Keeping Student Thinking Visible: Why AI is Making Classrooms Harder (In a Good Way) | Ep. 117

In this episode of ChatEDU Keeping Student Thinking Visible: Why AI is Making Classrooms Harder (In a Good Way), Matt and Liz kick it off with an informal pop quiz distinguishing Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) from Artificial Super Intelligence (ASI) and then Artificial Slider Intelligence (ASI-2 - as in burgers). They dive into a study from NPJ Science of Food detailing this new ASI coined by Ethan Mollick where researchers utilized a two-stage generative AI diffusion model to analyze human food data and successfully generate optimized, nutritious, and sustainable burger recipes.The RundownThe state passed a comprehensive piece of artificial intelligence legislation establishing a statewide AI academy and a higher education alliance, while requiring every public school district to integrate computer science and AI into its curriculum.A major sweep of ecosystem updates from Orlando includes new Gemini features like study notebooks and expanded exam prep, alongside fresh Chromebook tool locks and massive google.org funding investments for non-profits like AIEDU.Spurred by a listener tip and an analytical piece in Wired Magazine, the hosts discuss a growing European movement to establish localized tech platforms and break free from a reliance on American big tech infrastructure.The Beneath the SurfaceHigh school English teacher and Connecticut Teacher of the Year semifinalist Kate Avcollie joins the show to discuss her classroom strategies for shifting student focus away from simple compliance and toward authentic cognition. She details how she utilizes custom chatbot "Gems" as structured interventions to pressure test student ideas, requiring them to unpack and annotate their logic. This process ultimately makes student thinking entirely visible and elevates classroom rigor during live evaluations like Socratic seminars and shark tank presentations.The Bright ByteThe episode closes with a positive look at Intercept, a new 500 million dollar philanthropic initiative aiming to eliminate common respiratory infections like colds and the flu. The project relies heavily on advanced AI protein design tools like AlphaFold to engineer specialized molecules and create broad spectrum treatments without harmful side effects.AnnouncementsPurchase 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/learnai⁠⁠⁠ Explore Skills21’s FREE social media literacy curriculum - ⁠⁠⁠https://www.skills21.org/social-balance⁠⁠⁠Address Screen Time concerns - ⁠skills21.org/ai/screenshift⁠ LinksThe Visible Thinkerthevisiblethinker.comGenerative artificial intelligence creates burgershttps://tinyurl.com/mw4cjy2wConnecticut AI law could reshape how students learn from kindergarten to collegehttps://tinyurl.com/5n6nekdpGoogle for Education Launch Guide: ISTE Orlando 2026https://tinyurl.com/37uu4nvkGoogle.org is funding three long-term partners on education and AIhttps://tinyurl.com/4txc8caxPatricia Rootsaerthttps://tinyurl.com/yc62h3pcCIV AIwww.civai.euEurope Is Fed Up and Wants Its Own AIhttps://tinyurl.com/3n8kk24hIntercept: Ending Respiratory Infectionshttps://tinyurl.com/mrxxfbk5