AI, Assessments & A-Graders: A Student's POV What happens when AI tools like ChatGPT and Google’s VEO3 land in the hands of curious, creative high schoolers? In this episode, we talk with Caitlyn, a Year 11 student from Sydney, who gives us a front-row seat to how students are really using AI in school right now. From refining English essays with high-modality language to producing eye-catching videos that bring creative writing to life, Caitlyn shows how AI has become her on-demand study buddy, grammar coach, and even a research assistant. She unpacks how her school’s “traffic light system” guides ethical AI use and reveals what happens when students take ownership of the tools and the learning. Caitlyn’s perspective offers a grounded, inspiring look at the future of learning with AI. Links Caitlin's VEO3 video for the creative writing exercise, that created the change momentum. VEO3 (Google’s video AI tool) - only currently available to paid Gemini or Flow subscribers. The AI Assessment Scale (which Caitlin calls the Traffic Light System, although the AIAS team have moved away from that model a bit) for appropriate AI use in assignments. Ray mentioned a study comparing student trust in feedback from teachers vs. AI
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Union-Powered AI: PD Meets Big Tech
Union-Powered AI: PD Meets Big Tech This solo news-and-research roundup unpacks a blockbuster fortnight for AI in education, highlighting a landmark partnership between U.S. teacher unions and tech companies that could rewrite professional development. Headlines AFT × UFT × Microsoft/OpenAI/Anthropic – launch the National Academy for AI Instruction (US $23 M) to train 400,000 educators as AI-savvy professionals Announcement: https://www.aft.org/press-release/aft-launch-national-academy-ai-instruction-microsoft-openai-anthropic-and-united AI Instruction website: https://aiinstruction.org/ Google “Gemini for Education” – 30 generative tools for lesson design, rubrics & more (ISTE 2025 reveal). Blog post: https://blog.google/outreach-initiatives/education/gemini-iste-2025/ 21 page announcement PDF: https://services.google.com/fh/files/misc/gfe_launch_guide_iste2025.pdf White House “EDAI” pledge – 67 “AI Education & Workforce Champions” commit resources for schools https://www.whitehouse.gov/edai/ And a questioning post from James O'Hagan Microsoft Elevate & AI Economy Institute – New Microsoft philanthropy arm plus research fellowships on AI, work & learning. Microsoft Announcement: https://blogs.microsoft.com/on-the-issues/2025/07/09/elevate/ Microsoft Elevate: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/elevate AI for Good Lab: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/group/ai-for-good-research-lab/ai-economy-institute/ Research spotlights Teaching for Tomorrow (Walton Foundation × Gallup): 60% of U.S. teachers using AI save 5.9 hrs/week, yet only 19% of schools have policies. https://www.gallup.com/analytics/659819/k-12-teacher-research.aspx Simple Techniques to Bypass Gen-AI Detectors (Perkins et al., 2024): popular text detectors flag 50% of genuine student work as AI. https://educationaltechnologyjournal.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s41239-024-00487-w Jisc briefing: even 1% false-positive rates could falsely accuse 4,800 papers/year at a 20 k-student university. https://nationalcentreforai.jiscinvolve.org/wp/2025/06/24/ai-detection-assessment-and-learning-to-use-electricity/ Riding the Tiger of AI Feedback (Aus. multi-uni, 2025): 50% of students already use AI for feedback; teachers still ranked “more helpful.” https://aiinhe.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/2025-hedx-feedback-survey-insights.pdf
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AI by Students, for Students
Episode Series 12 Episode 8 AI by Students, for Students In this special episode of the AI in Education Podcast, recorded live at the AIS NSW ICT Management and Leadership conference, Dan and Ray chat with two forward-thinking school leaders about how students are using AI in transformative ways. First up, Thomas Blackwood, Head of ICT at Fahan School in Tasmania, shares how his school built its own AI tool – "Annabelle" – to give students a tailored, ethical, and effective AI tutor. From exam revision to building study guides, students are using it creatively and proactively, showing just how valuable thoughtful AI implementation can be. Then, Jake Turnbull, Digital Learning Leader at Pymble Ladies College, discusses empowering students through leadership and voice. From running AI professional learning for 500 teachers to organising student-led symposiums, Jake highlights how students are already shaping the future of AI in education. Links During the conversation we mentioned: Alpha School in Austin, Texas: https://www.alphaschools.org Khan Academy's AI Tutor Khanmigo: https://www.khanacademy.org/khan-labs
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Does AI make you dumb?
After starting with an existential crisis - "Are we basically doing the AI equivalent of a maths calculator podcast from the 1970s?" - in this news and research update, Dan and Ray unpack the latest developments in AI and education. Starting with China’s decision to shut down AI tools during national exams, they then revisit NSW’s EduChat chatbot, now in widespread use, with compelling data on time savings for teachers and learning benefits for students. The hosts dive into fresh research from the LEGO Foundation and Microsoft, both highlighting how young students engage with generative AI—and the equity and creativity issues that come with it. They also tackle the viral MIT study suggesting AI could cause "cognitive debt" and discuss why such claims should be taken with academic caution. Finally, Dan and Ray trace the recurring media fear that each new technology - from books to bicycles - has been accused of making us stupid. As always, they bring wit, warmth, and real insight into how AI is shaping education. Links and references for the studies, news and research discussed: News China shuts down AI tools during nationwide college exams [Bloomberg, The Verge] AI is in every NSW public school classroom. Is that a good thing? Anthropic's copyright case with Claude Research Lego research into children's use of ChatGPT [Project website] New Microsoft report on AI in Education announced at ISTE Your Brain on ChatGPT: Accumulation of Cognitive Debt when Using an AI Assistant for Essay Writing Task [Project website - Natalie Kosmina's LinkedIn announcement post - Time news story] And finally For your enjoyment, Donald Clark's "Sisyphean nature of moral panics against new technology" aka What's making us dumb this time? And if you want more enjoyment like Donald's article, then you'll love the Pessimists Archive on Twitter or their newsletter
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We finally meet Megan and James
We're halfway through Season 12 - the Student one - and in episode 6 you finally get to meet Megan (Year 7) and James (Year 11). Long-term listeners will have heard co-host Dan talking about how his own children use AI, and so now you can hear their perspectives. Dan asks both of them share how they and their friends use AI in school and outside. Enjoy the honest revelations!
Dan Bowen and Ray Fleming are experienced education renegades who have worked in many various educational institutions and educational companies across the world. They talk about Artificial Intelligence in Education - what it is, how it works, and the different ways it is being used. It's not too serious, or too technical, and is intended to be a good conversation.
Please note the views on the podcast are our own or those of our guests, and not of our respective employers (unless we say otherwise at the time!)
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