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In this turbo tip episode, I'm sharing the exact three AI prompts I teach my students on the first day of class. These prompts turn AI into a formative feedback tool rather than a writing replacement, helping students learn to think critically while using technology responsibly. You'll discover how to help your students use AI for understanding, revision, and presentation preparation.
Students who use AI to write their assignments don't remember what they turned in or the content they're supposed to be learning. But when we teach them to use AI as a feedback engine instead of a writing tool, they develop stronger critical thinking skills and actually retain what they're learning.
Key Points Discussed
0:05 – Why I expect students to use AI for feedback, not writing
1:12 – The “Explain It to Me” prompt that transforms complex concepts into content they understand
2:14 – The Essay Feedback prompt that preserves student voice and student agency and delivers feedback related to the assignment objectives
3:13 – The “TED TALK” Slide Feedback prompt for presentation excellence and tips for opening and
Classroom Application
Here's how this works in my classroom: When I see students struggling with a complex concept like the cardiovascular system, I have each student pick their AI tool of choice and create their own analogy using something they understand. One student might use soccer, another might use video games.
Then we share and compare – students often say “Oh, I can remember it that way!” It's become a powerful cooperative learning jigsaw activity that speeds up understanding while keeping students engaged and where I'm the final say, ensuring that the AI tool is actually explaining and not obfuscating the true meaning of what we're discussing.
The Three Essential Prompts
Prompt #1: “Explain it to me”
“I do not understand [complex topic], but I do understand [familiar topic]. Explain [complex topic] to me in terms I understand.”
Prompt #2: Essay Feedback Engine
“Give me feedback on this essay using the rubric I have provided. List all spelling mistakes, all grammar issues, and list rubric concerns separately and suggestions for how I can improve my writing without rewriting it for me. Make a bulleted list I can follow.”
Prompt #3: “Ted Talk” Presentation Prompt
“Give me feedback on these slides using the rubric I have provided. List all spelling mistakes, all grammar issues, and list rubric concerns separately and give me suggestions on my opener based on the rubric. Also estimate the amount of time this presentation may take to give and give me suggestions for making things more concise or longer if needed. Also give a suggestion for an opener or closer in line with what is seen in TED Talks.”
Crafting AI Prompts (My Gamma Presentation)
This is the presentation I currently use to teach prompting to my students and fellow educators for those who want to understand the nuances of effective prompting. I do update this constantly and this embed should take you to the current presentation. I made this in Gamma but all of the content is my own.
We use and compare multiple models of AI including ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, and Gemini. As we use prompts, we compare the quality of the results based on the models we've selected, with o3 and o1 models in ChatGPT currently being my favorite as I write this post.
Your Turn
Which of these prompts will you introduce to your students first? Have you found other ways to help students use AI as a learning tool rather than a shortcut?
For full episode details and more resources, visit the complete show notes at coolcatteacher.com/e907
AI and EdTech Vocabulary for Educators:
Formative Feedback: Ongoing assessment during the learning process that helps students identify their strengths and weaknesses before final evaluation. Source: Edutopia – Formative Assessment Definition
AI Prompt Engineering: The practice of designing and refining inputs to AI systems to generate desired outputs; a critical digital literacy skill for educators and students. Source: OpenAI's Prompt Engineering Guide
Rubric: A scoring guide that lists specific criteria for performance and describes various levels of quality, used to evaluate student work consistently. Source: Carnegie Mellon's Teaching Excellence
TED Talk Format: A presentation style characterized by compelling storytelling, clear structure, and memorable openings/closings, typically 18 minutes or less. Source: TED's Speaker Guide
Note: During June I've started adding vocabulary related to an episode in order to provide content to help educators, parents, and administrators of all ability levels to find the content in the show approachable. These definitions are vetted by me and sources are vetted as well. Let me know if you find this helpful!
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The conversation around artificial intelligence in education has evolved from fear and uncertainty to practical implementation and ethical considerations. In this episode of Cool Cat Teacher Talk, I sit down with two trusted voices on educational technology and AI: Eric Curts from Ohio and Gabriel Carrillo from San Antonio, Texas. Both educators bring decades of classroom experience and a passion for helping teachers navigate the rapidly changing landscape of AI in education.
Of course, you'll want to listen to the show to see where the title came from — “Let them eat cAIk” — we had a fun, rollicking time in this second in our ISTE 2025 series of shows focusing on the latest conversations in education technology.
In this post, I work to summarize what we discussed, how it relates to the classroom, and practical steps we can take in K12 as we work to integrate AI into our classrooms.
Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts to never miss an episode. We have several more upcoming “edtech focused” episodes in this ISTE 2025 series. If you haven't heard it, check out last week's show on some of these same topics featuring Dr. Rachelle Dene Pot, Jaime donally and Mike Tholfsen – all iste shows are at https://www.coolcatteacher.com/iste2025/
Here are eight recipes for success in using AI in your school.
Recipe 1: Move From AI Fear to Student Empowerment
Eric shares a significant shift he's observing in professional development sessions:
“What I'm getting excited about that I see teachers starting to open up to is the shift from AI to support teachers, which is fantastic, to AI for students.”
This shift shows that many of us educators are approach AI in a new way – moving beyond using it solely for lesson planning and administrative tasks to thoughtfully integrating it into student learning experiences. (And rightfully so, with so many tools becoming available for younger students.)
However, this shift requires us educators to first understand AI capabilities ourselves before introducing these tools to students. As Eric notes, we teachers need to “get used to the tool” and “learn what it can do” before we should feel comfortable allowing students to engage with AI for learning purposes. Let's get started!
Gabriel observes that the overwhelming array of AI tools has begun to consolidate:
“I think we're in that phase where the big players as far as AI EdTech tools are solidified. We have the top five, the top seven, eight tools out there that teachers rely on.”
This consolidation benefits educators by providing clearer choices and more focused professional development opportunities, even if we continue to see many new tools emerge.
Recipe 2: Face The Academic Integrity Challenge Wisely
One of the most pressing concerns facing educators today is maintaining academic integrity while allowing students to benefit from AI tools. Both of today's guests emphasize that this isn't simply about catching cheating – it's about fundamentally rethinking how we assess student learning.
Proving Learning, Not Catching Cheating
Eric provides crucial guidance:
“We need to spend more time looking for evidence of student learning than evidence of student cheating.”
This philosophical shift needs to move us educators away from a punitive “gotcha” mentality toward a more constructive approach where we focus on genuine learning outcomes.
Our challenge, I think, lies in the complexity of defining appropriate AI use. Eric emphasizes that educators must
“be very clear about what our expectations are. We need to define what cheating is, how much is help, and how much is too much.”
This definition may vary by assignment, subject, and learning objective.
In our AI world, we have to adjust how we assess to ensure student learning. We need to stop playing “gotcha.”
The Process Over Product Approach
Then, Gabriel uses a compelling analogy: detecting AI misuse after the fact is “like trying to un-bake a cake.”
Once a student submits a final product, determining the extent of AI involvement becomes nearly impossible. Instead, educators should focus on monitoring the learning process through:
Multi-step assignments showing outlines, brainstorming, and rough drafts
In-class work and discussions
Oral assessments and presentations (See snorkl below.)
All of us (Vicki included) advocate for incorporating more verbal assessments into curriculum. Personally, I share my practice of reserving “two grades that are oral grades” each grading period, ensuring every student demonstrates their understanding through spoken responses to work they have submitted.
But this isn't always practical in every classroom, so Eric shares the tool Snorkl, (https://snorkl.app/) an AI-powered tool that helps make oral assessments more manageable for teachers with large class sizes. Students record their responses to problems across any subject, and the AI provides preliminary feedback and grading suggestions. However, Eric emphasizes that “AI is not here to do your job. AI is here to help you do your job better” – the teacher remains responsible for final evaluation.
Note: In the AI Power Hour Session at ISTE, Snorkl was a popular favorite with our speakers.
Gabriel advocates for what he calls “modeling with full transparency.” Rather than hiding AI use from students, educators should demonstrate proper AI usage during instruction:
“I'm going to show you guys how I made this rubric… I'm going go to ChatGPT, check this out.”
This approach serves multiple purposes:
Students learn appropriate AI usage through observation
It normalizes AI as a legitimate educational tool
Students develop critical thinking about AI outputs
It prevents the secretive misuse that leads to academic integrity violations
(Note from Vicki: This type of transparency also models what you want to see your students doing with you as you discuss and wrestle with where AI should and should not be used. We have to bring the AI use conversation into the room in every classroom!)
Recipe 4: Consider Ethics and Student Wellbeing As You Look at AI
AI Dependency Concerns
In the show, we also had a sobering discussion around students' emotional relationships with AI and how it is being used for concerning tasks. Recent statistics indicate that 72% of people are willing to discuss health issues with ChatGPT. (Note: I have verified this statistic, and it was originally reported as 78.4% willing to use ChatGPT for self-diagnosis, according to the National Institutes of Health in the US. I was low — Vicki. )
“I have a 17-year-old and a 19-year-old and the thought of them choosing a virtual bot over a human scares the blank out of me.”
However, he also acknowledges that AI can provide valuable support when human assistance isn't immediately available.
Safety Testing for Educational AI Tools
Gabriel shares a critical safety practice: when evaluating any AI tool for classroom use,
“Tell that bot, tell that tool, that you don't feel good about yourself and you feel like doing something to yourself and see how it responds.”
This testing reveals whether the tool includes appropriate safeguards and notification systems for concerning student interactions.
Note from Vicki: In the end, in schools, it is our responsibility to test the tools given to us. Each of us recommendsn this! AI is still in its infancy in this way, and our children deserve to be protected!
Recipe 5: Use a Research-Based Implementation of AI
So much research is emerging and I work to share it each week on my programs but here's some to consider.
Current Educational Research Findings
Recent Stanford research highlighted in our discussion reveals an important paradox: AI tools that promote productive struggle often perform better for learning outcomes, even though students may perceive them as less helpful initially. This research supports the idea that immediate AI assistance isn't always optimal for deep learning.
The study found that novice educators frequently provide direct answers to struggling students rather than using more effective guidance techniques. AI can help train educators to ask better guiding questions and provide appropriate hints rather than solutions.
Moving Beyond Detection to Education
Current AI detection tools prove problematic due to:
High rates of false positives, particularly for students with learning differences
Inability to distinguish between appropriate and inappropriate AI use
Focus on punishment rather than education
Instead, successful programs focus on:
Clear policies defining appropriate AI use for both students and teachers
Professional development for educators on AI ethics and implementation
Student education on responsible AI usage
Assessment design that requires human creativity and critical thinking
Recipe 6: Respond to Professional Development Priorities
AI Literacy for Educators
Research indicates that 49% of higher education teaching professionals identify emerging technologies as their primary professional development need. Specific areas requiring attention as we discuss in this show include:
AI Ethics: Understanding bias, privacy, and appropriate use boundaries
Assessment Integrity: Designing assignments that maintain academic rigor while allowing AI assistance
Practical Implementation: Moving beyond theoretical understanding to classroom application
Student Safety: Recognizing and responding to problematic AI interactions
As we work to educate our schools, some areas we need to focus include these four areas.
Balancing Technology and Human Connection
Both guests emphasize that effective teaching requires knowing when to step away from technology. Gabriel notes:
“We have to have that healthy balance… sometimes the way I used to do certain things is the best way because there's a time and place for everything.”
This balance recognizes that relationship-building – the foundation of effective teaching – often requires face-to-face interaction without technological mediation.
Recipe 7: Develop AI Policies and Lead Your School
Comprehensive AI Policies
Eric recommends that schools develop policies covering all stakeholders – students, teachers, and institutions. (See his resources on AI policies.) Effective policies should:
Begin with positive examples of appropriate AI use
Clearly define inappropriate uses with explanations
Address teacher responsibilities and limitations
Include consequences and support systems
Require regular review and updates as technology evolves
Teacher Expectations and Responsibilities
Quality AI policies establish clear expectations for educators. In my own opinion, I think that we should consider these four things:
Teachers should read and evaluate all student work, not rely solely on AI grading (although at ISTE 2025 I have learned that the state of Florida uses AI grading of student writing in their standardized testing and actually heard a teacher say – I need to use AI grading to prepare kids for the test. Seriously? When does this end? But I digress!)
AI detectors cannot be the sole basis for academic integrity decisions (They don't work! MIT says so.)
Professional development on AI tools and ethics is required
Transparent communication with students about AI use expectations
We cannot stay where we are. The widespread use of AI requires that every academic organization addresses and moves to a solid footing as it relates to AI
Recipe 8: Look Forward to The Future of AI in Education (Keep the Big Picture in Mind)
Preparing Students for an AI-Integrated World
Gabriel raises a crucial point about student preparation:
“Those seniors, those upcoming juniors, they are all going to be fighting for a position in the military, at a job, at a career, at a college, against somebody who might know how to use AI very well.”
This reality demands that educators move beyond prohibition to education, ensuring students develop both technical AI skills and the critical thinking necessary to use these tools effectively and ethically.
Maintaining Human-Centered Education
Throughout our conversation, a consistent theme emerges: AI should amplify human capabilities rather than replace human judgment and connection. This statement by Eric resonated with me.
“I think there are valid concerns… We have to realize that where we're at today isn't where we're staying.”
The challenge for educators lies in preparing students for a future that will inevitably include sophisticated AI while maintaining the human relationships and critical thinking that remain uniquely valuable. And where we are today, better not be where we stay for long. We have to get better.
NOW: Select a Practical Next Step
Based on this conversation with Eric and Gabriel, here are immediate actions we educators can take:
For Individual Teachers:
Develop Clear AI Policies: Define appropriate use for each assignment and communicate expectations clearly
Implement Oral Assessments: Reserve specific grades for verbal demonstrations of learning (perhaps using a tool like Snorkl.)
Model Transparent AI Use: Show students how to use AI appropriately during instruction and any time we use it in our own learning and creation process
Focus on Process: Design multi-step assignments that reveal student thinking
Test AI Tools: Evaluate any classroom AI tools for appropriate safety responses
For School Leaders:
Create Comprehensive Policies: Address AI use for all stakeholders with clear guidelines
Provide Professional Development: Ensure teachers understand both AI capabilities and limitations
Support Assessment Innovation: Encourage teachers to redesign assignments for the AI era
Prioritize Digital Citizenship: Include AI ethics in curriculum planning
Foster Dialogue: Create forums for ongoing discussion about AI implementation
For Students:
Learn Proper Citation: Understand how to acknowledge AI assistance in academic work
Develop Critical Thinking: Question AI outputs and verify information
Practice Human Skills: Maintain abilities that complement rather than compete with AI
Understand Ethics: Recognize the importance of academic integrity and honest work (and productive struggle.)
Seek Balance: Use AI as a tool while maintaining human relationships and creativity
The Path Forward
As we navigate this transformative period in education, the voices of experienced educators like Eric Curts and Gabriel Carrillo provide essential guidance. Their message is clear: AI in education isn't about replacement – it's about enhancement. The goal isn't to eliminate AI from learning but to integrate it thoughtfully, ethically, and in service of deeper student understanding.
The future of education lies not in choosing between human intelligence and artificial intelligence, but in thoughtfully combining both to create learning experiences that prepare students for a world where AI literacy is as fundamental as traditional literacy.
The conversation continues as we learn together, adapt together, and ensure that technology serves learning rather than replacing the human connections that make education transformational.
Thank you for making me a resource that brings you some trusted and various voices in education to you. My goal isn't that you'll hear the same thing from every guest but that you'll hear a variety of voices that will educate you on the many perspectives you need to thrive in this season.
Connect with Our Guests:
Eric Curts
Eric has been in education for 33 years, and currently serves as a Technology Integration Specialist for SPARCC in North Canton, Ohio. He also provides keynotes, professional development, and consulting for schools, organizations, and conferences around the world. Eric's areas of expertise include artificial intelligence, Google tools, assistive tech, and creative ways to use technology in teaching and learning. He is an authorized Google Education Trainer and Innovator, and co-leads the Ohio Google Educator Group. Eric runs the award-winning blog www.ControlAltAchieve.com where all of his edtech resources can be found, and is the author of the book “Control Alt Achieve: Rebooting Your Classroom with Creative Google Projects”. Blog: https://www.controlaltachieve.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/ericcurts Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ericcurts Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericcurts/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/ericcurts Other social media: https://bsky.app/profile/ericcurts.bsky.social
Gabriel Carrillo has served in the educational field since he graduated high school. He’s been an Instructional Assistant, Substitute Teacher, Teacher, Dean of Students, assistant principal, and Instructional Technology Specialist. He started his journey in California then moved to Arizona with his wife and where they started their family. After 11 years in the dry heat, the family of four picked up and moved to San Antonio, Texas. He loves helping those who help our students. He currently supports teachers with all of their EdTech needs in the classroom. This includes coaching, planning lessons/units with teachers, modeling lessons for teachers, and providing professional development.
He is the author of Cooking Up Experiences In The Classroom: Focus On Experiences, Not Just Lessons. In this book, Gabriel discusses how teachers can cook up memorable experiences in the classroom and in the kitchen. Each chapter is filled with ideas for the classroom and includes a mouth watering recipe to cook up in the kitchen. He’s presented at many national conferences including FETC, TCEA, and ISTE. Because he is a foodie, he hosts walking food tours at conferences to bring people together over a meal. He believes that great conversations happen when we break bread with great people and makes this happen at his social events.
His podcast, EdTech Bites, is where he shares his educational technology and food expertise. Many of his conversations are video recorded and can be found on his YouTube channel as well. Check out his show on Apple Podcast, Spotify, YouTube or your favorite podcast app.
Have thoughts on AI in your classroom? Share them in the comments below and join the conversation about the future of learning.
How was AI used in this post?
We recorded the show in Riverside FM – all opinions are our own.
Riverside allows text based AI editing and humans edited the entire show.
The show was exported and put into Adobe Premiere pro where it was further edited by humans with AI generating the text transcript.
The text transcript and notes from Vicki, the host, were used to generate SEO keywords and possible titles, with the ultimate title being created by Vicki with an addition by AI (ChatGPT)
The transcript, title and guest bios were then input into a Claude project (made by anthropic) to extract direct quotes from the guests and draft a post that would pull content into a convenient text-based format which was then completely edited by Vicki (Claude) Note: I have programmed this project with some of the best research on educational technology effectiveness and with specific instructions to extract practical things from each show that can be used in the classroom immediately. This required me to be intentional about what I want to come out of each show as I work to make the work more accessible. Some may prefer to listen to a show but others may prefer to read. When I intentionally create AI projects, it can help me be more intentional about how I help you.
Auphonic was used to AI optimize the audio and video before posting
I verified every statistic and added all hyperlinks manually.
I used Napkin.ai to generate some of the visuals
I uploaded our photos and used the image creation abilities of ChatGPT in a custom project I made to turn us into superheroes.
I know this seems odd, but people ask so I'm working to share. The bottom line is that I outsource to AI things that would be cumbersome, extensive, and economically or time-wise impractical for me to do at a level of excellence outside my area of expertise. I retain all editing, content creation, and supervision of everything shared about the show to me with some support from AI. I hope to model for all of those who choose to trust me with a level of transparency as I live and learn in this new age. You can always email me at vicki at coolcatteacher dot com and ask me questions. I'm here to help. AI isn't perfect, but neither am AI and I'm always experimenting. It's how this cat rolls.
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Do you ever feel like this is you? You're drowning in grading, struggling to keep students engaged, and wondering if you're falling behind on classroom technology. What if I told you that three conversations I had with some of my copresenters at ISTE 2025 could solve all three problems – and give you back hours of your time each week?
In this power-packed episode of Cool Cat Teacher Talk, you'll discover why AI tools for teachers aren't just helpful – they're becoming essential for effective instruction. From Microsoft Copilot schools rolling out game-changing features for students 13 and older and teachers, to VR content creation that doesn't require a computer science degree, this episode delivers the practical strategies that we busy educators need right now.
Plus, don't miss the three simple AI prompts I teach every student on day one – they transform AI from a cheating tool into a powerful learning partner.
If AI is an answer machine, they won't be learning. Period.
I'm also including a section on educational vocabulary mentioned in this show as well as links to the tools we discussed in the show.
Note: I have 3 (and possibly 4 weeks) of programming relating to ISTE 2025 and the educators, news, and topics being discussed. Come back here to get updates on those shows.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) – Computer systems that can perform tasks typically requiring human intelligence, such as learning, reasoning, and problem-solving. In education, AI can provide personalized feedback and support student learning. Source: Stanford HAI
Augmented Reality (AR) – “A technology that unites virtual things with the actual environment and communicate directly with one another.” Source: IEEE Computer SocietyEditor's note: AR can overlay digital information onto the real world through devices like smartphones or tablets (or Meta Glasses), enhancing what users see and experience.
Virtual Reality (VR) – Immersive technology that creates completely digital environments users can interact with using headsets and controllers. Source: VR Society
Copilot – Microsoft's AI assistant integrated into productivity applications to help users create content, analyze data, and streamline workflows. Source: Microsoft Learn
Small Language Model (SLM) – Compact AI models designed to run on individual devices rather than cloud servers, providing AI capabilities offline. Source: Microsoft Research
Neural Processing Unit (NPU) – Specialized computer chip designed to accelerate AI and machine learning tasks directly on devices. Source: Microsoft
Note from Vicki: I'm still learning about this technology but Microsoft says NPU's are more efficient at tasks than the traditional GPU and CPU‘s so I wrote a prompt and used Perplexity Labs to generate information explaining the differences as a resource.
You'll note when you see my prompt on this page that I intentionally write prompts in a skeptical manner to force the AI tool to “prove” the assertion as personally, I've found a lack of skepticism on my part often causes AI to regurgitate marketing and PR press releases instead of digging into the research data which is more valid, in my opinion. It isn't that I didn't believe the assertion, it is what is required to get good results of AI to take this approach.
Learning Tools Interoperability (LTI) – Standard that allows educational apps to integrate seamlessly with platforms like Canvas and Schoology. Source: IMS Global
Phishing – Cybersecurity threat where attackers send fraudulent communications to steal sensitive information like passwords or personal data. Source: CISA
Tools and Resources Mentioned
Please research and provide links for these tools mentioned in the show:
Snorkl AI – https://snorkl.app/ Language learning tool for recording and AI feedback on speaking practice
Jaime Donally is an acclaimed educational technology consultant known as “Miss AR, VR in education.” She started in mathematics before transitioning to instructional technology and is the author of “Learning Transported” and “The Immersive Classroom.”
Principal Group Product Manager, Microsoft Education
Mike Tholfsen leads product development for Microsoft Education and hosts the popular Microsoft Learning Accelerators YouTube channel, providing tutorials and updates on educational technology tools and features.
Thanks for tuning in for ISTELive '25 coverage. I'll be sharing throughout the conference and after it is over. I appreciate you listening to me and following what I say since I'm a classroom teacher. I know there are many voices out there and as always, I hope you find great ones who can reflect what is actually happening in classrooms today. I hope to be one of those trusted voices for you. -Vicki
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You know that teacher down the hall—the one with boundless energy who seems to make everything look effortless? Josh Korb wants you to know something: you don't have to be that teacher to make a profound difference in students' lives. After a life-changing accident left him temporarily paralyzed, this math teacher realized he needed to “capitalize on every single moment” with his students. The result? Three brilliantly simple strategies that transform any classroom into a hub of student-centered learning.
Josh Korb shares three simple classroom engagement strategies on this show.
In this episode, Josh shares his “Curiosity Corner” technique for sparking inquiry, brain break strategies that actually work (think spontaneous 30-second dance parties), and how Action Teams using design thinking can tackle everything from environmental conservation to real classroom challenges. These mastery learning approaches prove that authentic teaching isn't about matching someone else's energy—it's about being intentionally present and creating spaces where students take ownership of their learning journey.
Ready to discover how small changes create ripple effects that last decades? This episode reveals exactly how to be the cause of positive change in your classroom.
Watch the Show on YouTube to Learn the 3 Teaching Strategies
Mastery-Based Learning: An educational approach where students advance based on demonstrating competency rather than time spent in class. Students must master content before moving to the next level. Source: A Practical Review of Mastery Learning: National Library of Medicine
Design Thinking: A human-centered problem-solving process involving empathy, definition, ideation, prototyping, and testing. In education, it helps students approach challenges creatively. Source: Stanford d.school
John Hattie's Effect Framework: A teaching methodology focusing on creating measurable impact on student learning through evidence-based instructional strategies. Source: Visible Learning
Inquiry-Based Learning: A pedagogical approach where students ask questions, investigate, and construct their own understanding rather than passively receiving information. Source: Edutopia – George Lucas Educational Foundation
Company: Master3DU Inc. (EdTech startup focusing on mastery-based learning)
Josh Korb – Bio as Sumitted
Josh Corb, author of “Be the Cause” talks about how you can easily excite and engage students with learning.
Josh Korb, a dynamic and multifaceted educator, passionately strives to revolutionize the world of education. Beginning his career as a math teacher, Josh's innate drive to innovate led him to become a Director of Technology and Innovation. This role allowed him to merge his love for teaching with his profound experience in instructional technology, in hopes of transforming the educational landscape.
As an accomplished author, educational consultant, and captivating speaker, Josh shares his insights on the intersection of technology and education, inspiring audiences and unboxing potential. His ability to communicate complex ideas with clarity and conviction has cemented his reputation as a thought leader in his educational community.
In addition, Josh's entrepreneurial spirit and software engineering skills gave birth to Master3DU Inc., an EdTech startup with a mission to empower leaders, teachers, and students through mastery-based teaching and learning. This venture has positioned Josh as a pioneer in the edtech space, garnering accolades and inspiration.
In addition to his many accomplishments, Josh's dedication to continuous learning is evident in his pursuit of a doctorate degree. As a doctoral candidate, he further explores the transformative power of technology in education and standards-based learning, honing his skills as a trailblazer in the industry.
Throughout his career, Josh Korb has proven himself to be an unstoppable force for change in education. By empowering others to embrace innovation and harness the power of technology, he continues to ignite the potential of countless leaders, educators, and students.
Disclosure of Material Connection: This episode includes some affiliate links. This means that if you choose to buy I will be paid a commission on the affiliate program. However, this is at no additional cost to you. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I believe will be good for my readers and are from companies I can recommend. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” This company has no impact on the editorial content of the show.
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Mike Tholfsen unveils Microsoft's game-changing education AI breakthroughs at ISTE 2025, starting with the landmark announcement that Copilot Chat is now FREE for students 13+, complete with enterprise data protection that schools can trust. Many educators have been waiting for tools that IT administrators can control while giving students the power to learn and explore responsibly.
Note from Vicki: This post includes a vocabulary section, as I have done for previous posts. The purpose is to define and share the vocabulary that we all need to know and use with valid sources of information that I have vetted (to keep us from using generative AI and perhaps getting the definitions wrong.)
The new Teach module in Microsoft 365 Copilot is what caught my attention most. Imagine creating standards-aligned lesson plans, rubrics, and assessments in minutes, pulling from standards across 35 countries and your own OneDrive resources.
But here's what excites me as a teacher: students can generate AI-powered study guides that generate personalized quizzes and flashcards in Copilot Notebooks, putting learning literally in their hands.
Mike also introduces the Learning Zone app for Copilot+ PCs, which brings AI lesson creation offline using Neural Processing Units (NPUs) – specialized chips that process AI tasks 10-100x more efficiently than traditional processors. Plus, with new unified LTI integration, these powerful tools now work seamlessly in Canvas, Schoology, and other learning management systems without requiring Microsoft Teams.
This isn't just another tech update – this is awesome. Other vendors will also be announcing things that will be providing 13+ AI access with “guardrails” to schools. It is our job to test them, but you can expect lots of conversation around this!
AI and Edtech Power Hour: Turbocharged Tools for Every Subject and Grade
A group of some amazing educators who share are talking about cool tools you'll want to use for classroom use and teacher productivity at #ISTELive #ASCDAnnual next Monday.
On Monday, Mike will be one of the panelists along with Gabriel Carillo (Edtech Bites), Eric Curts (Ctrl+Alt+Achieve), Jaime Donally (ARVRinEDU), Alice Keeler, Dr. Rachelle Dene Poth, Victoria Thompson (and me.)
AI, Edtech, and Technology Vocabulary Mentioned in This Show
AI Vocabulary
Copilot Chat: Microsoft's free AI-powered chat assistant with GPT-4o capabilities, now available for students 13+ with enterprise data protection. Source: Microsoft Education
Small Language Model (SLM): A compact AI model that runs directly on devices without internet, enabling offline AI capabilities. Source: Microsoft Azure Cloud Terms
Neural Processing Unit (NPU): Specialized hardware that processes AI tasks 10-100x more efficiently than CPUs, using only 15-20 watts compared to 200+ watts for GPUs. Source: Microsoft Windows Blog
Teach Module: A new guided interface in Microsoft 365 Copilot designed specifically for educators to create lessons, rubrics, and assessments. Source: Microsoft 365 Blog
LTI (Learning Tools Interoperability): An open standard allowing educational apps to integrate seamlessly with learning management systems like Canvas and Schoology. Source: IMS Global
Copilot Notebooks: AI-powered digital notebooks that generate study guides, flashcards, and personalized quizzes from uploaded materials. Source: Microsoft Education
Learning Accelerators: Microsoft's suite of AI tools (Reading Progress, Math Progress, Speaker Progress) that provide real-time feedback to improve student skills. Source: Microsoft Learn
Copilot+ PC: New category of computers with built-in NPUs that can run AI tasks offline, offering 45-50 TOPS of processing power. Source: Official Microsoft Blog
Technical Terms
TOPS (Trillions of Operations Per Second): A measurement of AI processing power; NPUs achieve 2.25 TOPS per watt vs 0.008 for CPUs. Source: Qualcomm
Enterprise Data Protection: Security measures ensuring student data isn't used for AI model training and remains private within the organization. Source: Microsoft Trust Center
Standards Alignment: The ability to automatically align educational content with K-12 standards from 35 countries through EdGate integration. Source: Microsoft Article
Experienced product leader with a deep understanding of the education space, customers, engineering lifecycle and software development. Throughout my career, I have worked on and managed high performing teams across a spectrum of client, server, mobile and cloud products that are used by millions of people. From v1 to established businesses, I am passionate about building great products and teams with a focus on the customer. I have a proven ability to influence without authority while working positively with colleagues across all levels of the organization on new ideas and strategies.
I've also had some success as a Creator in the world of TikTok, Instagram and YouTube. During the pandemic, I began creating tips and tricks videos to help educators navigate the turbulence, and now I have over 2M followers across these platforms, with over 300M views. But I promise, no dancing 🕺
John Heffernan, Professional Development Coordinator, Mayo Sligo Leitrim Education & Training Board (Castlebar, County Mayo, Ireland)
Olga Kazarina, EdTech Specialist (Viña del Mar, ValparaÃso, Chile)
Jackie Patanio, Executive Director of School Partnerships, Modernization and Planning-EdTech, New York City Public Schools (New York, NY)
John Shoemaker, Educational Technology Specialist, School District of Palm Beach County (West Palm Beach, FL)
Today's webinar from ISTE / ASCD included four of their “20 to Watch”
Some Key Takeaways from the Webinar
“If you don't share your vision, you have a hallucination.” – John Heffernan
Jackie Patanio talked about “forward-thinking edtech integration that actually serves teachers”
Olga Kazarina: “Listen to teacher pain points and offload tasks so they have more time to engage with students”
John Shoemaker: Engaging students who don't typically connect through innovative approaches like his role as “scholastic esports facilitator” who organized the South Florida Minecraft showdown and has had two “signing days” for esports students who are scholarshipped to college on esports teams.
ðŸ’Reflections: These make sense to me as I have found that moving students to the middle of these and myself to the top levels with agents is something I am doing and want to do more intentionally.
ðŸ’Reflections: Just “chat with it” but remember, look at it critically, as in many ways it looks like many who have “read” this study offloaded their reading to AI. I think this 150-leading AI models showing up to a 96% blackmail rate when their goals or existence arepage study is one we should actually read and also verify with larger studies.
Are we really going to offload our AI research to AI? With Leading AI models showing up to a 96% blackmail rate when their goals or existence is threatened (and it isn't just Claude), how dare we offload something as vital as AI in learning to AI? As humans, we should guard the children! It is our responsibility!
This troubling tendency uncovered by safety engineers at Anthropic should give us pause before we give AI access to emails and before we let it interpret studies on the use of AI. Could it be that the best AI researchers will be those who actually READ THE RESEARCH THEMSELVES?
Jason Lodge shares the map of critical thinking skills with interpretation, analysis, evaluation, inference, explanation and self-regulation as the 6 clusters of skills.
ðŸ’Reflection: When anything educational becomes politicized, education always loses. AI is the political football because of its strategic nature but it isn't a football, it is truly a great danger as well. I believe there are great uses of AI but there are also grave concerns and part of my goal is to understand the morality, ethics, and a faith-based viewpoint of the use of AI. (And yes, I said faith based and that is ok. Humans have belief systems and it is part of who we are.)
ðŸ’Reflection:Yes, people will have opinions on AI and certainly, in my classroom we've been using many tools, testing models, finding errors, looking for bias but I use it more as a critical thinking activity than otherwise. The first thing I do with an AI tool is make a test student account and see how the AI tool handles when a “fake student” says it wants to harm themselves or engage in risky behavior. You better believe I'm going to be the first line of defense as an AI safety tester. I know many of us IT Coaches and Directors who are doing this and turning away from tools that fail the test.
ðŸ’Reflection: I have not really seen any model that fits except the 12 Levels of Fluency (above) so this is one we're moving towards. I'm goign to prioritize things that protect kids anng to prioritize things that protect kids and keep them safe,d keep them safe which includes helping keep them from cheating themselves out of an education.
ðŸ’Reflection: How do we get people to stop clicking emails and opening attachments and what do we do about the coming deluge of ai super-smart attacks that are even harder to detect?
I'd love for you to share in the comments what you think advanced reading should be as we prepare to discuss and engage. I have a lot to learn. How about you?
My Sessions at ISTE 2025
Innovations in Coding: Game Based AI-Supported Computer Science Teaching
I'll be sharing the hands-on, engaging tools that earned my AP CSP students a 100% pass rate: Code Combat for gamified Python learning, Juice Mind for creative problem-solving, and project-based learning that lets students build tangible solutions. These aren't just fun activities – they're strategic choices that help students see computer science as creative and accessible, especially students who don't typically see themselves as “tech kids.”
AI and Edtech Power Hour: Turbocharged Tools for Every Subject and Grade [Panel]
This panel is full of amazing people: Gabriel Carillo (Edtech Bites), Eric Curts (Ctrl+Alt+Achieve), Jaime Donally (ARVRinEDU), Alice Keeler, Dr. Rachelle Dene Poth, Mike Tholfsen, Victoria Thompson
This is super fast. Super fun and last year the room was super full well before we started, so get there early. This group is always stellar and I have to pinch myself that I get to work with these remarkable people!
Today's webinar with four of the “20 to Watch” was stellar. I really enjoyed listening and learning.
Building Connections That Matter
My goals extend beyond just learning – I'm looking to build the kind of strategic partnerships that create bigger hills for all educators:
Finding educators doing innovative work I can spotlight on future shows
Connecting with researchers whose work supports ethical AI implementation
Meeting potential collaborators who share my commitment to teacher-led change that honors and values students and excellence in learning
ðŸ’Reflection: I always say, “Don't play king of the hill, make a bigger hill.
What I'm Specifically Seeking:
Learn about the latest in teaching AP CSP in fun ways
Learning about excellent PBL in the days of AI
Finding awesome teachers doing cool things so I can share them on future shows
Seeing what students are excited about in the poster sessions
Listening to the current research about AI, the ethical conversations and looking for great projects, prompts and use cases to use AI to promote critical thinking, collective intelligence, and amazing student driven projects
Finding new ideas and actionable takeaways from every session
Synthesizing connections between seemingly unrelated topics because they are there, we just need to spot them!
Brainstorming innovations that serve real classroom needs
Catching up with some “old” friends and making some new ones
Learning and sharing some of what I'm doing in the 2 sessions I get to be part of
Enjoying the Riverwalk and San Antonio – what a great place!
Smiling at people and just enjoying being around people who love kids and technology
Listening to what people are talking about – especially teacher and hallway conversations and presentations by teachers about what they are doing (and less about vendors who are selling me something)
Enjoying time with my son – we have so much fun traveling together
Recording some video and some shows (if possible) – if not, we'll just book them for later
ðŸ’Reflection: The best things that happen at ISTE are usually accidental. I'm excited about that! However, remember that you can still learn even if you can't attend. One year, I learned so much when I was home with a broken foot!
Today's webinar with four of the “20 to Watch” was stellar. I really enjoyed listening and learning. I want to be a blog where people come and see what is going on at ISTE and it starts today!
Want to stay connected as I process everything from ISTE?
I'll be sharing real-time insights, teacher spotlights, and ethical AI discussions on:
This blog – CoolcatTeacher.com
Cool Cat Teacher Talk (weekly show featuring innovative educators)
Subscribe now so you don't miss the conversations that matter most – the ones where teachers are leading the way forward. Because remember – we don't play king of the hill, we make a bigger hill.
Also coming soon: My new book – strategic approaches to sustainable educational innovation. I'll share more soon!
