The Digital Learning Podcast

Everyone in K-12 education seems to be talking about AI literacy. We want students to be prepared for a world and a future where AI will be everywhere. But how do we do it? Do teacheres see it as "just another thing on my plate"? In this episode, Holly and Matt explore "embedded AI literacy," where it squeezes into… Read more

Teachers have been using worksheets for ages. They claim to give students repetitions with content and help them strengthen connections -- but how well do they really work? In this episode, Holly and Matt explore the idea that we can do better than worksheets in 2026 -- and suggest some alternatives and upgrades to… Read more

Providing student feedback has always been time-consuming for teachers -- and slow feedback often produces less learning than timely feedback. AI has the potential to speed the process up, but at what cost? In today's episode, Matt and Holly talk about the importance of the "human in the loop" and how to balance it… Read more

We're back! The Digital Learning Podcast has been on a one-year hiatus, but the show is live once again. In this episode, Holly and Matt discuss the state of educational technology in 2026. Artificial intelligence is growing in implementation by teachers and students. People are railing against the use of technology… Read more

AI literacy is all about preparing us with skills and understanding about AI so we can survive and thrive in the future. But it isn't just for students! In this episode, Holly and Matt discuss the ACE Framework they've created to help schools think about AI literacy, including: Awareness, Critique, and Exploration.

Lots of school districts are having to decide on contracts for all of the new AI tools that are coming into the education market. If they're not careful, they can be locked into an expensive contract with a tool that doesn't support their needs. How can they tread carefully and avoid a bad decision? Holly and Matt… Read more

Artificial intelligence has advanced dramatically in recent years, but where are we headed next? Are today's schools and education systems prepared to equip students for this future? Join Matt and Holly as they delve into their observations in schools and explore the path forward in this episode.

Matt and Holly have seen lots of innovations in artificial intelligence over the last couple years. But nothing has quite blown their minds the way that NotebookLM did recently. Hear how this free tool works, how it might be implemented in education, and how it points to the future of education.

While some school districts are ringing their hands about Artificial Intelligence, Northville School District in Michigan is going all in. Join Aaron Baughman, the Assistant Superintendent of Instructional Services, as he shares his efforts to equip teachers and students with a wide array of AI tools. Discover how his… Read more

AI assistants like ChatGPT are disrupting the standard operating procedures for student writing. Academic integrity is front and center of many educator AI conversations, and many want to know: Can you cite AI in student work? In this episode, Matt and Holly discuss the problems with "citing AI" and suggest some… Read more

There's a growing cry from some educators, students and even parents -- get rid of the technology. Some students are asking for more analog, non-tech learning activities. But is technology really the culprit here? In this episode, Matt and Holly talk about how COVID and emergency remote teaching set tech-infused… Read more

All over the United States and beyond, schools and districts are making tough choices about cell phones in schools. The distraction that they create is evident. But there's a safety and access component that you can't ignore. In this episode, Matt and Holly share their thoughts about this tricky topic -- and suggest… Read more

Educators continue to learn more and more about artificial intelligence, large language models, and other AI tools. We (Holly and Matt) have both seen it in their workshops and presentations. A growing number of teachers are more informed, but many are still getting started. What can you do -- or the educators you… Read more

Our options for AI-powered apps have exploded over the last year. It's easy to get overwhelmed -- and no one can keep up with everything! What apps are making an impact on teaching and learning? In this episode, we share a few of our very favorites right now. Matt's list: MirrorTalk.ai, BriskTeaching.com, Ideogram.ai.… Read more

When ChatGPT was released in November 2022, it became the focal point of AI conversations. Lots of our thoughts on implementing AI were based on ChatGPT. But now, we have several very capable AI large language models (like Google Gemini, Microsoft Copilot, Anthropic Claude) and lots of other AI tools that open other… Read more

We've said it for more than a year ... Students can't officially use AI chatbots because they're not old enough per the terms of use ... but student-facing chatbots are coming. Now they're finally here. Holly and Matt have used them -- and have worked with students in the classroom using AI chatbots. In this episode,… Read more

When ChatGPT was released, one of teachers' immediate concerns was cheating. What happens, we wondered, when students use AI to do work we want them to do? Teachers are still grappling with that question. It has occurred to Matt and Holly, though, that AI isn't the main culprit when it comes to AI cheating. The… Read more

AI image generators are pretty incredible. They take a text description and create images based on those descriptions. (Although sometimes they miss the mark -- and they struggle with creating certain things, like human hands!) But many times, they are way better than searching Google Images for pictures. How can they… Read more

We know how important timely feedback is to student growth. But it can also be a struggle to provide it -- especially when we have lots and lots of students! How can we make it manageable? In his return to the classroom, Matt has found a simple strategy with Pear Deck that lets him provide targeted student feedback… Read more

The Ditch Summit, a free online conference for educators hosted by Matt, is open! You can register at http://ditchsummit.com . What can you expect? In this episode, Matt and Holly discuss some of their favorite takeaways from several Ditch Summit sessions, including content on artificial intelligence, project-based… Read more

We know that artificial intelligence will grow in its sophistication and ability. But how will that impact the workforce? And, just as importantly, what skills will be beneficial in this shifted workforce? In this episode, Holly and Matt discuss this with Dr. Micah Shippee, Director of Education Technology Consulting… Read more

It's clear that AI is going to force some changes to how we do classwork and school. But in what directions should we move? It's time to look through our Tomorrow Glasses and predict what students will need to survive and thrive in the era of artificial intelligence. In this episode, Holly and Matt share some shifts… Read more

Peter Paccone, a high school social studies teacher in California, saw the benefits of generative AI as soon as ChatGPT came out in 2022. Since then, he's been incorporating it into his practice but also championing its use in Advanced Placement classes and to promote instant feedback with students. In this episode,… Read more

Students have lots of content to master. But not all of it is connected to their interests or curiosities. Thankfully, we have ways to infuse student choice into what students are learning. Choice boards give students additional resources connected to what they're learning that are tailored to what students are into.… Read more

In this episode of the Digital Learning Podcast, Matt Miller and Holly Clark discuss how to create chatbots for use in the classroom. Chatbots can be a valuable addition to the classroom, providing students with personalized support and feedback. By following best practices, teachers can create effective chatbots that… Read more

Let's be honest. Students are already using AI tools on their own, whether or not they're old enough or have permission. But they're not just using them to do their homework. In this episode, Matt and Holly share what they're hearing from teachers and students about how they're using AI to learn deeply -- and paint a… Read more

We want to provide students with high-quality articles, videos, and other resources so they can learn about new ideas. We love it when students can explore those resources on their own to learn. But we don't want to spend countless hours searching for them -- and vetting them. Where can we find great learning… Read more

It's hard to picture what the world will look like as AI grows and gets smarter -- even in the next few years. But it's up to our students to be prepared to survive and thrive in a world where AI will be a regular part of it. How do we prepare them? How do we even know what to do when there's so much that's unclear?… Read more

As educators better understand AI -- and as it spreads into our everyday lives -- it's finding its way into classrooms. How are students using it? How can we use it to level up learning? In this episode, you'll see what might make a student say, "AI isn't doing the work for me. It's helping me be a better thinker."

According to a recent article, AI is now as good as a human at evaluating a standard five-paragraph essay and giving feedback on it. We know that AI can be helpful on saving us time. But is it making it more efficient at the right things ... at things that will really help students learn and prepare them for their… Read more

AI image generators will create gorgeous, high-resolution images for us. All we have to do is type a description of what we're looking for. We've heard lots of discussion about using large language models like ChatGPT in the classroom. Can we use AI image generators to lead to meaningful learning? Absolutely! In this… Read more

In this episode of the Digital Learning Podcast, Matt Miller and Holly Clark, discuss the impact of using artificial intelligence (AI) in education and the importance of transparency when using it. The hosts mention that many students are starting to use AI assistants such as ChatGPT as they complete their schoolwork,… Read more

In this episode of the digital learning podcast Matt and Holly discuss the impact of using artificial intelligence to write essays. They discuss what place essays play in the future of learning and how other examples of classwork change. As we think about AI in the classroom how should we adjust? Should we adjust?… Read more

In this episode of the Digital Learning Podcast, Matt and Holly discuss the latest developments in artificial intelligence and how they impact education. They highlight the benefits of using AI in education, such as the ability to use AI to assist with lesson planning. They also discuss the impact of ChatGPT4 and… Read more

When the summer comes around, it's definitely time to relax, disconnect and recharge your batteries. But it's also ME time, where you get to learn what you want to learn. Thankfully, there are tons of professional learning opportunities over the summer. In today's episode, Matt shares lots of the things he's excited… Read more

In this episode, of the Digital Learning podcast Matt and Holly discuss the connection between AI and academic integrity. Many students are starting to understand the capabilities of AI assistants such as Chat, GPT, Bard, and Microsoft's Perplexity and are using them to cheat on their schoolwork. This has left… Read more

In this episode of The Digital Learning Podcast, Holly shares her experience of providing professional development to teachers at a school with diverse student populations. She introduced the concept of blended learning and encouraged teachers to use digital tools to engage and differentiate their students. Holly… Read more

In this episode, we get nerdy with some cognitive science! Matt and Holly share 10 tips, backed by brain science, that lead to long-lasting learning. They're little shifts that often don't take extra prep time or many instructional minutes. But the benefits of them are long-lasting. You can use lots of these practices… Read more

In this episode of the podcast, Holly and Matt celebrate that the end of the school year is getting closer and closer! As students start wrapping up their work for the year, digital portfolios and reflection can be a big help. Students can use digital portfolios to display their best work -- what Holly calls a… Read more

In this episode of the Digital Learning Podcast, Matt and Holly discuss the concept of choice and voice in education. They explore how some teachers give students too many choices, which can take away from their voice and agency. They suggest that while choice and voice are important, to empower students, teachers… Read more

What happens when a disruptive technology like ChatGPT is on a collision course with your school's policies and practices? In this episode of the Digital Learning Podcast, we explore the reaction of a Florida high school to its students using ChatGPT in their classwork. Whether you've had to confront these issues in… Read more

In this episode of The Digital Learning Podcast, we're discussing how to incorporate AI, specifically ChatGPT, into your classroom to change the way you think about writing. Our guest, Jill Pavich, shares practical ways to use AI to enhance the writing process and empower your students. As teachers, we're always… Read more

In this episode of The Digital Learning Podcast, we discuss ChatGPT - an AI language model developed by OpenAI. We talk about how teachers can still use it and copy over the responses for their students to use even though it's age-restricted. We also discuss how AI is changing the writing process and information… Read more

In this episode, Josh Ratliff talks about his experiences with technology addiction in schools, including his own struggle with it as a parent and an administrator. He shares that the desire for human connection is what draws students to technology and that schools should focus on integrating technology in ways that… Read more

Everyone seems to be talking about artificial intelligence right now -- and its impact on education. Now that ChatGPT and other artificial intelligence assistants are going mainstream, how does it affect education? We've discussed this with educators. Now let's talk to someone in the tech industry. In this episode,… Read more

In this Ditch Summit recap, we talk about the sessions you don't want to miss to help narrow down which ones you absolutely will want to watch. Hurry access to The Ditich Summit ends Jan 6th. Get your FREE access at ditchsummit.com.

In this episode, Matt and Holly dscuss some great lesson ideas for that time before the break. This includes six sites that get students having fun and learning to think about the world around them.

In this episode, Matt and Holly dscuss six creative lesson ideas for the classroom. From a very powerful HyperDoc to Passion Projects this episode will focus on how we can give students more agency in their learning.

In this episode, Matt and Holly talk about how we can go beyond quizzing apps to really powerful assessment practices in our digital classrooms.

In this episode, Matt and Holly look at digital quizzing tools. They deconstruct the pros and cons and offer ways to use these digital tools most effectively in the classroom.

In this episode, Holly and Matt unpack a few metaphors that might help teachers understand the parts of blended learning.

In this episode, Matt and Holly talk about some of the building blocks of blended learning. To be a good digital educator these six building blocks will help you ask the right questions, and think about what digital pedagogy should look like in the classroom.

We discuss what digital citizenship is, where to find great resources (spoiler alert: it's Common Sense), and how digital citizenship can show up in your class all throughout the year.

In this episode, Matt and Holly talk about the importance of blended learning, why we do it and offer a few quick suggestions for getting started.

Matt's back in the classroom teaching high school Spanish. He recently read the book The Infinite Game by Simon Sinek ... and it changed his view on how he approaches grading and rigor in his classroom. In this episode, Matt and Holly discuss it -- and how you can take an "infinite game" approach to your own… Read more

OpenAI has released several big new features for ChatGPT-4, the paid premium version. Even though many teachers probably don't subscribe to it, these features paint a picture of where AI is headed and how it can impact the classroom. In this episode, Holly and Matt give an overview of some of the most important… Read more

In this episode of The Digital Learning Podcast we discuss how ChatGPT and AI assistants can help teachers save time and be more productive. We cover the benefits of AI for summarizing chapters, generating lesson plans, and assisting with IEPs and emails. While AI can provide feedback and rubrics, we also acknowledge… Read more

In this episode, we hear from Jill Pavich, a former high school English language arts teacher who coaches teachers to develop authentic learning and writing in real contexts. Jill discusses how writing is changing in the digital age and how we can prepare students for writing in 2023 and beyond. She emphasizes the… Read more

Matt and Holly just attended the TCEA Conference in San Antonio, Texas. They presented on ChatGPT and AI in Education together ... but there were other things that everyone seemed to be talking about. They noticed the long lines to attend some sessions and figured out what a big topic of conversation was -- creating… Read more

Description: Matt traveled to Samsung's offices in New York and New Jersey recently and met up with a few education authors with big ideas. Hear what their books are all about and some important takeaways from those books that will get you thinking or teaching differently -- whether you buy the books or not! Guests… Read more

In this episode, Matt and Holly talk about what a blended learning class should look like and the upgrades educators could make that are simple but produce transformative results.

In this episode, Matt and Holly take three minutes to introduce their new collaboration- The Digital Learning Podcast meant to inspire educational leaders and future thinking teachers to find their blended learning genius.