Let's Keep The Humans In The Loop 

*image created with help from Gemini

@LisaBerghoff

We are highly educated adults. We have advanced college degrees and years of experience educating teenagers. We are often tasked with helping our students wade through information to determine what is true, correct, best, real, helpful, or factual. And yet, when we hear quick soundbites or read headlines ourselves about technology and specifically AI, we automatically believe it to be true and announce that we will not use it. In fact, we cast judgement on others who choose to incorporate and promote technology use in their classes. How would we teach our students to approach this information? We would instruct them to go beyond the soundbites and the headlines. We would tell them that they need to do research and find reputable sources. We would encourage them to understand multiple perspectives before taking a stance. 

In June of 2025, MIT published a study called Your Brain on ChatGPT: Accumulation of Cognitive Debt when Using an AI Assistant for Essay Writing Task. In this four month long study, researchers took adult learners and put them into three groups. One group was the "brain only" group. The second was the "search engine" group, they had access to things like Google search. The third group was the "LLM Condition" group. They had access to generative AI tools. They used EEG to assess cognitive load during essay writing and they found that they brain only group showed the strongest brain networks and the AI groups had the worst results. In fact, they could not recall quotes from their own papers. The researchers called this "cognitive debt". 

BUT THAT'S NOT THE WHOLE STORY!

Next, researchers switched the groups. The brain only group now had AI access and the AI group was now told to just use their brains. It turns out that the group that started on their own and then had AI access did the best. They had the strongest recall and their essays were by far the best.

Image credit to Eric Curts

What's The Takeaway?

Ok. Based on this very compelling research, as well as what other researchers have found, we need to be intentional and purposeful about how we use AI, or any technology.

My friend and colleague in the edtech world, Eric Curts, has spoken about the Wrestle, Rap, Reflect model. Here's how it works.

Wrestle: Students begin by using only their brains to wrestle with information. Maybe they are reading and comprehending some text, perhaps they are brainstorming ideas for a project, or they could be analyzing a case study. Whatever it is, they are working using their brain power individually or in groups. 

Rap: This is where the AI tool comes into play. This can be done using a MagicSchool room that the teacher has set up, a SchoolAI space also created by the teacher, or Gemini. Students use AI with purpose here. They could be looking for feedback, or to role play, or they can ask it to challenge their thinking, respond from another perspective, poke holes in their theories, or quiz them to see what they have learned. 

Reflect: This is the part that gets overlooked the most. Once students have used AI, they are not done. Students now need to thoughtfully evaluate what the AI outputs are and make decisions. Do they agree? Did they get feedback that is helpful or not? What do they think about the results that they got? This evaluation is imperative. How can they now improve their work based on the AI conversation? 

Keeping humans in the loop is so important but it's also important to acknowledge that unless it is structured for us, students probably won't do this well on their own. I would also add that documenting this process is so important to make this system work well. 

How Do I Make This Work For My Content? 

Good news! With Eric's help, I have a Gemini Gem that is designed to help you figure out how to make this work for any subject area. Let's model the behavior we want to see.

1. Wrestle: Think about your content and the learning goals you have established.

2. Rap: Interact with this Gemini Gem to hone your ideas.

3. Reflect: Take a look at the outputs and make decisions that will work for you and your students. 

Would you like some help thinking this through? Want to learn more about the study? Want to be curious and fearless about AI use in your classroom? 

Let me know. I'm here to help!

 School AI Chrome Extension

Next Level AI Support 

When And Where You Want It

There are so many AI tools out there and they are shouting at us. Can you hear them? They are trying to convince us that they are new, different, the answer to all of our problems, time-saving, life-changing, etc. Part of my job is to help cut through the noise and give you the actual information so you can make an informed decision. One thing that makes SchoolAI stand out is their chrome extension. It's one of our approved AI tools and this is information worth knowing.

What Is SchoolAI?

SchoolAI is an artificial intelligence platform designed specifically for k-12 schools, teachers, and students. It's core features are 

• Spaces: which are teacher-designed interactive AI learning environments, like a custom ai tutor.
• Mission Control: which is a real-time dashboard that lets teachers monitor student engagement, see who needs help, and track learning progress.
• PowerUps: These are focused AI applications that help teachers with routine tasks like creating rubrics, and also mini-apps that can be embedded into student spaces.

What Is The SchoolAI Browser Extension?

The extension for chrome allows you to turn any online resources into a personalized learning experience for students without leaving the page. Create resources, give feedback, and launch student spaces from any website. Here are some of the highlights.

• Revision history viewer on Google docs shows a student's full writing journey. This allows you to start a conversation with understanding, not suspicion. 
• Generate personalized feedback and comments right inside Google docs that you can approve and send.
• Create an interactive space from any webpage. They will work with their own "AI Sidekick" and you can see their thinking in real time.
• Generate materials from any online resource without leaving the webpage.

How Do I Get Started?

1. Log into your SchoolAI account at schoolai.com
2. Add the Chrome extension and click to allow permissions
3. Explore by clicking on the SchoolAI extension from various webpages and see the possibilities.

Want some help getting started? Don't be shy. I'm happy to help!

Let's Make It About Students, 

And Learning

MagicSchool And MagicStudent

@LisaBerghoff 

Everyone agrees that students need to know about AI. What they need to know, how much they need to know, and what types of experiences should they have are all questions that are worth exploring. One thing we can all agree on is that AI is not the future, it's the present. We can teach our students in a safe, secure way, or we can ignore the water we're swimming in and hope for the best for our students. 

The good news is that we have incredible tools that allow us to give our students practice with AI while giving the educators control.

What Is MagicStudent? 

MagicSchool for Students (MagicStudent) is a set of over 50 easy to use, AI-powered tools  that help students study for tests, develop research ideas, debate historical figures, and more. It allows educators to open a "room" and grant access to specific AI tools. The teacher gives the parameters and also has access to the students' interactions.

MagicSchool has set up a student room specifically for teachers to get the student experience. If you want to try it, go to: student.magicschool.ai/s/join and enter the code GmRTbg. The room has several tools added to it and you can test them out.

Why Would I Use MagicStudent? 

Remember, every tool that we use, digital or not, should have a specific purpose towards learning. There are many reasons why you would want to use MagicStudent. Here are a few suggestions.

• A study/review partner for an upcoming assessment
• An AI tutor that knows your curriculum and will ask the students questions but not give them the answers
• Interact with a historical figure, or a character from a book
• Choose your own adventure games for review of content and decision making
• Career exploration and interview practice
• Specific writing feedback
• Interactive escape rooms, answer questions to unlock the door

How Do I Get Started With MagicStudent?

Log into MagicSchool and click MagicStudent on the left navigation bar.

Go to Rooms and click to open a room. Here, you can choose the tools and set the instructions. 

There are also room templates that are already created for you. When I created mine, I asked Raina how to set it up and then I copied/pasted the instructions.

You can preview and test the tool before your students use it.

Once your room is set up, share it with your students by clicking on "invite students" and adding the join link in Schoology.

What Can I See When My Students Are In The Room?

On the teacher dashboard you can see the list of students. Yes, you can remove a student from a room. You will also see any messages that are flagged as inappropriate or concerning. It's very sensitive and so you may have many flags that are actually nothing but I like that it errs on the side of caution. If you click on a student's name you will see their interactions and a whole lot more.

You can use the AI to generate a summary for you. You also have access to whole class insights.

What Gets Flagged?

It will flag content for you to monitor such as any mention of self-harm or violence. It will also flag any attempts at academic dishonesty. Here are some that were flagged from my class.

Here's how it responded:

What If I Don't Want My Students On Screens For So Long?

Same! We know that not all screen time is created equal. That's why we can set up activities that allow for purposeful technology use. I love this example from MagicSchool. In this AI tutor activity students start by writing on paper, then they use the AI tutor together as a class, finally, they are given an opportunity to practice independently.

Want to learn more or talk about how MagicStudent might work for your classes? Let me know. I'm happy to help!

What Can You Do With MagicSchool?

@LisaBerghoff

There is so much buzz in the air around AI. 

Is it brilliant? 

Is it scary? 

Is it making us dumb? 

Is it helping us learn? 

Is it making us lazy?

Is it saving us time?

Is it killing the environment?

Is it helping us solve problems?

Is it creating problems?

That's just the beginning! The more life experience I have, the more I know that I don't have answers and I have to be ok with that. I also know that ignoring what I dislike or fear is a sure- fire way to make sure that I am going to be woefully behind. I have also learned that when it comes to changes in education, my feelings are irrelevant. How I feel about a new initiative or system has no bearing on how it will impact the education system.

My word for this school year is CURIOSITY. I am choosing to stay curious, ask questions, learn, and make the best decisions I can with the information I have. 

All that to say, let's model being lifelong learners.

Last year we ran an 18 month pilot of AI tools and one of the tools that we chose to keep for this year is MagicSchool. I am here to help you learn about MagicSchool and to encourage you to explore and be curious about it. What happens after that is up to you.

What Is MagicSchool?

MagicSchool is a suite of over 80 customizable AI tools created specifically for educators. It is designed to support high-impact instruction. It also has over 50 customizable AI tools for students. It involves responsible, guided AI integration and it follows our student privacy laws and policies. 

How Do I Get Started With MagicSchool?

1. Go to app.magicschool.ai

2. Identify yourself as an educator

2. Use your district Google credentials to log in

This Looks Like A Lot. How Should I Get Started?

Here's the thing about ANY educational tool (including analog tools like notebooks and sticky notes), you have to have a specific need. What's the problem you are trying to solve?

Here are some examples:

• Are you looking for supplemental materials?
• Do you need a fresh new lesson plan?
• Will you need a differentiated way to capture what students know?
• Are you spending your entire weekend grading and giving feedback to students who may or may not look at it and use it? 

The first step is to identify a need and then you can find a tool that supports that need. 

I'm Ready! How Do I Navigate MagicSchool?

This is super simple! There is a navigation bar on the left. This is where you can find tools, your chat history, your resources that you have created, adjust your settings, and access additional support. 

The MagicSchool chatbot is called Raina. This is an ideal place to start. You can type a prompt, including the need you have identified, and Raina can help you pinpoint what tool to use. You can also browse the tools but when I do that I typically lose sight of the need that I initially identified. 

How Does This Connect To My Course Team/ PLC, Or Across The Highway Work? 

Since we have a district enterprise account, you can share your outputs with anyone in the district. There is no need to keep recreating. Let's work together to generate the materials we want and then share with one another. Outputs can be in Google doc form, exported to print, or shared within the MagicSchool platform. You can also create collections of tools. If you customize a tool and get it just the way you want it, add it to a collection that can easily be shared with colleagues. 

What If I Want My Students To Use MagicSchool?

Stay tuned! Next week's post will be all about how to open "rooms" for students so they can use AI with the guardrails you set up.

Want a thought partner around AI use and MagicSchool?

Give me a call. I'm happy to help. 

 Knowledge Is Power!

Google AI Educator Series

@LisaBerghoff

AI is not our future. It's our present. Whether you choose to acknowledge it or not, we are all using AI in some form. Every time you use a navigation app, do a Google search, or use predictive texting on your phone you are using AI. As educators, we are constantly needing to adapt. Technology shifts, our students' diverse needs change, curriculum maps fluctuate. Facing a tool as transformative as AI can feel overwhelming.

However, as I was telling my students last week, knowledge is power. Being educated about AI ourselves is not about becoming tech gurus or software engineers. You don't have to be an expert. We absolutely should be claiming a seat at the table to we can effectively guide, prepare, and protect our students. When we lack a sense of familiarity with AI, we end up teaching defensively. We focus on catching students using it inappropriately and look for bans and policy enforcement. When we have an understanding of how generative AI models like Gemini work, we can shift our focus to what we really want to be doing, guiding student growth. 

The good news is the getting up to speed does not require hours away from the classroom or weekend workshops or graduate programs. the Gemini For Education Google AI Educator Series was designed specifically for our busy lives. 

What is the Google AI Educator Series?

Google refers to this series as "snackable, stackable professional development", and I think this model can be a game changer in terms of how we think about our own learning. The series was created in partnership with ISTE/ASCD and so it uses sound androgogy. Here's what you need to know:

• The modules are 10-15 minutes in length and focus on single use-cases.
• They are non-sequential. Do the ones you feel you need today.
• You can earn micro-badges that are aligned to ISTE standards.
• There are new modules released each month.

You can browse them all or filter by type. 

Also, coming soon you will be able to earn ISBE credits for completing!

How Do I Get Started?

Just click this link.  Sign yourself in, and start exploring!

Want a thought partner? Reach out. I'm happy to help!

Create Incredible Interactive 

Activities With Canva. 

No Experience Required! 

@Lisa Berghoff

Canva continues to reinvent itself.  It does this to stay relevant and also to help solve problems and be helpful to classroom teachers. Now, when you log into Canva, you will see a new button that says "education". As you already know, we have a district education license for Canva and that gives us access to every possible bell and whistle that Canva has. This is wonderful but can also be a problem. It's easy to get overwhelmed and lost in what Canva can do. I find it helpful to think of a problem I would like to tackle and then see how the tools match up. For example, I want my students to be interacting with each other more. I don't need to be the center of attention in the classroom and in fact I would prefer it if the students did more of the heavy lifting. As a solution, I am thinking interactive whiteboards could be the perfect solution for small group work and student interaction.

Take a look at this quick and simple way Canva, with the help of AI,  can create interactive whiteboards for you and your students. 

How To Create Interactive Whiteboards (and more) in Canva:

1. Go to Canva and log in using your school account.

2. On the home page click where it says "education"

3. Either browse by subject or look at the section that says "create with ai" and choose one of the options.

4. Type in your subject, grade level, topic or standard and click "create activity with ai"

5. Take a look at the materials that were created and adjust to meet the needs of your class.

6. When ready, click "assign" and choose "assign via link". You can decide if a code is needed or not. Type in the instructions to students and click continue.

7. Add the link to the assignment in Schoology

Here is the whiteboard it created for me:

And here is how you get the link to share in Schoology:

I would use this with groups in my class so that one device is open for 3 students. They would need to discuss and work together to complete. Then, we can open it up for a larger class conversation. Using a tool like a Canva digital whiteboard gives more of the cognitive load to the students and transfers the thinking over to them.

Want some help?

Let me know!

Schoology Best Practices: According To Students 

*Image generated by Gemini

@LisaBerghoff

I recently facilitated the first meeting of the school year for the Student Technology Advisory Board. This is a group of students of varying backgrounds, ages, and technology abilities. I started this group last year when I realized that we are often guessing at "what's best for kids" when making decisions. In the technology world, they would refer to our students as the "end-users" and would be constantly looking for feedback and ways to improve. When I sent out the request for recommendations, I asked teachers to send me names of students, not for their technology knowledge, but for their ability to share their opinions and ideas. This group meets once a month and we cover a wide range of topics, all with the intent of figuring out the best ways to leverage our technology tools to help students learn. I wish you could have seen their eyes light up when we met last year and I told them I wanted their feedback. We often forget that our students are rarely asked for their input in school. 

For our first meeting, I asked the students to give me their feedback on some of the best ways teachers are using Schoology. I was careful to set norms so that we are not complaining or pointing out bad use of our technology. I wanted to hear what's working and what we should do more of. Their responses were clear and there was very little disagreement. Here is what they (our "end-users") said.

1. Use the Schoology Calendar for ALL assignments (even the ones done on paper or listed on a Google doc).

Our students really make good use of the "upcoming" section on their Schoology page. It helps them stay organized and plan their time to get assignments completed. Even though we have a learning management system, it can still be confusing for students to know where to go to figure out what their homework is because we are all doing it in so many different ways. They understand that many teachers give a daily slide presentation or a Google doc that has a calendar with links on it. They know that they are asking those teachers to do an extra thing. But they are also saying that this is one of the single biggest frustrations about Schoology- not everything is easy to find, or even on it at all. For assignments that are done on paper, teachers can add it to Schoology, include a due date, and just un-click the "submissions" icon at the bottom of the assignment screen. I'm happy to work with you, your course team, or your department to learn how to get better at this.

2. Organize Folders By Unit

As adults, we often think in terms of timeline. Our students are making sense of their class work by unit and they are asking us to set them up for success by organizing folders on the materials page in that way. Did you know you can make folders within folders? Our students know that and they like it. They did say to please not get too carried away but if we have a folder for each unit, and then within that unit folder perhaps there are folders for notes, assessments, and assignments, that would be ideal. One student noted that all AP classes have 5 units. I decided to take her word for it because she seemed to really know what she was talking about. Now, sometimes teachers can split these units up in a way that is more manageable for teaching, but if we can keep those 5 unit folders consistent for AP classes, it could potentially remove a barrier for students who are new to the AP curriculum.

3. If It's Going To Be Digital, Assign It In Schoology

This one actually shocked me and I had to ask several times to make sure I was understanding what they were saying. If your students are going to be working in a digital format such as a Google doc, Google slides, or PDF, please do not ask them to make a copy and share it with you. Schoology can easily make a copy for every student and it is shared with both of you automatically. It's easy for them to submit and easy for you to grade. If it's something like a video or a link to a Canva project, they can just include the link in Schoology by clicking the "submit" button and copying it there. They said that they are being asked to make copies and upload all the time. Again, please reach out to me to learn more. 

Other things they noted:

• Inconsistent use of Updates is confusing
• The email notifications that they receive are from a generic mail account, they don't see who it is from until they open it and they get a LOT of them.
• They love that they can re-order their courses
• They love being asked what is working well

I'm sure I will have more information as the group meets monthly. We will have different topics each month so stay tuned.