI isn’t perfect. It’s a long way. It’s another resource I can use, that might twist in my hand and bite me (metaphorically speaking here), but that’s OK.

It may be that AI doesn’t work perfectly. That 3-legged puffins may never be a reality. But that’s OK. What AI is able to do is better than some interns I’ve worked with, and can save effort and time. It does it enough times that it’s close enough to the work of a human intern.

Anyways, check out Dr. McIver’s talk. Well worth the read.

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Federal Court Ruled Against Parents in #AI Case

Will this be celebrated by those who favor parents' running schools or not? You know, those parents running to take over school boards so they can push their beliefs and narrow (hey, it’s the narrow gate, no?) beliefs on their community’s children? Or will this be hailed as a victory by MAGA voters on behalf of AI?

I am really curious to find out how this is interpreted. Another way to view this development might be as a victory of sanity regarding AI. Simply because AI is in the mix doesn’t mean all the rules go out the window (at least, not right away).

A federal court yesterday ruled against parents who sued a Massachusetts school district for punishing their son who used an artificial intelligence tool to complete an assignment. Source: School did nothing wrong when it punished student for using AI, court rules - Ars Technica

What I also found curious was the list of action the teacher engaged in:

History teacher Susan Petrie “testified that the revision history showed that RNH had only spent approximately 52 minutes in the document, whereas other students spent between seven and nine hours. Ms. Petrie also ran the submission through ‘Draft Back’ and ‘Chat Zero,’ two additional AI detection tools, which also indicated that AI [Grammarly] had been used to generate the document,” the order said.

Tools like TurnItIn, Draft Back, Chat Zero are mentioned as well as detection tools. I’m not sure that Draft Back is an AI detection tool, more of a Google Docs add-on. Anyways, let’s see what happens.

AI Bullet Summary

A federal court ruled that a school did not violate a student’s rights by punishing them for using AI tools inappropriately. • The case involved a high school student who used ChatGPT to complete assignments. • The student was caught when their work was flagged by Turnitin, an AI detection tool used by the school. • The court found that the school’s academic integrity policy, which prohibits “using artificial intelligence … without explicit teacher permission,” was not unconstitutionally vague. • The ruling emphasized that schools have the right to enforce academic integrity policies, even when they involve new technologies like AI.

AI detection tools mentioned in the article:

•	Turnitin
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Indoctrinating Texas Children

Bradford Vivian writes on BlueSky:

Bible-based alternatives already exist throughout the nation—in private schools for that purpose. The issue here isn’t creating an alternative, or free speech, but using public funds to promote a favored religion in schools starting in kindergarten.

I couldn’t agree more. This goes against the Establishment clause of the Constitution. Learn more about this via this AI-generated summary.

The Washington Post reports the news:

The Texas state school board on Friday approved an optional elementary school curriculum that includes Bible-based lessons that critics have said inappropriately promote Christian beliefs in public classrooms.

In its final vote Friday, the board decided in an 8-7 vote to approve the curriculum. The materials were created this year by the Texas Education Agency after a new law required the department to make a statewide curriculum for school districts to use after approval from the education board.

You can access the Bluebonnet curriculum documents via the TEA Texas Gateway for Online Resources. This looks to be an online system for accessing curriculum under the control of the government. Will that threaten independent school districts? Who knows.

Critics of the curriculum argue it heavily favors Christianity over other faiths. Some have suggested the teachings violate the “establishment clause” of the First Amendment, which states, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion.” Notably, Texas has independent school districts, meaning each district decides what is taught in classrooms. Bluebonnet Learning materials will be part of a menu of curriculums available for school districts to use. (source.

Maybe Texas politicians are seeking some heavenly respite. It’s certainly hot as…well, you know.

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When Learning Matters, Don’t Use AI

“The essay is a method for thinking… AI can generate an essay in response to a prompt, but this does not mean that students should stop learning how to write essays for themselves. We do not assign essays so that there will be more student essays in the world. The point of the assignment is not the product, but the process.”

source via Brian Gettler

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#AI: Expertise Paradox #Edusky

Associate Professor Jonathan Boymal highlights a new study. Here is one excerpt that jumps out me:

  1. The Expertise Paradox: “The paradox of expertise is that while generative Al assists in executing tasks requiring lower-level thinking skills, this advantage paradoxically hinders a learner’s ability to develop higher-level thinking skills required for complex tasks. This happens because the use of generative Al by novices weakens their learning of foundational skills that are required for higher-level thinking”.

via a Boymal’s LinkedIn post ft. ** Exploring the Impact of ChatGPT on Business School Education: Prospects, Boundaries, and Paradoxes** by Sorin Valcea, Maria Riaz Hamdani, and Shuai Wang

3-2-1 (AI Generated)

Here’s a 3-2-1 summary focusing on the expertise paradox from the academic paper cited above.

3 Key Quotes

“The paradox of expertise is that while generative AI assists in executing tasks requiring lower-level thinking skills, this advantage paradoxically hinders a learner’s ability to develop higher-level thinking skills required for complex tasks”

“While experts can safely replace their efforts on lower-level tasks and refocus on more complex work, novices (i.e., learners) who do the same jeopardize their development, because those tasks often provide the conceptual and experiential basis for more advanced work”

“The easy availability of AI-generated answers for recall, comprehension, and application questions may reduce students' perceived need to acquire knowledge and promote overreliance on the AI tools”

2 Important Tips

For Students:

  • Avoid using AI to completely substitute effort on foundational learning tasks, as this can impair development of higher-level thinking skills

For Educators:

  • Focus on creating learning experiences that AI cannot replace, while ensuring students master fundamentals through hands-on practice

1 Critical Question

How can educational institutions balance the benefits of AI assistance with the need to ensure students develop genuine expertise and foundational knowledge?

∞

If Adam Picked the Apple Poem

I shared this poem with my daughter. I got a laugh and a moment of reflection…

Text in Image

Here’s the text from the image:

Title: “IF ADAM PICKED THE APPLE” Author: DANIELLE COFFYN (from North Meridian Review)

There would be a parade, a celebration, a holiday to commemorate the day he sought enlightenment. We would not speak of temptation by the devil, rather, we would laud Adam’s curiosity, his desire for adventure and knowing. We would feast on apple-inspired fare: tortes, chutneys, pancakes, pies. There would be plays and songs reenacting his courage.

But it was Eve who grew bored, weary of her captivity in Eden. And a woman’s desire for freedom is rarely a cause for celebration.

Nominated by North Meridian Review

Page number: 399

The image also shows this is a social media post stating that this poem won a Pushcart Prize alongside Diane Seuss and Joyce Carol Oats. The post has engagement metrics showing 1.4K likes, 122 replies, 120 reposts, and 91 shares.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

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The Games People Play

What Is the First Thing Remarkably Successful People Do? Figure Out Which Game They’re Actually Playing Then you can determine how to win the game you not only want to play, but need to play. (source](https://www.inc.com/jeff-haden/what-is-the-first-thing-remarkably-successful-people-do-figure-out-which-game-theyre-actually-playing/91018932)

I read the article from Jeff Haden and found it resonating. Then, I realized how often in life I had no idea what game I was supposed to be playing…so I didn’t.

But we are social creatures, and to survive, we must play some game get along or ahead.

Haden cites a philosopher, Kwame Anthony Appiah:

“In life the challenge is not so much to figure out how best to play the game; the challenge is to figure out what game you’re playing.”

Haden never reveals how to figure that out. Let’s take a stab at it…or let AI do the heavy lifting.

Games People Play and How To Win

Game Type Clever Name Rules to Win Additional Actions
Social Status King of the Hill - Always be seen and heard.
- Help others succeed to build alliances.
- Stay informed about group dynamics and gossip.		 - Volunteer for leadership roles.
- Dress and present yourself in a way that reflects your status.
Relationship Building The Trust Fall - Be authentic and vulnerable.
- Prioritize quality time over quantity.
- Communicate openly and honestly.		 - Regularly express appreciation for those you care about.
- Understand and respect boundaries and differences.
Resource Acquisition The Gold Rush - Identify and pursue valuable opportunities.
- Invest in yourself and your skills.
- Network to uncover hidden resources.		 - Maintain a financial plan and stick to it.
- Continuously educate yourself to increase your value.
Market Competition Game of Monopoly - Understand your competitors and their strategies.
- Differentiate your offerings effectively.
- Be adaptable to market changes.		 - Regularly analyze market trends and consumer behavior.
- Use innovation to stay ahead of competitors.
Skill Mastery The Mastery Quest - Set clear goals for your skill level.
- Practice consistently and seek feedback.
- Learn from masters in your field.		 - Break down your goals into manageable tasks.
- Integrate your learning with real-world applications.
Identity Formation The Shape Shifter - Reflect regularly on your values and beliefs.
- Embrace new experiences for growth.
- Be flexible in evolving your identity.		 - Seek feedback on your identity and behaviors.
- Engage in activities that challenge your current self-concept.
Political Influence The Chessmaster - Strategize carefully and think several steps ahead.
- Build coalitions and alliances.
- Know when to push and when to retreat.		 - Use diplomacy to navigate conflicts.
- Continuously assess the power dynamics around you.
Control and Autonomy The Freedom Fighter - Assert your boundaries confidently.
- Seek independence in your choices.
- Balance cooperation with self-interest.		 - Practice saying no without guilt.
- Establish and defend your personal space and time.
∞

A Principled Stand Against #AI #EduSky

As a whole, this piece (Refusing GenAI in Writing Studies) was unconvincing. I found it stuffy, ivory towerish, and yet…the longer I reflect on it, the more little pieces of it grow on me.

Critical Thinking

One example includes this quote from Vee, as cited:

“Large language models such as ChatGPT will produce good writing. They will not produce challenging, thoughtful, innovative humans, such as good writing instruction helps to nurture now”

This resonates since the more work the AI does for you, the less you do…and the dumber you may get. I wouldn’t want my brain to slip into disuse. But then, isn’t that the complaint when we outsource our thinking to others?

Impact on…

The impact of people’s technologies on the world is concerning. It is doubtful countries like America will care given their political proclivities and turning a blind eye to climate change catastrophes.

These impacts are not just plausible; they are documented, tangible, and real.

The problem is, humans are tool users. Will they give up tools that fascinate and empower them while at the same time threaten their very existence? I suspect the answer is a resounding “No!” In that way, our fascination will consume us, in spite of our metacognitive awareness.

Waiting?

As much as I admire the authors’ efforts, their erudite efforts to halt GenAI in writing studies, they may be doomed to failure.

Instead of centering a technology that is misaligned with so many of our disciplinary values, we can choose to opt out of active use of GenAI technologies until these products are better aligned with our values

The failure to recognize that avarice lies at the heart of humanity, superseding the nobler intentions the authors appeal to is concerning. Nothing is offered to offset human avarice except a weak, futile appeal.

Avarice is the word that describes our headlong dive into GenAI usage. Avarice describes behavior such as:

  • Corporate or institutional greed
  • Excessive materialism
  • Self-serving behavior at others’ expense

Rapacity, cupidity are other words that define humanity’s embrace of technologies that destroy our ecosystem while giving us illusory godlike powers.

Off to pop some popcorn. I am curious to see how this plays out in these areas. Given the politics of the masses, which I did not go along with, I am curious to see how humans collectively destroy themselves. I identify with the minority who oppose the rapine, felonious nature of GenAI companies engaged in profiting as they consume precious resources all have need of.

Parting Thoughts

It seems the way forward always lies between two extremes. On the one side, a precipitous cliff. On the other, a million horrors including rapacious creatures eager to consume one in blind hunger without hope of satisfaction.

Threading the needle, the narrow path, is suggested by ETHICAL analysis (see previous blog entries):

The most ethical path forward appears to be a thoughtful, measured approach that neither wholly embraces nor completely rejects GenAI, but rather focuses on maintaining core writing education values while preparing students for a changing technological landscape.

The how of that is best figured out immediately rather than engaging in delay. This piece outlines the pre-conversation that must happen, one of the documents that provides the background for a collective human version of retrieval augmented generation.

Alas, I am not convinced GenAI wouldn’t do the job faster than humans. But faster, better, isn’t the point of efforts like this, is it?

It is to rein in the human avarice that infects our every effort, an insatiable craving that puts us, not the path of reason…but in the pack of ravenous creatures never satisfied with enough.

∞

What Americans Wanted

Americans are getting what they want. Who am I to speak against the overwhelming majority?

The morning after the election, I went back to work. “Hard work keeps the wrinkles out of the mind and spirit,” says Helena Rubinstein. She makes sense in that quote.

Did I feel a passing sense of sadness about the confirmation that the majority of Americans are supporters of fascism, showing their true colors by voting for the candidate that incited the January 6th insurrection? Did it bother me that the majority of Americans voted for a convicted rapist and felon? Yes. Do I think that putting a fox in the henhouse is a problem? Or giving the bank thief the combination to the bank safe less than smart? Yes.

But it wasn’t long before I remembered Epictetus and Marcus Aurelius. Didn’t they suffer worse hardships? Sure they did.

  • “If a person gave away your body to some passerby, you’d be furious. Yet you hand over your mind to anyone who comes along, so they may abuse you, leaving it disturbed and troubled.” —EPICTETUS
  • Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for. — Epicurus
  • “He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.” -Epictetus
  • “You shouldn’t give circumstances the power to rouse anger, for they don’t care at all.” —MARCUS AURELIUS, MEDITATIONS, 7.38

What would I wish we had?

  • A President-elect who respected people, who could have obtained office without appealing to white supremacy and discrimination
  • A President-elect who would give women control over their own bodies, allowing them to work with medical doctors to decide what is the healthiest course of action in any given situation involving unborn children
  • A President-elect who had not embraced the ignorant, delusional, science denial (think RFK and vaccines)
  • A President-elect who respected the military and did not put over them a person who has no experience and whose competence is in question from the very beginning
  • A President-elect who would have supported Ukraine against a tyrant, in the same way other countries supported the USA during the American Revolution, when thirteen colonies revolted against a King across the waters

There are many more things I would wish for, but none of these have happened in spite of my feeble efforts (e.g. voting, speaking to neighbors). So, I do not get angry. I make plans.

Maybe it’s time to plan for Negative Visualization.

A Few Negative Visualization Steps

#1-Taking Stock

Start by taking stock of things that are valuable to you and note them down.

Spend 5–10 minutes working through one of the categories you previously noted.

Do the following:

1- How would you feel if that was taken away or no longer possible? 2- How would you minimize the impact of losing that? 3- Come up with a plan to prevent or recover from loss?

#2-Dichotomy of Control

Now that you’ve done that, group what you’re in control of and what you are not.

There are other steps to take but that’s not a bad start.

Perhaps, Amor Fati is the best approach. Look at the spectacle ongoing and say, “Good. I will rejoice in what I have, avoid worrying about things which are beyond my ability to control, and make the best of what is in my power. The rest? I will take it as it comes.”

Estoy Bien

Yes, I am well. ;-)

∞

Fear of Fascism

“Two major media companies, the Washington Post and the LA Times, made decisions to capitulate to the man they fear will be elected president before a single vote has been counted. They decided not to run editorials endorsing their preferred candidate for president, Kamala Harris, because the owners of the companies, Jeff Bezos and Patrick Soon-Shiong, are afraid if they anger Donald Trump, he will hit them where it hurts: In their pocketbooks.”

Via FactKeepers

Are you canceling your Amazon Prime subscription?

∞

A Mesh of Possibility

Where we were apart, we are now together, a dense mesh of possibility. -Stephen Downes

Love this quote! For me, it highlights the importance of reconciliation.

∞

How To Vote: An Instruction Generator for College Students

How To Vote: An Instruction Generator for College Students

This Ai-powered app draws a custom flowchart to help your students choose when and where to vote. Learn more about it via Jon Ippolito

Try it out - [**voting-flowchart.streamlit.app/**](https://voting-flowchart.streamlit.app/)

∞

A Hoard of Ideas

“Ideas that are hoarded help no one. Success follows generosity.” -James Clear, The 3-2-1 Newsletter and author of Atomic Habits

This is a wonderful quote from James Clear. I am often reminded of the times school districts and organizations decided, “No, we are not going to share anything our teachers create, or allow them to share, with anyone else.” For other organizations, the idea of locking up your content to prevent others from stealing it has been wrong-headed.

Too many great ideas in educational technology get lost, not because they weren’t wonderful, simply never given free air to breathe and wings to fly. I hope all of us make every effort to share our creations. Life is too short, and for the things we make, even shorter.

When I make something, I want others to remix it and then share it again. In this way, that work takes on a life of its own. As long as credit is given, why not make it freely available?

While training AI large language models has become controversial, the truth is, my objections don’t come from the unauthorized use…but rather, the unattributed use of my content.

∞

The Last Barf Bag: A Tribute to a Cultural Icon

Hi, I’m Peggy Reimers. I look forward to receiving the Staff Picks email from Vimeo.

In the latest email, one title really caught my attention: “The Last Barf Bag: A Tribute to a Cultural Icon.” This 13:38-minute video dives into the quirky world of barf bag collectors and their fight to save these items from extinction. As always, I am reading items from an educator lens. So I thought, teachers if you need a semi-gross or fun topic for a health class or Halloween —especially for middle school—this has you covered. Watch video | Take a Five Question Self-Grading Quiz in Google Forms

Euphemisms for Emesis Activity

Canva Activity Template

  1. In the space below, write down as many euphemisms for vomiting as you can think of. Be creative!
  2. Circle your top three favorite euphemisms from your list.
  3. For each of your top three choices, explain why you think people use this euphemism instead of the medical term “emesis.”

Extension Activities

  1. Choose one euphemism and draw a small illustration that represents its meaning.
  2. Research and write down one euphemism for vomiting from another language or culture.
  3. Create your own new, original euphemism for vomiting and explain its meaning.
  4. Finally, write a short paragraph (3-5 sentences) discussing why you think people use euphemisms for bodily functions like vomiting.

This activity combines creative thinking, cultural awareness, and reflection on language use, all while keeping the focus manageable for students

Design Challenge

Have students create a new digital design for an air sickness bag using the Canva Template or the Google Drawing Template included for the mock airline company: Cloud Nine Airlines.

Hold a Debate 

Organize a discussion on the ethics and environmental impact of single-use barf bags versus reusable options.

Science/Health Connection

Explore the physiology of motion sickness and vomiting, perhaps creating diagrams or models.

“The Last Barf Bag: A Tribute to a Cultural Icon” offers an engaging opportunity for educators to explore the quirky aspects of our culture through the lens of barf bag collectors. By incorporating creative activities and discussions into the classroom, we can encourage students to reflect on the language surrounding bodily functions, consider the environmental impact of single-use items, and understand the science of motion sickness. Feel free to modify any part to better fit your style!

Note: This is a guest blog post from Peggy Reimers. Peggy Reimers is a dynamic and innovative leader in education, serving as the Director of Professional Development for a non-profit education association in Austin, Texas. With a passion for integrating technology into learning, Peggy is a LEGO Education Ambassador and a Google Certified Trainer, leveraging her expertise to inspire educators worldwide.

Known for her creative approach to professional development, she empowers teachers to embrace new technologies and methodologies in the classroom. Peggy’s commitment to education is matched by her enthusiasm for making and creating, embodying the spirit of innovation and lifelong learning. Her mantra, “Love For All, Hatred For None,” reflects her inclusive and positive outlook on life and education

∞

ETHICAL: Test Quandary

Scenario

I was out today and got an email from my sub. I’ve never gotten a note like this and I don’t know how to handle it.

One student decided to use his phone while finishing his test today. Another decided he wasn’t even going to start the test because he didn’t study. The list goes on.

Students had yesterday and today to do it. It was due at the end of class today (with the exception of students with extended time), and several students didn’t finish. I will obviously be contacting home, but how would you finish testing? I’m going to pull the kids that get extended time during study hall, but I don’t even want to give the other students who were listed as issue the opportunity.

Long story short, I’m irritated.

Result

Let’s analyze this situation using the ETHICAL decision-making model:

Engage stakeholders: The key parties involved in this situation are:

  • The teacher (you)
  • The substitute teacher
  • The students who misbehaved or didn’t complete the test
  • Students with extended time accommodations
  • Parents/guardians of the students
  • School administration

Think emotionally and logically: Emotionally, you’re feeling irritated and frustrated by the students' behavior and lack of responsibility. This is understandable, as their actions show disrespect for the testing process and your authority as a teacher.

Logically, you need to consider:

  • The importance of maintaining academic integrity
  • Fairness to students who followed the rules and completed the test
  • The need to address behavioral issues
  • Potential reasons behind students' actions (e.g., lack of preparation, anxiety, or other underlying issues)

Harmonize perspectives: To integrate diverse viewpoints:

  • Consider the substitute teacher’s perspective and challenges in managing the class
  • Understand the students' motivations for their behavior
  • Take into account school policies on testing and disciplinary procedures
  • Consider the parents' expectations for their children’s education and behavior

Investigate options:

  1. Allow all students to finish the test during study hall
  2. Only allow students with extended time accommodations to finish
  3. Provide a make-up test opportunity with consequences (e.g., grade penalty)
  4. Give zeros to students who didn’t complete the test or violated rules
  5. Implement a combination of these options based on individual circumstances

Collaborate on recommendations: Based on the analysis, a recommended approach could be:

  1. Allow students with extended time accommodations to complete the test as planned
  2. Offer a make-up test opportunity for students who didn’t finish, with a grade penalty
  3. Give zeros to students who used their phones during the test
  4. Contact parents/guardians to inform them of the situation and consequences
  5. Schedule individual meetings with students who exhibited behavioral issues

Authorize decision: As the teacher, you have the primary authority to make decisions about your class. However, it’s advisable to consult with school administration to ensure your approach aligns with school policies and to gain support for your decisions.

Launch implementation: To execute this decision:

  1. Communicate the decision to all involved parties (students, parents, administration)
  2. Schedule and administer make-up tests
  3. Apply consequences consistently
  4. Document all incidents and actions taken
  5. Follow up with individual students to address behavioral issues
  6. Monitor future testing situations to prevent similar occurrences

In conclusion, the recommended course of action balances fairness, accountability, and the need to address behavioral issues while maintaining academic integrity. Potential obstacles include resistance from students or parents, time constraints for make-up testing, and the challenge of addressing underlying behavioral problems. Consistent communication and follow-through will be crucial for successful implementation.