Author Archive: Andrew Easton

Navigating the Present and Preparing for the Future of AI in Education

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Matt Miller joins The Good Life EDU Podcast this week to share his insights and learning from the development of his new book, AI for Educators. The episode advocates that listeners actively seek out conversations about the impact of artificial intelligence on education, as this is a topic that is rapidly evolving. Matt asks educators to see their work through the lens of what he calls their “tomorrow glasses” to acknowledge that our students will be learning and working in an AI-infused environment. So, naturally, this episode explores the implications of that reality.

For those interested in extending their learning and diving deeper into AI, check out these resources from Matt Miller…

  • Book: AI for Educators — A readable, understandable primer about AI and its implications for educators in classrooms and schools. It translates AI for teachers, so you’ll know how to prepare students for the future.
  • Online Course: AI for Educators — This deeper dive helps you tackle some of the bigger issues about AI alongside other educators taking the course. Join live streams to get details and discuss. Download bonus resources. Get 5 hours of professional development credit. Spring cohort: April 17 to May 12.

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The Journey to Inclusion: Equity for All Learners at Every Level

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This week, we are joined by Dr. Amy Rhone, NDE’s Administrator and State Director for the Office of Special Education, to chat about the department’s focus on inclusion practices and how that work aligns with the coherence efforts going on in our state. Dr. Rhone is an inspirational leader who has a big heart for the work that she and others have the opportunity to elevate throughout Nebraska, and that aspect of her character truly shines as she shares about the guidance, pilot groups, and other resources that have been developed to support implementation in Nebraska schools.

For more on NDE’s Journey to Inclusion effort, visit – Journey to Inclusion – Nebraska Department of Education.

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Nebraska’s New Data Literacy Standards for Mathematics

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This week on The Good Life EDU Podcast, we asked Shelby Aaberg (Scottsbluff HS), Heidi Rethmeier (ESU 8), and Trever Reeh (Westside HS) to join us for a conversation on Nebraska’s new data literacy standards in mathematics. The episode captures everything from the origin story of these standards to how math departments and math teachers might approach embedding them into current coursework. We were also grateful to learn more about the upcoming mathematics conference hosted by the Nebraska Association of Teachers of Mathematics (NATM) along with the myriad of other resources shared that are relevant to professionals in their work in this area.

Visit the NATM site for more info and to register for the conference at https://www.natmathematics.org/

Additional resources referenced in the episode include…

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AR/VR in EDU and Interacting with Generative AI in a Virtual Space

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This week on The Good Life EDU podcast, we are joined by Jaime Donally, an expert at the forefront of augmented and virtual reality in education. Every March, Jaime dedicates herself to blogging daily about the latest and greatest AR/VR tools as part of her #31DaysofARVRinEDU effort.

On the pod, she shares a number of the tools, sites, and software highlighted in those blog posts, paying special attention to the impact that generative AI is having on the tech available in that space. Near the end of the conversation, she also speaks to the heightened role digital citizenship plays in a world with AGI.

You can learn more about AR/VR from Jaime Donally’s blog.

During the episode, Jaime references training and guidance under the Digital Citizenship Institute by Dr. Marialice Curran.

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ChatGPT and the Future of Generative AI in Education

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This week we are joined by Dr. Helen Crompton who is an Associate Professor of Instructional Technology, the Director of the Virtual Reality Lab, and the Director of the Technology Enhanced Learning Lab (TELL) at Old Dominion University (ODU). Dr. Crompton is on Stanford’s list of the top 2% of scientists in the world, and she is a consultant for various governments and bilateral and multilateral organizations (such as the United Nations and the World Bank) on educational technology topics. She has been researching and leading work around artificial intelligence in education for over a decade, and we are grateful to have her back on the pod to talk ChatGPT and all things generative AI (AGI) in the present while also looking to the future of this rapidly evolving technology.

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An ESU Update on the State of Cybersecurity in Nebraska Education

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Bill Pulte of ESU #3 and Andy Boell of the NNNC join The Good Life EDU Podcast his week to provide an update on the present efforts to ensure that Nebraska schools, educators, and students are safe from cyber-attacks. This episode highlights the concern, the current collaborations taking place, and the proposed bills being discussed in the legislature to keep information and hardware safe.

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Talking Buff Magic, Ed Leadership, and Empowering Others with Brian Buffington

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This week, we are joined by Brian Buffington who serves as a tech integration specialist at Pioneer RECA in Cleveland, Georgia. This episode focuses on some of the fun stories and innovative practices that Brian has seen and led in his region in an effort to enhance his support of school leaders and teachers. This episode previews the message of an upcoming session that Brian will be leading for AESA’s Small Staff Community of Practice titled, Buff Nuggets for Leaders: Empowering Others.

For more on the AESA session, access the following link before March 23rd. 2023-24 Small Staff ESAs Community of Practice | AESA (growthzoneapp.com)

For more Buff Nuggets from Brian Buffington, access https://briankbuffington.com/

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Reliable and Free STEM Materials from uBEATS, The UNO & UNMC Building Excellence in Academics Through STEM Program

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On this week’s episode, Deanna Ingram and Zuzi Sulcova of uBEATS (from UNO and UNMC) join us to point educators and learners alike to the tremendous online materials available for free through the uBEATS program. Listeners will learn about the health science modules uBEATS has available for grades 6-12, and not only is the content vetted by university experts, but it is also aligned with national science standards AND is FERPA and COPPA compliant. Additionally, these on-demand, asynchronous materials come with their own teacher guide!

So the only thing left to do is listen to the pod and then access the uBEATS website at https://www.unmc.edu/ubeats

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How Canva Is Enhancing the Way Educators and Learners Create!

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Educators everywhere are turning to Canva as their one-stop-shop for creating any one of a number of things from presentation slides to infographics to video production, editing, and more. For this episode of The Good Life EDU, we are joined by Canva Learning Consultant, Tisha Richmond, who shares her wealth of knowledge on not only what Canva can do but also where those possibilities meet the teaching and learning going on in the classroom setting. And did we mention that – best of all – CANVA for EDUCATION is FREE!

For more on Canva for Education, visit https://www.canva.com/education/

For more from Tisha Richmond, check out her site https://www.tisharichmond.com/

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Nebraska Schools Paying Stipends to Student Teachers

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Dr. Dan Schnoes of ESU 3 is back again this week to share his insights on a topic that was recently on the front page of the Omaha World-Herald, paying student teachers for their time spent student teaching. Here’s the link to that OWH story.

On the pod, Dan provides the backstory of this effort, the details of its implementation, and the immediate impact it has already garnered in Nebraska. Our conversation also entertains some of the potential unintended consequences in the future while also noting just how imperative it is to be innovative in how we invite new and potential teachers into the workforce.

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