Greetings WOL Friends, As the school year is winding down, we are all in the familiar place of closing out one year with celebrations and last-minute plans - while we are simultaneously planning for the next school year. We are winding down the podcast for the summer, too. Look for new episodes in the fall as we bring you news of course updates, new members of the WOL Team, and all things authentic, relevant, and engaging in our learning ecosystem. Lauren did a great job equating May as the Thursday of the school year - June, as Friday, July, our Saturday, August as Sunday, and September as our Monday! Which is your favorite day of the school year?In the past few weeks I have had a lot of favorite days:* Our Japanese National Honor Society Celebration! We inducted two new members, Maria, from CCA, and Emma from Hershey High School. It is great to see the dedication and the expansion of learning a new language gifts to students.* We hosted our 2nd Annual Design Space: We gathered with our team and folks from Huntingdon Areas SD and Garnet Valley SD to Re-imagine, Re-invent, and Re-engineer our learning experiences.* We hosted our first Extended Campus Award Ceremony - it was a joy to see students from K - grade 12 honored for their hard work and perseverance!We had a big year! We are grateful to all the districts who trusted us with their students, for all the hard work those students put in, for our VLF’s and district Facilitators, and for the parents and adults who supported the students and our team.We also achieved accreditation with Cognia, and had our courses approved by the NCAA! We look forward to continuing to serve you in the future! As always, please reach out if you can’t find a teacher or just want to dream about what is possible.Best,Pat This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit patmulroy.substack.com

Greetings WOL Friends,This week the WOL Institute will gather with some of our Virtual Learning Specialists face-to-face as we host our 2nd Annual Design Space. As most of you know - our teachers work remotely, and while we have a robust and positive community it is ALWAYS fun to see our team in person. The purpose of our work will be to look at our current body of learning experiences in the digital world - our asynchronous course component - and learn how we can be sure that we are making ALL the inroads for our learners to connect with the content, the teacher, and each other. We will also dive into how we are engaging families and our community. At the start of our journey, we will assess the educational terrain ahead of us. From AI-powered tools to global collaborations, possibilities are endless, but we know that our learners need human connection more than ever. Dr. Christine Davis, IU8 VLS JoltEduOur guests in this episode are Dr. Sam Mormando and Olivia Grugan, who will join us on our adventure of Re-imagining, Re-inventing, and Re-Engineering the learning experience. Olivia and Sam are leaders in their respective organizations in supporting their teams in considering how our children learn - and how we can best support them in that journey. Here are a few of the takeaways from the conversation: The conversation underscored the importance of balancing human expertise and AI capabilities.* Strategic Integration of AI - Sam Mormando, Director of Technology Innovation and Online Learning at Garnet Valley School District, highlighted the strategic integration of AI to augment administrative tasks. He talked about how in education there is this thing called ‘educator guilt’ that sometimes keeps us from using tools that might ease our burden. He recognizes the overwhelming workload faced by educators, and the ability of AI to alleviate mundane tasks, allowing our folks to focus more on meaningful interactions with students and each other. We look forward to hearing more about how he is helping his teachers and administrative team streamline workflows and prioritize essential responsibilities with AI tools.* Balancing Human Connection and AI - Olivia Grugan, Supervisor at the World of Learning Institute, emphasized the value of constructive struggle and human involvement in the learning process. While AI can offer support in tasks like drafting documents or providing feedback, it cannot replace the nuanced understanding and empathy inherent in human interactions. By leveraging AI as a thought partner and tool for efficiency, we can enhance our productivity without compromising the authenticity and depth of our work.* Community of Learners and Thought Partners - I emphasized the role of our 2nd Annual Design Space as a platform for fostering collaboration and learning among educators. By creating a community of thought partners, we can share insights, exchange best practices, and collectively explore the opportunities and challenges associated with AI integration, building meaningful learner experiences, and the value of our human connection. Through ongoing dialogue and mutual support, we can harness our HUMAN potential and the potential of AI to enhance teaching and learning experiences while preserving our humanity in the education space.When it comes down to it, at the World of Learning, we value the art of collaboration and the building of community in navigating the integration of any new tool or technology. We often say - pick the tool last! Stay tuned for more from Dr. Sam Mormando as he launches his book in May - Navigating the AI Revolution in our Schools - Ethical Insights, Policy Innovations, and Personalized Learning Strategies from K to College, with his collaborators Christine Gumpart and Julie Devine.I am grateful to have good companions on this journey from our IU8 and WOL team to you, our network of friends. As always, if you can’t find a teacher or just want to bounce some ideas around - reach out. Pat This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit patmulroy.substack.com

Greetings WOL Friends,Spring is in full bloom for most of us now. I have enjoyed getting ready for this year’s garden the past few days - spreading wildflower seeds, cleaning up the vegetable beds, and trimming back last year’s remains. The cycle of the seasons reminds me of the importance of the different phases of a year and the abundance of each. I am grateful for sharing the cycle of a school year with you, too! The excitement of the new, the rhythm of teaching and learning, the celebration of the successes, and the planning for what we can improve.In this week’s episode, Lauren thought we it would be fun to talk about one of our common interests outside of our work - reading novels. If you have listened in previously we have talked about a variety of books and cookbooks that inspire and help us to be more empathetic. Adam Grant recently posted on social media that “Reading fiction has small but meaningful benefits for empathy. 70 experiments: concern for and understanding of others grow more through reading novels than watching shows and movies. Immersion in words about imaginary worlds can help us see realities beyond our own.”So, as we dove into one of our new favorite reads Demon Copperhead, we recognized that Barbara Kingsolver was inspired by the book David Copperfield. Copperfield begins with the epigraph “It’s in vain to recall the past, unless it works some influence upon the present.”  As we thought of the book and pondered our educational spaces - we saw so many connections from the classic David Copperfield by Charles Dickens - updated by Kingsolver - from the setting in Victorian England to present-day Appalachia amid an opioid epidemic.“It’s in vain to recall the past, unless it works some influence upon the present.” One of the significant happenings in the book that we discussed is a social studies teacher who recognizes and nurtures the protagonist Damon's, nicknamed "Demon," potential despite his difficult circumstances. Often, a teacher or other adult in a child’s life can see the bright spots. In this case, the Social Studies teacher and his wife, an Art Teacher, nurture Damon’s talents and acknowledge his resilience. Their caring significantly impacts Damon, long after he leaves school, reminding us how positive reinforcement from educators can profoundly affect students - long after they move out into the world. And how we often don’t realize the impact of our words and actions.Do you have a story of a teacher who made a difference in your life? (Check out this story.)Lauren and I also dove into the complexities of creating equitable and supportive learning environments. And while we acknowledge the value of seeing each student's unique background and potential, we also know that we ask a lot of teachers in our current school system. How we navigate the power of education to transform lives, particularly for those who may feel invisible or marginalized, is a big lift.Our quest at the World of Learning is to support some of these complexities using digital resources in the courses we make - to take some of the stress from our teachers. We continually explore strategies for personalizing education to prevent students from slipping through the cracks and recognize the importance of communication, including making sure everyone who cares about the student has the resources to support the student. Whether it is access to the student work, emails from the virtual learning facilitators or specialists, or our Supervisors - if we need alternatives for success. We know that a community of support is the most comprehensive way we can help our school partners - help students succeed. Here are a few of our book recommendations: * The Lyrics, by Paul McCartney* The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls* Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van PeltBooks, like Demon Copperhead help us to see the challenges of small rural communities with limited resources. To value the effort of sustained adult support and the long-term effects of such relationships with teachers, even when students experience setbacks. I have always believed that each person has a bright light and deserves our support in meeting their full potential. People in our own community, like Dr. Amy Arcurio, is at the forefront of the efforts to fairly fund our schools. Dr. Butler has spearheaded the IU8 Innovation Summit to explore how our schools can be future-focused. IU8 is also hosting a Readiness Institute for students with Penn State this summer - preparing Juniors for success after high school. And there are many more - I am sure. So remember your impact as you think of the seasons we are in - whether planting a garden or sitting down with a good book. Know it may not be rewarded at this moment - but your caring and concern for students last a lifetime. As always, if you can’t find a teacher or need to extend opportunities - check out our catalog! We are always up for a conversation about what we do every day! Pat This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit patmulroy.substack.com

Greetings WOL Friends,Building belonging in the learning environment is so important to us. We want students who meet their instructors remotely to feel connected to their teacher and what they are learning. To accomplish this goal we do our very best to support our folks as they enter the digital-remote learning space. Through professional learning, sharing resources, collaborative teammates, and an amazing leadership team - we do our best to make everyone feel like they belong and have our support. And, that is not always easy.In this episode, we talk with Allison Rodman of the Learning Loop. Allie’s work has always focused on adult learning - (if you listened in to our last podcast you heard about her latest book Still Learning). Recently our team turned to Allie for support. As the World of Learning has grown and expanded, so has our team. To me, it was important and obvious that we needed some help.As you listen in you will hear Lauren talk about her trepidation when I carved out time to work on ourselves and our team.There was that gut feeling, like, I’m maxed out.Allie helped Lauren and the team see the importance of continuous learning and reflection so that we were able to begin to refine our practices and strengthen our collective efficacy.Working with Allie has helped to bring us together as a team - from simple things like recognizing our most effective times of day to work on projects, to understanding our blind sides. Lauren shared how we became more vulnerable as we shared our personality types, working together on our meeting effectiveness, and prioritizing our goals. Through these practices and many others, we have been able to identify our primary work and tasks, support each other's strengths, and navigate challenges more effectively. While the work has been hard - as Lauren states - it has been well worth it in helping us to build trust with each other.Here are a few of the main points that Allie highlighted in our conversation:1. The Importance of Continuous Learning and Reflection: Allie emphasizes the importance of educators continually refining their practice and not becoming stagnant. Reflecting on their roles as individual learners and team members is crucial for growth and effectiveness. This involves not only learning new methods, but also pausing to ensure that actions are intentional and meaningful for both team members and students.2. Building Team Cohesion through Clear Leadership and Norms: Allie discusses three core components essential for developing team cohesion and a unified vision:* Clear leadership that filters and removes as much as it adds, creating space for new focus areas.* Establishing norms for true engagement and collaboration during professional learning sessions, encouraging full presence, and setting aside distractions.* Creating structures for ongoing collaboration and learning beyond facilitated sessions, fostering accountability and continuity in the team's growth.3. Attunement and Understanding as Foundations for Effective Collaboration: Attuning oneself and others as learners and individuals is foundational for building trust and effective teamwork. By understanding their own strengths and growth areas, team members can communicate openly, provide support, and leverage each other's strengths. Vulnerability and strength go hand in hand in fostering trust and progress within the team.These key components to building strong adult teams go a long way to support the learners in our classrooms. As Lauren noted - you often don’t feel like you don’t have the time to work on yourself or your team with so much to do - and we have seen such a positive effect as we have made ourselves, and our team, a priority. As we concluded the podcast  Allie emphasizes her commitment to partnerships and provides so many resources on her website, including free consultations for those interested in exploring SEL strategies for their teams. You can check that out HERE. And on Wednesday - she has a free webinar. Check it out! As always, if you can’t find a teacher or need a long or short-term solutions don’t hesitate to reach out to [email protected] a great week,Pat This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit patmulroy.substack.com

Greetings WOL Friends! In the past few weeks we have talked about being human on the podcast. I had the opportunity to be in the path of totality for the eclipse yesterday - and when totality happened - I felt my humanity - with a sea of others standing on the shore of Lake Ontario. It was a breathtaking sight and heartwarming moment to see and hear the collective awe that happened in that moment when the moon covered the sun. It brought tears to my eyes. At the WOL Institute we pride ourselves in being really great at providing an environment - albeit a digital one- that brings face-to-face interactions via Zoom, together with well developed digital content, on-time specific feedback and lots of opportunities to speak to a human. So as you are thinking about your schedule for the coming year - take a look at our catalog. We just might have a course or two that would interest your students and provide a lot of value - when you can’t find a teacher and need to turn elsewhere to support your students. (We also provide a full-time option in the WOL Institute Extended Campus). Our guests this week know that Learning is a human endeavor, too. They both have used the phrase Still Learning in defining their work. Dr. Sally Hare and Allison Rodman in their books, The ElderGarten and Still Learning, delve into how as humans we are learning and unlearning all the time. How learning happens in community. In learning to know ourselves - we expand what is possible. And, maybe most importantly, we discussed how we often don’t make the time to be still, to allow ourselves the grace to reflect, listen to our souls, and learn. As you listen, consider some of the experiences of your life where what you learned has changed - how you have had to unlearn, and consider other ideas and concepts. Consider, too, how as you learn more about yourself your confidence grows. Allison shares insights from her work on attunement, spotlighting the importance of educators knowing themselves and bringing their full selves to their learning communities. She helps us to see the role of intentional goal-setting and creating supportive structures within our educational organizations so that as teachers and leaders we promote growth and well-being among the people we serve.Sally brought us stories of educators like Dr. Sue Small, who worked in the early days of school desegregation to understand the intersection of learning on the edges of race and culture. Dr. Small, acknowledging and seeing the many ways our children come to school and the value they each bring is a lesson for us all today. We also heard about Morgan Lee, who is  dedicated to supporting teachers' personal and professional development as they leave college and move into their first three years of teaching. It is an amazing model of how we might retain the awesome people who come out of our teacher training programs. These stories help us see the significance of community, belonging, and storytelling in nurturing trustworthy learning environments. And as Allie and Sally  highlighted, we've got to do more of the human being and the human relating so that ultimately, learning happens.  Takeaways from our conversation:* Social-emotional learning: It isn't just for students; educators also need to cultivate self-awareness, resilience, and well-being to create a positive learning environment.* The Power of Naming and Self-Awareness: Recognizing one's strengths and purpose is essential for combating burnout and fostering a culture of belonging in our  educational communities.* Intentionality in Professional Development: Intentional goal-setting, self-reflection, and community-building are crucial aspects of supporting educators' growth and well-being, both personally and professionally.What practices do you think you could introduce to your school or classroom community?At the World of Learning Institute we get excited about learning - and we believe in the power of community in building strong spaces for both our adults and children to learn. If you would like to learn more check out our web page, other podcasts, or reach out - we love to talk about what we do every day! Click HERE to connect. Have a great week,Pat This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit patmulroy.substack.com

Hi WOL Friends,It’s that time of year when you begin to build your 24 - 25 schedule. We know you have a choice when it comes to selecting an online provider and we are grateful to learn and grow our program and offerings with you. To help you prepare are excited to share our updated course catalog and new offerings. And don’t let the catalog limit you. If your students have other interests please let us know what offerings would you like us to add to the catalog in the future.Here are a few of our podcast episodes that highlight what goes into our offerings and selections. As you listen in or read the show notes you will get a good idea about the people who interact with your students and district personnel. You will also see just now much learning and effort go into supporting your students in the digital learning environment.As always, if you can’t find a teacher or need a long or short-term solutions don’t hesitate to reach out to [email protected] a great week,Pat This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit patmulroy.substack.com

Hi WOL Friends! This episode holds a dear place in my heart, as it marks the introduction of a very special guest to our podcast—my friend, mentor, and esteemed teacher, Dr. Sally Hare. We dive into her latest literary achievement, "The ElderGarten: A Field Guide for the Journey of a Lifetime," a captivating exploration filled with stories and anecdotes. This book beautifully illustrates the dual process of learning and unlearning, encouraging us to shed ingrained fears and biases that hold us back. In our discussion, we delve into the transformative power of vulnerability as a springboard for growth and resilience. Dr. Sally Hare's insights guide us through the importance of introspection and self-awareness, highlighting that each of us possesses the innate ability to cultivate resilience, and even begin the journey of eldering in Kindergarten. By embracing life's complexities with courage and authenticity, we can navigate our paths with grace and wisdom. As schools and our broader society navigate the rapid advancement of technology in our lives, it becomes increasingly crucial to engage in conversations that not only challenge our perspectives but also test our resilience. Reflecting on the impact of technology, including artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented reality, especially as programs like WOL offer entirely digital experiences, it's essential to harness these innovations in ways that amplify our human potential and enrich the human experience. Amidst this digital deluge, our humanity often seems to be submerged beneath a relentless wave of information, from emails and text messages to social media and Zoom calls, leaving us struggling to keep our heads above water in an ocean of digital overwhelm.Sally's inaugural tale of her escapade to kindergarten shines a light on the transformative journey towards becoming an elder, underscoring that this evolution transcends mere chronological age. By invoking Frederick Buechner's notion of 'telling our story right,' she imparts the profound lesson that creating spaces for growth, reflection, and deep connection with oneself and others is possible when we actively listen and share our own narratives. This process not only fosters a sense of belonging and understanding but also enables us to navigate the complexities of life with greater empathy and authenticity.“My story is important not because it is mine, God knows, but because if I tell it anything like right, the chances are you will recognize that in many ways it is also yours… it is precisely through these stories in all their particularity, as I have long believed and often said, that God makes himself known to each of us more powerfully and personally. If this is true, it means that to lose track of our stories is to be profoundly impoverished not only humanly but also spiritually.” Frederick Buechner Our stories help others to see us and themselves. It is an essential role of humans in teaching and learning, to lift those stories, to demonstrate our authentic connections, and to show the “cracks where the light gets in”. In a digital environment, which is present in every school, these human stories, our stories, create spaces that foster trust and facilitate growth, challenging us to rise above divisive ways of thinking and to see each others beauty. “ My story is the way I make sense of my life, how I tell it. And I think that's what teachers do with children, with learners all the time. We share stories in the hope that we're building a trusting relationship for learning.” Dr. Sally Z. HareI am so grateful for this time to talk to Sally. Here wisdom resonated deeply for me, offering a roadmap for seeking our humanity and cultivating meaningful connections with ourselves, others, and the natural world. Her powerful practice of HOPE - inspires me every day. (You can follow her journey of HOPE on Facebook, too, where she shares this practice daily.)Here are a few of the resources and quotes we talked about in today’s episode:* The Mattie Stepanek Foundation* Fredrick Buechner* Still Learning, Inc.* And the Marvelous Leonard CohenAs always you can reach me at [email protected] or [email protected] a great day,Pat This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit patmulroy.substack.com

Hi WOL Friends,Have you ever heard of the idea or concept of body doubling? It’s a concept that has come to the forefront as the research on ADHD is making its way into popular culture. It was a new idea for me, too, when a friend talked about our ability to be more productive by working side-by-side. It was helpful as she supported me in getting my garden ready last year. I miss her these days as I prep my garden for Spring planting. While the concept has made its way to the forefront because of ADHD - its usefulness can benefit all of us, ADHD, or not! Recently, we have been talking about AI and how it might help us to be more productive, how it can lighten our load, and how important it is to keep humans in the loop! Our discussions have centered on why purpose and ethics must be front and center. So, the idea of learning to work with each other as humans is critical. Our communication, body language, work preferences, and personality all play a part in our collaboration as a team.With the addition of WOL Extended Campus this year, we have been stretched - and welcomed some time to learn as a team. In this episode, Lauren, Erin, and I talked about our amazing experience working with Allision Rodman to strengthen our working relationships and build our team's capacity. It has been a breath of fresh air - and reminded me of just how important working on our human relationships is to the success of our team.Allison's most recent book Still Learning and her gentle guidance helped us to recognize and value our work preferences and strengths - and gave us insight that has helped us to be more in tune with each other as we tackle the day to day and plan for the future.As you listen in you will hear how Allie helped us to recognize our priorities and learn to work with each other's strengths and blind spots.Here are a few of the big ideas:* Allie helped us focus on setting clear goals (referred to as "wildly important goals" or WIGs), prioritizing tasks, and enhancing our team efficiency through better time management and a clear definition of our responsibilities. She helped us to understand and leverage our team's collective strengths while acknowledging individual differences in personality and work styles. * Engaging with an expert consultant (Allison Rodman) helped us to navigate the challenges of expansion and manage our workload, the external guidance was crucial in enhancing our organizational capacity and navigating the big change we faced this fall by adding Extended Campus.* Our team's journey underscores the value of resilience and adaptability in leadership and organizational culture. And while we were in the thick of it we couldn’t see our strengths - it was great to know that we had the resilience to navigate the uncertainties and capacity to support continuous learning and growth.* I loved that our discussion highlighted the critical role of soft skills (like understanding and empathy) and their value in effective leadership and team collaboration. We believe that integrity, trust, competence, and personal regard are vital, not only for our internal team dynamics, but also for enhancing our interactions with students, facilitators, and district contacts. And on a larger scale, we know their broad applicability in creating a more inclusive and supportive educational environment.* We value and are committed to improving the human side of learning. We recognize that we must pay attention to and regard each person as they navigate their daily tasks. Often, we want to go it alone when we are struggling - and often as leaders, we have the skills. Yet, working with Allie brought out the best in our team. As a leader, it was much like the body-doubling concept my friend introduced me to. Sometimes it is so important to get another perspective!The World of Learning Institute and Extended Campus can be a partner for you as well (Allie could, too). Whether you are struggling to find a teacher, need support with your own online/remote learning program, or just want to think about a new way to approach an old problem - we are here to help.  As always you can reach me at [email protected] or [email protected] a great day,Pat This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit patmulroy.substack.com

Hi WOL Friends,We had to take a hiatus last week - between traveling to the awesome Digital Learning Annual Conference (DLAC) and coming home to a sick dog - I just couldn’t muster the needed energy to accomplish everything on my list. I am sure you all have been there!As you are listening in this week - I wanted to acknowledge that our sweet Babe has crossed that bridge. She gave us a lot of beautiful memories. (And she was rarely without Tootsie - many of you have seen them in the background in my Zoom meetings.)It was fun to get back into recording - and talk with Erin Siverd and Melissa Henderson about the work they are doing to support our Learning Facilitators as they explore where, how, and why Artificial Intelligence (AI) is being used or has value in our work as educators. They acknowledge the widespread presence of AI in various spheres and have varying attitudes towards it, ranging from fear to excitement.Students are already using AI, not really to cheat. In many cases students that have used AI are using it as a tool for better understanding of concepts being taught. This means in order to reduce AI use as a potential cheating apparatus we should teach them to think critically about how and why they use AI and make sure that supports are in place for those students struggling to understand or engage with the material. WOL Science TeacherIn addition to the many ways we use AI in our email, spell-checking, search, and so much more, we want to look beyond the mentality of ‘cheating’ and capture this moment for learning how to empower and enhance both the learning facilitator and students' experiences. Here are some of the key points we talked about: * Using AI requires humans to be great prompt makers. The tools are only as good as the prompts we create - which will drive the responses.* Look at the variety of tools that are out there through the lens of purpose. Why am I using this AI (or any) tool in this instructional or assessment mode? * Consider the ethical issues surrounding AI, including bias, the trustworthiness of the data, and the need for discerning usage. * Understand and advocate for maintaining human agency and ethical awareness in AI integration. Be sure to emphasize the role of educators in shaping students' understanding and usage of AI.Our conversation underscores the importance of proactive engagement with AI in education, emphasizing collaboration, ethical awareness, and purposeful integration to enhance learning outcomes while preserving human values and connections.AI is not going away so we need to teach students how to use this powerful tool responsibly. (WOL Elementary Facilitator)We are so lucky to have leaders like Melissa and Erin leading our teachers as we work to continually look at our practices and work to continuously improve how we deliver both instruction and content to learners.Here are a few of the resources Melissa and Erin have shared:* AI & Academic Integrity* AI Guidance for Schools Toolkit* Peninsula SD: Principles and BeliefsAll Trends AI 15,000 ChatGPT prompts.xlsxArtificial Intelligence and the Future of Teaching and Learning As always, if you are considering expanding options for your students in the coming year - please reach out. We are glad to talk about options - whether it is for a small group or a whole class, a school year or a short-term subbing option.You can find our catalog HERE - and feel free to reach out to me at [email protected] a great week,Pat This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit patmulroy.substack.com

Greetings friends,In our last episode, I talked with Dr. Patrick Crawford and Dr. Christine Davis – and while we looked back a bit, it was interesting to observe how Dr. Crawford - while thinking about the innovation of Blended Schools could not help but be future-focused and learner-focused. It was great fun to invite him back - along with Dr. Tom Butler, the Executive Director of Appalachia IU8 to talk about the potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Dr. Butler is a very future-focused, learner-focused leader. Many of you have heard us refer to Dr. Butlers’ newsletter, the Learner-Centered Leader - on this podcast. His thoughtful leadership has been the foundation for the growth of the World of Learning and his support and tough questions help to guide us.Our discussion on Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Education had two distinct moments - one, the need to consider history. Dr. Butler started the conversation by drawing from the longer history of innovation in education (and beyond), including the use of tools like chalkboards, pencils, overhead projectors, mimeograph machines, copiers, TV - you get the idea. The second big idea was – we need to be grounded in purpose. AI, like any other tool, is meant to enhance, rather than replace, human teaching. In fact, as you listen in, you will hear that we need to be mindful of how much more human and connected it can make our teaching and learning. Both of these amazing leaders gave us quite a bit of insight. Lots to think about. Here are the takeaways from our conversation: * Historical context: Rather than be driven by fear or by chasing a shiny object, we explored the historical innovations in education and how AI can enhance student engagement and focus, echoing Dewey's philosophy that the learning process can only actually be useful when children are provided with sufficient learning opportunities to connect their prior experience with the current knowledge.* Tailoring learning experiences: our discussion focused on making learning experiences radically learner-centered and purposeful. To the first point - how can we include hands-on experiences? * Dynamic approach: Emphasis on shifting away from one-teacher lesson plans towards personalized, engaging teaching methods.* Leveraging AI: we highlighted the role of AI and its potential to support creating an ideal learning experience by freeing up time for educators to individualize instruction. Free up teachers (and leaders) from mundane tasks. * A balanced perspective: in the conversation, we cautioned against a dystopian view or even a utopian view of what AI can do in education –  advocating for an understanding of both its potential and limitations. Resources to Continue Learning: Next Phase of AI in Education at the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Ed. Tech, Feb. 8, 2024AI and the Future of Teaching and Learning: Insights and Recommendations, Office of Ed. Tech, May 2023As always, if you can’t find a teacher or just want to talk creative solutions - reach out! You can find lots of great options in our catalog (but don’t limit yourself)!Have a great week,Pat This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit patmulroy.substack.com