More Time for Students: The Real Promise of AI in Schools

Teachers are not the problem. The load is the problem.

Jason and Melanie dig into what happens when AI stops organizing education and starts actually understanding the student. From a 1923 National Geographic ad that still makes the point, to the real reason behavior problems happen in a classroom, this episode is an honest look at what adaptive AI technology could give back to teachers, and why the future of education is not robots in classrooms but humans finally freed up to do the human part.

They cover differentiated instruction, pacing, brain breaks, hyperfocus, the kid who never raises their hand because they do not want anyone to know they are lost, and why "let the robot be the robot" is one of the most teacher-friendly ideas in the room.

This one is for teachers, parents, and anyone who ever sat in a classroom and felt like the system was not built for them.

#WiredTogether #WiredForThis #AIinEducation #TeacherSupport #ADHDandLearning

🎧 Wired Together is produced by WinternetWeb Technologies, a family-run web design and tech studio based in Bracey, Virginia.
💻 Visit us at winternetweb.com 

Transcript

Melanie 0:07

Welcome back to WinterNet Web's Wired Together. And I am Melanie Winter.

Jason 0:13

And I'm Jason Winter.

Melanie 0:15

And today we are going to uh as usual, we we talk a little lot about what AI is um doing in our lives as far as how we are shifting and changing. Um and so one thing we're gonna start with, and I think this is really cool, um, what I hope to kind of keep as an ongoing thing is um again, we're we're very close to say our past, our history.

Jason 0:44

Right.

Melanie 0:45

Um, and then how technology has been adaptive in throughout time. Yeah, and so we have a um wonderful plethora of magazines, especially the um The National Geographic geographic that um my great-great-grandfather started buying um at the turn of the century. So, right just after the turn of the century, a lot of things are changing and shifting um back in the 1900s. And so innovation, technology, all of these things are um they they're really starting to be advertised very differently. Um so uh very differently from what we advertise today, but differently from what advertising used to be. So um big into magazines, uh, a lot of it's very text heavy.

Jason 1:37

Yeah, right. Um they're telling you the story of the product, so they still want that connection.

Melanie 1:42

Just an ad is like a one-page ad with teeny tiny text. Um, so we've read through a lot of these, and we're we're hoping to kind of always um uh do a little nod or a little hint to um something within our past that kind of allows for technology to be something that we've always done.

Jason 2:04

Right. And some things just haven't changed in in the same way like history repeats itself, if you will.

Melanie 2:10

Right, right. And and so what WinterNet Web likes to uh promote is there is that fundamental truth. There is uh that human, that human's relationship with God and then who we are um as as the human here on earth that is as we change and adapt, that's just us living within the earth. Right, you know, so um that doesn't change the human. No, that actually just makes maybe oftentimes life easier.

Jason 2:46

Right.

Melanie 2:47

Sometimes technology makes life harder, yeah. But it depends on you know how we embrace it and that kind of thing. Um, but it doesn't really change the fundamental.

Jason 2:57

Right.

Melanie 2:58

And so um, so this first one we're gonna look at is it's actually I love this because it's the Acme Company.

Jason 3:05

Right. Oh yeah, you saw that too. We didn't talk about that. But it's not an anvil.

Melanie 3:10

Right, it's not an anvil. Um, but anybody that watched Looney Tunes, um, I love the fact that it's the Acme Company. Um, and it's a visual card system. And again, it is a lot of writing, but it's pretty much explaining how um this card catalog that you can purchase, and of course, you've got to purchase the cards, and then um it looks like there's the possibility of the um the rack itself, maybe the rack itself having to be purchased. Um, but it actually helps in the clerical, uh, you know, trying to find whatever it is you need because there's these little notches of color.

Jason 3:47

Right.

Melanie 3:48

That um, and the cards lay very nicely and and lay out differently than the card catalog where you have to pull each card.

Jason 3:56

Sure. So it's perfectly laid out in color in a black and white illustration.

Melanie 4:00

Right. Well, they're telling you it's color. So they can't actually put it in color, but they're telling you it's color. Um, and so you just have to believe it. And so it it should allow the um if you're look if you happen to be a company that has a lot of data, or again, you know, it's hard catalogs, like your library, um, you can find it a little quicker when you're you know exactly the the color coding system that you're using. And then you can um so anybody in your clerical position uh at your company, what it's it's actually advertising is can triple their time because now they can look through this card catalog quicker.

Jason 4:40

So apparently it's like physically creating filters and labels as opposed to having to do the little finger dance going through a deep rack of cards. Right here, you can immediately, oh, there's a purple dot. That means this. Exactly go right to it. So that's kind of like that.

Melanie 4:56

And so it's it's very akin to, you know, um when we started using folders and emails.

Jason 5:01

Yeah, that's true.

Melanie 5:02

You know, stuff like that. It's like, oh man, I can put it in a folder.

Jason 5:05

In a folder, then I know everything falls under that category.

Melanie 5:08

Right, exactly. So um, you know, that just kind of cool, it's a little something that's little tidbit on a unique. We'll have a picture on there um for you to see. And um hopefully we can keep going with this kind of neat to see what new world memories called.

Jason 5:26

Yeah.

Melanie 5:26

Um, by the way, this is a 1923 edition of the National Geographic. So um we're talking 103 years ago.

Jason 5:37

Yeah.

Melanie 5:38

So that's it's really neat way of of seeing the shifting and the molding of what technology can change. Um you know, and then how do we how do we see the tech that technology and then um you know utilizing that for uh ease and for benefit, you know? I mean, again, I'm so glad I don't have to beat my clothes against a rock, you know, um really love my washing machine. Yeah, right, you know, so it's it's technology is um just part of our everyday, but for for hundreds of years.

Jason 6:16

Yeah.

Melanie 6:18

And so we're kind of coming into um something very close to our hearts when we talk about AI and the changes, and so a lot of uh concern comes up when it comes to is AI taking too much over, right? You know, um, or you know, are people replaceable and things like that? And and and our usual fight is no, humans are not replaceable.

Jason 6:44

Yeah, I mean that that's spinning the narrative, and yes, some technology has come in and you could argue it's kind of replaced jobs, but I think a lot of times you would also say, man, but we would miss actually going to a cashier or whatever, and I understand the convenience of self-checkout, and that's not the purpose of this episode, but you know, um technology is tools, but if technology can do certain things well, then us as a human can do our job better.

Melanie 7:10

We can human better.

Jason 7:11

And we're in a world right now where customer service doesn't seem to be quite as there.

Melanie 7:16

Right.

Jason 7:16

But if technology can swoop in and take care of the mundane then customer service can we relax and actually, you know, connect. Connect. So but anyway.

Melanie 7:26

And and so um again, very close to our hearts, the as far as the educational system, and um we have certainly heard um in our own area and but throughout the of many communities, um this concern of AI replacing something like you know, replacing teachers and that kind of thing.

Jason 7:53

Right.

Melanie 7:54

And um, so some think that that's a possibility, and of course, uh here at Winternet Web, what we think is not if we know what's good for us, right?

Jason 8:04

Right now.

Melanie 8:05

We we know better and we should know better. Um we need the teacher, we need the teacher, we need the teacher uh 100%, we need the human. Yeah, and so we want to kind of do a bit of a deep dive of what AI can do that actually gives our teacher back to us, um, as far as you know, we need the teacher maybe unexhausted, yeah, we need the teacher unoverwhelmed, we need the teacher that is prepared for um for life and and to do the things that they were actually supposed to do and wanted to do to begin with.

Jason 8:43

And have that is the teacher's select and training fool.

Melanie 8:46

Absolutely, and so though we absolutely have a high amount of respect for um teaching. Jason was a teacher, yeah. And um, and the teaching profession and what is necessary to embrace and then what is necessary to embrace about the the human, yeah, the the physical body that ends up in the in the room, you know.

Jason 9:15

Well, a lot has changed, and of course, you know, yes, standardized testing existed when I was in there, but um it it seems to have like really gotten out of hand even more, and I didn't think that was possible. And the standardized testing kind of you know it's making robots out of our students, you know. It it's like okay, you need to reach this goal here and here, and we need to, you know, measure this and that. And it's also doing the same for um, you know, the teachers, and like you were saying, that if if we can find a way to allow technology to do its job, then the teacher as a human can be more human, can connect more, and be able to, you know.

Melanie 10:01

And let the robot be the robot.

Jason 10:02

Yeah, let the robot be the robot.

Melanie 10:04

Like be the actual robot, and then let the human be the human.

Jason 10:06

We're trying to make the teachers the robots.

Melanie 10:09

Right.

Jason 10:10

The data monkey, the disseminator, the what have you. But we have tools that can do that. These are professionals.

Melanie 10:16

Just like not all students are the same, not all teachers are the same. Exactly.

Jason 10:21

So if we can use tools that leverage that, then maybe things can be relaxed in some ways. But yeah.

Melanie 10:28

And so, you know, we we do try to standardize and and standardization is for control.

Jason 10:37

Yeah, definitely.

Melanie 10:39

And so what if control could be taken back?

Jason 10:46

That'd be great.

Melanie 10:47

I guess that's the the research and the uh exploration that we're doing is can we trade control back of the classroom, not uh allow the robot to enter in the classroom to be the robot so that the teacher and the student don't have to be either.

Jason 11:07

Right, exactly. So and you're right, you know, it's kind of the teachers obviously we've talked about the different things that they have to do, and of course we've talked about the testing requirements, all the paperwork, pacing guides, you name it. I mean, the um the teacher already knows that students need to be taught in different ways and try their best to modify assignments and things, but with everything else, it's very difficult to do that.

Melanie 11:36

Not when you're modifying everybody's assignment.

Jason 11:37

Exactly, you're modifying everyone's assignment and uh, you know, following state-federal guidelines, and you're trying to also manage behavior in a classroom, and you're dealing with the uh, oh, by the way, Tuesday's memo, um, everything's gonna change, now you're gonna do this, and you know. And so it it's a lot. And so uh teachers aren't like lacking awareness. They know what's going on.

Melanie 11:57

No, they're not.

Jason 11:58

They're they do, but they don't really have the space or freedom to respond to it because of how the system has evolved. Right. We're putting too much on the teachers thinking they are the computer.

Melanie 12:09

Right, right. We can data in, data out. Right, right.

Jason 12:13

But no, no, no, no. Not really. Right?

Melanie 12:16

So but yeah, um no more than a student.

Jason 12:22

Right, yeah, that's true. Yeah.

Melanie 12:26

So where do we see it going?

Jason 12:30

Well, I mean, uh I've seen a lot of tools that have come about, you know, through in the school system. And um I guess in the context looking back say 10, 15 years ago, some of these tools we would think of as being AI at the time, but really they're you know, just they're well-made tools that um have some bells and whistles, but they are still programmed to go with the way in which the system operates.

Melanie 13:00

The standardized.

Jason 13:01

The standardized um, everybody in this place needs to shift to this.

Melanie 13:06

Yes.

Jason 13:06

And and over time, some of them have improved, you know. It we have tools that manage the assignments and everything, and you know, can group things and you know, like Google Classroom and you know, you name it. Um, but really it's the same structure, pacing, and and all of that. So I I guess what happens when technology just stops organizing education, but kind of pivots here and starts to understand the student. And we've seen a little of this as we dabble into AI and AI awareness. You know, you start getting that awareness where you may bring up something and then it's making a connection based on a previous conversation. So that isn't programmed in the same way because that gets into a um a language learning model and um just you know having that awareness built in, it's making connections that weren't already programmed. And we need to leverage that.

Melanie 14:08

Um so almost like the structure that already exists.

Jason 14:13

Yeah.

Melanie 14:14

Again, um and and I know there are others. Google Classroom comes to mind. Right. Um, but there are others that are utilized.

Jason 14:23

Yeah, and and a lot uh different tools for, you know, and unfortunately, some of them are created for the purpose of collecting specific data so the assignments are made so that you can measure certain things in a certain way. When and you know, all good and well in the sense that then the teacher can use that data as a way to then modify his or her instruction and with the hope that then they can individualize and adapt the way in which they're interacting with that particular student, but with everything else, it's really hard to have that time to have that connection and that have that coaching moment.

Melanie 14:59

Right. Um but say there are people listening that don't have uh maybe students in the system or um Google Classroom is really just uh something you can access on um online, it's assignment organization. Right. Access your materials, you can work through things. Yeah. Um so a lot of times there's homework in there, there's uh you can do virtual work.

Jason 15:24

Right.

Melanie 15:24

So you have a virtual day, um, and glue Google Classroom steps in for that. So um gotten obviously very big right after um COVID, though, existed.

Jason 15:34

It was very popular because uh Chromebook made a affordable device that then was used in education and software couldn't really be installed on it. So from a security standpoint, that was chosen and it's integrated through the Google product. So Google Classroom is like, hey, look, um, if we create this platform, schools will use it, and they did.

Melanie 15:56

Right. And and so it's kind of um if you think of the the the slight future, so we're not talking futuristic like um you know 100 years from now, right? We're talking in the the very near future, um kind of just expanding on this concept of um accessibility with um an individualized student. So each student has their account, and so with new awareness of the AI awareness and the AI um platform, you can kind of go into more of a um adaptable system, right? And so that's where kind of where we're um gonna start talking about the the system as adaptable and and individualized.

Jason 16:50

Right.

Melanie 16:51

And this might be an opening.

Jason 16:55

Yeah, I think so. Because when you have that awareness and that adaptability that you're talking about, then while a student is interacting with trying to solve a problem or interacting with a passage, AI can kind of tell whether maybe the student hesitated at a certain point. And I mean, from you know, we do web design and we build websites and everything like that, and part of the metrics with ranking oftentimes has to do with how an actual human using the website interacts with it, how long is sealing a page, you know, all they're hovering, what they do, and it looks at all that. So we already have this, it's already there. So if a program could tell if a student hesitated or on a particular thing, did he retry multiple times, um, did they um move forward confidently on something? So, because of all of that, you can instantly tell sometimes it's not, you know, did you just finish the assignment? Great, here's your hundred, or you know, did you get it right? Hooray. What's more important to know is not that you got the correct answer, but yes, you got it, but where did you hesitate? Because that could indicate a problem in your understanding because you changed a problem somewhere else. Maybe you didn't, I don't want to say got that lucky, or you know, it's able to pick out something that would be very difficult unless you had that one-on-one, you know, interaction with that student, which of course is very difficult to expect a teacher to be able to have when you have a class of 28.

Melanie 18:28

It's it's right, too many to do that.

Jason 18:32

Um so I think sometimes, and I know that's why math teachers want you to show their your work, because they realize, oh, the negative exponent, that's what got you. So when you can figure out where you made the mistake, now there's a teachable moment.

Melanie 18:45

Yes. So um this would be absolutely at its finest in math.

Jason 18:50

Right, it would be because it is a lot, it's being more linear and what have you. It's able, you know, it being step by step, you're able to figure out, you know, where the assembly line broke or hiccuped. Um so you know, I I don't know, like working on our own kids' homework. Sometimes it's like, all right, I'll just want want to watch you do this one and go ahead. And it's like I want to see where you're having trouble. And it's the same thing. Um and it and if a teacher were able to have that, or if a tool was able to pull that out, you know, I don't care if you got it right or wrong, I want to know where you're struggling because the next concept is going to be built off of that.

Melanie 19:30

Right.

Jason 19:30

And if the teacher can be handed that information too, then the teacher can go, okay, Johnny is struggling with remembering when to cross-multiply versus uh not or whatever. Right. Then because the system is handling a lot of other things, then the teacher can easily sit next to Johnny and be like, hey, how are we doing here? And it's like, all right, let's take a look at this problem together. Oh, you know, I do the same thing, and you know, you're able to have that connection. It's like, what are you thinking about here? I was thinking, I know, you're right, because of this. And then, you know, you're able to connect, and then that's you know, the the emotional part of education is important.

Melanie 20:08

Right, which is again is why we say if we know what's good for us, right? AI is not a replacement of what AI is, right, is that fundamental flaw the in the system is we want each student to have one-on-one attention. Sure. In a system where we want to pack more and more in one class.

Jason 20:31

Right.

Melanie 20:32

And so, like the on the the political side of things, a lot of times it's, you know, well, they can actually handle more, they need to add more, they need to, you know, um, they need to handle this at the same time of they also need this policy out there for one-on-one attention, and this policy out there for one-on-one attention. So you've got two um two concepts kind of happening at the same time, and teachers can't be both.

Jason 21:01

You can't know.

Melanie 21:02

So teachers can't be f you know, one-on-one at the exact same time of being managing a a classroom with more and more students as we go.

Jason 21:13

Right. So we know hiring's out the window. You're not gonna be able to get two or three teachers in a classroom. I mean so there goes that.

Melanie 21:21

So then, you know, uh what if one-on-one was um able to be done because it's already the the AI awareness. Right. There's still a one-on-one. Right. Manage throughout the um as the each child moves forward and go, okay, this is where, you know, this person needs help. But actually the troubleshooting of the AI awareness helped the these two that their help wasn't all that um necessary for me to sit with them.

Jason 22:00

Okay. You know, so and and you're talking about you mentioned talking about teaching students and having to um you know teach differently to all of them, you know. Yes, because we want that. Yeah, d d yeah, differentiating education we know. But I mean, and here the AI model, knowing all that, the teacher wouldn't have to serve the content differently to every student. It could adapt. So if someone's more visual, then you know you could offer it that way.

Melanie 22:30

Right. And so if you have an AI awareness classroom model, then yes, you um if it is aware enough to adapt, right, which it does for for you know, when we do it, use it in the workplace, that kind of thing. Um so one student can read a full passage, yeah. Um another student can uh have a s a simplified version or maybe more of a summary with bulleted points, um just because that's their way of doing it.

Jason 23:01

Another can sometimes based on their uh IEP.

Melanie 23:04

It exactly. And so um another could have it as a visual breakdown. So we would actually be able to um each classroom assignment that gets plugged in also gets the opportunity to serve each individual student. It makes sense in the way that each student has the capability of learning.

Jason 23:24

And I mean, and some teachers in some classrooms and content areas are able to do this very well, but it does take a lot of work. But I think with the added load, it becomes almost impossible to do it to this fidelity all the time.

Melanie 23:36

No, no, it would have to be the work would be would have to be on the um the AI system.

Jason 23:43

Right.

Melanie 23:44

And taken off the teacher because that's the whole thing is the teacher cannot just be plugging and chugging all this constant data.

Jason 23:52

Definitely.

Melanie 23:52

And so if you start early on the you know, within the system, then the it's already known.

Jason 24:02

Right.

Melanie 24:03

And so each student has it adapted to them as they go.

Jason 24:07

Yeah, because it's already learning a student profile, so it's able to learn a student profile. Based on your mistakes, based on all the other information and how you're interacting with it, you know, they're able to adapt from there, yeah.

Melanie 24:20

And so if if that were something that would be uh part of the system, then the teacher, as opposed to having to redraw or re uh assign a whole bunch of different types of assignments just to make it work for uh a couple of students or a student, sure, yeah. You know, it it would actually mo you know manipulate itself to each one.

Jason 24:47

Right.

Melanie 24:48

And so it becomes more of a a bit of a plug-and-chug.

Jason 24:50

Right.

Melanie 24:51

That is not taking away from the teacher, it actually gives the teacher that freedom.

Jason 24:55

Right.

Melanie 24:55

Because the teacher has that opportunity to teach, true, as opposed to just modify. And so that's the main thing is it's always modification, modification, modification.

Jason 25:06

Right.

Melanie 25:07

And as if something else modifies it in real time, then the teacher has the opportunity to actually, like you said, connect and teach.

Jason 25:18

Yeah, that's true. But it also touches on something with um if the assignment creates a struggle, oftentimes that is an opening to frustration and then you know, perhaps a misbehavior, if you will. Of course. Because now you're managing that. But so you know, the we have to consider the pacing of you know, how the assignments go too, because that is also a part of you know frustration and you know managing a class.

Melanie 25:54

Right. And so some students need uh faster pace, some students need um, you know, maybe a a a second backwards to get forward, you know, just to to reiterate something and go, yes, okay, you're right, that clicked. Sure. You know, um, and so there is um we we can't just pretend everybody has the same pace.

Jason 26:15

No, not at all, no.

Melanie 26:17

And that's kind of our structure, and that's what we're saying is is, you know, okay, the old system is structured on everybody shifts at the exact same time at the exact same place. But we know that's not true. And and we've done a wonderful job in the fact that we accept the fact that that's not true. Yeah, but now what do we do with that?

Jason 26:40

Well, we don't all get promoted at the same time in the workplace either. You know, I mean there's you know, you some people excel at certain things and others, you know, um may enjoy or something and you know, and and that concept and in the learning of it, and so AI can also maybe tailor some of it to different needs. Right. So, like like a writing assignment, all right, if you're interested in this, then we can you know, you then you write about that, or we bring this content in. So it sky's the limit, really.

Melanie 27:11

As a teacher, I'm sure you would probably agree, half the students that become a behavioral issue are because they're frustrated and behind. But actually, the other half of the students that are a behavioral issue is because they are bored.

Jason 27:25

Oh, yeah, no, you're you're high.

Melanie 27:27

And instead of being behind, they are um ready for the next thing and they need the next movement.

Jason 27:34

I've been both. So we're sometimes in the same class. Right. You know, so yeah.

Melanie 27:39

So if half the students are just need a little more and other half students are bored out of their minds, yeah, then you know behavioral issues may be um something that is easily modified if they all can go at their pace.

Jason 27:58

Sure. Yeah, that's you know, definitely something worth considering in that.

Melanie 28:05

I mean, um an AI system would be able to modify, like we've said, um the way something is actually presented, but also um give that opportunity for um okay, you know, again, an awareness system where I see you're struggling with this, right? Um can I actually put it into game a game format?

Jason 28:37

Oh yeah.

Melanie 28:38

And and allow you to study it in a different way. Right, you know, or um the giving the possibility of once a student is really going with something, and then all of a sudden starts to slag a bit, yeah, that that AI awareness system could possibly say, okay, um, it feels like time for a brain break. And and so either offer some sort of brain break or say, you know, go ahead and stand up, right, stretch a little bit, sit back down, you know, and now we can kind of get ourselves back to Yeah.

Jason 29:12

And I know what you're talking about, and you know, I think of two things, but you know, brain breaks I know traditionally have been built into some software programs, but usually it's very um calculated and predictable. So it's like, you know, once you get through lesson three, there's a brain break, and then you got all right, you can do four, five, and six. And once you've done six, there's another predicted brain break. Right.

Melanie 29:34

After testing in so many students, um, if it's between three minutes and ten minutes, then we'll just choose somewhere in the middle and it's you know 4.5 minutes, you know.

Jason 29:44

But the brain break is based on where your level of frustration is, not necessarily the time.

Melanie 29:49

Right, because each class is gonna have a different level of frustration.

Jason 29:53

Right.

Melanie 29:53

And so your brain break might be more necessary, say, in math class versus history.

Jason 29:58

Right, and just you know, just depending on yeah, whatever the subject matter might be and the day, but to be able to sense that hesitation and maybe sense the okay, they're not paying attention, their cursor hasn't moved, their um whatever metrics are available there, you can, you know, just then offer something that might be, okay, um, we've identified that you're having you're having trouble with this concept, you know, plotting coordinates. So we got three little like little little question or like a game type thing that you know you'll compete with me about and work on that concept. And I know a lot of this might sound futuristic, but it it can be done. I mean it's a good thing.

Melanie 30:37

It's a short distance between what is now and what is going to be this style of learning.

Jason 30:42

Oh, yeah.

Melanie 30:43

I mean it's and um the the thing about this style of learning is it it is coming down the pike.

Jason 30:50

It is.

Melanie 30:50

Um there's no way we're gonna have uh these these super awesome um hyper-aware, hypersensitive AIs without actually putting it somehow in the educational system. So it is coming down the pike. It is, and so the allowance of ourselves to embrace it and say, okay, this might actually be the taking away of some of that overwhelmed feeling that um seems to always, you know, be the plague of the of the the classroom. Yeah, you know, um really, really amazing teachers can be lost and overwhelmed.

Jason 31:33

Yeah.

Melanie 31:34

And because it just does get daunting after a certain amount of time, we have so much in this technology, but then we're not quite there yet. And so now it's trying to fit the old platform and the new technology, and the two actually aren't coinciding at all.

Jason 31:52

Right.

Melanie 31:53

And so it it does become daunting, and so eventually the acceptance of the new technology and completely shifting the platform, right? Where we don't actually all kind of move together like sheep in a field, we actually do have these different um learning styles that we need to kind of maneuver around and and and work through.

Jason 32:17

Right.

Melanie 32:17

And if we can go ahead and do that and just say, yes, let's accept, then that movement goes into the what is needed for the technology. Sure. And again, there is no reason, and there is absolutely no good way to replace a teacher. It is replacing that that understanding of the the learning style will change. Yeah, and then the teacher absolutely still needs to be there because that human, yeah, that interaction and that connectivity is vital.

Jason 32:53

Sure. No, yeah, you're right.

Melanie 32:56

And it's giving room for the teacher to be what the teacher was trained to be and wants to be.

Jason 33:03

Right, yeah.

Melanie 33:03

And which is not a traffic controller, it's you know, more of being more of being the mentor, the guide, uh, the connector.

Jason 33:13

And I mean, how demeaning it. And I mean, honestly, it's not just traffic control. Yeah, but I mean, it you hire someone for their knowledge, they've gone to you know, they have to have either a praxis or a degree to show and prove that they have content knowledge, and you know, they they are, and then you hand them two sticks and they're just you know, I know and come on, plane, come this way, and they're being a few more.

Melanie 33:39

Love their craft, absolutely love what they are trying to teach and that what they want to teach and that kind of thing, and and it's all the red tape that gets so daunting, they can't teach what they want to teach, yeah. And and that becomes very difficult, yeah. And it because it becomes this, you know, well now you're just you know traffic controller, yeah. You're not really becoming the um the guy that you wanted to be. Sure. Yeah. And so, you know, we've been doing this series based on AI with um as it kind of goes along with ADHD. So ADHD being uh what we've been calling like the the superhuman of the AI, which is the supercomputer. So um that's got fun. So does all of this kind of correlate and and yes, I Jason and myself think that it does kind of go together a lot. Um when you're talking about this kind of new system. This new system will be a promotion of the engagement of a subject. So, yes, that checks, check on ADHD and how the ADHD loves uh engagement. Um is it altering itself for the learning styles? And that is a big check, you know. Yes, yeah, it is able to alter based on very different learning styles, which ADHD is not like one thing, it's it's multiple. And so, yes, absolutely.

Jason 35:13

So it meets that check, too.

Melanie 35:15

It meets that check mark. Um and awareness of students that struggle or students that maybe move too fast. Check, yes, this new system would actually help that quite a bit. Um, ADHD has um a lot of times there are cr points of time where there is struggle because it's trying to get develop that um executive function. Right. And then there are points of time where they're moving so fast that the struggle is the fastest moving.

Jason 35:46

It's true. And sometimes the even the staying with it, which might look like a struggle too, is they're zoning in. Hyper focus. Yeah, the hyper exactly, right?

Melanie 35:56

Does it allow hyperfocus? That's one of my points that is all right. It does, it checks that box. Um ADHD loves hyperfocus, and when it gets there, it wants to stay there. Yeah, and so yes, this would allow for the um moment in time for when students with ADHD to hyperfocus.

Jason 36:15

When a deep dive and do a deep dive.

Melanie 36:18

Brain break awareness. Um, if an AI awareness can actually understand when the brain break is needed during an assignment, yes, that would check the box of ADHD students that would be most helped by that.

Jason 36:32

It would.

Melanie 36:33

And and the biggie.

Jason 36:35

The biggie.

Melanie 36:36

This would allow ADHD students to not have to have the whole class know when they're in a struggle.

Jason 36:44

That's important.

Melanie 36:45

I mean, big check mark.

Jason 36:46

Oh god. Yeah. What's one of the you know, most frequent things you hear after you finally had time to meet with a student, and you know, so what is it's like, well, I didn't want everyone to know.

Melanie 36:59

I didn't want the class to know I didn't know something. Yeah.

Jason 37:01

And so, well, why didn't you tell me? It's like, well, you know, I was, you know, scared too or nervous to. I mean, not scared usually, but you you know, but it's just wouldn't you know it's a classroom flow and it's so much. It's like, you know, I I don't want to and you know, some students may pull a teacher aside and say something, and then you know, you try your best, but how often in a class might be a couple times where something is alright, wait, I'm still trying to absorb that. And you're still looking at question 17, and now you realize, oh, they're on 19.

Melanie 37:31

Right. And I didn't even see and you pay attention to the rest of it.

Jason 37:35

I missed 18, but hope I got it right, you know, and it's just the life of it, but yeah. But yeah, that is true. You know, we we don't want them to know, and um, you know, when we're struggling, because you know, we um you know we we mean well, we try to do the best we can.

Melanie 37:53

Well, there is um that feeling of not not wanting to be rejected by something and and not wanting to not know something, and so you know, that's it's very typical. And so, you know, when you're especially in in certain developmental periods, um hot middle school especially, you know, it's there's a lot of you know, I don't want to raise my hand. I don't want to um I'm not gonna draw attention much.

Jason 38:19

I don't want to draw attention exactly. I'm not here.

Melanie 38:22

And and if the attention is actually somewhere that's it's really just you and and the um the program.

Jason 38:31

Sure.

Melanie 38:32

Then it really doesn't have to be all in the stud, you know, the the rest of the students don't need to know where exactly you are.

Jason 38:40

Yeah.

Melanie 38:40

You know, unless you want to tell. Right. Um the you know, it it kind of gives that allowance to just kind of move through at your pace without feeling negative about your pace.

Jason 38:54

Right. That makes sense. Okay. Well, yeah, I I think the ADHD thing you brought up there tied it in for sure, and especially in the sense that you know, a a lot of these, I guess, things that AI may be able to offer um as you talked about here, that yeah, it does check a bunch of things that are are unique needs and differing needs. Not only for people with ADHD, but honestly everyone. Right. So and I think that's right.

Melanie 39:28

I didn't like to ask a lot of questions and I was right.

Jason 39:30

I mean we all, you know, we have personality differences. Had a longer focus period. But um backgrounds.

Melanie 39:35

No, I was not gonna ask a single question.

Jason 39:37

No, exactly. So but again, I think it's hate to say it, but I mean the technology is developing quickly, and it's already it's already here in the quote unquote real world. Um and when it comes to the education system, it's gonna be interesting.

Melanie 40:00

This is going to be a conversation that needs to be needs it needs to be yesterday, but yeah, I think it's a very inviting concept for education because it is not to remove anything, it is actually to add. Yeah, um, just like the washing machine. Again, I go back to that, but I love the washing machine.

Jason 40:16

You don't like beating your clothes on a rumor.

Melanie 40:18

I do not like the idea of beating my clothes on a lumps. And so just like the washing machine, if it's gonna add to our lumps um and and actually give us the opportunity to um get something else done while the clothes are getting washed. That's right. Yes, yes, let's do that, you know, and and I think that it needs to be embraced. Okay. And I think it needs to be embraced in um let's work through with that equity equality concept of let's move through this with each student as an individual and not just move through this as it let's let's try and and maybe rid ourselves of that old model. Um everybody at the same place and at the same pace at the same time. Yeah, you know, and and you know, we we the human have to change that.

Jason 41:11

Right.

Melanie 41:11

We the human have to accept it's never gonna actually be the case, and that's we're fine with that. Yeah, because what we really want, the outcome that we really want is um everybody to have their own success.

Jason 41:23

Right.

Melanie 41:24

And in whatever that looks like.

Jason 41:25

No, you're exactly right.

Melanie 41:26

And so that is the teacher's outcome, and that's absolutely what they want. And so if anybody, you know, has the ability to work with that concept and allow them to get to that point, let's do that.

Jason 41:43

Yeah, no. Well, find no better way to end on that. And uh, but yeah, so I and again, and as part of our closing, we thank you all for your support and everything, and we've seen uh a big pickup in other countries listening. So don't be shy. Tell us where you're from, comment, share. Um, you know, just make this part of a conversation because it's just not here in Virginia. You know, this is this is everywhere. This is everywhere. This part, yes. Sometimes we talk about this part. Sometimes we talk about us, but I mean, yeah, well, we're all connected, right? So we're all connected, aren't we? So unplugging for now.

Melanie 42:21

But always stay connected.