ISTE 2025 Deep Dive: AI Creativity, UDL Makeovers & Student Cyber Defenders

When I lost my voice after ISTE/ASCD, my son John stepped in – and together we bring you game-changing insights on AI in education that challenge everything you've heard about robots replacing teachers.

Join us for exclusive interviews with three experts who are reshaping how we think about AI in schools:

• Dr. Sarah Thomas reveals how AI becomes a "creativity amplifier,"
• Dr. Caitlin Tucker exposes why AI-generated lessons are failing (and what actually works), and
• Jay James shares how Auburn University students defend against real cyber attacks while having an opportunity to enter a field that currently has $90,000 starting salaries.

Show notes: https://www.coolcatteacher.com/ai-cybersecurity-and-the-future-of-teaching-key-insights-from-iste-2025 

This Episode Features:

• Dr. Sarah Thomas (Regional Technology Coordinator, Prince George's County Public Schools) on using AI to reclaim your creative genius
• Dr. Caitlin Tucker (Author of "Elevating Educational Design with AI") on the UDL framework that makes AI actually useful for differentiation
• Jay James (Auburn University) on building student-powered cybersecurity programs that protect schools while creating career pathways

Key Topics Covered:

1. Ai Updates: The Good, the Challenging, and the Practical
2. AI as a Creativity Amplifier with Dr. Sarah Thomas
3. Do AI Lesson Planners Measure Up? with Dr. Catlin Tucker
4. Cybersecurity Education Through Real-World Experience with Jay James from Auburn University
5. The Human Element - Why AI Can't Replace Teaching Relationships
6. My 6 Key Tools Highlighted from ISTE 2025
7. Instagram's School Safety Partnership - A Game Changer for Digital Wellbeing

Major Announcements from ISTE/ASCD:

• Microsoft Copilot now available for schools (ages 13+)
• Google Gemini launches for all ages with Classroom integration
• New AI rubric conversion tools that actually work
• Apple's strategic delay of AI features until 2026
• Instagram's partnership with ISTE for anti-bullying programs
• Concerns we should have about some of these announcements

Whether you're AI-curious or AI-concerned or somewhere in between (like me), this episode provides practical, research-backed strategies for thoughtful integration that enhances rather than replaces great teaching.

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