I was a software developer at the time, using Windows. I defragged regularly to no effect, so it wasn’t just you.
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Good episode. Interesting that Barrett, the educator, talked about using an AI tool to generate a podcast he can use, and MacSparky, the podcaster, used an AI tool to figure out how to teach high-school students better. 
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I had not thought of it that way, that’s a great observation!
What can we say, two great minds + Al. 
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Maybe a good time to thank you again for reaching out to me sometime ago on a ‘religious’ matter. The act itself was useful to me and I appreciated your initiative. I still haven’t listened to the show but look forward to doing so.
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Great episode. Really enjoyed it!
Totally agree with both about social media and its effects
@MacSparky and @Bmosbacker should seriously think about starting podcast about enjoying tech mindfully 
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You are most welcome and thank you for such a kind word of encouragement. 
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I have just come here to say that I really did enjoy this episode.
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Oh heavens, I assume you’re kidding. 
I’m the last person on the planet who could replace someone like Stephen. Stephen is taking a month off for a much deserved sabbatical. He’ll be back in the saddle soon. 
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Great episode, I enjoyed it! Barrett was a great guest. Did they cover AI and cheating in the extra, members-only, section? Being a teacher, it has become a major pain in the…
Thanks for the kind comments.
Artificial intelligence in education has been and continues to be a topic of discussion for us. Last year, we held training sessions during the course of the year for our faculty, introducing them to artificial intelligence, prompt engineering, and a variety of AI tools that they can use. I also purchased a subscription version of ChatGPT for my entire senior leadership team and required them to become familiar with and proficient in using that and other AI tools to ensure that we fully understand its capabilities and limitations.
We believe that AI can and should be effectively and ethically integrated into business components of school operations, as well as for teaching and learning. The struggle is always going to be the ethical use of AI to ensure that AI is not used as a substitute for learning, is not used by faculty or staff as a substitute for their assessment of student work, or as a tool for plagiarism. That said, AI can and should be used as a tool to enhance what we do.
We have not arrived at a final approach, but our overarching requirement has not changed. That is, if AI is used in writing, for example, it should be cited just as one would cite any other work. Plagiarism, regardless of how it is accomplished, is always wrong.
One way I have conceived of the appropriate use of AI is to use it as a brainstorming partner and editor, but never as a ghostwriter. You may find value from this article: “Writing with AI.”
The challenge is determining how to use AI ethically with academic integrity, how to use it without it becoming a substitute for human creativity and authenticity, and how teaching and assessment must be reimagined in a world where technology in general and AI in particular are woven into every fabric of our students’ lives, now in in the future.
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Thank you for the thoughtful reply. I agree with you for the most part. We had training sessions. I experimented with ChatGPT a bit and I agree it has its uses. But if you listen to some students, it’s like they have found the ring of Gyges: a way to cheat without repercussions. Word on the street is that teachers either don’t bother checking or don’t know how. I have 120 students, so I don’t want to bother with all this. So if my students have to do anything of consequence, they do it in class, not at home. Also, laptops, tablets and smartphones are banned in class. And yes, I know, they could still cheat, but it’s the best solution I found.
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Teaching undergrads in English lit & composition classes I required all students to have a paper conference and turn in a portfolio with drafts etc, and also assigned in class writing
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In previous semesters, I tried limiting AI use by requiring students to meet with me in person to “validate” their work. This approach is pedagogically interesting but time-consuming, especially with large classes. It also hasn’t effectively prevented AI-driven plagiarism, as students still try to cheat. For now, I’m avoiding all the hassle and just doing any writing assignments in the classroom.
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I just finished this and it was a fantastic episode. I think @Bmosbacker is one of the most respectful person I have ever encountered online.
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I hardly know how to respond to such a nice comment. I’m truly humbled. Thank you for the kind words.
And, for the record, I think Australia is one of the most wonderful countries I’ve visited, and I’ve visited a lot! I remember one early morning sitting on the beach overlooking the ocean while eating a warm slice of apple pie with a hot cup of coffee (Australian pie shops are fantastic!) before anyone else arrived. As I was sitting there, the tagline for the Old Milwaukee beer commercial came to mind, “it doesn’t get any better than this.”
Thanks again for the kind comment.
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