Responsible AI Use Starts With the Learning Goal, Not a Tool Ban

Some educators say they are “preparing students for AI” by going back to pencil and paper.

That's not preparation. It's avoidance. 

In my latest article for Tech & Learning, I argue that responsible use of AI does not start with bans or fear-driven rollbacks. It starts with clarity about the learning goal. When educators are intentional about what students are learning, AI can be used to support thinking, provide feedback, and extend creativity without replacing student work.

The question is not whether students should use AI. They already are. The real question is whether schools will help them use it well.

Read the full article in Tech & Learning at: Empowering Students with AI Starts with the Learning Goal here.

Chatting with Machines: How AI Companions Are Impacting Students

Teens are not just using artificial intelligence (AI) tools. Many are forming relationships with AI companions. That shift has real implications for student development, emotional well-being, and how young people define connection.

I published a piece in Tech and Learning that looks at what the research is telling us, why moves like Character.AI’s under-18 ban matter, and what educators and families can do right now to respond with clarity instead of panic. I also highlight examples of age-appropriate tools that aim to keep chat interactions purposeful, supervised, and grounded in learning.

If you are supporting students in a world where AI is always available, always responsive, and increasingly personal, this is a conversation we cannot avoid. Here is the article: Chatting with Machines: What Adults Should Know About Student Use of AI Companions

As you read, consider this question: What are we doing in schools and at home to help students recognize the difference between helpful support and unhealthy dependence, and to build the human relationship skills they will need for life?

Common Sense Education is pausing EdTech reviews. Here is what schools can do next.

Common Sense Education has shared that its EdTech review pages are no longer being updated, and it will take a break from EdTech reviews beginning February 2026.

That matters because so many educators have used those reviews as a quick first filter when deciding what tools to bring into classrooms.

I wrote a new article for Tech & Learning that breaks down what is changing and, more importantly, where educators can look next for decision support, including how to use the EdTech Index from ISTE+ASCD to narrow options using validation badges and quality indicators.

Visit Tech & Learning to read the full article.