News & Research: The Global Shift from Policy to Practice
Release Date: 03/20/2025
Does AI make you dumb?
AI Education Podcast
After starting with an existential crisis - "Are we basically doing the AI equivalent of a maths calculator podcast from the 1970s?" - in this news and research update, Dan and Ray unpack the latest developments in AI and education. Starting with China’s decision to shut down AI tools during national exams, they then revisit NSW’s EduChat chatbot, now in widespread use, with compelling data on time savings for teachers and learning benefits for students. The hosts dive into fresh research from the LEGO Foundation and Microsoft, both highlighting how young students engage with generative...
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We finally meet Megan and James
AI Education Podcast
We're halfway through Season 12 - the Student one - and in episode 6 you finally get to meet Megan (Year 7) and James (Year 11). Long-term listeners will have heard co-host Dan talking about how his own children use AI, and so now you can hear their perspectives. Dan asks both of them share how they and their friends use AI in school and outside. Enjoy the honest revelations!
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Gen Z's AI Reality
AI Education Podcast
In this news and research-packed episode, Ray and Dan dive deep into the AI highlights from EduTech 2025 in Sydney - reflecting on the vibe, standout presentations, and the surprisingly light AI presence on the expo floor. They unpack major news from the UK’s Department for Education, OpenAI’s model pricing shake-up, and raise serious red flags over Meta AI’s privacy approach. The duo also tackles the big questions educators face: is AI destroying the planet? Can we trust AI with student data? And what do students themselves think? Featuring insights from two key research pieces -...
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Students as AI Innovators, with Brett Moller
AI Education Podcast
Students as AI Innovators In this inspiring episode of the podcast, hosts Ray and Dan speak with at on the Sunshine Coast. Brett shares how his school is flipping the AI narrative — from fear and compliance to student agency, creativity, and real-world problem-solving. He discusses how students are not only using AI tools but building their own large language models, crafting apps that respond to deeply personal challenges like Parkinson’s disease and anxiety, and collaborating with local industry on meaningful tech projects. From AI-powered research assistants to empathy-led app...
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Agents, Optimism & Essays: The Real AI Student Life
AI Education Podcast
In this episode of the AI in Education Podcast, Dan and Ray dive deep into how students are really using - beyond the hype. They unpack recent findings from the , exploring how students interact with models like Claude for study, writing, and even problem-solving. They discuss the latest sentiment data from a KPMG/University of Melbourne Business School report, "", revealing surprising differences in global optimism and concern about AI. (See the chart below, which isn't in the report, but Ray's creation from Figure 15) Plus, they share updates from Google I/O and Microsoft Build,...
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Students First: How AI Is Changing Study Habits
AI Education Podcast
In this episode of the AI in Education Podcast, hosts Ray and Dan kick off Series 12 with a powerful focus on students—how they learn, what they need, and how AI is shaping their academic journeys. Joining them is at , who shares revealing insights from , which polled over 11,000 students across 15 countries. Nina dives into how students are turning to generative AI tools like ChatGPT more than their professors, not out of laziness but to fill gaps in clarity, access, and support. The trio explores the need for AI that’s student-specific - not just curriculum-aligned - and the importance...
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Tutor, Teacher, Cheater: What Students Really Think About AI
AI Education Podcast
New Series Alert - all about students In the kickoff episode of Series 12, Dan and Ray set the stage for a deep dive into AI from the student's perspective. Why are students confused about AI? How are they actually using it - and how should they be using it? The hosts explore the idea that AI can act as a tutor, a teacher, or a shortcut (a "cheater") and reflect on how this plays out in real classrooms and learning experiences. They also caught up on plenty of news this week - transdisciplinary learning models, new AI education policies from countries like China and the UAE, and how major...
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From Hollywood to Healthcare: AI That Cares
AI Education Podcast
In this special solo-hosted episode, is joined by Dr. Mike Seymour from the University of Sydney, recorded live at the . You can find Mike through and Mike shares captivating insights from his work in digital humans - lifelike AI avatars that can support learning, healthcare, and emotional wellbeing. From using VR to train veterinary students with virtual sheep, to exploring how emotionally intelligent digital tutors can transform how students ask questions, this episode dives deep into the practical, human-centered future of AI. Mike draws on his background in Hollywood visual effects and...
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Uber Prompts and AI Myths
AI Education Podcast
In this episode of the AI in Education Podcast, Ray and Dan return from a short break with a packed roundup of AI developments across education and beyond. They discuss the online launch of the AEIOU interdisciplinary research hub that Dan attended, explore the promise and pitfalls of prompt engineering—including the idea of the “Uber prompt”—and share first impressions of the OpenAI Academy. Ray unpacks misleading headlines about Bill Gates “replacing teachers” with AI and instead spotlights the real message about AI tutors. They also dive into the 2027 AI forecast report, the...
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Designing the Future: Learning Designers Meet AI
AI Education Podcast
Series 11, Episode 11 Designing the Future: Learning Designers Meet AI with Minh Huynh and Cory Dal Ponte In this episode of the AI in Education Podcast, we bring you two powerful conversations that explore the evolving role of learning designers and their growing impact in the world of AI-enabled education. Together, these two interviews reveal the strategic and practical power of learning design in an AI-driven future. First, we speak with from , who shares her journey from being a student of AI to leading its integration within a large first-year biology course. She offers a compelling...
info_outlineNews Stories Covered in the Episode
AI Typing Like a Human? – Graham Clay’s LinkedIn post on ChatGPT Operator mimicking human keystrokes
https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7292163775963557888/
The Vatican on AI Ethics – “Antiqua et Nova” report on AI, human intelligence, and ethics in education
Sacerdotus: Vatican's New Document on AI: Ethical Guidelines and Human Responsibility
Australian Government’s AI Study – Treasury report on Microsoft 365 Copilot, estimating it pays for itself if it saves 13 minutes per week
Treasury M365 Copilot review estimates 13-minute efficiency gain needed to justify licence cost - Software - iTnews
California State University & AI – Providing 500,000 stuents access to ChatGPT Edu
https://openai.com/index/openai-and-the-csu-system/
Estonia’s AI Strategy – National AI policy giving all students access to AI tutors https://openai.com/index/estonia-schools-and-chatgpt/
Australia’s New National AI Centre Director – ex-podcast co-host Lee Hicken appointed to lead the centre. For those keeping count, that's the second of the podcast hosts that's now at NAIC, with current hosts Dan & Ray still waiting for the call 😂
https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7306940399086903296/
Manus AI Release – A new AI system focused on reasoning and conversation
McKay Wrigley's X post
Research Papers Discussed
"From chalkboards to chatbots: Transforming learning in Nigeria, one prompt at a time" – World Bank blog on AI tutoring in Nigeria, claiming two years of learning gains in six weeks.
https://blogs.worldbank.org/en/education/From-chalkboards-to-chatbots-Transforming-learning-in-Nigeria
We discussed Ethan Mollick's LinkedIn post focusing on the multiple controlled experiments showing that students can be helped or harmed based on how they use AI
“AI Meets the Classroom: When Does ChatGPT Harm Learning?” – Study on ChatGPT’s impact on learning; found that using AI without explanations led to weaker long-term retention.
https://arxiv.org/pdf/2409.09047v1
“Generative AI Can Help Learning” – AI tutors improve test results but can hinder deeper learning if students rely too much on direct answers
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4895486
“Effective and Scalable Math Support: Experimental Evidence on the Impact of an AI- Math Tutor in Ghana” – AI tutor via WhatsApp in Ghana increased learning by the equivalent of one extra school year at $5 per student
https://arxiv.org/ftp/arxiv/papers/2402/2402.09809.pdf
“Generative AI in higher education: A global perspective of institutional adoption policies and guidelines” – Study on university AI policies worldwide; most encourage AI use but lack clarity on inclusivity and transparency
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666920X24001516