How to Build Trustworthy AI for Schools with Dr. Jeremy Riel

How to Build Trustworthy AI for Schools with Dr. Jeremy Riel

What if the key to better AI in education is play? In this episode, Azadeh and Guy welcome Dr. Jeremy Riel, Director of the TRAIL Lab at the University of Illinois Chicago, to explore how his team designs responsible AI tools for learners and educators. They dig into the intersection of automation and play, why involving teachers early builds trust, and how the innovative SkillTree project uses AI to identify evidence of learning beyond traditional tests. If you care about ethical AI design, formative assessment, and the future of educational technology, this conversation is a must-listen. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit guyonai.substack.com [https://guyonai.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Is Your School Ready for AI?

What does AI policy in K-12 schools actually look like, and what's dangerously missing? In this episode, Azadeh and Guy sit down with Dr. Nikki Schafer, Director of User Support for Omaha Public Schools, who shares findings from her dissertation analyzing AI policy across Nebraska school districts. Nearly 40% of districts she studied had no public AI policy at all, and most that did focused narrowly on academic integrity while overlooking data privacy, human oversight, and algorithmic bias. From deepfakes in hallways to imposter syndrome among educators, Dr. Schaefer covers the AI challenges schools aren't prepared for. If you care about responsible AI in education, this episode is essential listening. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit guyonai.substack.com [https://guyonai.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Can AI Really Replace Teachers?

Is AI the future of personalized learning, or are we falling for Silicon Valley hype? In this episode, Azadeh and Guy dig into two high-profile AI education experiments: Alpha Schools, which promise accelerated learning in just two hours a day, and Khanmigo, Khan Academy's AI tutoring chatbot. They trace the roots of the AI tutoring promise back to Benjamin Bloom's two-sigma problem and scrutinize whether the evidence holds up. From student surveillance to teacher burnout, they unpack why AI integration in education is harder than it looks, and why human teachers aren't going anywhere. Tune in for an honest, research-grounded take on AI in education. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit guyonai.substack.com [https://guyonai.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

New Studies on AI, Emotions, and Student Learning Gains

Do emotions matter when students learn with AI? In this episode, Azadeh and Guy dig into three newly published, peer-reviewed studies exploring the relationship between emotions and AI-assisted learning. From chatbot interactions in Singapore classrooms to emotion-aware feedback in Korea, and a sweeping meta-analysis of AI in higher education, the hosts unpack what the research actually shows about AI's emotional impact on learners. Spoiler: humans still hold the advantage when it comes to social-emotional outcomes. If you care about AI in education, student engagement, and evidence-based teaching, this episode is essential listening. Khor, E. T., & Kapoor, A. (2026). Decoding student–chatbot dialogues: How interaction structure is associated with learning gains in AI-assisted programming. AI in Education, 2(2), 15. https://doi.org/10.3390/aieduc2020015 [https://doi.org/10.3390/aieduc2020015] Park, J. (2026). How learners interpret emotion-aware feedback in AI-supported learning: Evidence from a classroom study. AI in Education, 2(2), 16. https://doi.org/10.3390/aieduc2020016 [https://doi.org/10.3390/aieduc2020016] Liu, C., Xu, G., & Xie, L. (2026). Generative AI in higher education: A meta-analysis of intellectual and social-emotional outcomes. Frontiers in Psychology, 17, 1848745. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1848745 [https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1848745] This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit guyonai.substack.com [https://guyonai.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

AI Skeptics or Cautious Critics?

Season 3 kicks off with Azadeh and Guy diving into one of the hottest topics in education right now: AI resistance. Drawing on four recent international studies from Latvia, Ukraine, Italy, and a multi-country survey, they unpack why students push back on generative AI — and it’s not mostly about ethics. Knowledge gaps, distrust of AI accuracy, and lack of training top the list. They also explore how gender, academic discipline, and national culture shape AI adoption in higher education. If you work with students navigating AI tools, this episode offers research-backed insight you won’t want to miss. Prohorovs, A., Užule, K., & Tsaryk, O. (2026). Understanding higher education students' reluctance to adopt GenAI in learning in Latvia and Ukraine. Frontiers in Education. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2025.1676900 [Authors: TUM research group, Technical University of Munich] (2024). AI advocates and cautious critics: How AI attitudes, AI interest, use of AI, and AI literacy build university students’ AI self-efficacy. Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence, 100340. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.caeai.2024.100340 Farinosi, M., & Melchior, C. (2025). To adopt or to ban? Student perceptions and use of generative AI in higher education. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 12, 1684. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-025-05982-7 Alpizar-Chacon, I., Keuning, H., De Jong, I., et al. (2025). Excited, skeptical, or worried? A multi-institutional study of student views on generative AI in computing education. Proceedings of the 25th Koli Calling International Conference on Computing Education Research. https://doi.org/10.1145/3769994.3770008 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit guyonai.substack.com [https://guyonai.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]