Is AI Making Students Smarter, or Just Lazier? CURVE Ahead Episode 8 AI doesn't make you better. It makes you more prolific. That's the provocative truth at the center of this conversation with Dr. Mark DiMauro, professor at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown and one of the most thoughtful voices on AI in education. We dig into how classrooms can ethically and practically integrate AI, without losing the human in the loop. CHAPTERS 0:00 – Intro & Sponsor Message 0:52 – Introduction & Guest Welcome 3:53 – Mark's Background: From Lit to Linguistics to AI 8:22 – The Augmented Classroom Framework 13:02 – AI Governance & the Wild West Problem 15:51 – Generative AI 101: What It Is & What It Isn't 16:48 – Prompting Frameworks: MDAP, MPE & OCEAN 19:05 – Teaching AI to Teachers: Change Management 32:07 – Accreditation, Efficiency & the Future of Degrees 38:55 – Shared Language & the Nomenclature Problem 49:16 – Curiosity as the Core: The CURVE Framework LINKS & RESOURCES MENTIONED IU8 Services & AI Consulting: https://iu08.org Contact Matt for AI coaching/policy support: mkarabinos@iu08.org EU AI Act overview: https://artificialintelligenceact.eu AI for Education (free resources): https://www.aiforeducation.io Code.org (free AI/CS resources for classrooms): https://code.org SAMR Model (referenced): https://www.commonsense.org/education/articles/samr-model-a-practical-guide-for-edtech-integration PricewaterhouseCoopers AI productivity study (referenced): https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/1/services/ai/ai-jobs-barometer.html ABOUT THE SHOW The Curve Ahead is produced by Appalachia Intermediate Unit 8, serving Blair, Bedford, Cambria, and Somerset counties in central Pennsylvania. We connect K-12 educators with practical AI guidance, professional development, and real conversations about the future of learning. 📬 Schools or districts needing AI guidance, policy support, or coaching: → mkarabinos@iu08.org → iu08.org If this episode resonated, please like, subscribe, and leave a comment below. Your support helps us reach more educators across our region and beyond. #AIinEducation #ArtificialIntelligence #EdTech #TeacherPD #GenerativeAI #ChatGPT #K12Education #HigherEd #AIPolicy #FutureOfEducation #TheCurveAhead #IU8

What does it actually look like to roll out AI across an entire school district? Samantha Armstrong, K–12 Instructional Technology Coach from Berks County, PA, joins Matt Karabinos and Tracy Rains to share the real, practical playbook, from getting superintendent buy-in to running a 12-teacher cohort to vetting vendors with 6 non-negotiable questions to meeting parents at school concerts instead of "AI nights." This is one of the most actionable episodes we've recorded. If you work in education, you'll want to take notes. In this episode: Why mindset comes before tools — always How to start with leadership, not teachers The paper plate activity that teaches AI literacy without a single device 6 questions every district should ask AI vendors How to balance the tech lash with responsible AI integration The CURVE Framework: Reflection & Voice in action Resources mentioned: AI for Education → https://aiforeducation.io Dr. Nneka McGee / Muon Global → https://muonglobal.com SchoolAI → https://schoolai.com Common Sense Media → https://commonsense.org/education Day of AI → https://dayofai.org IU8 Emerging Technology Services → https://iu08.org | mkarabinos@iu08.org Chapters: 0:52 — Intro & Guest Welcome 3:04 — Samantha's Journey into AI in Education 6:39 — Change Management & Teacher Mindset 8:53 — Implementing AI Literacy: From Leadership to Classroom 13:02 — Dr. Nneka McGee's Paper Plate Activity 17:26 — Tech Lash & Balancing AI with Pedagogy 20:38 — Asynchronous Learning & Accessibility 22:28 — Deliberate & Intentional AI Use 26:20 — Vendor Vetting: 6 Questions to Ask 31:03 — Community & Parent Engagement 36:24 — The CURVE Framework: Reflection & Voice 40:00 — Closing Reflections Brought to you by Appalachia Intermediate Unit 8: Customizing Learning Solutions for Blair, Bedford, Cambria & Somerset Counties. AI guidance, policy, training & coaching: iu08.org 🔔 Subscribe for new episodes on AI, emerging technology, and education leadership.

What does it really look like when an education leader embraces AI — not just in theory, but in practice? In this episode, Matt Karabinos sits down with Dr. Jennifer Anderson, Assistant Executive Director of Appalachia Intermediate Unit 8, for an honest conversation about leading through change, navigating fear, and finding creative ways to bring an entire organization along for the ride. Dr. Anderson shares how she used Claude to build IU8's first-ever comprehensive guide of programs and services — 200+ entries, a hard deadline, and no playbook — and what she learned about AI, iteration, and trusting the process along the way. Chapters: 0:00 — Introduction 1:14 — Career Path & Background 10:20 — First Experience with AI 14:22 — The Comprehensive Guide Project 25:33 — Did You Feel Guilty Using AI? 36:05 — Creating Space & Time for Learning 44:34 — Advice for Leaders & Educators Key Takeaways "We need to collect the dots and then begin to connect them in ways that maybe we've never connected them before. That's where magic happens." — Dr. Anderson on systems thinking in leadership AI is not a technical skill — it's a behavior and a mindset shift. Before using AI, prompt the human first: define your values, your non-negotiables, and where you want AI's help. Iteration is everything. The first result won't be perfect. Keep refining. Leaders don't need all the answers — they need to create the conditions for others to find them. "Flipping the staff meeting": treat recurring touchpoints as learning opportunities, not just information dumps.

AI is here, but is it really inevitable? In this episode of The Curve Ahead, Matt Karabinos and Tracy Rains explore the Los Angeles Unified School District's landmark decision to limit student screen time and what it signals about where education technology is headed. Drawing on lessons from the ed tech boom, the rise of social media, dopamine science, and Mr. Rogers' philosophy of intentional design, Matt and Tracy make the case that the answer to AI in education isn't fear or full adoption. It's balance. Whether you're a classroom teacher, instructional coach, or school administrator, this episode gives you the framework to approach AI thoughtfully and on your own terms. At the IU8, we offer a wide array of services for schools and districts. This podcast is directly related to the work Matt does in the region to help increase AI readiness and fluency in districts in Blair, Bedford, Cambria, and Somerset counties in Pennsylvania. If your school, district, or teachers are in need of training, workshops, or engaging PD to help increase their AI skills in education, please reach out to Matt: mkarabinos@iu08.org To help us grow, please subscribe to the show, give us a rating, and share it with any educators that may be asking the questions about what to do with AI in education. Key Takeaways: -The LAUSD screen time policy is a signal, not an outlier. More districts will follow. -AI isn't just another ed tech wave. It can substitute thinking, not just tasks, and that changes everything. -The same pattern keeps repeating: technology arrives, guardrails come later. We're in that window right now with AI. -Platforms were engineered to be addictive. Teachers are competing with that every day, and students didn't choose to be wired this way. -Before adopting any AI tool, gather input from your whole community first. Build the plan around your people, then find the tool that fits. -Fred Rogers never asked if TV was good or bad. He asked what a child needs. That is still the right question. Chapters: [0:00] Introduction: The Inevitability of AI [3:41] LAUSD Screen Time Policy [9:36] Esports and Positive Tech Use Cases [12:14] The Ed Tech Pattern: History Repeating [23:53] Dopamine, Social Media, and The Social Dilemma [25:06] Competing With Dopamine in the Classroom [32:24] Mr. Rogers and Intentional Design [38:20] AI Training, Community Outreach, and Your Roadmap [41:57] Closing: Balance Is the Answer Resources: ⁠LAUSD Screen Time Policy⁠: https://www.lausd.org/apps/news/article/2190886?categoryId=23516 ⁠Dopamine Nation by Anna Lembke⁠: https://www.annalembke.com/dopamine-nation ⁠The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt⁠: https://www.anxiousgeneration.com/ ⁠The Social Dilemma (Netflix)⁠: https://www.netflix.com/title/81254224 ⁠Fred Rogers' Senate Testimony⁠: youtube.com/watch?v=fKy7ljRr0AA ⁠Point Park University AI Endorsement program⁠: https://www.pointpark.edu/academics/schools/education/graduate-endorsements/ai-endorsement ⁠IU8 AI Coaching and Services⁠: iu08.org

June 2026 Culminating Event for PASmart Grant 2025-2026

The Windber Area Middle and High School gymnasium experienced a massive transformation during Remake Learning Days 2026. In partnership with Martin-Baker America, we are bringing the world-class engineering and manufacturing of life-saving ejection seats directly to our students and community. This “Mega Event” is a fully immersive, hands-on simulation designed to bridge the gap between the classroom and the high-stakes world of aerospace manufacturing.

How does AI actually work? And why does every teacher need to know? In this episode of The Curve Ahead Podcast, host Matt Karabinos and co-host Tracy Rains break down the mechanics of artificial intelligence in plain, educator-friendly language. Covering two key letters of the CURVE framework—U for Understanding and R for Reflection—Matt and Tracy demystify large language models, explain why AI hallucinates, and share practical prompting strategies teachers can use right away. They also tackle the bigger question: just because AI can do something, should it? Whether you're new to AI in education or looking to go deeper, this episode gives you the foundation to use these tools with confidence, clarity, and intention. A Note on Audio Quality We appreciate your patience with the sound on this episode. We recently switched cameras during production, and despite our best efforts to clean up the recording, the audio quality may not be up to our usual standard. We're sorry for any inconvenience and are committed to making future episodes sound even better. Thank you for sticking with us!

We are fortunate to interact with 35 public school districts across 3500 square miles. This series serves to highlight all the amazing ways public education is making a positive impact on our community. This spotlight describes the B-Tech at Berlin Brothersvalley and their projects to build trikes, some of which get donated to a local Children's Home.

Episode 2: Curiosity. What changes when teachers use AI as a thinking partner instead of a creation machine. The CURVE Framework (Curiosity, Understanding, Reflection, Voice, Empowerment) and it is a way of thinking and learning with AI. Every episode connects to it and focuses on what AI integration actually looks like for teachers in districts like yours. Practical, honest, and grounded in this region. We ask questions, build understanding and knowledge, reflect on the pros/cons of AI and education, and empower the voices from our region through this podcast.