ideas, musings,
theory, &
praxis.
Critical reflections, policy critiques, and classroom-tested frameworks built for educators and leaders navigating the realities of a tech-infused environment.
designing with friction: ai, learning, and k-12 leadership
Generative AI is changing more than the tools students and educators use. It is changing the conditions under which work is produced, learning is demonstrated, data is remembered, and institutional decisions are made. This five-part series examines what K-12 leaders need to preserve, redesign, and govern as AI becomes embedded in classrooms, platforms, procurement, policy, and school operations.
The series distinguishes productive friction, which supports learning, from exclusionary friction, which blocks access without educational value.
One of the central problems generative AI creates for schools is that it changes the relationship between academic performance and learning process. A student can now produce a fluent summary, polished essay,...
Series OverviewDesigning with Friction: AI, Learning, and K–12 LeadershipGenerative AI is changing more than the tools students and educators use. It is changing the conditions under which work is produced, learning is...
Series OverviewDesigning with Friction: AI, Learning, and K–12 LeadershipGenerative AI is changing more than the tools students and educators use. It is changing the conditions under which work is produced, learning is...
Series Overview Designing with Friction: AI, Learning, and K–12 LeadershipGenerative AI is changing more than the tools students and educators use. It is changing the conditions under which work is produced, learning is...
Series OverviewDesigning with Friction: AI, Learning, and K–12 LeadershipGenerative AI is changing more than the tools students and educators use. It is changing the conditions under which work is produced, learning is...
Series Overview Designing with Friction: AI, Learning, and K–12 Leadership Generative AI is changing more than the tools students and educators use. It is changing the conditions under which work is produced,...
Before I begin, I want to make sure that I credit this idea to Ethan Mollick. Ethan Mollick is the Ralph J. Roberts Distinguished Faculty Scholar, Rowan Fellow, and Associate Professor at the...
As the use of generative AI in education continues to grow, much of the conversation has focused on high-profile tools like ChatGPT and Claude. But in his recent blog, Writing Assistants and...
IntroductionWhen most people think about technology in schools, they picture the tools students and teachers use every day: laptops, interactive whiteboards, and digital learning platforms. However, behind the scenes lies a different...
In today’s rapidly evolving educational landscape, it’s more important than ever for students to develop the skills and mindset necessary to navigate complex social and historical issues. The C.O.R.E. framework—Critical Thinking, Openness,...
In today's tech-driven society, where AI and digital tools are becoming integral to education, fostering a generation of civic-minded critical thinkers is more important than ever. The H.E.A.R.T. framework—standing for Honesty, Empathy,...
As Artificial Intelligence (AI) continues to be used regularly in our learning daily lives, particularly in education, it brings with it both potential and challenges. While the application of AI’s capabilities—automating tasks,...
An analysis of the cognitive trade-offs schools risk when automated writing feedback replaces early-stage student outlining, drafting, and noetic struggle.
Shedding light on the complex layers of bandwidth, data security protocols, and device governance that tech directors coordinate behind the scenes to keep districts running.
Integrating Civic-mindedness, Ownership, Rhetorical inquiry, and Ethics (C.O.R.E.) directly into district history and civics curriculum models.
Why districts must adopt a stance of critical inquiry toward vendor claims, prioritizing educational psychology over Silicon Valley hype cycles.
Introducing a comprehensive district policy design framework that balances technical fluency with empathy and civic alignment in the classroom.
Exploring Ethan Mollick's models of AI co-intelligence and mapping how school districts can transition safely between collaborative and automated modes.
Using generative tools to build primary source simulations, historic debates, and critical analysis models for high school history classrooms.
A systemic policy critique examining the three levels of the digital divide: access, quality of use, and school leader preparation.
Framing AI literacy not as a technical skill but as a civic necessity that fits naturally within social studies and democratic education.