☃️ Bluesky, more AI, and focusing on the why not the how – Of bits and bytes for January 13, 2025
Internet Travels
Of bits and bytes is my weekly round up of interesting links and ideas I discovered on the internet. It is published on Mondays for the previous week
Apps
Bluesky is a social media platform that got its start at as a project at Twitter/X. The interface is designed to mimic what you are used to, but puts you more in control of what you see. Setting up a Bluesky account is simple and allows for a wide range of social interactions, including posts, comments, and sharing various media. However, note that profiles are public, no private profiles here. Educators can use this platform to engage in discussions on education topics by following hashtags like #edtech or #STEM and explore trending topics that can be beneficial for classroom discussions
If you’re wanting to know more about Bluesky, Monica Burns has put together some tips on using platform, from setting up profiles to finding starter packs and hashtags that will get your personal learning networking going.
Pedagogy
With Claude Artifacts students can craft narratives using choose-your-own-ending games and even incorporate poetry elements like a Haiku central text. Game design can now focus on crafting rich narratives while keeping technology accessible for students. By using tools like Claude Artifacts, designing a game becomes less about complex coding and more about spinning a tale that draws people in.
Teachers are exploring a new frontier in the battle against AI-aided cheating by using document history tracking. This involves teachers requesting access to students’ document histories or using a browser extension to look at their writing process. However, this practice, while potentially more reliable than AI detectors, has sparked some concerns around student privacy and the feeling of being watched.
In the world of math instruction, many classrooms focus on teaching students procedures to solve problems, often neglecting the underlying concepts, or the “why” behind the math. This approach can hinder a students’ ability to transfer ideas and decrease their confidence while putting up barriers in their ability to apply math in real-world situations. While procedural fluency is essential, fostering a deeper conceptual understanding enables students to make connections with prior knowledge and enhances their ability to tackle more advanced math.
There are many misconceptions about ADHD, and here are ten myths to leave behind.
Technology
OpenAI’s latest model, o3, has reportedly surpassed human capabilities by passing the ARC-AGI test, raising the bar in artificial general intelligence (AGI) by achieving an impressive score. CEO Sam Altman is now steering the company towards the development of superintelligence, which is expected to outstrip even AGI’s human-level intelligence. AGI, which remains broadly defined, is envisioned as possessing autonomy and self-understanding, able to conduct complex tasks beyond its training.
OpenAI’s announcement of its new o3 reasoning model has sparked concerns among computer science (CS) students worried about job security as AI capabilities advance. The model, which excels in tasks like coding and math at expert levels, showcases the potential to automate larger-scale projects and disrupt various industries.
Forget about cell phone policies, what about AR glasses? (Sorry for the TikTok link, here’s a [non-TikTok link to the video](AI glasses in school？ How are schools going to dea).) Aaron Makelky had his first student with AR glasses, where the student was asking Meta how to do his homework.
Yes, this is another TikTok, but it’s even worse than that, it’s a photo slideshow in TikTok. However, the story is so good on the answer to “When will we ever need to know this?” that I had to share it. I extracted the photos and put them in a Google Slides presentation which is a little easier to read.
Tips
This past week I needed to quick convert an image file, and when I did a google search, I came across a bunch of free tools in Adobe Express.
You can use most of the tools without an account, although it seems that the PDF tools do require one to sign in.
Pop Culture
Conversing with a teenager is a lot like navigating a mine field, especially on the drives home after school. But, what if you embraced the silence? The article discusses a parent’s revelation that asking their teen about their day can sometimes backfire, especially during middle school years. Instead of questioning her daughter who is overwhelmed by the social and academic pressures of school, the parent decided to embrace silence during car rides home. By doing so, the daughter eventually opened up on her own terms when she felt ready, improving their relationship.
What happens to your brain when you know you’re being watched? A new study reveals that surveillance triggers subconscious sensory changes, making people detect faces faster without realizing it. This heightened awareness suggests our brains adapt to being monitored, altering basic social processing. Researchers found these effects are significant yet imperceptible, raising questions about how increased surveillance impacts mental health and privacy.
Potpourri
At Lake Highlands High School in Texas, students have been required to lock their cell phones in Yondr pouches during school hours for two years. This initiative has resulted in more eye contact and interaction among students and has reduced cellphone-related distractions and discipline incidents. While some students dislike the idea, they admit they’re more focused on schoolwork. The change appears to have boosted the school’s culture positively, reduced suspensions, and helped teachers maintain order, though some parents remain skeptical and a few students manage to sneak in extra phones.
In 2025, enhancing productivity means focusing on soft skills that improve efficiency and relationships. Key skills include delegation, which involves responsibly assigning tasks to others to free up time for leadership priorities, and prioritization, which helps distinguish urgent tasks from less critical ones. Strong communication ensures clear, effective interactions across various mediums, while critical thinking helps assess how tasks interconnect and affect workloads. Time management, anchored in mindfulness, allows for proactive adjustments to schedules and better handling of challenges.
Thank you!
Major props if you’ve made it this far, you are a rockstar! Feel free to contact me with questions, ideas, concerns, or your thoughts on the next Marvel movie. In fact, I love to discuss about any topic and then wonder how it intersects with education, so fire away!
“Yesterday is history, Tomorrow is a mystery, but Today is a gift. That is why it is called the present.” – Oogway, Kung Fu Panda
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