Teaching Matters WOUB Public Media

Following the release of Chat-GPT and other Artificial Intelligence (AI) platforms, teachers and administrators at all levels of education have worked to react to both the possibilities and problems of AI. Carl Hooker is a former educator and now an author who analyzes the implications of AI for teaching and learning in his new book, Learning Evolution: The New Era of AI in the Classroom. Our discussion highlights practical advice as well as some of the ethical and social implications of AI.

Learn more about Carl at his website: https://carlhooker.com/

Dr. Cynthia Wise has developed a career-long track record of turning low-performing schools into schools of distinction. Currently the Principal and Chief Academic Officer of the Transformation Waco Charter Schools in Waco, TX, Dr. Wise discusses the Culture Conscious Campus Model that she has developed as a proven model for school transformation. As she narrates her story, you will learn key takeaways about the importance of teacher-student relationships, leadership, and relentless pursuit of student academic success.

Connect with Dr. Wise on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-cynthia-wise-a65a8546/

Sam Torres is a bilingual case manager for VocoVision, a company that provides teletherapy services for students across multiple specialties. Sam discusses specific strategies for promoting success for English Language Learners, the fastest growing student population in the U. S. Sam explains unique needs facing ELL students, including the intersection of speech disorders and language learning, as well as how teletherapy can provide a robust solution for schools.

Connect with Sam on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-torres-13bb9b2b4/

Learn more about VocoVision on their website: https://www.vocovision.com/

Theo Mayer is a self-proclaimed history nerd who is also passionate about the relevance of technology for learning. Working as the Chief Technologist for the Doughboy Foundation, Tayo and a team of developers created a mobile app that employs AR/VR concepts and narrative to help students in middle and high school grade levels learn about WWI. In addition to discussing the app and other resources provided by the foundation, Theo also provides some of his thoughts on how technology will continue to progress as a teaching and learning resources.

For more on the Doughboy Foundation and their mobile app, visit: https://doughboy.org/

Connect with Theo on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theomayer/

Faculty, staff, and students’ safety is of paramount concern for all educational systems. Although high-profile threats to safety capture national media attention, daily threats to safety such as altercations, vandalism, health incidents, and other issues must be part of a holistic safety strategy. Stacy Locke, Deputy Superintendent of Yakima (WA) Schools, discusses how personal safety buttons from CENTEGIX have been integrated into that district’s safety plan—a strategy that had payoff only 24-hours after implementation. Fair warning, during our interview Stacey received an alert that one of the elementary schools was placed on lockdown—thankfully, that lockdown was a drill, though it provided us with immediate insight on how the system promotes rapid communication and reaction.

In special education, as well as the larger teaching field, there exists significant needs for ongoing professional development where teachers can orient with affinity groups that provide support and feedback that extends beyond local school districts. Dr. Jen Newton, an Associate Professor in the Patton College of Education at Ohio University and co-creator of Teaching is Intellectual, discusses how Teachergram, a specific use of Instagram by teachers, is fulfilling that need. Newton and co-author Mira Cole Williams recently published an article on this topic in the Journal of Special Education Technology:

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/01626434211033596

https://teachingisintellectual.com