Aaron Maurer’s Post

Coffeechug AI Update 10/4/24: Trends, Tools, and Insights for the Weekend https://lnkd.in/gFWkfzQX

I am not sure why I am struggling to find this, but looking for an updated chart or table showcasing the current updates to the LLM's in terms of when datasets cut off dates are, whether they have access to internet, multimodal services, etc. for free and paid platforms. I am assuming this exists somewhere in real time just like all the other data I can find on AI usage and so forth?

I’m currently working with an elementary school to bring agriculture to life through hands-on, authentic learning experiences. The goal is to increase engagement and learning. The theme for the school this year is agriculture and want to deliver learning experiences for not just the students, but the educators as well. We’ve carved out time this school year for each grade level to engage in small projects that connect directly to their curriculum standards—all centered around agriculture. Here’s a sneak peek at the topics the educators have selected for their grade level: Kindergarten: Sunlight, Weather, and Living Things’ Needs 1st Grade: Animal Adaptations 2nd Grade: Diversity of Life; Form and Function 3rd Grade: Simple Machines 4th Grade: How Animals Receive and Process Information Through Their Senses 5th Grade: Modeling the Movement of Matter I need to create five, one hour lessons that stack upon each other for the final showcase during each of the discovery days. To enhance the learning experience, I want to bring in outside experts who can offer new perspectives on the importance of agriculture. If you’re involved in this field or have relevant insights, I’d love to connect! I am organizing virtual expert sessions to kick off each Discovery Day (dates listed below) where professionals can share how agriculture intersects with their work. If you’re interested or have any ideas on possible hands on projects, please let me know. I’d be thrilled to connect with you. Of course, like everything I will share the whole things when ready for launch. Here are the Discovery Days: Thursday, January 9th, 3-4pm Thursday, February 20th, 3-4pm Thursday, March 13th, 3-4pm Thursday, April 19th, 3-4pm Ag Day: Friday, May 16th (All day)

I am really excited to lead work in a school to help educators see how SCRUM and Agile can be helpful to utilize in learning spaces for students to increase their agency in accountability and productivity in a project or longer term learning experience. I am designing a new slidedeck, learning doc of tools, strutures, templates, etc. I am curious what others are using, sharing, designing when it comes to these methods and values in the classroom. Does anyone have examples, templates, tools, structures, advice you have found helpful in your own journey that I could layer into the implementation PD over the course of the year to enhance the learning for both educators and students?

Finally back to my newsletters https://lnkd.in/gFbtTmxc

I keep coming back to the idea of creating sparks of inquiry, wonder, and thoughts. I have been able to tap into the spirit of pedagogy around purposeful play, discovery, wonder, and Constructivism in some of my work lately as a new school year begins. And part of this does involve AI. I wanted to share this document I have been crafting that I am using with district and school leaders. The goal is not to find all the answers. Rather, it is to think about questions we have not considered before and explore those trails of inquiry. And while the questions are centered on AI, my real hope is that it leads to thinking about our education systems more broadly and getting back to the age old question of what is the purpose of schools. I am excited to see this open up new channels of thought around AI that continue to spiral back to good human pedagogy of thinking about every person in a learning space(adults and children) and are we creating conditions and spaces where all voices feel respected, valued, and safe enough to share brave new ideas. Anyhoo, here it is in case it helps others. AI Integration Key Questions For School Leaders, Educators, and Students https://lnkd.in/g5tDeJNe

When asked to help support teaching and learning with focus on science and beauty of play……..you better believe I am saying YES and putting finishing touches on first session called Portal of Possible. Clearly I have to brag and showcase the work of my awesome friend @mrdearybury, weave in @artoffun, mix some @legoeducation and room to ground ourlelves in the magic of creating as inspired by @jonbatiste Yes, you should be curious to want to come play along with us as that is what learning is all about.

Thank for sharing this work Dan Fitzpatrick Honored and a great start to the day waking up to see this.

Excited to present my new keynote in a few days. Human Pedagogy: AI and the Broken Mirror Complex A mix of constructivist learning, magic(to prove ai is not magic), explore meaning behind the rat race to figure it all out, and a call to stay grounded in human relationships, connections, and remembering why we wake up each day to improve the lives of learners. A bit nerdy, a bit funny, a bit challenging to our growth edges, and other things layered in between.

Today I am wearing a Jurassic Park shirt on my way to lead an AI professional development session for elementary educators. Not because I’m here to glorify how amazing AI is, but because this shirt reminds me of something crucial that we’re often overlooking in our current AI frenzy. Just like in Jurassic Park, where the excitement over bringing dinosaurs back overshadowed the bigger ethical questions, I see a similar pattern unfolding with AI in education. We’re dazzled by the shiny new features—AI twins, automated tools, and endless digital gadgets—that promise to revolutionize learning. But in the rush to adopt these innovations, are we stopping to ask the right questions? Are we considering the second, third, or even fourth-tier ramifications of these tools? Or are we diving in just because they’re new, exciting, or because a district bought a license? What’s getting lost in this rush is the heart of education—human pedagogy. The real question isn’t about how cool or advanced the technology is, but how it aligns with our learning goals, the human connections we’re fostering, and what it means for the mental, emotional, and social development of our students. As I head into this session, I can’t help but think we might need to step back in time, back to the basics. In Jurassic Park, dinosaurs are undeniably awesome, but did we really need to bring them back? Similarly, with every new AI feature, I can’t shake the image of velociraptors clicking their talons, a reminder that just because we can, doesn’t always mean we should. It’s time to rethink our approach. Let’s not just chase the next big thing—let’s ensure we’re doing what’s right for our students and their future.