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Is Alpha School for real?
Do Alpha students really learn 2.6 times faster in two hours a day? We need independent validation?

Joanne Jacobs
Jul 273 min read


NY district puts 'Sally' the sexbot teaching aide on hold
Humanoid teaching bots can't create the connections students need, says the teachers' union.

Joanne Jacobs
Jul 251 min read


We can read hard things -- if we put away the phones and try
Read the whole book.

Joanne Jacobs
Jul 242 min read


Trade school or college?
Can AI install a sink? Worried about college loans and competing with AI, more Gen Zers are going to trade school.

Joanne Jacobs
Jul 153 min read


Quick, easy, worthless: Students let AI do the thinking and learning
"Cognitive surrender" -- let the chatbot do the work -- is getting worse.

Joanne Jacobs
Jul 132 min read


In the post-literate society ... Look! A meme!
Reading is a niche hobby like growing orchids. Most people can't pay attention long enough to read books.

Joanne Jacobs
Jul 93 min read


Has the techlash gone too far?
Will the "techlash" get rid of all screens -- or just the edtech that's wasting time, money and attention?

Joanne Jacobs
Jul 82 min read


AI is getting very, very good at cheating
Professors use AI-detection apps to spot cheaters. Cheaters use the same apps to "humanize" AI's work.

Joanne Jacobs
Jun 212 min read


AI-infused colleges seek to prepare grads for the 'workplace of the future'
AI is like "handing every student a machine gun," says a Cal State professor, but another calls it a "magic wand."

Joanne Jacobs
Jun 82 min read


An 'AI-themed school' means ... ???
AI-themed schools are all the rage, but what does it really mean?

Joanne Jacobs
Jun 83 min read


Vibe-coding with the kids
Preparing kids for the future can mean teaching them to use AI -- or showing them how to bike to the store on their own.

Joanne Jacobs
Jun 72 min read


'My college students can't read'
Most college students can't read at the college level, says instructor.

Joanne Jacobs
Jun 32 min read


Teenage boys can create their own 'dream girlfriend'
Boys won't learn how to talk to a real-life girl by chatting with a customized AI "companion" who agrees with everything.

Joanne Jacobs
May 262 min read


Is tech 'abstinence' the answer? Screen time can be learning time
Is tech "abstinence" going too far?

Joanne Jacobs
May 262 min read


Is Alpha's AI-powered model the future of learning?
Alpha, which claims students can excel with two hours a day of AI-powered learning, hopes to reach 1 million students.

Joanne Jacobs
May 203 min read


Zombifying the universities
AI will turn college students into zombies and ivied colleges into empty cathedrals of dead faith.

Joanne Jacobs
May 172 min read


Teachers are giving up on at-home writing
AI has killed the take-home assignment. Teachers have students write in class to ensure it's their own writing.

Joanne Jacobs
May 51 min read


AI praises 'black' students' essays, gives useful feedback to 'white' essays
"Your personal story is powerful!," says AI, if it thinks the writer is black. Students labeled "white" get critical feedback on how to improve.

Joanne Jacobs
May 52 min read


Learning is not a game
Gamifying education to "meet students where they are" was a huge mistake.

Joanne Jacobs
Apr 202 min read


Hooked on AI: What's the point of college?
AI can be a "fantastic" study partner, but most college students use it to work less and learn less.

Joanne Jacobs
Apr 112 min read
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