AI, Literacy, and the Productive Struggle

AI, Literacy, and the Productive Struggle

In this episode we sit down with Carey Swanson, Chief Program Officer for Literacy at Student Achievement Partners, to explore what strong literacy instruction should look like in an age of rapidly advancing AI. In this episode we discuss why new technology should not distract schools from what research tells us about reading, writing, knowledge-building, and meaningful engagement with text. Topics covered:• Connecting education research with real classroom practice• The role of literacy in helping students understand themselves and others• Why reading and writing remain essential in the age of AI• Keeping texts at the center of instruction• The importance of knowledge-rich curriculum and background knowledge• Productive struggle, cognitive friction, and meaningful learning• The difference between AI feedback and AI-generated student work• What educators should look for when evaluating AI-powered instructional tools

Why Districts Across the US and the World Are Pumping the Brakes on School AI

In this episode we explore why schools, districts, governments, and families are beginning to slow down AI adoption in education. From Norway’s restrictions on generative AI for younger students to policy delays in New York City, governance concerns in Portland, safety questions in Broward County, and parent-led calls for a pause across the Washington, D.C. region, a broader pattern is emerging: education leaders are asking whether schools are moving faster than they can responsibly govern. Topics covered: • Norway’s ban on generative AI for elementary-age students• New York City’s delayed AI guidance and calls for a moratorium• Portland’s decision to pause AI expansion until oversight is established• Broward County’s concerns about privacy, cybersecurity, and student safety• Parent-led efforts to pause student-facing AI in the Washington, D.C. area• The tension between innovation and responsible governance• What district leaders should consider before approving new AI tools• The growing gap between school policy and students’ everyday AI use Sources: https://www.reuters.com/technology/norway-imposes-near-ban-ai-elementary-school-2026-06-19/ https://www.chalkbeat.org/newyork/2026/06/24/nyc-education-department-delays-ai-guidance-after-backlash/ https://www.oregonlive.com/education/2026/06/amid-concerns-that-ai-is-infiltrating-its-schools-portland-school-board-hits-pause.html https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/news/broward-school-board-meeting-ai-in-classrooms-june-2026/

When Chatbots Create False Fluency

In this episode we explore “the magenta line of learning” — a powerful metaphor borrowed from aviation to understand what happens when students become too dependent on AI tools before they have built real expertise. Topics covered: * The “Children of the Magenta Line” aviation metaphor * What Air France Flight 447 can teach us about automation dependency * Why students may feel confident without actually understanding * The difference between performance and real learning * Cognitive load theory and why struggle matters * How chatbots can give students fluency without schema * How teachers can test whether students truly understand Dan.CoganDrew@newsela.com Source: https://carlhendrick.substack.com/p/children-of-the-magenta-line

Ask Your Students

In this episode we explore what happens when teachers ask students directly whether AI belongs in the classroom. We look at a classroom conversation led by English teacher Marcus Luther, who asked his students whether he should integrate AI tools into his teaching. Their responses were striking. Topics covered include: * Why student voices are often missing from AI-in-education debates * What one teacher learned by asking students whether AI belonged in his classroom * How students think about accomplishment, effort, and authentic learning * The difference between using AI in school and learning about AI for future work * Why teachers’ own perspectives on AI may shift after listening to students Dan.CoganDrew@newsela.com Source: https://thebrokencopier.substack.com/p/i-asked-my-students-about-ai-again

Teaching Into the Messiness

In this episode we explore what AI-generated fiction can teach us about human storytelling, student writing, and the value of literary messiness. We look at a new study on StoryScope from researchers at the University of Maryland and Google DeepMind, which compares the narrative structure of human-written short stories with stories generated by several major AI models. Topics covered: * What the StoryScope study reveals about AI-generated fiction * How human stories differ in ambiguity, time, and unresolved meaning * Tim Requarth’s concern that AI may homogenize imagination before writing begins * How English teachers can help students notice narrative complexity * The risk of “closed-loop” thinking in both storytelling and education technology Sources: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2604.03136 https://substack.com/home/post/p-200818672