Kinwise: AI Insights for Educators

In this episode of Kinwise: AI Insights for Education Leaders, host Lydia Kumar sits down with the Pine Lakers,  Aankan Das, Gillian Keith, Prakyath Shankar, and Cooper Brown, second-place finishers in North Carolina's first-ever AI Solve-a-Thon and students at Pine Lake Preparatory School in Mooresville. What began as a resume builder turned into a real working app, real conversations with state officials, and a real shot at changing how North Carolinians experience the DMV. Key Takeaways for Education Leaders A real problem makes all the difference. Prakyath's frustrating four-hour DMV visit became the spark for the entire project. When students are solving problems they've actually lived, the motivation is built in. Vibe coding has a low floor and a high ceiling. The team started with Playlab because it was accessible, then leveled up to Base44 for more advanced development. The platform even guided them on which AI model to use for which task . Working with government is slow, but possible. As the only Solve-a-Thon team tackling a government agency, the Pine Lakers have had to think differently about implementation. Rather than waiting for a full rollout, they've been sharing code segments and ideas with DMV officials, letting their work shape a larger ongoing initiative. Blocking AI doesn't make students safer, but it does make cheating more appealing. As Gillian said: framing AI as the enemy just drives students toward unethical use.  The teacher who connects students to opportunities changes everything. Ms. Riley came up in nearly every answer. Her approach, independent thinking, creative project choice, mental check-ins, and a sharp eye for matching students to outside opportunities, is a model for what AI-integrated teaching can look like. These students are thinking about AI's future more clearly than most adults. From job displacement to data privacy to environmental concerns, the Pine Lakers arrived at nuanced, grounded perspectives.

In this episode of Kinwise: AI Insights for Education Leaders, host Lydia Kumar sits down with three members of the Byrd Brains to learn about how they build the Jade Book.  Key Takeaways for Education Leaders -The most powerful solutions come from lived experience. Chris Butler experienced homelessness three times, including during COVID while sleeping in a car. That personal stake shaped how the Byrd Brains built the Jade Book. -AI hallucination is a real problem students can learn to solve. The team discovered their app was generating fake shelter listings and developed a systematic back-testing process to verify every resource before publishing.  -Collaboration across schools is possible. Chris attends a different school than his teammates and joined the team remotely through SparkNC. The team met in person for the first time only after making the top ten. Remote collaboration is a real-world skill students need to practice. -Students need more AI instructors, not just AI policies. Tremaine made the point directly: his school has one AI instructor, and that makes all the difference. Teachers who encourage AI use rather than ban it create entirely different learning environments. -When students are given real problems, they build real things. The Jade Book has already attracted interest from companies and organizations wanting to make it a real product. 

In this episode of Kinwise: AI Insights for Education Leaders, host Lydia Kumar sits down with Satviki and Anwita, the first-place winning team from the NC AI Solve-a-Thon, and their coach Nina Darnell, Spark Lab leader for Cabarrus County Schools. Together they built NC Connect Link, an AI-powered app that helps people across North Carolina find jobs, housing, food, healthcare, and legal aid in one place.  Key Takeaways for Education Leaders -They built for real people. Satviki and Anwita designed NC Connect Link for people who are stressed, in a hurry, and not necessarily comfortable with technology, adding natural language input, multilingual support, and typo handling based on real user feedback. -Customer discovery is a learnable skill. The team reached out to libraries, local organizations, school teachers, and administrators to test their app before the competition and kept iterating until the last minute based on what they heard. -AI was a teammate, not a shortcut. They used Claude and ChatGPT to debug code and think through problems. -Students don't have to wait to make a difference. As Satviki put it: "We don't have to wait until we're older to make a real difference. We can start whenever our curiosity begins." -The app is still growing. NC Connect Link has expanded from major urban cities to all of North Carolina, rural and urban, and the team is working toward an App Store and Google Play launch by end of summer.

In this episode of Kinwise: AI Insights for Educators, host Lydia Kumar sits down with Vera Cubero and Matthew Mayo, the NC DPI leaders who designed and ran North Carolina's first-ever AI Solve-a-Thon. Together they built a statewide student competition where teams spent months identifying real community problems and building actual AI-powered solutions and what students produced exceeded every expectation. Key Takeaways for Education Leaders The Solve-a-Thon was built around empathy. Students were asked to identify real problems in their communities. AI literacy is the floor. While many schools are still debating whether to introduce AI, students are already building with it. The goal now is fluency: the discernment and human agency to use these tools responsibly. Instructional redesign is no longer optional. If the end product is indistinguishable from what AI alone could produce, it's time to start evaluating the process. When students are given real challenges, they exceed what we thought was possible. One student told his coach he had learned more in four months than in his entire school career.

In this episode of Kinwise Conversations in AI, host Lydia sits down with Priten Soundar-Shah, educator, philosopher, and author of the forthcoming Ethical Ed Tech, to challenge the question most schools are asking about AI. Instead of starting with "Does this tool work?", Priten argues schools need to build ethical reasoning skills first, drawing on a framework adapted from bioethics to help educators make values-driven decisions at every level. Key Takeaways for K-12 Leaders -Ethics is a skill, not a policy. Ethical decision-making requires vocabulary, heuristics, and protected time. -Classroom teachers are the most consequential AI decision-makers. Like doctors who know their patients, teachers hold relational and pedagogical knowledge no district policy can replicate. -Top-down policies produce compliance. Without educator buy-in, the result is checkbox behavior.  -Slow down to lead. Define your highest-priority problem before entering any sales conversation. Don't let vendors set your agenda.

In this episode of Kinwise Conversations, host Lydia Kumar sits down with Steven Priest, Digital Learning Consultant at the Wyoming Department of Education, to dismantle the myth that rural districts are lagging in the AI revolution. Priest, a former agriculture teacher and principal, brings a unique "place-based" perspective to digital transformation, arguing that Wyoming’s high-trust, low-bureaucracy environments have allowed them to outpace national averages in AI policy adoption. Key Takeaways for K-12 Leaders -Agility Over Scale: Rural districts are leading AI policy adoption (56% in Wyoming vs. 31% nationally) because their smaller size fosters high trust and the ability to "fail forward" without excessive red tape. -Mission-Driven Adoption: AI implementation must be grounded in an organization’s existing mission and vision; without this strategic anchor, AI becomes a "shiny object" rather than a tool for progress. -The "Durable Skills" Currency: As AI handles more technical tasks, the value of human-centered skills, critical thinking, empathy, and adaptability, becomes the primary goal of modern curriculum design. -Unplugging to Connect: Strategic leadership in AI includes knowing when to disconnect. "Place-based AI" uses technology as a hook to ground students in their physical reality, fostering a sense of purpose. -Teacher Retention through Efficiency: AI’s greatest immediate value may be reclaiming 5-7 hours of teacher time per week, offering a powerful lever for addressing burnout and the educator shortage.

Scott Kern, a veteran AP US History teacher at North Star Academy, didn't enter the AI world looking for a shortcut. Instead, he sought a way to solve the "great sadness" of teaching: the fact that there is only one of him and thirty students who all need a mentor at the exact same moment. By building custom "feedback bots" that mirror his own instructional voice, Scott managed to do scale his presence, leading to a career-high pass rate on the AP exam. In this episode, we dive into the vital distinction between "logistical friction" (the stuff we want to automate) and "academic friction" (the productive struggle where learning actually happens). Scott shares the philosophy behind his school's new "AI Driver’s License" pilot and explains why the first week of an AI literacy course should involve no technology at all.  Key Discussion Points: -The "Cloned" Educator: How Scott used custom bots to provide 1-on-1 coaching to every student simultaneously, resulting in a 22% increase in AP pass rates. -Process Over Product: Moving the grading focus from the final essay to the number of meaningful revisions a student makes alongside an AI coach. -The AI Driver’s License: Why North Star Academy is teaching seniors to be "drivers rather than passengers" by focusing on ethos and agency over specific prompting tools. -The Historian’s Perspective: Looking at the exponential pace of AI change through the lens of human history and previous technological pivots.

If you walked into a high school classroom and saw a teacher running daily stand-ups and communicating via Slack, you might think you’d stumbled into a tech startup. For Ivanna Gutierrez, that blur between education and industry is exactly the point. A former software consultant turned educator, Ivanna experienced a surreal "full circle" moment when she returned to teach at the very high school she graduated from, even finding her own name scribbled in the textbooks. Now, as the Director of High School & Career Related Programs at the Dottie Rose Foundation, she is on a mission to ensure that girls and underrepresented students don't just survive computer science classes, but thrive in them. Key Discussion Points: -The "Pocketbook Problem" in Design: Ivanna uses the lack of storage for purses in cars as a prime example of why we need diverse creators: if you aren't at the table, your needs, and your perspective, aren't in the product. -Corporate Realism in the Classroom: Why treating students like employees (using Slack, stand-ups, and "Googling it") prepares them for the workforce better than traditional rote memorization. -Bridging the Confidence Gap: Addressing the heartbreaking reality that many girls opt out of STEM by 5th grade, and how mentorship can interrupt that narrative. -AI as a "Soundboard," Not a Solution: How to teach students to use generative AI for debugging and brainstorming without sacrificing the development of deep logical thinking skills. -Beyond the Code: The critical importance of "soft skills," networking, personal branding, and portfolio building, in an era where technical skills are increasingly automated. -Consumer vs. Creator: The vital shift students must make to ensure they are shaping the tools of tomorrow rather than just being shaped by them.

Join us for an inspiring conversation with Babak Mostaghimi, Founding Partner at LearnerStudio and the former Assistant Superintendent who led Gwinnett County Public Schools' pioneering AI readiness initiative. Babak guides us through the necessary shift from using AI merely to make broken systems faster, to using it as a tool that unlocks human potential. He shares LearnerStudio’s "Three Horizons" model of innovation, explaining why schools are stuck in an industrial past and how we can re-architect them for a future focused on life, career, and democracy. Key Discussion Points: -Pro-Human AI: Babak’s argument against using AI solely for efficiency, "Nobody likes the current system. Why are we making it faster?" and the case for using tools to unlock creativity and connection. -The Three Horizons Model: A framework for understanding education's evolution from the industrial model (Horizon 1) to the efficiency/equity movement (Horizon 2), and finally to a learner-centered ecosystem (Horizon 3). -Marie Kondo-ing the Curriculum: The necessity of clearing out antiquated content standards to create the psychological safety and time for relationship-driven, real-world learning. -Snorkeling vs. Scuba Diving: Why AI readiness cannot be a niche magnet program but must be a universal skill set that allows every student to navigate ("swim"), explore ("snorkel"), or deeply master ("scuba dive") the technology. -Agency in Action: Real-world examples of students and teachers taking control, including a 7th grader using the Inkwire tool to investigate food insecurity and educators designing bespoke feedback agents with PlayLab.The Three Horizons of Learning: A Conversation with Babak Mostaghimi

Join us for a candid debate between two colleagues who view the future of AI in education through very different lenses. We are joined by Dr. Jason Margolis, an AI skeptic who worries about the atrophy of critical thinking, and Dr. Nicole Schilling, an AI optimist who sees these tools as essential scaffolds for complex problem-solving. Together, they model the concept of "Critical Friends," engaging in respectful but challenging dialogue on a polarizing topic. We dive deep into the ethics of the "8-minute dissertation," the tension between efficiency and the learning process, and why we might need flexible guidelines rather than rigid policies in this rapidly changing landscape. Whether you are an educator, a leader, or just someone trying to figure out where the human ends and the machine begins, this conversation offers a roadmap for navigating the grey areas of innovation. Key Discussion Points: Skeptic vs. Optimist: Jason’s concern about "outsourcing our brains" versus Nicole’s vision of AI as a partner in social constructionism. The "8-Minute Dissertation": A critical look at what is lost when we prioritize the product (the degree) over the process (the struggle of learning). Ethical AI Use: Examples of high-level use, such as training an AI model to act as a rigorous dissertation committee rather than writing the paper for you. Bias and Power: Addressing the "racist undertones" in algorithms and questioning whose interests are really served by the rapid adoption of AI. Policy vs. Guidelines: Why creating rigid policies for fast-moving tech is often futile, and the argument for developing ethical "guidelines" instead. The Critical Friends Model: How to disagree productively and maintain professional relationships in an era of polarized viewpoints.

Join us for an insightful conversation with Dr. Dana Riger, UNC's inaugural Faculty Fellow for Generative AI, as she guides us through the rapid paradigm shift brought on by AI in higher education. Dr. Riger shares her journey from a "fear-driven" assessment redesign, after discovering ChatGPT, to developing a nuanced, values-driven framework for integrating and avoiding AI in the classroom. We dive into practical strategies, like redesigning traditional research papers into creative, AI-avoidant multimedia projects, and intentionally integrating AI for skills development, such as using chatbots for practice dialogues on polarizing topics. Dr. Riger also addresses the institutional challenge of avoiding "one-size-fits-all" AI policies and underscores the importance of fostering an open dialogue. Ultimately, this episode offers a compelling vision for the future of teaching, emphasizing that the human educator's unique value lies in fostering empathy, presence, and critical dialogue, not just imparting knowledge. Key Discussion Points: -The AI Paradigm Shift: Dr. Riger's initial reaction to ChatGPT and her immediate, fear-driven assessment redesign in 2022. -The Nuanced Approach: Distinguishing between AI-avoidant (experiential, creative) and AI-integrated (intentional skill-building) assessments. -Practical Examples: How a multimedia project replaces a traditional paper, and using AI to practice difficult, emotionally laden conversations. -Leading with Collaboration: Why policing AI use is ineffective and the importance of respecting student autonomy and ethical objections. -Institutional Guidance: The missteps of mandated, uniform AI policies and the need for a thoughtful "middle ground" approach. -The Value of Process: Shifting assessment focus from the final product to the process of learning (drafts, revisions, process logs). -The Core Question: What are the unique, human-centered qualities (empathy, presence) that educators must prioritize in the age of AI?

In this episode from the archives, Montana science teacher and district AI lead Connor Mulvaney joins host Lydia Kumar to share how he turned fishing photos, traffic-light rubrics, and a healthy dose of curiosity into AI leadership in Montana and across the nation. Fresh off announcing aiEDU’s largest Trailblazers Fellowship expansion, Connor shares stories about leading students and educators to responsible AI adoption.  In this episode, you’ll learn: Break-the-Ice Questions – Three questions that instantly surface student misconceptions (and enthusiasm) about AI. Fake Fish, Real Ethics – Using deepfake trout to spark serious debate on consent, bias, and digital citizenship. Trailblazers 2.0 – What’s inside the 10-week fellowship (virtual sessions, $875 stipend, national recognition) and why rural teachers asked for it. This episode is for K-12 educators, district leaders, and mission-driven education organizations who want to shift AI conversations from fear and plagiarism to possibility and purpose. 

K-12 EdTech coach Danelle Brostrom joins us to talk about bringing curiosity, guardrails, and humanity to AI in schools. We dig into what we should learn from the social-media era, how librarians are frontline partners for information literacy, the real risks inside edtech privacy policies (and how districts can negotiate them), and concrete ways AI can expand access, like instant translation, reading-level adjustments, and executive-function supports. If you’re a district leader, principal, or teacher trying to move from paralysis to practical action, this conversation is your on-ramp. Key Takeaways Don’t repeat social media’s mistakes. Protect in-person connection; teach students how to spot manipulated media and deepfakes. Librarians = misinformation SWAT team. Pair EdTech with media specialists to teach reverse-image search, corroboration, and bias checks. AI is already in your stack. Inventory tools teachers use; many “non-AI” products now include AI features that touch student data. Equity in action. Real-time translation, leveled texts, and scaffolded task breakdowns can immediately widen access—offer to all students. PD that sticks. Start with low-stakes personal uses (meal plans, resumes), then ethics, then classroom workflows—build a safe space to wrestle. Listen first. Talk to students about how they’re using AI; invite skeptics to the table. Leadership mindset. Curiosity, grace, and progress over perfection.

In this episode, we’re joined by Ahmed Boutar, an Artificial Intelligence Master’s Student at Duke University, who brings a rigorous engineering focus to the ethics and governance of AI. Ahmed’s work centers on ensuring new technology aligns with human values, including his research on Human-Aligned Hazardous Driving (HAHD) systems for autonomous vehicles. This conversation is an urgent exploration of the practical and ethical challenges facing education and industry as AI progresses rapidly. Ahmed provides a critical perspective on how to maintain human judgment and oversight in a world increasingly powered by Large Language Models.   Key Takeaways The Interpretation Imperative: The most critical role of an educator today is to ensure that students move beyond simply accepting AI output to interpreting it, explaining it, and wrestling with the material in their own words. This is the ultimate guardrail against outsourcing thinking. The Alignment Problem: AI failures often stem from misalignment between the intended goal (outer alignment) and the goal the AI actually optimizes for (inner alignment). The chilling example provided is an AI that solved the objective of "moving the fastest" by designing a tall structure that immediately fell down to maximize speed. Transparency is Governance: For high-stakes decisions like loan applications or hiring, users and regulators must demand transparency into why an AI made a prediction. Responsible development requires diverse perspectives on design teams to prevent innate biases in training data from causing discrimination. Adoption Over Abandonment: As humans, we cannot stop AI's progress. Instead, we must adopt it to augment productivity, while simultaneously creating policy and guardrails that ensure fair and responsible use. A Hope for Scientific Discovery: While concerned about the concentration of AI development in a few large companies, Ahmed remains optimistic about AI's potential in scientific fields like drug discovery and proactively addressing global crises, as seen during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In this episode, we’re joined by Dr. Sawsan Jaber, a global educator, equity strategist, and author of Pedagogies of Voice. Dr. Jaber’s work is rooted in her lived experience as the daughter of refugees and her profound belief that classrooms must be healing spaces that nurture student voice and radical love. This conversation is an urgent exploration of how K-12 leaders can balance the adoption of AI with the non-negotiable mission of humanizing education, ensuring that new technology becomes a tool for liberation, not a weapon for assimilation.   Key Takeaways The Pendulum of Power: Education constantly swings between standardization (which turns students into "invisible statistics") and human-centered reform. AI presents a moment to resist the swing and focus on qualitative, asset-based learning. Teaching as a Lifeline: Core curriculum skills must be framed as "liberatory skills," like teaching a period as a tool to force a reader to sit in your words, giving students the power to advocate for themselves and their communities. The Criticality Problem: Dr. Jaber cautions against the "dystopian thinking" of letting AI do the thinking. Leaders must prioritize teaching criticality and inquiry, ensuring students never sacrifice unique thought for easily generated output. Trust is the Best AI Detector: The foundation for responsible AI use is built through trust-based relationships. Educators must co-create norms with students and model vulnerability, positioning themselves as fellow learners rather than simply gatekeepers. The Antidote to Hate: Classrooms should be healing spaces that build radical love and mutual understanding. This mission is the most powerful antidote to the culture of fear and single-story narratives that plague society today.

In this episode from the archives, we’re joined by Vera Cubero, the Emerging Technologies Consultant for the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) and a co-author of one of the nation's first K-12 AI guidelines. Vera shares her frontline experience transitioning from a classroom teacher piloting 1-to-1 Chromebooks to leading a statewide AI initiative. This conversation is a crucial exploration of how education must fundamentally change its approach—moving beyond simple tech "substitution" to truly "redefine" learning, assessment, and the role of the teacher to prepare all students for an AI-driven future.   Key Takeaways Beyond the Digital Worksheet: Vera warns that AI in education risks repeating the failures of 1-to-1 Chromebook adoption, where "substitution" (digital worksheets) won out over true learning "redefinition." The AI-Enabled Project: The future of learning isn't just using AI; it's pairing AI with Project-Based Learning (PBL). AI becomes a powerful tool for students to solve complex, real-world problems, moving assessment away from simple essays. Durable Skills Over Rote Answers: Vera argues that AI makes rote memorization obsolete. The new curriculum must focus on building "durable skills" like critical thinking, collaboration, and creativity—skills the future workforce demands. The Guide on the Side: AI doesn't replace teachers; it changes their role. The focus must shift from the "sage on the stage" (delivering content) to the "guide on the side" (coaching, fostering human connection, and guiding student inquiry). AI as the Great Equalizer: Vera's biggest concern is equity. Public schools must act as the "great equalizer," ensuring all students—especially from marginalized communities—gain AI fluency, or the economic divide will widen dramatically.

In this episode, we’re joined by Kris Younger, a longtime technologist and the Director of Education at Zip Code Wilmington, a nonprofit coding bootcamp. Zip Code is on the absolute frontier of technology, helping adults from diverse backgrounds, who often earn between $30,000 and $35,000 per year, rapidly transition into tech careers with salaries in the mid-eighties, all in just 12 intense weeks. Kris shares his unique perspective on how the role of the software developer is fundamentally changing, shifting from a "coder" to a "programmer" who is more like a business analyst and a director. This conversation is an urgent exploration of how to make education nimble enough to prepare students for the future of work, not the past.   Key Takeaways   The Age of Steam Programming: Kris likens the arrival of generative AI to the shift from sailing ships to steam engines, the fundamental skills needed to build software have changed forever. From Coding to Management: Traditional computer science knowledge of search routines and algorithms is being taken over by LLMs. The crucial human skills are now critical thinking, communication, and management of the AI tools. Projects are the New Exam: In a world where LLMs can generate code, the only effective way to assess knowledge is through project-based work that demands group collaboration and real-world delivery (like building a Slack clone in a week). Weaponize AI in Response: Instead of trying to ban AI, educators must change the assignment. AI is now a power tool; the education challenge is to teach people how to think critically enough to manage that tool effectively. The On-Ramp Problem: Kris's biggest concern is that businesses, confused about the future, will cut off entry-level hiring, denying themselves the adaptable, open-minded new talent who haven't yet learned "what's impossible."

In this episode, we’re visiting Duke University to meet Vihaan Nama, an AI engineer, researcher, and teaching assistant helping shape how AI is taught and built for the real world. From roles at PS&S and JPMorgan to graduate courses on explainable AI and product management, Vihaan brings a rare combination of technical depth and educator insight. If you’ve ever wondered how to make AI education more human, or how to turn student learning data into actionable insight, personalized support, or even a study partner, Vihaan offers both clarity and concrete examples. We talk about everything from his early experiments in sentiment analysis to why open-source models matter for student privacy, how retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) is quietly transforming knowledge work, and what schools can do right now to prepare for custom AI tools of their own. Key Takeaways -Your Notes, Your Assistant: Vihaan envisions a future where students can chat with their own lecture notes, using LLMs to review, revise, and apply information in their own language and context. -From Archive to Advantage: Companies (and schools!) are sitting on decades of underused data. With the right AI systems, that information becomes actionable knowledge. -Trust Through Transparency: Grounding AI outputs in clear, credible sources is key to building trust, especially in high-stakes environments like education and public services. -Small Models, Big Wins: As open-source LLMs become lighter and faster, even modestly funded schools can host private AI tools, no cloud dependency required. -Responsible AI = Responsive Leadership: From sustainability audits to ethical guardrails, Vihaan emphasizes that building AI responsibly starts with knowing what your organization values most.

In this episode, we're joined by Brian Jefferson, a professor at the University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business. Brian shares his incredible journey from a 20-year career as a partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers to becoming a recognized innovator in higher education. Listen in as we discuss how to move beyond AI anxiety by fostering "awe and whimsy," why the goal should be "cognitive enhancement" rather than simple automation, and the unique challenges of preparing students for a workforce where their first job might be to audit an AI output. Brian offers practical advice for any educator curious about AI, shares his "aha" moment using AI to practice for high-stakes conversations, and provides a hopeful vision for the future of professional education.   Key Takeaways Cognitive Enhancement Over Automation: Brian's core philosophy is that AI's greatest potential lies not in replacing tasks, but in acting as a partner to augment our own thinking, practice skills, and deepen critical judgment. Play as an Antidote to Fear: The conversation highlights how low-stakes, creative exercises, like building a "family vacation GPT" or designing posters with DALL-E, can dissolve anxiety and build confidence for both students and educators new to AI. Co-Creation Builds Ownership: Brian’s strategy of co-creating a custom classroom GPT with his students demonstrates how involving learners in the design process fosters responsibility, engagement, and a more sophisticated understanding of the technology. Preparing Students for a New Reality of Work: As AI handles more foundational tasks, the essential human skill becomes the ability to critically review and audit AI's output. The discussion emphasizes the need to shift education to build this "auditor mindset." AI as the Ultimate Practice Partner: From rehearsing lectures on a commute to preparing for difficult conversations, Brian shows how AI can be used as a private, infinitely patient simulator for improving high-stakes human skills.

In this episode, we're joined by McKenna Akane, an award-winning STEM teacher and the Frontier Learning Lab Ambassador at the Montana Digital Academy. McKenna shares her incredible journey from being a first-year teacher in a rural Montana school to becoming a nationally recognized leader in educational technology, winning accolades like Discovery Education's "Educator of the Year" and a state championship in the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow competition.   Listen in as we discuss how to move beyond basic AI tools and design award-winning VR projects, the unique opportunities and constraints of teaching in a rural district, and how to address equity and cultural responsiveness when bringing new technology into underserved communities. McKenna offers practical advice for educators who are new to AI, shares her "aha" moments with immersive technology, and provides a hopeful vision for the future of STEM education. Key Takeaways Technology as a Bridge, Not a Replacement: McKenna's work demonstrates how VR and AI can be used to extend learning opportunities and immerse students in their subjects, from walking through ancient Rome to preserving Indigenous cultures. Rural Schools as Innovation Hubs: While rural districts face budget constraints, they also offer unique advantages, such as strong community ties and the ability to be nimble and innovative. Student Authorship in the Age of AI: The conversation emphasizes the importance of teaching students to use AI ethically and responsibly, with a focus on tools that support student authorship and critical thinking. The Human Element is Irreplaceable: When working with Indigenous and underrepresented communities, it's crucial to remember that AI is a tool and cannot replace the lived experiences and cultural knowledge of the people themselves. Support for Educators is Key: As technology evolves, so does the need for professional development. McKenna highlights the importance of resources like the Frontier Learning Lab and the AI Help Desk to support teachers in their journey with new technologies.

Mike McGuckin, a Computer Science Teacher at Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools, joins us to share his on-the-ground perspective on navigating AI in education. Mike's passion for technology led him to become the only North Carolina educator in the inaugural AIEDU Trailblazer Fellowship. This experience "skyrocketed" him into a leadership role where he now helps shape AI curriculum and guides fellow educators across the state.   With a background that uniquely blends practical classroom experience with state-level policy work, Mike offers a realistic and hopeful roadmap for integrating AI thoughtfully. In this practical conversation, we discuss how he uses AI as an "idea bouncer" to reclaim time for students, his strategies for teaching AI ethics, and why the future of education depends on preparing both teachers and students for a world of constant change. Highlights: The journey from swim coach to one of North Carolina’s leading voices on AI in education How to use AI as an "idea bouncer" to reduce lesson-planning stress and burnout Practical classroom examples: teaching AI ethics with self-driving cars and building chatbots with students Why "knowing your students" is a more effective AI detector than any software The big question keeping him up at night: What will school look like for his own children in just a few years

Susan C. McLeod, VP of Data Center Market Development at Hitachi Energy, joins us to explore how large organizations can successfully navigate AI adoption. Drawing from over 20 years in enterprise tech, Susan offers practical insights for turning complex technology into a wins for people on the ground. With a background leading global support and success at Hitachi Vantara, Susan now works at the critical intersection of AI, data centers, and the energy sector. In this practical conversation, we discuss why most AI pilots fail, how to truly prepare your data and teams for new tools, and why communication is the most vital skill for a future shaped by automation. Susan's insights challenge us to look beyond the hype, preserve the invaluable human knowledge within our organizations, and champion the critical thinking skills that will define the next generation of leaders. Highlights: The "leapfrog" moment that sparked a shift from simple bots to generative AI Why leaders need to say everything seven times The reason 95% of corporate AI pilots are failing How to prevent the loss of irreplaceable knowledge as experts retire Why the next generation’s greatest challenge is protecting their own critical thinking

Angeline Corvaglia, founder of Data Girl and Friends and the soon-to-be-announced SHIELD, joins us to explore how AI education can equip the next generation to stay thoughtful, self-aware, and socially grounded in an age of algorithmic influence. With a background in global finance and digital transformation, Angeline now works at the intersection of AI literacy and youth empowerment. In this expansive conversation, she shares how emotional design, biased data labeling, and chatbot companions are already shaping young minds, and what parents, teachers, and communities can do about it. Angeline’s insights challenge us to center student voice, rethink “neutral” tech, and reclaim our inner compass in a time of persuasive machines. Highlights: The chatbot conversation that sparked her shift from CFO to AI literacy advocate How young people are unknowingly outsourcing critical thinking to chatbots What educators need to know about AI bias, trust, and voice development Global stories from Nigeria to Italy revealing AI’s cultural blind spots Simple metaphors (like cookie crumbs!) that make data concepts stick

William A “Bill” Brown, former Chief Architect at IBM and founder of Application Engineering Services, joins us to explore how AI can drive access, equity, and innovation when guided by human intention. From wiring office networks in 1980s New York to building AI agents today, Bill’s career is rooted in curiosity and continual learning. In this expansive conversation, he shares how he navigated each wave of technological change, why he sees AI as the most transformative shift of his lifetime, and what skills educators and students need to succeed in this new era. Bill’s insights connect the dots between lifelong learning, technical fluency, and the people-first mindset that shapes meaningful progress. Highlights: - The homemade database that sparked Bill’s 35-year tech career -What AI fluency looks like for students, educators, and career-changers -Designing global cloud architecture with human needs in mind -Building AI tools that support learning and skill development -Centering equity, sustainability, and impact in AI work

Cary Wright, a 30-year veteran educator and co-founder of T.E.A.C.H., joins us to share how he’s helping teachers go from overwhelmed to empowered through practical, responsible AI use. From streamlining lesson planning to unlocking data insights, Cary explains how he and his co-founder, Tyler Hunt, are building a future where AI supports educators. In his role as K-12 Coordinator of Humanities in Martinsville, Virginia, Cary has seen firsthand the emotional toll of teaching, and the real impact AI can make. In this candid and energizing conversation, he unpacks the simple workflows that save hours, the mindset shifts required to adopt new tools, and the deeper why behind his mission: keeping teachers in the classroom and helping students thrive in an AI-powered world. Whether you're a classroom teacher, school leader, or just curious about what AI really looks like in K-12, this episode offers a hopeful, human-centered look at what’s possible. Highlights: The story behind T.E.A.C.H. and its grassroots beginnings A teacher trades coffee for wine after a lesson-planning breakthrough How AI can amplify veteran educator expertise Navigating ethical data use and student privacy Preparing students for a future alongside AI

What happens when a centuries-old set of values meets one of the most disruptive technologies of our time? In this episode, we slow down the AI conversation with John Sharon, Assistant Head for Teaching and Learning at Carolina Friends School. With over 34 years in education, John has seen fads come and go and knows the importance of discernment. Grounded in the Quaker testimonies of simplicity, integrity, environmental stewardship, and the belief that truth is continually revealed, John offers a deeply reflective approach to integrating AI in schools. We explore: Why AI in education reminds him of the early laptop push from Microsoft The balance between innovation and caution by keeping “one foot on the brake and one on the accelerator” How Quaker values prompt unique ethical questions about AI’s environmental impact and its effects on human relationships in learning communities Examples of how teachers and students are experimenting with AI while protecting privacy and nurturing critical thinking Whether you’re a school leader, classroom teacher, or simply curious about AI’s role in shaping young minds, this conversation offers a fresh, values-driven perspective. John’s central reminder: AI should remain a tool for learning, not the learning itself. If you want to explore how to bring the same balance and intentionality into your organization, visit kinwise.org/programs to learn more about our hands-on professional development for schools, nonprofits, and mission-driven businesses

Montana science teacher and district AI lead Connor Mulvaney joins host Lydia Kumar to share how he turned fishing photos, traffic-light rubrics, and a healthy dose of curiosity into AI leadership in Montana and across the nation. Fresh off announcing aiEDU’s largest Trailblazers Fellowship expansion, Connor shares stories about leading students and educators to responsible AI adoption.  In this episode, you’ll learn: Break-the-Ice Questions – Three questions that instantly surface student misconceptions (and enthusiasm) about AI. Fake Fish, Real Ethics – Using deepfake trout to spark serious debate on consent, bias, and digital citizenship. Trailblazers 2.0 – What’s inside the 10-week fellowship (virtual sessions, $875 stipend, national recognition) and why rural teachers asked for it. This episode is for K-12 educators, district leaders, and mission-driven education organizations who want to shift AI conversations from fear and plagiarism to possibility and purpose. 

In this episode, Guide and curriculum designer Ben Gordon Sniffen pulls back the curtain on Alpha School’s two-hour learning model, where an AI tutor condenses core academics into a focused morning block and frees guides for passion-driven life-skills workshops in the afternoon. Listen in as Ben explains: How 120 minutes of adaptive learning hits each child’s “productive-struggle” zone. The role of guides as emotional & motivational coaches, and why more AI means more adults Real-world workshop wins, from third-graders pitching businesses to middle-schoolers coding robot Teaching AI literacy: getting students to critique ChatGPT drafts instead of outsourcing thinking A hopeful vision for the future of work where human mentorship matters more Connect and Resources I hope you enjoyed hearing Ben Gordon Sniffen’s perspective on Alpha’s two-hour learning model and student-driven life-skills workshops. If you’re curious to see the model in action, or to follow Ben’s ongoing work at the intersection of AI and education, here are a few easy ways to connect: Alpha School Official Website – Explore the two-hour learning structure, outcomes data, and campus locations. Visit the website: alpha.school Connect with Ben on LinkedIn – Follow Ben’s reflections on AI-powered tutoring, curriculum design, and student coaching. Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/benjamin-gordon-sniffen-423a91229 2-Hour Learning Model Overview – Watch a short explainer and see sample schedules that condense core academics into a focused morning block. Read the overview: alpha.school/2-hour-learning Adaptive-Learning Apps Mentioned – Khan Academy, IXL, Newsela, and EGUMPP power personalized practice across subjects. Explore the apps: khanacademy.org | ixl.com | newsela.com | egumpp.com AI Research Tools – Try ChatGPT or Perplexity AI for cited summaries, brainstorming, and deeper dives into any topic. Start exploring openai.com/chatgpt | perplexity.ai   For more support from our team in implementing human-centered AI strategy, go to kinwise.org to explore our pilot program and custom resources. 

Kinwise Conversations is your weekly AI learning lab for teachers, principals, and district leaders. In Season 2 we dive into real classroom pilots, district-wide roll-outs, and cross-sector insights that show exactly how AI can boost student learning without losing the human heart of education. 🎙 What to expect • Classroom and district innovators already pushing AI to its limits • Warm, grounded conversations about equity, ethics, and practical wins • Cross-sector voices that connect today’s lessons to tomorrow’s jobs 🎙 Who's in the trailer • Season 1, Episode 3: Vera Cubero, NCDPI Emerging Technologies Consultant • Season 1, Episode 7: Tanzania Brown, Instructional Designer • Season 2, Episode 1: Ben Gordon Sniffen, Guide at Alpha • Season 2, Episode 4: Cary Wright, AI K-12 Coach at T.E.A.C.H Season 2 launches Wednesday, July 30. Follow Kinwise Conversations wherever you get your podcasts, then explore hands-on educator PD, Communities of Practice, and AI Leadership Labs at kinwise.org. Questions? Email [email protected], and bring a colleague along for the ride.  

Brand strategist Jim Cobb, founder of The Bloodhound Group and a creative force behind MasterCard’s legendary “Priceless” campaign, joins host Lydia Kumar to unpack how neuroscience, emotion, and generative AI can support branding. Drawing on four decades of advertising experience, Jim explains why 90 percent of purchase decisions start in the unconscious mind, how skin-response testing saved the priceless concept, and where today’s AI tools are already streamlining everything from HR talent matching to real-time sports coaching.  Key Takeaways Emotion first, logic later. Neuroscience shows people buy on feeling and justify with facts, creative that sparks relevance wins. Data still rules. Clean, well-labeled datasets are the difference between powerful AI insights and garbage output. Scale thoughtfully. Use AI to serve more clients without sacrificing quality or brand trust. Resources & Links Jim Cobb on LinkedIn → LinkedIn The Bloodhound Group → Bloodhound Group MasterCard “Priceless” case study → The Brand Hopper Kinwise Pilot Program → https://kinwise.org/pilot (learn how to build a human-centered AI strategy)

Welcome to Kinwise Conversations! In this episode, I’m honored to chat with Dr. Alison Harris Welcher, strategic leader, educator, and executive life coach, about nurturing human potential, leading with authenticity, and integrating AI thoughtfully into our work and lives. Dive into this inspiring conversation as Alison reveals: The thread of human potential that connects her journey from high-school English teacher to principal, Public Impact leader, and Chief Strategy Officer at Chiefs for Change. “Slow down to speed up,” her go-to leadership mantra for pausing, reflecting, and finding richer answers. Real-world AI use cases—from polishing professional emails with ChatGPT to crafting personalized meal plans—without sacrificing her personal touch. How to resist the perfectionism trap and embrace your “rough edges” in high-visibility roles. A hopeful five-year vision where AI-informed leaders know when to say “no” to technology and lean into human connection. Connect with Dr. Alison Harris Welcher Chiefs for Change (Official Website): https://chiefsforchange.org/ THRIVE Life Coaching: https://thrivelifecoaching.co/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drahwelcher/ Learn more & stay connected Explore our pilot programs for leadership teams and educators at kinwise.org/pilot  Find full transcripts and resources for this episode: www.kinwise.org/podcast Don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, or share this episode if you found value in our conversation—it truly helps other thoughtful listeners find us!

Is AI simply a productivity hack or can it supercharge genuine creativity? John “JK” Kornegay, a digital-marketing strategist by day and a sought-after event photographer by night, joins host Lydia Kumar to reveal how he lets AI handle the first 80 % of the work so his human expertise can perfect the last 20 %. From building a mini “team” of custom GPTs to forecasting a future of hyper-personalized apps, JK shares practical tactics every marketer and creative can adopt today. In this episode, you will learn: The 80/20 Workflow: Why offloading repetitive tasks to AI frees up cognitive space for strategic thinking and artistry. Prompting & Cross-Checking: How JK bounces tasks between ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, and Perplexity to sharpen results. Avoiding Scope Creep: Strategies for balancing new productivity gains with realistic client expectations (and preventing burnout). Bespoke Futures: Why the next wave of marketing is ultra-niche, one-to-one experiences, and how to prepare now. This episode is for marketers, educators, and leaders who want to embrace AI without losing the human touch that truly differentiates their work.

Is AI a tool that can finally close the educational equity gap, or will it only widen the divide? Tanzania "Taz" Brown, an educator and curriculum designer whose work is deeply rooted in social justice, joins host Lydia Kumar for a crucial conversation about the reality of AI in our schools. Drawing from her experiences in both under-resourced public schools and elite private institutions, Taz offers a powerful perspective on the promises and perils of integrating artificial intelligence into the classroom. In this episode, you will learn: From the Ground Up: Hear real-world stories of how teachers are using AI to manage overwhelming caseloads and how students are creatively using it to personalize their own learning. Beyond the "Right Answer": Discover practical strategies, like error analysis, for shifting the focus from AI-generated solutions to the critical thinking and metacognitive skills students need for the future. Confronting Bias & Inequity: Tackle the tough questions around AI bias, the digital divide, and why training AI models to be culturally responsive is non-negotiable for affirming all students, especially those on the margins. A Proactive Path Forward: Get Taz's take on what teachers, schools, and district leaders must prioritize—from foundational teacher training to establishing clear, equitable AI standards—to lead this transformation with intention. This episode is a must-listen for any educator, parent, or leader who believes in harnessing technology not just for innovation, but for justice, affirmation, and the empowerment of every student.

In this Kinwise Conversation, join host Lydia Kumar as she chats with Mariah Street, an inspiring estate planning attorney blending profound personal empathy with practical AI efficiency. Mariah's powerful journey from personal loss to entrepreneurship reveals how she uses tools like ChatGPT and Zoom AI to streamline her law practice, allowing her to focus on providing compassionate counsel and building her clients' legacies. Discover: The powerful personal story that fuels her passion for accessible estate planning. Practical AI applications for a regulated industry: drafting emails, creating SOPs, and generating marketing plans. Her "zone of genius" framework for deciding which tasks to automate versus which require a human touch. The critical ethical guardrails for using AI with confidential client information. Want to connect with Mariah or explore her work? Legacy Street Law: https://www.legacystreetlaw.com/ Mariah on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariahstreet Legacy Street Law on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/legacystreetlaw Learn more about our AI pilots at kinwise.org/pilot Find full transcripts and resources at: kinwise.org/podcast

Welcome to Kinwise Conversations! In this episode, I'm thrilled to chat with Jen Murphy, the entrepreneurial force behind a successful Raleigh, NC wedding planning company. Jen shares her fascinating journey from a decade in social work, grappling with systematic challenges in mental health services, to finding a new path that beautifully blends her deep commitment to community and human connection with her creative and organizational talents. Dive into this inspiring conversation as Jen reveals: The surprising ways her social work background (crisis management, conflict resolution) is her secret weapon in the highly personal world of event planning. How she leverages generative AI (like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gamma AI) to offload "mundane, repetitive, administrative tasks" like reviewing vendor contracts and generating marketing materials. Practical examples of AI boosting efficiency, from perfecting floor plans for complex family-style dinners to streamlining client communications. Her insights on embracing new technology without losing that essential personal touch, emphasizing why human connection remains paramount in client-facing industries. Actionable advice for other business owners and leaders hesitant about AI: "Start with what you know, and grow from there." Connect with Jen Murphy & Weddings Made To Order: Weddings Made To Order Official Website: https://weddingsmto.com/ Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jentheweddingplanner/ Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/weddings_made_to_order/ Learn more about our "AI as a Thinking Partner" mini-workshop: www.kinwise.org/miniworkshops Find full transcripts and resources from this episode at: www.kinwise.org/podcast Don't forget to subscribe, leave a review, or share this episode if you found value in our conversation. It makes a huge difference.

Dox Brown, a strategist, systems designer, and self-described 'epistemic architect,' challenges us to look beyond AI's practical uses to its fundamental impact on language, knowledge, and what it means to be human. Introducing his concept of 'hollisis,' the dynamic, embodied thinking that AI can't replicate, Dox reframes neurodiversity as an evolutionary advantage and offers a roadmap for rethinking education itself. A profound exploration for anyone ready to question the future of learning in an automated world.

Vera Cubero, Emerging Technologies Consultant for NC Public Instruction, shares how AI guidelines, project-based learning, and durable-skill portfolios can make classrooms more human, especially in rural and underserved schools. A roadmap for teachers who want safe, student-centered AI adoption.  

Systems-thinking consultant Travis Packer joins host Lydia Kumar to ask a defining question: What should AI handle, and what must remain fundamentally human? From change rituals to ethical guardrails, learn how to build organizations that thrive beside intelligent tools.

Host Lydia Kumar talks with nonprofit comms lead Celia Jones about wielding ChatGPT as a research sidekick, confidence boost, and ethics checkpoint, proving AI can deepen, not replace, human connection.

AI is evolving fast, but how do we use it with intention? In this trailer, host Lydia Kumar introduces Kinwise Conversations, a podcast about integrating AI into our lives and work with care, ethics, and creativity. Hear from real leaders navigating this space weekly starting in June. Subscribe and join us at kinwise.org.