AI Policy and Practice in Schools with Eric Hudson

Eric Hudson is serious about creating meaningful learning, and his recent work has focused on AI in education. He says:

“How we frame AI for ourselves as educators will affect how we frame it for our students, and I believe strongly that how we talk to students about AI will have a lasting impact on how they see its role in their own lives.”

A few of our conversation topics:

• Students want to produce authentic and meaningful work (not just use ChatGPT for cheating).
• AI can serve as a tool for sparking ideas and offering 'positive friction' in the thinking process, ultimately enhancing the quality of student work.
• We should reimagine AI technologies as academic assistants rather than solely cheating mechanisms.
• AI has potential to empower students and enhance their work.

Eric is a facilitator and strategic advisor who supports schools in making sense of what’s changing in education. He specializes in learner-centered assessment, human-centered leadership, and strategic program design. Most recently, Eric spent a decade at Global Online Academy (GOA), first as an instructional coach and ultimately as Chief Program Officer, working with schools around the world to rethink where, when, and how learning happens. Prior to GOA, he spent 12 years in the classroom, where he developed his passion for designing learning experiences. Eric serves on the board of the Association of Technology Leaders in Independent Schools (ATLIS) and writes the newsletter "Learning on Purpose" on Substack.

Highlights:

• 02:17 Eric’s Journey in Education and AI
• 03:43 Defining AI and Its Impact on Education
• 05:10 Exploring the Spectrum of AI in Education: From Skepticism to Empowerment
• 09:24 Navigating Academic Integrity and the Power of Productive Struggle with AI
• 12:30 Benefits of AI
• 18:42 Redefining Assistance: AI as a Tool for Enhancing Learning
• 21:39 Assessment in the Age of AI: Rethinking Educational Goals
• 23:16 Exploring AI in Education: A Model for Learning
• 24:01 Positive Uses of AI in Classroom Settings
• 24:13 AI as a Catalyst for Inquiry-Based Learning
• 25:23 AI in Language Learning: Bridging Gaps and Building Tools
• 26:35 Integrating AI into Academic Content
• 27:46 The SAMR Model: Revisiting Educational Technology Frameworks
• 28:29 AI and Creativity: Enhancing the Brainstorming Process
• 33:39 Addressing Concerns: AI, Copyright, and Equity
• 37:24 Strategic AI Integration: Policies and Flexibility for School Leaders
• 39:48 Concluding Thoughts on AI's Role in Future Learning

Links and further reading

• Eric’s Substack: Learning on Purpose: https://erichudson.substack.com/
• Eric on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ejhudson/
• Po (Japanese translation bot: https://poe.com/JapaneseTutor
• SAMR model ed tech: https://www.edutopia.org/article/powerful-model-understanding-good-tech-integration/
• Article on AI being trained on writers’ work: https://crosscut.com/culture/2023/10/wa-authors-are-teaching-ai-how-write-without-their-consent
• Bloomberg study - racial bias in AI: https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2023-generative-ai-bias/