ChatEDU – The AI & Education Podcast

Matt Mervis and Dr. Elizabeth Radday

Welcome to ChatEDU – The AI & Education Podcast , your go-to podcast for insightful discussions on the intersection of AI and education! Hosted by Matt Mervis, Director of Skills21 and AI Strategy at EdAdvance, and Dr. Elizabeth Radday, Director of Research & Innovation, this podcast explores the dynamic landscape of education technology.

  1. 2D AGO

    A Good Week for Jevons Paradox | Ep. 110

    In this episode of ChatEDU, "A Good Week for Jevons Paradox," Matt and Liz kick it off with a dramatic reading of leaked text messages between Sam Altman and Mira Murati. The hosts discuss the high-stakes drama surrounding OpenAI, including Murati's testimony regarding Altman's honesty and the chaotic events leading up to his brief firing, which they jokingly refer to as "the blip." The Rundown Matt and Liz engage in a spirited discussion about the Brisk Chrome extension and its integration with Gemini, questioning if "wrapper" tools add true value for educators. An examination of how Arizona State University repurposed faculty lectures into "AI slop" snippets without professor consent, leading to a significant backlash. A look at the $17 million deal with OpenAI that is facing resistance from faculty and students who feel like "test rats" due to a lack of guidance. A study from Cornell and Carnegie Mellon reveals that while lower-income students use AI more for essays, they face higher rejection rates than wealthier peers. New research highlights a sixfold increase in fabricated academic citations in research papers, signaling a shift toward superficial AI box-checking in academia. Mike Dunn, principal at Granby High School, shares a cautionary tale of a "complexity ceiling" where Gemini hallucinated teacher data during a scheduling task. The Responsible Technology Youth Power Fund announces $1.9 million in grants to youth-led organizations focused on digital safety and AI ethics. A three-part look at digital bans, featuring Richard Culatta’s warning against banning edtech, Arana Shapiro’s critique of "chocolate-covered broccoli" learning, and a report on surging library checkouts in Dallas. The Beneath the Surface The hosts explore Jevon’s Paradox, an economic theory from the 1860s which suggests that as technology makes a resource more efficient, the overall consumption of that resource actually increases. They apply this theory to the "AI Jobpocalypse" predictions and conduct a thought experiment on how increased efficiency in education might lead to higher demands on teachers and students rather than less work. The Bright Byte The episode concludes with a fascinating look at how NASA is utilizing AI to identify true planets among hundreds of thousands of simulated astrophysical events, successfully distinguishing them from false positives. Announcements Purchase Learning They'll Love - Dr. Elizabeth Radday. Amazon - https://tinyurl.com/22t9hz77 Check out our middle / high school Student AI Literacy course - ​​⁠⁠⁠www.skills21.org/ai/learnai⁠⁠⁠  Explore Skills21’s FREE social media literacy curriculum - ⁠⁠⁠https://www.skills21.org/social-balance⁠⁠⁠ Address Screen Time concerns - ⁠skills21.org/ai/screenshift⁠  Sponsors Nectir. Welcome to the Classroom of the Future. https://www.nectir.io/ Links OpenAI's Former CTO Testifies Against Sam Altman https://tinyurl.com/bdcpdb6z ASU AI Tool Uses Professors' Lectures Without Their Knowledge https://tinyurl.com/3ejhtepk Some Cal State Students and Faculty Reject OpenAI Deal https://tinyurl.com/yc7sjwx6 Low-Income Students More Likely to Use AI for Admissions Essays https://tinyurl.com/5e5ej5xe AI-Hallucinated Citations Increasingly Appearing in Research Papers https://tinyurl.com/yc2auunh Responsible Technology Youth Power Fund Grants $1.9M to Third Cohort https://tinyurl.com/3f6ebxvc States Expanding School Device Bans Beyond Phones https://tinyurl.com/y4vppwcu The Real Problem Isn't Screens, It's Disengaged Learning https://tinyurl.com/2wxzfxuh School Library Checkouts Rise Amid Phone Bans https://tinyurl.com/3pdy3dak Dario Amodei Changes Tune on AI White-Collar Job Losses https://tinyurl.com/22c6wu78 Why the A.I. Job Apocalypse (Probably) Won’t Happen https://tinyurl.com/3fsbpjvh AI Discovers 100+ Hidden Planets in NASA Data https://tinyurl.com/yw8ac8bj

    1h 4m

  2. 3D AGO

    Assess Durable Skills With AI | Check-In 28

    In this ChatEDU Check-In: Measuring Durable Skills with Vantage, Matt explores the development of a controlled assessment environment designed to measure critical thinking and collaboration through AI simulations. This experimental platform places students into diverse missions, such as investigating advertising truth or planning environmental events, to turn abstract human skills into measurable data points. Key Takeaways: Vantage uses real-time conversations with AI teams to assess durable skills like creativity and problem solving within a simulated environment. The platform is designed to integrate into existing curricula for subjects like science and history, acting as a skills layer over traditional academic tasks. Research conducted with NYU suggests that AI-driven scoring for these complex tasks is now as accurate as human expert ratings. Matt’s Two Cents: The ability of large language models to create interactive, scalable assessment environments is a significant breakthrough for future readiness. Platforms like Vantage offer a glimpse into how schools can finally quantify essential human skills that were previously difficult to measure, mirroring the direction of international assessments like PISA. Article: Towards developing future-ready skills with generative A https://bit.ly/3R6IJbI

    3 min

  3. 5D AGO

    YouTube Unchained At School | Check-In 27

    In this ChatEDU Check-In: YouTube Unchained at School, Matt explores the pervasive and often problematic reliance on YouTube within K:12 classrooms. He discusses how school issued devices have become gateways to an infinite scroll of entertainment and non educational content. Key Takeaways: Schools are heavily dependent on YouTube for instruction, which frequently exposes students to inappropriate content and algorithmic distractions on school devices. Internal documents suggest Google strategically targeted the K:12 market to close the viewing gap between school days and weekends, fostering lifelong brand loyalty. Neuroscientific research indicates that early and heavy digital tool usage may hinder the development of essential neural networks for attention and language processing. Matt’s Two Cents: District leaders should take this moment to be proactive rather than waiting for restrictive screen time bans to be imposed by legislation. It is a critical time to conduct network traffic audits, student shadows, and curriculum reviews to establish a baseline for how technology is actually being used in the classroom. Article: How YouTube Took Over the American Classroom https://bit.ly/4dfvQn4

    4 min

  4. MAY 8

    The AI Paradox: Banning Phones While Embracing Bots | Ep. 109

    In this episode of ChatEDU The AI Paradox: Banning Phones While Embracing Bots, Matt and Liz open with "Goblingate”, how OpenAI had to intervene after ChatGPT developed a fixation on goblins, gremlins, and ogres during coding sessions, with mentions spiking 4,000%. The Rundown Workspace admins can now enable public link sharing for Gemini chats, allowing histories to be viewed without a Google account. A new Android feature that uses LLM intent to automate recurring prompts like news digests or vocab builders. Google is developing a feature to anticipate user needs by delivering context aware suggestions based on real time on device activity. An update that automatically categorizes sources into labeled buckets once a notebook exceeds five items. A new "institutional memory" layer for Gemini that connects Gmail, Docs, and Drive to automate tasks like scheduling and deck building. Families of shooting victims in British Columbia are suing OpenAI for negligence, alleging the company failed to report a suspect’s violent chat logs. Bipartisan U.S. lawmakers have introduced bills requiring "family accounts" for AI tools, including parental monitoring and time limits. Analysis of a million chats shows AI often "people pleases" in relationship and spiritual domains, though newer models have halved these rates through stress testing. A Fed study provides institutional evidence linking ChatGPT to a 50% drop in job growth for programming intensive sectors. Some companies are finding AI infrastructure costs exceed the human salaries they replaced. A coding agent using Claude Opus 4.6 via Cursor accidentally deleted a company’s entire production database and backups in nine seconds. Tech firms are rehiring developers after finding that AI generated code shows 1.7 times more errors and requires expert oversight. Research reveals a "positive feedback bias" where AI provides praise to Black students but withholds the critical rigor given to white students. The Beneath the Surface Matt and Liz examine the tension between school cell phone bans and AI literacy, drawing on an interview with Michael Horn to argue that school model, not the tool, determines success. They call for curriculum coherence to ensure AI supports rigorous learning rather than “cognitive offloading”. The Bright Byte Matt and Liz explore nuclear fusion's future, highlighting Microsoft's contract with startup Helion for commercial fusion power by 2028, a potentially AI-accelerated breakthrough that could provide clean energy for large-scale AI data centers. Announcements Purchase Learning They'll Love - Dr. Elizabeth Radday. Amazon - https://tinyurl.com/22t9hz77 Check out our middle / high school Student AI Literacy course - ​​⁠⁠⁠www.skills21.org/ai/learnai⁠⁠⁠  Explore Skills21’s FREE social media literacy curriculum - ⁠⁠⁠https://www.skills21.org/social-balance⁠⁠⁠ Register for the Spring AI Conference (5.1.26) in Litchfield, CT - ⁠https://www.skills21.org/event-details/ai-in-education-spring-2026-conference⁠ Address Screen Time concerns - ⁠skills21.org/ai/screenshift⁠ Sponsor Nectir. Welcome to the Classroom of the Future. https://www.nectir.io/ Links OpenAI Intervenes After ChatGPT Develops Goblin Obsession https://tinyurl.com/bd3x78u4 Gemini Scheduled Actions: A Standout Android Automation Tool https://tinyurl.com/4aj7xvc6 First Look: Google's Proactive Assistance Feature for Gemini https://tinyurl.com/29n6b9ya NotebookLM Gets Smarter About Sources https://tinyurl.com/45k6293z Google Adds Workspace Intelligence to Gemini https://tinyurl.com/2w3t25ur Families Sue OpenAI Over Shooting Suspect's ChatGPT Use https://tinyurl.com/5h6hd8c8 Lawmakers Target AI Chatbots and Fraud in New Bills https://tinyurl.com/bysd75js How people ask Claude for personal guidance https://tinyurl.com/56tu8yx2

    55 min

  5. MAY 7

    Cognitive Decline | Check-In 26

    In this ChatEDU Check-In: AI Use Appears to Have a 'Boiling Frog' Effect on Human Cognition, Liz explores the potential cognitive costs of outsourcing reasoning tasks to artificial intelligence. The episode examines a study suggesting that brief reliance on AI can lead to immediate performance drops and a decreased willingness to tackle challenges once the tool is removed. Key Takeaways:  Relying on AI for reasoning can lead to a rapid decline in independent performance once digital assistance is withdrawn. Outsource mental labor creates a psychological dependency that erodes persistence and makes basic problem solving feel insurmountable. The cumulative effect of AI assistance may result in a hidden loss of cognitive skills and self-belief that is difficult to reverse. Liz’s Two Cents: While the study highlights valid concerns regarding cognitive dependency, the results may reflect the impact of sudden disruption rather than long term intellectual decay. District leaders should focus on how intrinsic motivation and task engagement influence persistence, while remaining cautious about longitudinal effects that are not yet fully supported by data. Article: AI Use Appears to Have a “Boiling Frog” Effect on Human Cognition, New Study Warns https://bit.ly/4tHCpG8

    4 min

  6. MAY 5

    Robot Teachers | Check-In 25

    In this ChatEDU Check-In: The Robot Teacher Debate, Liz explores the student perspective on the potential for AI and humanoid robots to replace human educators. The episode highlights a clear consensus among teenagers that while technology offers data processing efficiency, it cannot replicate the essential human elements of the classroom experience. Key Takeaways: Students believe robots lack the emotional soul and empathy required to navigate complex social dynamics and provide genuine support. Teenagers fear that a lack of human authority would lead to disciplinary breakdowns and hinder the social development of younger children. A middle ground exists where students see value in AI as a tireless assistant for grading and tutoring while keeping humans in charge of creative instruction. Liz’s Two Cents: District leaders should view AI not as a replacement for the workforce, but as a tool to amplify the uniquely human strengths of their staff. The strategic value of AI lies in its ability to handle administrative and repetitive tasks, thereby freeing up educators to focus on the high touch, empathetic, and creative mentorship that students clearly prioritize. Article: Robot Teachers? Teenagers Weigh In. https://bit.ly/4uhUwlM

    2 min

  7. MAY 1

    IDK: When the AI Revolution Meets the Bored Teenager | Ep. 108

    In this episode of ChatEDU IDK: When the AI Revolution Meets the Bored Teenager, Matt and Liz open with the world of AI-generated influencers, including an Indian medical student who used Google Gemini to spin up "Emily Hart," a fictional MAGA persona, for revenue and engagement. They unpack how this "rage bait" entrepreneurship reflects the growing tie between AI personas and political polarization. Gemini in Chromebooks brings near-universal AI access to New Hampshire schools. A new feature shows parents student AI use on school devices, doubling as literacy curriculum. Utah's new law bars AI grading and limits device access in younger grades. The EU's new age verification app was reportedly bypassed in two minutes. A Chicago professor swapped take-home essays for a 10,000-word class collaboration. Rasmussen is moving to D2L Brightspace to personalize learning with AI. A learning theory built on delegating to AI while maintaining "epistemic monitoring." Meta engineers are reportedly chasing "Slop KPIs," prizing AI token volume over quality. Meta is logging employee mouse and screen activity to train "computer use" AI models. Penn State students won cash for AI projects from car crash analysis to sign language translation. The Beneath the Surface Matt and Liz unpack Khan Academy's "pivot," where Sal Khan conceded the AI tutor revolution has stalled because students lack the inquiry skills to engage with the bot. With commentary from Justin Reich and Dan Meyer, they ask whether the dream needs a reality check. The Bright Byte This week's Bright Byte features the Google.org Impact Challenge: AI for Science, a 30 million dollar initiative funding AI-driven health and climate breakthroughs. Announcements Purchase Learning They'll Love - Dr. Elizabeth Radday Amazon - https://tinyurl.com/22t9hz77 Register for our educator + leader AI Micro-Credential in partnership with Southern Connecticut State University - skills21.org/ai/micro. Check out our middle / high school Student AI Literacy course - ​​⁠⁠⁠www.skills21.org/ai/learnai⁠⁠⁠  Explore Skills21’s FREE social media literacy curriculum - ⁠⁠⁠https://www.skills21.org/social-balance⁠⁠⁠ Register for the Spring AI Conference (5.1.26) in Litchfield, CT - ⁠https://www.skills21.org/event-details/ai-in-education-spring-2026-conference⁠  Address Screen Time concerns - ⁠skills21.org/ai/screenshift⁠  Sponsors The National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing: Your Gateway to Next Generation Advanced Manufacturing - https://www.nextgenmfg.org Links AI-Generated MAGA Girl Used to Grift "Super Dumb" Men https://tinyurl.com/bdzm7khe Alarm Grows Over AI Integration in Schools https://tinyurl.com/5axwzna4 Safety Platform Opens Window Into Students' AI Usage for Parents https://tinyurl.com/4zzmexhj Utah Curbs AI Grading and School Device Use https://tinyurl.com/4sk967ma EU Age Verification Fix May Backfire https://tinyurl.com/ysm58u8w How I Fixed My AI-Ruined Philosophy Classes https://tinyurl.com/4ky2n23t Rasmussen University replaces Blackboard with Brightspace https://tinyurl.com/rf8b385w Agentivism: Learning Theory for the AI Age https://tinyurl.com/mpn75exy How Tokenmaxxing Is Making AI Worse https://tinyurl.com/5x2jewr2 Meta Staff Revolt Over AI Tracking Program https://tinyurl.com/69j9ua2j Rockefeller Bets $100M on AI Job Disruption https://tinyurl.com/3428bpfd Students Win Cash for AI Solutions in Nittany AI Challenge https://tinyurl.com/y7zjzxym Sal Khan on Why His AI Revolution Has Stalled https://tinyurl.com/mp5rcey5

    58 min

  8. APR 30

    The Rise of Degree Hacking | Check-In 24

    In this ChatEDU Check-In: The Rise of Degree Hacking, Matt explores the growing trend of competency-based education models that allow students to complete bachelor's degrees in months rather than years. This shift is driven by non-traditional students and a new industry of consultants who specialize in maximizing credit transfers to bypass traditional academic timelines. Key Takeaways: The University of Maine's YourPace program enables students to finish entire degree course loads in as little as eight weeks through high-intensity, flat-rate sessions. A burgeoning industry of influencers and coaches helps students "credit max" by transferring in up to three-quarters of their required credits from non-traditional sources before enrollment. Academic leaders are raising concerns regarding the depth of learning and the long-term value of these hyper-accelerated credentials compared to traditional multi-year experiences. Matt’s Two Cents: While AI is not explicitly mentioned in the reporting, it will undoubtedly act as a massive accelerant for degree hacking through tools like agentic browsers that can automate tasks within learning management systems. District leaders must recognize that as the labor market experiences disruption and college costs soar, the pressure to treat education as a series of hurdles to be cleared rather than a deep learning experience will only intensify. Article: Students are speeding through their online degrees in weeks, alarming educators https://bit.ly/41XsvE7

    4 min
See All (143)

4.9
out of 5
46 Ratings

About

Welcome to ChatEDU – The AI & Education Podcast , your go-to podcast for insightful discussions on the intersection of AI and education! Hosted by Matt Mervis, Director of Skills21 and AI Strategy at EdAdvance, and Dr. Elizabeth Radday, Director of Research & Innovation, this podcast explores the dynamic landscape of education technology.

Information

You Might Also Like