Episode 19- Context, Presence, and the Messy Work of Learning with Dr. William Rice

Dr. William Rice steps into the Executive Director role at ACES this summer. His philosophy is clear: leadership is an embodied practice requiring physical presence and proximity. In this episode, we discuss protecting the human element of education as technology grows increasingly sophisticated. The Meaning of Models Drawing from his background as a chemical engineer, Dr. Rice views math as building models to understand the world, rather than procedural calculation. Machines handle the heavy computation now. If we simply reward students for playing in a procedural sandbox, we leave them unequipped for a reality where human context separates meaningful work from automated noise. Observation in Special Education Technology offers a unique kind of support in special education by tracking massive volumes of daily observational data. It helps identify long-term trends a busy educator might miss. Still, a machine cannot replace the physical intuition and empathy of a teacher interpreting subtle, non-verbal cues. Navigating the Software Flood School districts face a constant barrage of new applications. Dr. Rice suggests a deliberate pause to avoid tool creep. Evaluating new technology must prioritize compliance and rigorous alignment with the agency's mission. Foundational AI literacy matters more than a fragmented landscape of apps; we must understand how these systems function and where their biases lie. A Question for Reflection: When evaluating the digital tools in your own work, how are you ensuring the technology serves the human context rather than replacing the productive struggle of learning?