Unboxing Education

The Essay is Dead? Gloom and doom predictions about the impact of AI on education, especially essay writing, claim that AI will ruin any validity of essay writing, particularly unproctored essay writing. The real question is, "So what?" To understand what is, or rather isn't, at stake, one must explore the originals and uses of the essay writing process.  The History of Essays The history of essays in education can be traced back to ancient Greece, where scholars such as Plato and Aristotle used writing as a tool for intellectual discourse and exploration. In the Middle Ages, the essay evolved into a form of personal expression and self-reflection, with religious scholars writing introspective pieces on their spiritual journeys. The Renaissance period saw the emergence of the essay as a literary genre, with writers such as Michel de Montaigne popularizing the personal essay form.  Essays went from a way to evaluate learning to a way to evaluate writing.  In modern times,...

Occasionally, when all the winter weather aligns, my kiddos and I find ourselves home during a winter storm without the ability to venture out until the snow plows rescue us from the blizzard. Today was such a day. During my lunch break, my 8-year-old brought me his broken self-stirring mug , asking if it was fixable. My response was, "What's the worst we can do at this point?" We began disassembly, then more disassembly, then cleaning.  The diagnosis was a seized motor. The only logical next step? Consult YouTube. We found a great tutorial by a knowledgeable young man and applied what we learned. After a few applications of the miraculous liquid known as WD-40 , we had movement. Drunk on our success, we assembled the cup a little too quickly and disconnected the ground wire. Daddy came to the rescue with a quick solder job and we were back in business. Now #8 was the proud owner of a refurbished self-stirring mug and a renewed interest in engineering.  The problem? We h...

In today's world, Artificial Intelligence has become an integral part of our daily lives.  From education to productivity, audio to video, art to fun tools and toys, AI is making a significant impact in each and every aspect. With AI tools, we can simplify and automate many tasks, make our lives easier, and have some fun while we're at it. In this post, we'll dive into the world of AI and explore some of the most interesting and innovative tools available. So buckle up, grab a cup of coffee, and let's explore the fascinating world of AI tools together! (Intro draft generated with ChatGPT ). The list of possible AI tools quickly becomes overwhelming. Furthermore, tools range from free, to freemium, to paid accounts. I have included a list of some great tools for beginners, with not to various applications for AI for teachers. I have tried out each tool and, where possible, including a sample of what I created in a relatively short amount of time. Each tool included is av...