Episode 319: Rob Nelson

Episode 319: AI, Education, and Moving at Human Speed with Rob Nelson

In this powerful episode of My EdTech Life, I sit down with educator, writer, and higher ed tech veteran Rob Nelson to explore the real story behind AI in education. Rob challenges the “move fast and break things” mentality and calls for a more human-paced, thoughtful approach to integrating AI in classrooms.

We explore what it really means to Tinker Toward Utopia, how large language models are reshaping student learning (when used intentionally), and why educators must resist pressure from hype-driven platforms. This episode is packed with clarity, caution, and hope for anyone navigating the fast-moving world of AI in education.

Links to the publications I mentioned.
Henry Farrell's blog, Programmable Mutter
Tinkering Toward Utopia by David Tyack and Larry Cuban
A Voice from the South by Anna Julia Cooper

And, of course, Rob's Blog

👇 Timestamps:

00:00 – Welcome & Rob’s background in higher ed
04:00 – AI adoption: Hype vs. reality
09:00 – Duck-Rabbit duality: Two ways to see AI
12:00 – Using LLMs to support—not replace—teaching
25:00 – The danger of humanizing AI too much
28:00 – The AI Fight Club: Polarization in the space
33:00 – Why rushing into AI contracts can backfire
38:00 – Tinkering toward utopia: A better path forward
44:00 – Final reflections & rapid-fire Q&A

🙏 Special thanks to our amazing sponsors who help make these conversations possible:

💬 Eduaide.AI– Simplifying communication, saving educators time.
🌐 Yellowdig – Building communities that spark meaningful learning.

Please show them some love!

💬 Let’s keep changing education—at the speed of people.

Stay Techie!

[phillustrations]

Excellent conversation. Thank you both!