AI in Education Podcast

• Humans in AI – Creativity, Wellbeing & Technology in Education

  Humans in AI – Creativity, Wellbeing & Technology in Education a researchers perspective Guest: Dr Rebecca Marrone, Lecturer & Researcher, University of South Australia   In this episode, Dan and Ray welcome Dr Rebecca Marrone to discuss the intersection of AI, creativity, and wellbeing in education. Her research explores how technology, especially AI, is transforming the educational landscape for both teachers and students.   Key Topics AI’s Impact on Teacher & Student Wellbeing Creativity & Critical Thinking in the Age of AI Ethical Risks of AI in Education Strategies for digital wellbeing and critical engagement. The evolving role of soft skills alongside technological advancements. Connect & Learn More For more about Dr Rebecca Marrone’s research, listeners can reach out directly or explore her work online.   Find Rebecca on Linkedin and read her research publications via   Google Scholar‬     We mentioned Rebecca and Vitomir's critique of the Brainrot study https://theconversation.com/mit-researchers-say-using-chatgpt-can-rot-your-brain-the-truth-is-a-little-more-complicated-259450    In the podcast Rebecca highlighted George Siemens' research and newsletters: Newsletter archive: https://buttondown.com/SAIL/archive/ Google Scholar profile: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=EtknWk4AAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao    Research mentioned during this episode   Marrone, R., Taddeo, V., & Hill, G. (2022). Creativity and artificial intelligence—A student perspective. Journal of Intelligence, 10(3), 65. https://www.mdpi.com/2079-3200/10/3/65?trk=public_post_reshare-text    Marrone, R., Zamecnik, A., Joksimovic, S., Johnson, J., & De Laat, M. (2025). Understanding student perceptions of artificial intelligence as a teammate. Technology, Knowledge and Learning, 30(3), 1847-1869. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10758-024-09780-z    Marrone, R., Cropley, D. H., & Wang, Z. (2022). Automatic Assessment of Mathematical Creativity using Natural Language Processing. Creativity Research Journal, 35(4), 661–676. https://doi.org/10.1080/10400419.2022.2131209    Cropley, D. H., Theurer, C., Mathijssen, A. C. S., & Marrone, R. L. (2024). Fit-For-Purpose Creativity Assessment: Automatic Scoring of the Test of Creative Thinking – Drawing Production (TCT-DP). Creativity Research Journal, 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1080/10400419.2024.2339667 https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10400419.2024.2339667       

  --------  

  30:30

  --------

  30:30
• Schools and universities fast-track AI rollouts: from Oxford to Australia

  This week, Dan and Ray bring a whirlwind of AI news, research, and reflection from across the education world. From South Australia and New South Wales announcing state-wide AI chatbot rollouts for schools, to Oxford University embracing ChatGPT Education for all staff and students, the scale of adoption is hard to ignore. The hosts explore what these bold moves mean for schools, universities, and the future of assessment. They highlight contrasts between Australia’s rapid school-level deployments and the slower university approach, and compare these with global examples such as Arizona State University’s 158,000-student rollout. The conversation doesn’t stop at institutions. Ray and Dan unpack new releases from Microsoft, OpenAI, and Google - including multi-model Copilot, parental controls in ChatGPT, and the startling realism of Sora 2 videos. They also reflect on recent surveys showing student demand for clearer AI guidance. Packed with insights, surprises, and a few laughs, this episode shows why AI in education is evolving faster than ever.   Links and References News SA High Schools get EdChat for all students https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-09-15/education-chat-gpt-style-ai-app-to-roll-out-to-sa-high-schools/105772944   NSW EduChat for all staff and students in Years 5 to 12 in NSW government schools https://www.instagram.com/reel/DO7VOVNiAGA/?igsh=YzdlOHlvajFsMmMw   ASU signs up for ChatGPT Edu for every staff member, researcher and student https://tech.asu.edu/features/asu-and-openai-expand-collaboration-scaling-ai    UNSW signs Australia’s biggest education deal with OpenAI to roll out ChatGPT to staff https://www.unsw.edu.au/newsroom/news/2025/09/unsw-sydney-inks-australias-biggest-chatgpt-edu-deal-with-openai    Oxford University in the UK just announced they’d do it for all staff and students https://www.ox.ac.uk/news/2025-09-19-oxford-becomes-first-uk-university-offer-chatgpt-edu-all-staff-and-students    Google signs up 2 million students and staff via California Community Colleges https://www.cccco.edu/About-Us/News-and-Media/Press-Releases/2025-ai-partnership-with-google    Microsoft M365 Copilot Chat now free in Office apps https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/use-copilot-chat-in-microsoft-365-apps-676db5e8-9568-4bdb-bf0b-e207e29e056b    Copilot now allows Claude/Anthropic models for Researcher & Agents https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-copilot/blog/copilot-studio/anthropic-joins-the-multi-model-lineup-in-microsoft-copilot-studio/    OpenAI launch parental controls for ChatGPT https://x.com/openai/status/1972604360204210600?s=46&t=p57lLRpTCXGNBiwhIjsl7Q    OpenAI release Sora2 OpenAI on X: https://t.co/QHDxq6ubGt    OpenAI Prompt Packs https://academy.openai.com/public/tags/prompt-packs-6849a0f98c613939acef841c  Prompt Guides for education: K12 IT Managers https://academy.openai.com/public/blogs/k-12-prompt-pack-for-it-staff  Faculty https://academy.openai.com/public/clubs/higher-education-05x4z/resources/prompt-pack-for-faculty  School administrators https://academy.openai.com/public/clubs/higher-education-05x4z/resources/prompt-pack-for-administrators    Google Homework Help story https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2025/09/18/google-homework-help-ai-cheating-schools-colleges/    Google is indexing ChatGPT conversations, potentially exposing sensitive user data https://www.fastcompany.com/91376687/google-indexing-chatgpt-conversations    IPSOS Education Monitor https://www.ipsos.com/sites/default/files/ct/news/documents/2025-08/Education_Monitor_AU_country_2025_v1.pdf    You gov survey on UK student use of AI https://yougov.co.uk/society/articles/52855-how-are-uk-students-really-using-ai    Exam Hack AI https://examhackai.site/    Arden University students get AI detector shut down https://www.ardenstudents.org/news/article/6013/Turnitin-AI-Detector-Shut-it-down/      Research   Prompt Injection Attacks on LLM Generated Reviews of Scientific Publications https://arxiv.org/abs/2509.10248v2     The Transparency Dilemma: How AI disclosure erodes trust https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0749597825000172   

  --------  

  36:58

  --------

  36:58
• From Learning to Earning: Education in an AI Age with David Yip

  In this episode of the podcast, Dan and Ray sit down with David Yip - former Salesforce Director for Education in APAC, UNSW Business School advisory board member, and host of the Relearning Work podcast. Together, they explore how education must adapt in a world shaped by AI, where learning and earning can no longer be separate. David shares insights from his work in big tech, his leadership with the Future Skills Organisation, and his new platform alumly, designed to bridge the gap between study and employment. This conversation unpacks themes of scale, the need to shift from finding answers to asking questions, and why the future of learning must be deeply human-centred - even in a tech-driven world.   Resources   We talked about some of the stories we'd heard on David's own podcast, Relearning Work Podcast, which is on Apple podcasts and Spotify.  During the interview the episodes we mentioned specifically were: Paul LeBlanc - noted for scaling the institution massively and innovating education delivery Part One  and Part Two  Jessica Vanderlelie - Discussed shifting from finding answers to asking questions Listen now Sally Browner - Talked about the IATD (Institute for Applied Technology – Digital) and micro-credentials. "You’ve got to eat your vegetables." Listen now John Dewar - discussed systemic reform, earn-while-you-learn models, and unbundling education  Listen Now   We also discussed the Future Skills Organisation Report "Workforce Plan 2025 - Pathways to Impact"    

  --------  

  36:55

  --------

  36:55
• AI Landgrabs, Lawsuits & Learning: AI in Education

  In this news and research episode, Ray and Dan unpack a whirlwind of global developments in AI and education. From major US announcements, like Microsoft, Google, and Amazon offering free AI tools and training for students, to Australia's push for sovereign AI infrastructure, it’s clear the AI education landscape is shifting fast. They explore the massive copyright settlement involving Anthropic and the controversial Books3 dataset, dig into what AI is actually trained on, and consider the implications of training data transparency. They also spotlight Georgia Tech’s Jill Watson project and a new study comparing different RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) strategies (essential reading for anyone building AI tutors or educational bots?) Plus: Google’s AI Quests, Australia’s new social media ban for under-16s, OpenAI’s new certifications, and a growing global interest in culturally specific AI models.   News - Links   White House AI Education Task Force https://www.theverge.com/policy/772084/amazon-google-microsoft-white-house-ai-education Key tech company commitments announced: Microsoft: https://blogs.microsoft.com/on-the-issues/2025/09/04/new-white-house-commitments/  Google:  https://ai.google/literacy  https://blog.google/outreach-initiatives/education/ai-education-efforts/  Amazon: https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/policy-news-views/how-amazon-is-supporting-the-white-houses-ai-education-initiatives    Digital Education Council's "AI in the Workplace 2025" report https://www.digitaleducationcouncil.com/post/ai-in-the-workplace-2025    Microsoft becomes best buddies with Anthropic https://www.computerworld.com/article/4054738/microsoft-to-tap-anthropic-for-office-365-as-enterprises-weigh-risks-of-ai-lock-in.html  https://developers.slashdot.org/story/25/09/17/1927233/microsoft-favors-anthropic-over-openai-for-visual-studio-code    Anthropic settled copyright lawsuit https://www-pbs-org.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.pbs.org/newshour/amp/nation/anthropic-to-pay-authors-1-5b-in-landmark-settlement-over-pirated-chatbot-training-material    OpenAI announces new certification  https://openai.com/index/expanding-economic-opportunity-with-ai/    Greece give ChatGPT Edu to high school students https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/greece-openai-agree-deal-boost-150237148.html    OpenAI's Global Faculty AI Project https://academy.openai.com/public/resources/the-global-faculty-ai-project-2025-09-04  Some of the ideas that are there include: Brinnae Bent, PhD (Duke University) on “Hack Your Grade,” an experiential assignment where students try to outsmart a chatbot, building AI literacy and critical thinking through hands-on practice. David J. Malan (Harvard University) on creating a “virtual rubber duck” (Dan, do you know what 'rubber ducking' is?) debugging system that guides computer science students instead of giving them the answers. andre j. hermann (Houston City College) on using AI in the photo studio to design real-world assignments that teach both technical craft and career skills like creative briefs, brainstorming, and execution. Marcos Rojas Pino, MD (Stanford University) on Clinical Mind AI, which grew from a custom GPT into a multilingual simulation platform to run realistic patient encounters, making high-quality clinical reasoning training accessible to all health professions students. Google launches AI Quests to teach AI literacy to students aged 11 to 14 https://blog.google/outreach-initiatives/education/ai-quests/  https://research.google/ai-quests/intl/en_gb    Australian eSafety changes on social media (and potentially AI) https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/age-assurance-technology-needed-to-protect-teens-from-ai-chatbots-20250909-p5mtln    Sovereign Australia AI launch https://www.afr.com/technology/we-can-do-it-for-under-100m-start-up-joins-race-to-build-local-chatgpt-20250908-p5mt5o    Research - Links   Georgia Tech’s Jill Watson Outperforms ChatGPT in Real Classrooms https://research.gatech.edu/georgia-techs-jill-watson-outperforms-chatgpt-real-classrooms    Aligning LLMs for the Classroom with Knowledge-Based Retrieval -- A Comparative RAG Study https://arxiv.org/abs/2509.07846 

  --------  

  29:53

  --------

  29:53
• Simon Breakspear on AI - Slow Down: AI, Learning, and the Cognitive Escalator

  In this weeks podcast Dan and Ray have a conversation about education with Dr Simon Breakspear.    Simon is a globally respected expert in educational leadership and innovation, known for his insightful work on transforming learning environments.  His forward thinking ideas around education are reshaping the way schools and school systems are thinking about teaching, learning and leadership.       In this episode we talk about:   Distinction Between Productivity and Pedagogical Uses of AI: Simon, Dan, and Ray discussed the critical distinction between using AI for productivity tasks in education (such as administrative work and report summarisation) and for pedagogical purposes, emphasising that while AI can greatly enhance productivity for adults, its use in learning processes for students requires careful consideration to avoid undermining cognitive development.   Human Development and the Role of Analogue Learning: Simon argued that foundational human development—such as reading, writing, and critical thinking—should precede the use of AI in learning, with Dan and Ray supporting the view that analogue learning experiences are crucial for building the cognitive and personal skills necessary for effective future use of AI.   Guidance for School Leaders and Teachers on Navigating AI Integration: Ray and Dan sought practical advice from Simon for school leaders and teachers facing pressure to adopt AI, with Simon recommending a cautious, evidence-based approach that prioritises human development, leverages AI for productivity gains, and introduces AI into learning processes only where it demonstrably enhances educational outcomes.   Changing Role of Teachers in the Age of AI: Ray questions whether the role of teachers must change with AI, and Simon responded that while some administrative tasks may be automated, the core human functions of teaching—motivating, engaging, and forming students—will become even more critical, with teachers needing to exercise professional judgement about when and how to use AI in the classroom.   Ethical and Equity Considerations in AI Adoption: Dan and Simon discussed the ethical implications and potential inequities arising from AI adoption in education, highlighting concerns that uneven access and premature augmentation could disadvantage certain groups of students and create disparities in skills and opportunities.   Practical Strategies for Selective AI Integration: Simon provided practical strategies for integrating AI into education, recommending that schools focus on specific, evidence-based learning processes where AI can add value, such as feedback and retrieval practice, and to avoid being overwhelmed by the proliferation of AI tools.   Long-Term Purpose of Education Amidst Technological Change: Simon concluded that the ultimate goal of education is not solely economic productivity but the holistic formation of human beings, arguing that enduring human skills, identity, and community are essential for resilience in an unpredictable future, regardless of technological advancements.     Links: Dr Simon Breakspear | Speaker. Author. Researcher. The pruning principle: The Pruning Principle: Mastering the Art of Strategic Subtraction Within Education : Breakspear, Dr Simon, Rosenbrock, Michael: Amazon.com.au: Books     Research and Historical References Mentioned • Learning Science & Cognitive Development: Simon referenced the work of Kirschner and Sweller on learning as a change in long-term memory, including declarative and procedural knowledge.  Rethinking Cognitive Load Theory for Collaborative Learning - kirschner-ED   • Lindy Effect (Nassim Taleb): Simon discusses the Lindy effect, suggesting that things valuable for a long time (like bicycles or spoons) are likely to remain valuable, as a way to think about educational priorities amid rapid technological change.  Lindy effect - Wikipedia    • Daisy Christodoulou: Simon cites Daisy Christodoulou’s perspective that while AI may be a better writer, it cannot know what you actually think, emphasizing the importance of writing as a way to learn how to think.   Welcome - Daisy Christodoulou  |  21st century skills: what are they and how can we teach them? Daisy Christodoulou   • Historical Technology Adoption in Education: Simon refers to the rollout of one-to-one devices and mobile phones in schools, highlighting unintended consequences for attention and learning, and drawing lessons for AI adoption.  NSW Government begins mobile phone ban in public high schools  • Mathematics Education Practice: Simon references the established practice of delaying calculator use in mathematics until foundational skills are developed, as an analogy for AI use in learning.   Calculator Use - National Council of Teachers of Mathematics   • DeepMind CEO on Coding: Simon mentions a recent interview with the CEO of DeepMind, who argues that understanding how things work is necessary, even if AI can code better than humans. Google’s DeepMind CEO says there are bigger risks to worry about than AI taking our jobs   

  --------  

  53:10

  --------

  53:10

More Education podcasts

Trending Education podcasts

About AI in Education Podcast