Durable Assessments Improve Attendance and Vibes | Ep. 119

In this episode of ChatEDU, Durable Assessments Improve Attendance and Vibes, Matt and Liz kick it off with a discussion about their upcoming travel schedules, the exciting design of their new studio, and a concerning tech story regarding how hackers are using AI to hallucinate and squat on web domains to host phishing exploits and malware.The RundownLiz discusses the new Google Drive feature that organizes research by pulling in docs, emails, and files without changing their original folder structure.An overview of the new independent, open-source benchmark designed to evaluate how AI models and consumer applications interact with children. Matt and Liz also look at a critique of the study and a white paper on AI safety from MagicSchool. An update on the directive for principals to pause new software purchases until official AI guidance is finalized.A breakdown of a new, highly affordable AI-dedicated phone in China that removes standard apps like games and browsers to focus on education.A summary of new legislation in Illinois that expands the state definition of cyberbullying to include AI-generated deepfakes and replicas.The Beneath the SurfaceMatt and Liz recap recent higher ed news and dig into professors moving away from proctored exams and blue books toward durable assessments. Iterative assignments and human-centered projects are driving better attendance and better vibes, shifting classrooms out of a cat-and-mouse game with AI and toward reasoning.The Bright ByteThe episode concludes with an uplifting report on the development of an AI-driven malaria intelligence system in Nigeria. This platform uses epidemiological and environmental data to shift malaria control from reactive efforts to predictive, precision public health, offering a potential model for fighting other infectious diseases across Africa.Say hi to Matt on the road:New Jersey Association of Independent Schools - August 11th⁠https://members.njais.org/integratedEvents/home/2026-INNOVATION-COLLABORATION-CONFERENCE⁠RIACTE - August 14th - Sponsored in part by the National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing⁠https://www.nextgenmfg.org/event-details/rhode-island-acte-summer-conference⁠Say hi to Liz on the RoadBridges Conference 2026 by Starbridge | New York, July 21-22⁠https://share.google/0Ky8DA4yQbYLQcmWQ⁠Global Teaching Dialogue | Fulbright Teacher Exchanges⁠https://share.google/F2CwJdKGIVoe7RIHg⁠AnnouncementsPurchase Learning They'll Love - Dr. Elizabeth RaddayAmazon - ⁠https://tinyurl.com/22t9hz77⁠Seeing through the Machine – Teaching Bias as an Equity Practice in AI - Dr. Elizabeth Radday - ⁠https://tinyurl.com/4ybwkn7a⁠Check out our middle / high school Student AI Literacy course - ​​⁠⁠⁠⁠www.skills21.org/ai/learnai⁠⁠⁠⁠Explore Skills21’s FREE social media literacy curriculum - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.skills21.org/social-balance⁠⁠⁠⁠Address Screen Time concerns -⁠ ⁠skills21.org/ai/screenshift⁠⁠SponsorsThe National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing - ⁠https://www.nextgenmfg.org⁠LinksPhantom Squatting: Phishing via AI-Hallucinated Domains⁠https://tinyurl.com/m42mtxvv⁠Drive Projects Replaced My NotebookLM⁠https://tinyurl.com/yvv6tud2⁠KORA: Benchmarking AI Child Safety⁠https://tinyurl.com/bp9nh8ph⁠AI Companions in Schools⁠https://tinyurl.com/4j74d6rb⁠NYC Schools: Pause Ed-Tech Buys⁠https://tinyurl.com/b29j3dnx⁠Lenovo's Locked-Down AI Student Phone⁠https://tinyurl.com/yeyxr4ns⁠Illinois Takes On AI Deepfakes in Schools⁠https://tinyurl.com/5h8rjmvv⁠AI-cademy 2026⁠https://tinyurl.com/27dephj6⁠US Students Outsource Writing to AI More Than International Peers⁠https://tinyurl.com/r26wejvn⁠CICS Adds AI Concentrations⁠https://tinyurl.com/yuhkp6sr⁠Syracuse Launches AI Academic Portfolio⁠https://tinyurl.com/3eff8u33⁠Time for Class 2026: The AI Tipping Point⁠https://tinyurl.com/2pnpa4b9⁠A Malaria Intelligence System⁠https://tinyurl.com/mr3dy2dv⁠