Unfixed: How AI Is Reshaping the University

Ep. 33 Teaching AI Literacy in Higher Education with Allison Vaughn & D.J. Hopkins

What does it actually mean to be AI literate in higher education? In this episode of Unfixed, we sit down with Allison Vaughn and D.J. Hopkins from San Diego State University to explore how one institution is building AI literacy for faculty, staff, and students. We discuss what belongs in an AI literacy curriculum, how to teach skills that seem to change every few months, and whether AI literacy could eventually become as fundamental to teaching as disciplinary expertise or digital literacy. Allison Vaughn [https://psychology.sdsu.edu/people/allison-vaughn/], professor at San Diego State University Dr. D.J. Hopkins [https://ttf.sdsu.edu/people/hopkins-dj], professor at San Diego State University Faculty Futures Lab [https://soundcloud.com/facultyfutureslab], the podcast from the SDSU Center for Teaching and Learning, hosted by D.J. Center for Teaching and Learning at SDSU [https://ctl.sdsu.edu/] Thoughts and suggestions? Email us at unfixed@meltsintoair.org [unfixed@meltsintoair.org] You can find the full show notes and our writing at meltsintoair.org [http://meltsintoair.org/] Subscribe to the Unfixed Newsletter—The AI Higher Ed Breakdown [https://www.meltsintoair.org/unfixed-newsletter] our bi-weekly newsletter unpacking the top news stories at the intersection of AI and higher education.

Ep. 32 AI Is Not EdTech: Why Higher Education Keeps Treating It Like It Is

Higher education has spent decades evaluating and adopting educational technology, but generative AI may be something fundamentally different. In this episode, Zach and Nik argue that AI is not simply the next ed tech tool and explore why universities continue to approach it as if it were. From AI agents and enterprise adoption to data governance, faculty alignment, and the growing tension within the ed tech industry, they examine what changes when AI becomes part of institutional infrastructure rather than just another classroom technology. Microsoft, 2025 Work Trend Index Annual Report [https://assets-c4akfrf5b4d3f4b7.z01.azurefd.net/assets/2025/04/2025_Work_Trend_Index_Annual_Report_680aaa7fe52dd.pdf] Einstein AI [http://einstein.ai/] EDUCAUSE Review, “When AI Meets Data: The Promise and the Pressure of Bringing AI into Higher Education Systems.” [https://er.educause.edu/articles/2026/1/when-ai-meets-data-the-promise-and-the-pressure-ofbringing-ai-into-higher-education-systems] Zach Justus, AI Agents and the problems of start-up culture for higher ed [https://www.meltsintoair.org/chatgpt/ai-agents-and-the-problems-of-start-up-culture-for-highe] Zach Justus, AI Is Making Edtech Pricier—and In-House Builds Plausible Again [https://www.meltsintoair.org/chatgpt/ai-is-making-edtech-pricierand-in-house-builds-plausible-again] Thoughts and suggestions? Email us at unfixed@meltsintoair.org [unfixed@meltsintoair.org] You can find the full show notes and our writing at meltsintoair.org [http://meltsintoair.org/] Subscribe to the Unfixed Newsletter—The AI Higher Ed Breakdown [https://www.meltsintoair.org/unfixed-newsletter] our bi-weekly newsletter unpacking the top news stories at the intersection of AI and higher education.

Ep. 31 [Special Episode] CSU Renews Its OpenAI Deal: Zach and Nik React

The California State University system just renewed its OpenAI contract, turning what began as a bold AI pilot into a long-term institutional commitment. In this special Unfixed reaction episode, Zach and Nik break down the costs, controversies, and consequences of the ChatGPT Edu deal—from academic freedom and governance to vendor lock-in and the future of teaching. Is CSU building essential educational infrastructure, or making a risky bet on a single AI company? This big university system is embracing AI. Students and faculty aren't all on board [https://www.npr.org/2026/05/25/nx-s1-5772820/artificial-intelligence-education-technology-california-state-university] California State University renews controversial systemwide contract with OpenAI | EdSource [https://edsource.org/2026/cal-state-renews-controversial-system-wide-contract-with-openai/758919] Nik and Zach, Canceling that Cal State ChatGPT contract does not solve the AI problem; it might make it worse | EdSource [https://edsource.org/2026/california-state-university-openai-contract/757273] Thoughts and suggestions? Email us at unfixed@meltsintoair.org [unfixed@meltsintoair.org] You can find the full show notes and our writing at meltsintoair.org [http://meltsintoair.org/] Subscribe to the Unfixed Newsletter—The AI Higher Ed Breakdown [https://www.meltsintoair.org/unfixed-newsletter] our bi-weekly newsletter unpacking the top news stories at the intersection of AI and higher education.

Ep. 30 Preparing Teachers for the Age of AI with Jamie Gunderson

In this episode of Unfixed, Nik and Zach are joined by our producer and special education scholar Jamie Gunderson to explore how AI is reshaping teacher education and K-12 classrooms. Drawing from her work preparing future teachers and her expertise in Universal Design for Learning (UDL), Jamie discusses the major gaps in AI training for educators, the challenges facing teachers already in the classroom, and the opportunities AI creates for accessibility and inclusion. The conversation examines what teacher preparation programs must rethink as AI becomes a permanent part of education. From critical AI literacy to equitable classroom design, this episode explores what it means to prepare teachers for an AI-shaped future. Jamie Gunderson [https://apps.csuchico.edu/directory/Employee/jlgunderson] Aniya Greene-Santos, Does AI Have a Bias Problem? [https://www.nea.org/nea-today/all-news-articles/does-ai-have-bias-problem?utm_source=chatgpt.com] Thoughts and suggestions? Email us at unfixed@meltsintoair.org [unfixed@meltsintoair.org] You can find the full show notes and our writing at meltsintoair.org [http://meltsintoair.org/] Subscribe to the Unfixed Newsletter—The AI Higher Ed Breakdown [https://www.meltsintoair.org/unfixed-newsletter] our bi-weekly newsletter unpacking the top news stories at the intersection of AI and higher education.

Ep. 29 What Higher Ed Gets Wrong About AI and Critical Thinking with Inara Scott

In this episode of Unfixed, Nik and Zach sit down with Inara Scott, a leading expert on AI strategy and innovation in higher education, to examine why the conversation around AI may be moving backward instead of forward. They explore faculty resistance, the limits of AI bans and opt-out policies, and the widespread concern that generative AI is eroding students’ critical thinking. Inara introduces her “AI Cognitive Pyramid” as a new framework for understanding where meaningful thinking actually happens in AI-integrated learning. The discussion reframes what it means to take AI seriously in teaching, learning, and institutional strategy. Inara Scott on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/inara-scott/] Inara Scott at Oregon State University [https://business.oregonstate.edu/faculty-and-research/faculty-directory/inara-scott] The AI Cognitive Pyramid: A Conceptual Framework for Generative AI Use, Critical Thinking, and Learning Design in Higher Education  by Inara Scott :: SSRN [https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=6353318] Nik Janos, AI Is Not Antithetical to Human Intelligence: What The Guardian gets wrong [https://www.meltsintoair.org/chatgpt/guardian-ai-critical-thinking-response] Unfixed Ep. 26 From Grief to Action [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unfixed-how-ai-is-reshaping-the-university/id1815142605?i=1000759809747] Thoughts and suggestions? Email us at unfixed@meltsintoair.org [unfixed@meltsintoair.org] You can find the full show notes and our writing at meltsintoair.org [http://meltsintoair.org/] Subscribe to the Unfixed Newsletter—The AI Higher Ed Breakdown [https://www.meltsintoair.org/unfixed-newsletter] our bi-weekly newsletter unpacking the top news stories at the intersection of AI and higher education.