Deep Learning Dialogues

In this week’s episode of Deep Learning Dialogues, hosts Whitney McKinley and Katrina Gouett are joined by Dr. Jennifer Hove, Director of Data and Reporting at EQAO, to navigate the complex intersection of artificial intelligence and large-scale assessment. Dr. Hove outlines the agency’s "slow and steady" roadmap to AI adoption, emphasizing a human-centered framework where Ontario educators remain the primary drivers of assessment ...

In this conversation, we explore how Indigenous governance and cultural frameworks can guide ethical technology use in education. Sheri Cecchetto introduces the Medicine Wheel as a holistic lens for approaching AI in K–12 classrooms—emphasizing reflection, relationship-building, and responsibility over speed and profit. Together, we unpack themes of digital sovereignty, environmental impact, and the importance of slowing down to ma...

In this episode of Deep Learning Dialogues, hosts Whitney McKinley and Katrina Gouett sit down with Taryn Michel, an Indigenous educator, law scholar, and community leader, to explore the intersection of Indigenous knowledge systems and artificial intelligence in K–12 education. Taryn shares her journey as a professor in the Bachelor of Indigenous Social Work program at Laurentian University and offers insights into Indigenous data...

In this powerful episode of Deep Learning Dialogues, we continue our conversation with Dr. Taima Moeke-Pickering, Director of the School of Indigenous Relations at Laurentian University. This episode explores how educators can ethically and respectfully integrate AI into K–12 classrooms while honoring Indigenous knowledge systems. Dr. Moeke-Pickering shares insights on land-based learning, trauma-informed pedagogy, and the importan...

In this powerful opening to a four-part series, hosts Whitney McKinley and Katrina Gouett sit down with Dr. Taima Moeke-Pickering, Sheri Cecchetto, and Taryn Michel from Laurentian University’s School of Indigenous Relations to explore how artificial intelligence intersects with Indigenous law, land, and sovereignty. This conversation challenges listeners to rethink AI not as neutral, but as deeply tied to land, community, and resp...

In this episode of Deep Learning Dialogues, hosts Katrina Gouett and Whitney McKinley welcome award-winning journalist and author Jenny Anderson to explore the urgent challenges of student disengagement and the transformative potential of generative AI in education. Drawing from her book The Disengaged Teen: Helping Kids Learn Better, Feel Better, and Live Better, Jenny shares insights into the four dynamic modes of learning—passen...

In this episode of Deep Learning Dialogues, we sit down with Patricia Kosseim, Ontario’s Information and Privacy Commissioner, to explore the critical intersection of student privacy, educational technology, and artificial intelligence. From the challenges school boards face when negotiating with EdTech vendors to the ethical complexities of AI in classrooms, Commissioner Kosseim offers expert insights and practical guidance for ed...

Join us as we welcome educator and game creator Blaise Patterson to discuss the innovative Minecraft EDU Cyber Safe AI Dig Deeper World. Discover how this interactive experience helps students build AI literacy, digital citizenship, and critical thinking skills through engaging, age-appropriate gameplay. Learn about the challenges of designing meaningful AI education, strategies for supporting teachers, and practical classroom reso...

In this episode of Deep Learning Dialogues, Jasmine Zhang, a PhD student at the University of Waterloo, discusses how digital media and AI companions impact the well-being of children, caregivers, and families. The conversation covers practical strategies for parents and educators, the role of trusted adults, digital literacy, and the challenges and opportunities of AI in mental health and education.

Jasmine received her Bachelo...

Join us as Dr. Kelsey Leonard explores the groundbreaking concept of granting personhood to rivers and lakes, and discusses how Indigenous data sovereignty can transform water rights in the age of AI. Discover how traditional knowledge, legal innovation, and technology intersect to address water justice, protect Indigenous communities, and shape the future of global water governance. 

Please note: Due to recording issues in...

This episode of Deep Learning Dialogues explores how AI can empower young changemakers to address global sustainability challenges through the UN Sustainable Development Goals framework. Dr. Henrik von Wehrden and Jorge Gustavo Rodrigues Aboytes from Leuphana University share research showing that AI applications favour technical SDGs over social justice goals, creating important gaps in how technology addresses global challenges. ...

Join us for season 3! We have an incredible lineup of guests to look forward to. Be sure to subscribe or follow Deep Learning Dialogues in your favourite podcast player.

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Want to get in touch? Contact Katrina & Whi...

Join Whitney and Katrina as they reflect on an incredible Season 2 of Deep Learning Dialogues! After 50 episodes exploring the intersection of AI and education, our hosts turn the tables and interview each other about their biggest takeaways, favourite moments, and the insights that continue to shape their thinking.

From Dr. Jean Clinton's reminder that "love builds brains" to Emmanuel Duplàa's challenge to embrace chaos in the clas...

In this episode, we sit down with Andrew Bieronski, Growth Lead for Canada at Wayground (formerly Quizizz), to explore how this innovative EdTech platform is revolutionizing K-12 education through AI-powered tools that truly serve both educators and learners. As a former secondary teacher turned EdTech advocate, Andrew shares insights into Wayground's recent rebranding, their groundbreaking accommodations tool that automatically pe...

In this episode, we explore the groundbreaking "Empowering Learners for the Age of AI: An AI Literacy Framework for Primary and Secondary Education" with Veronica Ellis, a molecular biologist turned educator at TeachAI. Veronica shares her journey from studying bacteria to developing global AI curriculum, sparked by her experience teaching during the COVID pandemic when technology inequities became starkly apparent. We dive deep in...

Join us for an enlightening conversation with Dean Shareski, educator, author, and passionate advocate for meaningful learning in schools. Dean challenges common misconceptions about AI in education, arguing that technology's true value isn't just in saving time—it's in enhancing clarity and strengthening the human connections that drive learning. We explore why relationships between students and teachers become even more critical ...

In this illuminating episode of Deep Learning Dialogues, we explore how educators can transform assessment practices in the age of AI. Our guest Michelle Sengara shares a powerful framework for "harmonized intelligence" that balances subject matter expertise with technical skills and human connection. Discover why assessment should be the first educational lever we consider—not the last—and how AI can serve as a design partner rath...

In this thought-provoking episode of Deep Learning Dialogues, we welcome Dr. Maria Vamvalis, an educator and researcher with over 20 years of experience in climate justice and transformative learning. She reveals the hidden environmental costs of AI—from carbon emissions to water consumption—and challenges us to reimagine our relationship with technology. Moving beyond a framework of speed, scale, and profit, Dr. Maria Vamvalis off...

Join us as we welcome Dr. Keri Ewart for a conversation on AI in education. Dr. Ewart explores the intersection of AI, cultural responsiveness, and literacy, offering practical strategies for educators. Discover the difference between macro and micro prompting, learn about the CREATE framework for culturally responsive AI use, and gain insights on developing AI literacy skills for both teachers and students. This episode provides v...