Make EdTech 100 with LindyHoc

The screen time debate is loud, emotional, and increasingly driving education policy. But what does the research actually say? Adam Sparks, former classroom teacher, Stanford-trained learning designer, and co-founder of the writing tool Short Answer, brings the receipts.In this episode, Lindy and Adam dig into why blanket screen time bans are a response to moral panic more than evidence, what John Hattie's meta-analyses actually tell us about technology in classrooms, and why lumping thousands of different tools under the label "EdTech" makes about as much sense as measuring the effect size of a chalkboard. They also get into how to evaluate EdTech efficacy, what a logic model is and why every school should be asking for one, and how Short Answer is rethinking writing instruction in the age of AI.Short Answer: https://myshortanswer.com/ Adam’s Substack: https://adamsparks.substack.com/ Connect with Adam: adam@myshortanswer.comShort Answers Portfolio of Efficacy: https://myshortanswer.com/our-approach/ Writing Instruction for the Age of AI Workshop: https://myshortanswer.com/professional-development/

The TikTok comments came in fast. "It's too late." "That's on parents, not teachers." "Banning is the only answer."Lindy gets the frustration. But she strongly disagrees with the conclusion.Because when students walk out of our buildings and into a world saturated with technology — and they will — what did we do to prepare them? If the answer is "we took the devices away," we failed them.This episode is built around the one comment buried in all that noise: "Explicit teaching has a large place in education." Yes. That. Exactly that.Lindy makes the case for explicitly teaching healthy technology use — what it looks like in classrooms, why parents can't teach what they were never taught, why going fully analog isn't enough, and why the window to get this right is shorter than it's ever been.Part of the screen time series. Start with Episode 13 — "Not All Screen Time Is Created Equal" — if you haven't yet.Episode 13 Not All Screen Time is Created Equal: https://www.lindyhoc.com/post/13-not-all-screen-time-is-created-equal ScreenPal webinar: https://screenpal.com/lindy-hockenbary-webinar

In Part 2 of this conversation, Lindy builds on the question every educator and parent is asking: Is AI actually safe for students? Using new research from Stanford University, she breaks down what we know so far.The big takeaway? AI isn’t inherently good or bad for learning. It all comes down to how the tool is designed and how it’s used.Lindy shares practical do’s and don’ts for both teachers and parents, including why guardrails matter, how “guide vs. give” changes learning outcomes, and what happens when students are dropped into AI without structure. She also tackles one of the biggest emerging concerns—AI companionship—and why avoiding the technology altogether isn’t the answer.Because the goal isn’t to avoid AI, it’s to raise humans who know how to use it well.Episode 9: Is AI Safe for Students Part 1 https://www.lindyhoc.com/post/9-is-ai-safe-for-students Stanford AI Hub for Education — Understanding the Evidence Base for AI in K–12 Education: https://scale.stanford.edu/research-in-action/understanding-evidence-base-ai-k12-education Blog post and infographic: https://www.lindyhoc.com/post/6-ai-teaching-tools-that-enhance-learning-and-keep-teachers-in-control SchoolAIBriskGet three months of Brisk premium features! NotebookLM

It’s AI Literacy Day and episode 10 of Make EdTech 100, so we’re digging into a big question: what does the research actually say about AI literacy?In this episode, I break down key studies to uncover what we’re learning about how people use AI, what happens when they don’t understand it, and why AI literacy is quickly becoming a must-have, not a nice-to-have. We’ll look at surprising findings like why lower AI literacy can lead to more AI use, what happens when teachers are given the right guidance, and the growing gap between students using AI and actually knowing how to use it well.We’ll also explore when AI literacy should start (hint: much earlier than most people think), what effective instruction looks like, and what students themselves are asking for when it comes to AI in the classroom.If you’ve been wondering how to move beyond the hype and make sense of AI in education, this episode connects the research to real classroom practice—and makes the case for why AI literacy belongs at the core of learning, not on the sidelines.What is AI Literacy? Competencies and Design Considerations: https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3313831.3376727 Lower Artificial Intelligence Literacy Predicts Greater AI Receptivity: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/00222429251314491ChatGPT in lesson preparation - A Teacher Choices Trial: https://www.nfer.ac.uk/publications/chatgpt-in-lesson-preparation-a-teacher-choices-trial/ The effects of over-reliance on AI dialogue systems on students' cognitive abilities: a systematic review: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40561-024-00316-7 The Usage of AI in Teaching and Students’ Creativity: The Mediating Role of Learning Engagement and the Moderating Role of AI Literacy: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12109026/ AI-driven language learning in higher education: an empirical study on self-reflection, creativity, anxiety, and emotional resilience in EFL learners: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41599-025-05817-5 Exploring How AI Literacy and Self-Regulated Learning Relate to Student Writing Performance and Well-Being in Generative AI-Supported Higher Education: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12108985/ AI4K12 Initiative (CSTA & AAAI) — the grade-band progression framework referenced ai4k12.orgAI Literacy in K-12: A Systematic Literature Review"https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40594-023-00418-7 A Systematic Review of AI Education in K-12 Classrooms from 2018 to 2023: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666920X24000122 AI in K-12 Education: A Systematic Review of Teachers' Professional Development Needs: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-431X/15/1/49 A Systematic Review of Responses, Attitudes, and Utilization Behaviors on Generative AI for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12023922/

In this episode, Lindy is joined by Aaron Makelky to break down what educators need to understand about agentic AI.We’ve moved beyond text generation. We’re now in the age of agents—systems that act autonomously, navigate browsers, execute tasks, and even help build new AI tools.Lindy and Aaron unpack recent AI releases, including Codex, agentic browsers, and the viral Open Claw experiment. They explore what’s hype, what’s real, and what this acceleration means for assessment, data privacy, and the future relevance of classroom work.Connect with Aaron Makelky:https://aaronmakelky.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-makelky-m-a-ed-038b852a3/https://x.com/theaaronAbout Aaron: Aaron Makelky spent 16 years as a high school social studies teacher and coach before transitioning to tech. Now a Community & Developer Relations Marketing Manager at a San Francisco-based tech company (working remotely), he focuses on making AI accessible for non-technical people. He's trained schools, law firms and nonprofits on AI implementation. His content and workshops are all about cutting through AI hype to show practical applications that actually work.Tools mentioned in the episode:https://www.perplexity.ai/comethttps://chatgpt.com/atlas/ https://www.diabrowser.com/https://openai.com/codex/ https://openclaw.ai/

In this episode, I’m stepping out from behind the mic to share a bit about who I am and how my journey in rural Montana shaped the way I think about education and technology. From teaching in a literal one-to-one computer lab before one-to-one was a thing, to supporting educators in small, under-resourced schools, these early experiences cemented my belief that pedagogy must always lead and technology should serve learning—not the other way around.Meet Lindy: https://www.lindyhoc.com/meet-lindyConnect with me on socials:FacebookInstagramTikTokYouTubeLinkedIn

We gave kids technology… and forgot to teach them how to use it. In this episode of Make EdTech 100, Lindy sits down with Dr. Kelli Erwin from Learning.com to unpack what schools are missing in a world where technology is everywhere—even when screens are banned.From misinformation and echo chambers to AI, addiction, and algorithmic influence, this conversation reframes “digital citizenship” as something bigger: real citizenship in an AI-driven world. Dr. Erwin shares how Learning.com’s curriculum helps students (and teachers) build the skills to evaluate information, make thoughtful choices, and use technology with purpose—whether that happens in a tech class, social studies, or PE.You’ll hear why fear-based approaches and blanket bans fall short, how education is the antidote to overwhelm, and what it really means to Make EdTech 100 by balancing technical skills with human ones. If you’ve ever wondered how to prepare students for a future they’re already living in, this episode is your roadmap.Resources:learning.com https://www.learning.com/resources/ai-resource-center/: Learning.com’s new AI Resource Center which includes an AI Policy Hub, PD, webinars, guides, toolkits, and more designed as a free resource to help teachers.

What if video wasn’t one more “thing” on your plate, but a pathway back to joy in teaching?In this episode, Lindy sits down with Erika Sandstrom, the legendary Green Screen Gal, to explore how video can transform classrooms into spaces of creativity, confidence, and connection. From jump cuts and quick wins to mindful media and “breathing bubbles,” Erika shares how even the most camera-shy teachers and students can use video to tell powerful stories.You’ll hear why video isn’t just about content creation—it’s about belonging, emotional safety, and helping students (and teachers) rediscover the fun in learning. Whether you teach kindergarten or calculus, this conversation will change the way you think about video in education.Erika’s video course: https://erika-sandstrom-s-school.teachable.com/p/3-2-1-action-become-a-green-screen-rock-star Connect with Erika:Website: GreenScreenGal.comTwitter: @GreenScreenGal Instagram: @GreenScreenGal44 Facebook: Facebook.com/greenscreengalTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@greenscreengal44LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/erikleeasandstromYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/erikasandstromResearch: Lights, Camera, Learning: What the Research Says About Teacher Created VideosVideo tools:Canva: https://www.canva.com/education/ Adobe ExpressScreenPal: https://screenpal.com/ WeVideo: https://www.adobe.com/express/ Capcut: https://www.capcut.com/