ChatEDU: AI in Education

By: Matt Mervis and Dr. Elizabeth Radday
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  • Summary

  • Welcome to ChatEDU: AI in Education, your go-to podcast for insightful discussions on the intersection of AI and education! Hosted by Matt Mervis, Director of Skills21 and AI Strategy at EdAdvance, and Dr. Elizabeth Radday, Director of Research & Innovation, this podcast explores the dynamic landscape of education technology.
    Matt Mervis and Dr. Elizabeth Radday
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Episodes
  • Dear AI: Why We’re All Talking to Robots in 2025 | Ep. 54

    Dear AI: Why We’re All Talking to Robots in 2025 | Ep. 54
    Apr 18 2025

    In this episode of ChatEDU (Dear AI – Why We’re All Talking to Robots in 2025), Matt reunites with Liz after her trip to Ireland to unpack a shift happening in real time— (em dash on purpose) AI is moving beyond utility and entering emotional, educational, and existential territory. From new research tools that rethink how we teach synthesis, to universities baking AI into their business programs, to Reddit users turning to bots for therapy—(2nd em dash) this episode dives into how and why we’re not just using AI, we’re talking to it. And be sure to check out the intro about Hyodols and the MUCH used em dash.



    Story 1 – Deep Research, Reimagined

    Google’s new Deep Research feature in Gemini transforms the AI from summarizer to synthesizer. Matt and Liz discuss how this impacts student learning, dissertation writing, and the future of teaching research in K–12 and higher ed. They also look at how equity comes into play when AI can scaffold complex thinking for every learner.


    Story 2 – AI in the Wild at American University

    American University’s School of Business launches an Institute for Applied AI, shifting from AI-avoidance to AI fluency. Students are using AI to design marketing campaigns, assess risk, and model financial statements— (em dash) no coding required. Their tool of choice? Perplexity Pro, now being piloted in higher ed as a full-stack platform.



    Beneath the Surface – The Emotional Side of AI

    A new Harvard Business Review analysis of Reddit and Quora threads shows that 2025’s top AI use cases aren’t just about speed—(em dash) they’re about support. Users are turning to AI for therapy, motivation, and life planning. Matt and Liz explore what this means for education, memory, privacy, and how we guide students through emotionally intelligent AI use.



    Bright Byte – AI and the Climate

    AI’s energy use is real—(em dash) but so is its potential to help. This week’s Bright Byte features insights from The Economist on how AI is reducing emissions, optimizing grids, forecasting renewable power, and identifying methane leaks. Thoughtful deployment could turn AI into an ally in climate resilience.



    Related Links

    Gemini Deep Research

    https://www.tomsguide.com/ai/google-just-gave-gemini-a-major-research-upgrade-and-its-already-beating-the-competition


    Harvard Business Review: "How People Are Really Using Gen AI in 2025"-

    https://hbr.org/2025/04/how-people-are-really-using-gen-ai-in-2025


    OpenAI’s Memory Update (ARS Technica)-

    https://arstechnica.com/ai/2025/04/chatgpt-can-now-remember-and-reference-all-your-previous-chats/


    Axios: American University’s AI Business Institute-

    https://www.axios.com/2025/04/03/generative-ai-business-school-students


    Hyodol: AI Care Companion for Seniors-

    https://en.hyodol.com/


    Skills21 AI Micro-Credential-

    https://www.skills21.org/pip-platform


    The tasks college students are using Claude AI for most, according to Anthropic-

    https://www.zdnet.com/article/the-tasks-college-students-are-using-claude-ai-for-most-according-to-anthropic/


    The Economist: How AI could help the climate-

    https://www.economist.com/leaders/2025/04/10/how-ai-could-help-the-climate



    Have a question or comment?

    Email Matt and Liz at chatedu@edadvance.org


    Don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe to ChatEDU on your favorite podcast platform.


    This episode of ChatEDU is sponsored by the National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing. Learn more at: https://www.nextgenmfg.org
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    56 mins
  • Murder, She Prompted: High School English with AI Twists | Ep.53

    Murder, She Prompted: High School English with AI Twists | Ep.53
    Apr 11 2025
    OverviewIn this episode of ChatEDU (Murder, She Prompted: High School English with AI Twists), Matt sits down with guest co-host Joanne Mumley to explore the unexpected and creative ways AI is reshaping the high school English classroom. With Liz off knitting in Ireland, Joanne steps in to share her powerful blend of innovation, curiosity, and care as both a teacher and department head in Connecticut.In the News: Character AI and the Rise of AI Companionship Among TeensMatt and Joanne discuss a recent Rithm Project article, Why I Am Talking to a TV Show Character About the Nature of Life, which sheds light on teen use of Character.AI. Despite Character.AI's soaring popularity—now ranked third among AI tools—questions about emotional dependency, mental health, and bot overreach abound. Joanne shares her own unnerving experience chatting with a Kafka bot and reflects on how students are aware of the ethical gray areas even if they don’t always speak openly about it. They also explore new research from Dartmouth on AI therapy bots like Therabot and reflect on whether AI can provide real emotional support or just well-intentioned mimicry.Beneath the Surface: From College Policy Sleuthing to Literary RPGs—AI in the ClassroomJoanne walks us through her innovative, hands-on approach to student-facing AI in her high school English classes:- She begins with a college policy investigation where seniors research how their prospective schools are handling AI—discovering everything from detailed repositories to a total lack of guidance.- She dives into project-based learning with interactive museum exhibits inspired by The Nickel Boys, using SchoolAI to simulate feedback from a fictional museum director.- She highlights her shift toward helping students build confidence in their own voices as a strategy to reduce misuse of AI. Through creative exercises like an AI-assisted Julius Caesar football drama and a Handmaid’s Tale-inspired murder mystery, she crafts immersive, tech-informed experiences that are still rooted in classroom relationships and authentic expression.Throughout, Joanne emphasizes balance—tech when it helps, no-tech when it matters, and always human in the foreground.Bright Byte: AI for Earthquake Recovery in MyanmarIn this week’s Bright Byte, Matt shares a compelling story about how Microsoft’s AI for Good Lab and Planet Labs used AI-customized satellite imagery to help first responders assess damage from a 7.7 earthquake in Myanmar. By identifying over 2,000 impacted buildings, the AI-powered effort helped relief agencies like the Red Cross prioritize aid—offering a concrete example of AI doing good at scale.Related Links:Why I Am Talking to a TV Show Character About the Nature of Life – Rhythm Project on Medium:https://medium.com/@info_42369/why-am-i-talking-to-a-tv-show-character-about-the-nature-of-life-d91898da420c MIT Tech Review on Therabot:https://www.technologyreview.com/2025/03/28/1114001/the-first-trial-of-generative-ai-therapy-shows-it-might-help-with-depression/ Stanford’s AI Policy Hub:https://ai.stanford.eduThe Anxious Generation (book referenced in discussion):https://www.anxiousgeneration.comMLA Guidance on Citing AI:https://style.mla.org/citing-generative-ai/Skills21 PIP Curriculum:https://skills21.org/pipHave a question or comment? Email Matt and Liz at chatedu@edadvance.orgDon’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe to ChatEDU on your favorite podcast platform.This episode of ChatEDU is sponsored by the National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing. Learn more at: https://www.nextgenmfg.org
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    58 mins
  • Flipped Out: How AI Might Save the Flipped Classroom | Ep. 52

    Flipped Out: How AI Might Save the Flipped Classroom | Ep. 52
    Apr 4 2025
    Overview:In this episode of ChatEDU (Flipped Out: How AI Might Save the Flipped Classroom), Matt and Liz explore three views of AI intelligence, spotlight student-led projects using AI in real-world STEM challenges, and revisit the flipped classroom model through the lens of AI support. Plus, a new AI weather tool could make forecasting more accessible than ever.In the News: Three Views on AI IntelligenceA recent meme study found AI consistently created humorous, shareable content—but lacked standout originality. Meanwhile, GPT-4.5 produced a metafictional short story about AI and grief with surprising emotional depth. In contrast, Anthropic’s Claude struggled to play Pokémon, repeatedly getting stuck and failing to learn from mistakes. Together, the stories highlight AI’s jagged abilities: poetic in one context, directionless in another.AI in the Wild: Samsung’s Student InnovatorsThis year’s Samsung Solve for Tomorrow competition saw 60% of finalists use AI to solve real-world problems. Highlights include:- Arkansas: AI-powered oral cancer screening for rural dental gaps- Delaware: Smart bandage tracking wound healing- Connecticut: Real-time heat maps using solar sensors- Alaska: Laser road markers for snow-covered highways- Louisiana: Carbon leak monitoring with IoT sensors- Indiana & Colorado: Accessibility tools, including a game controller for kids with disabilitiesThese students are building the skills—creativity, empathy, tech fluency—highlighted in the World Economic Forum’s future jobs report.Beneath the Surface: Can AI Save the Flipped Classroom?Student Megan Adelman argues the flipped classroom often leaves learners behind when they can’t engage with content on their own. Matt and Liz explore how AI might help:- AI tutors like Cogniti can serve as just-in-time help before class- Harvard research showed AI boosted engagement and performance- Tools like Gemini can summarize lecture videos, answer questions, and build study aidsRather than replacing the model, AI could make flipped learning more equitable and effective.Bright Byte: Forecasting for AllAardvark Weather, a new AI model from Cambridge and Microsoft, brings hyperlocal forecasts to any desktop computer—without the need for expensive supercomputers. It opens up accurate, fast forecasting for underserved areas and developing regions.Our Episode SponsorThis episode of ChatEDU is sponsored by the National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing. Learn more at: https://www.nextgenmfg.orgLinks Referenced in This EpisodeMeme Study via Ethan Mollickhttps://www.linkedin.com/posts/emollick_i-regret-to-announce-that-the-meme-turing-activity-7307199008630816769-uHdp?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_android&rcm=ACoAAAE6BUsBQZUD9qMfCOj_0jiGbY_HNE-ZgaUChatGPT 4.5 Metafiction Story – TechRadarhttps://www.techradar.com/computing/artificial-intelligence/chatgpt-just-wrote-the-most-beautiful-short-story-and-i-wonder-what-im-even-doing-hereClaude & Pokémon – Ars Technicahttps://arstechnica.com/ai/2025/03/why-anthropics-claude-still-hasnt-beaten-pokemon/#:~:text=But%20despite%20recent%20advances%20in,at%20all%2C%E2%80%9D%20he%20said.Samsung Solve for Tomorrow Finalists – BusinessWirehttps://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250318875587/en/Samsung-Names-10-National-Finalists-in-Solve-for-Tomorrow-STEM-Competition-for-Community-Changing-Ideas-with-AI-3D-Printing-IoT-RoboticsHarvard’s Generative AI in Student Projectshttps://creativecomputing.gse.harvard.edu/genai/GenAI_StudentProjects_Dec2024.pdfAardvark Weather – The Guardianhttps://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/mar/20/ai-aardvark-weather-prediction-forecasting-artificial-intelligence#:~:text=A%20single%20researcher%20with%20a,computing%20power%20than%20conventional%20systems.Have a question or comment?Email Matt and Liz at chatedu@edadvance.org. Don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe to ChatEDU on your favorite podcast platform.
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    55 mins
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On a fast ride: AI in teacher preparation

I am a teacher educator. While this podcast targets the K-12 environment, everything we do in teacher preparation is based on what happens in a K-12 setting. The structure, tone, pacing, and information in this podcast is very helpful in getting me up to speed on what I need to know about the use of AI in K-12 so that I can model experiences and assignments for my students. In fact, because this podcast is so helpful I am going to assign my students to listen to a range of episodes. Thanks to the team on their great work. Well done!

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