From Grief to Curiosity

From Grief to Curiosity

What happens when a lifelong writing teacher comes face-to-face with generative AI? In this episode, Azadeh and Guy welcome Dr. Evi Wusk, an assistant professor at Nebraska Wesleyan University, who shares her deeply human journey through the AI revolution in education. From grief and disorientation to cautious curiosity, Evi unpacks what human-centered writing instruction really means when ChatGPT is in every classroom. They explore AI as a thinking partner, the risks of bypassing productive struggle, and why staying in the messy conversation matters more than picking a side. If you care about writing, teaching, and the future of literacy, this episode is for you. 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]

Navigating AI in Graduate School

Thinking about how AI fits into your graduate school journey? In this episode, Azadeh and Guy share six practical, honest tips for navigating AI as a graduate student, from setting boundaries with your advisor to mastering prompt quality and automating repetitive tasks. They dig into the importance of treating AI as a research partner rather than an author, why playing with low-stakes tasks builds real confidence, and how professional development opportunities can sharpen your edge. Whether you’re just starting a PhD program or already deep in your research, this episode offers grounded guidance on responsible AI use in academia you won’t want to miss. 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]