Moving the Needle

AI, Unscripted - Data Privacy, Student Rights, and the Real Cost of "Free" AI Tools

Cohosts Jennifer Potter and Sam Collins welcome Virginia L. Byrne, Associate Professor of Higher Education & Student Affairs, Morgan State University studies technology equity and AI's impact on student privacy. Dr. Byrne reframes AI literacy not as learning to use tools, but as developing the critical thinking to push back against vendors and protect what matters most: student agency, equity, and the irreplaceable human judgment that keeps harm out of the loop.

Episode 59 - Phenomenology: Understanding the Lived Experience of Learning

Scott Riley and Dr. Eric Belt discuss the concept of phenomenology and how it can be useful when conducting educational research. 

Ai, Unscripted - Teaching the Teachers: Preparing Pre-Service Educators for an AI Future

Cohosts Mary Crowley Farrell and Ron Hansen welcome Dr. Kris McGee, Professor, Department of Educational Professions, Frostburg State University.  Dr. McGee explains how she uses transparency and modeling to teach pre-service teachers how to use AI as a partner while keeping the teacher's voice and human connection at the center of learning. From creating differentiated texts for diverse reading levels to rethinking lessons that didn't land, she demonstrates how AI can handle the tedious work so teachers can focus on what matters most: the relationships and empathy that no tool can replace.

AI, Unscripted - Sustainable AI: Balancing Innovation with Environmental Responsibility

Hosts Jennifer Potter and Mary Crowley-Farrell welcome Dr. Burch Fisher, Associate Research Scientist, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science. Burch helps to unpack the data behind the environmental impact of AI and why informed decision-making beats all-or-nothing thinking when it comes to responsible AI use in education.

 

Episode 58 - From Time Served to Competence Earned: Rethinking Medical Education

Scott Riley and Dave Bunnell  discuss the current global shift in health professions education known as Competency-Based Medical Education (CBME) that emphasizes demonstrated competence rather than time spent in training. Dr. Bunnell explains the reasons for the change and how it is being implemented.

AI, Unscripted - How We Say It Matters: AI for Thoughtful Faculty Communication

Cohosts Mary Crowley-Farrell and Ron Hansen speak with David Leasure, Director of Faculty and Professor, First Year Experience Department, University of Maryland Global Campus. David shares how his team is using AI to help faculty communicate more effectively while saving time for what matters most.

AI, Unscripted - Beyond the Podium: AI-Powered Speech Coaching at the Community College

Cohosts Jennifer Potter and Mary Crowley-Farrell welcome Zach Runge, Assistant Professor of Communication Studies at Harford Community College and an adjunct professor at Towson University. Zach explains how he built custom AI tools to integrate into writing assignments for students in his speech class that support student voice, confidence, and ethical engagement without replacing authentic learning.

 

Episode 57 - Bringing Play and Experimentation into Professional Education

Cohost Erin Hagar welcomes Dr. Krista Tookhan, Assistant Professor in the School of Medicine. Dr. Tookhan explains how she brings fun and creativity into her classroom inventing games that inspire her students and lead to better performance overalll.

AI, Unscripted - From Policy to Participation: Co-Creating AI Guidelines with Students

What if the solution to AI policy challenges isn't stricter rules but bringing students into the conversation? AI, Unscripted returns for another season on MTN with Yasmine Kotturi, Assistant Professor, UMBC. Dr. Kotturi shares her groundbreaking approach to AI governance in higher education with co-hosts Jennifer Potter and Mary Crowley-Farrell.

Instead of top-down policies that students resist, Dr. Koturri’s research demonstrates how participatory policy design transforms the conversation, turning enforcement into engagement and compliance into critical thinking.

Yasmine Kotturi: https://ykotturi.github.io/

Episode 56 - When Learning Sings: Music, Memory, and the Social Life of Education

Cohost Dave Bunnell welcomes Dr. Rayne Loder, PhD, PA-C, Tufts University School of Medicine. Rayne discusses her innovative approach of using music to teach foundational concepts in medical education.