AIOhioEd
January 15, 2026 Issue #1
In short: You simply describe what you want to build, and the AI creates the code to get it done.
A special "Thank you" to the Copley team for graciously hosting a vibe coding event with Alex Kotran and Kristen Kayser from aiEDU. It was beneficial to hear Alex's thoughts and watch him work through a vibe-coding activity with students.
See lots of great examples here:
You don't need to know how to write code. You don't need to be an expert at using an AI tool. You just need to have an idea, and be able to effectively communicate what you want to create.
Apps, websites, software, portfolios, games, trackers, interactives and more. The limitations lie within the human's imagination and communication skills, the bugginess of the initial code, and how the iteration process then unfolds. Which brings us back to effective communication and other durable skills we've been discussing.
I've already seen intermediate students vibe-coding interactive websites to display their understanding of science concepts, a younger student design a simulated water park (think SIMS), and read lots of other impressive case studies. It's not that these initial creations are life-changing in any specific way. It's what they say about the potential of the technology and where it's headed. This is going to matter to our students.
It sounds simple, but the ramifications are huge. For creators, business & industry, tech corporations, education and especially for coders - you know, the people who have the jobs that we thought were "rock solid" for the next 5o years...?
While vibe coding may not be a hot topic in your school today, be on the lookout. Kids that are experimenting and building stuff now will have some advantages over those who can't. Sometimes all we have to do is look for an opportunity for them to jump in!
AI Is Creating The First Invisible Curriculum - Forbes
A thought-provoking article that plainly lays out several key components for us right now in K-12:
- Students are interacting with AI every day in a variety of ways, developing habits and workflows outside of school norms.
- There are very few ways to measure these processes and outcomes with traditional assignments and assessments.
- It's difficult for educators to maintain academic standards and integrity as this shift occurs.
- We need to evolve - this matters to the future work of our students.
"The challenge becomes more than adoption. It is visibility."
What happens when we begin outsourcing the most human acts of caregiving and teaching to machines?
AI Can Read to Our Children. That Doesn’t Mean It Should
A thoughtful opinion piece worth the 2 minute read.
Policymakers, technologists, and educators should prioritize three principles:
- Human-centered design. AI tools should encourage interaction between children and caregivers or teachers rather than replacing it.
- Human-in-the-loop systems. Parents and educators should remain central to learning and decisionmaking.
- Investment in people. Schools and communities must continue investing in teachers, caregivers, and early-childhood programs so that human care remains the foundation of education.
"If we normalize machines reading bedtime stories, answering questions, soothing fears, we risk redefining what care itself means."
Simple but Powerful
"Create a reflection activity for teenagers about the difference between being connected and feeling seen. Make sure it includes a writing component."
Wow. This has been impressive to work through, compare output from various models and envision the possibilities. With additional information, iteration and guidance from a skilled teacher, I can see this being a really valuable lesson for students - so many good layers. And obviously you can change the last sentence to include whatever kind of output you're seeking. But this one has set a benchmark in the progress these models are making - even with a basic (incomplete?) prompt.
Want to experiment? Drop it into Gemini Canvas, Base 44 or Lovable, and vibe-code an interactive lesson!
Every month, you'll find strategies, concrete examples and introductions to tools that can make an immediate impact on classroom instruction.
11 AI Prompts Every Teacher Should Know
A useful guide that can help teachers save time, spark engagement and help students actually learn.
Latimer AI is "an artificial intelligence platform and culturally fluent LLM designed to mitigate mainstream AI bias and provide inclusive, historically accurate perspectives for Black and Brown communities".
In An AI Classroom, Content Knowledge Matters More Than Ever
"AI amplifies access to data, but it does not replace the need for human expertise to validate, structure, interpret, assess, and model disciplinary knowledge.
Information Itself Does Not Equal Understanding"
Brett Vogelsinger
Teacher. Writer. Speaker. Consultant.
Brett is an English teacher in Pennsylvania, and has a ton of great resources to offer (traditional and related to AI). His website is worth visiting, and his AI Resource page has been very influential in my research, as is his recent book
Check him out!
Teens Are Skeptical of the News. Does That Offer Learning Opportunities for Schools?
Many teens are only exposed to a narrow source of news on their social media feeds, controlled by the AI algorithms. Encouraging educators to "foster deeper conversations and discuss the sources of information from different perspectives, as part of building students’ digital literacy" is crucial.
From tech to trades: Ohio students and employers navigate a shifting job market
Nearly 40% of global jobs are now exposed to AI-driven change. This article illustrates the opportunities and challenges that change presents.
Some people are ignoring AI, some are doomers, and some are unrealistically positive. But it IS important to see the good in AI. There is real progress being made on real problems.
- Mayo Clinic AI detects pancreatic cancer up to 3 years before diagnosis in landmark validation study
A Guide to Identify, Assess, and Address AI Risk in Your Schools
Use it to identify what to address first, inform vetting decisions, and start productive conversations with your leadership team.
It covers:
Tier 1 tools requiring immediate review and action, for both student-facing and educator-facing contexts
Tier 2 tools with potential value that require vetting, data privacy review, and clear use guidelines
Specific examples, context, and research for each tool category
There is also a FREE workshop in June!
Explain what type of file you need, and Gemini does the rest!
Drop in handwritten notes and create a PDF.
Convert a brainstorming session into Excel.
Move from conversation to creation with file generation in Gemini
There's no "AI" in SUMMER!
We know all of you hard-working educators are ready for a break - and deserve some quality time to do as you please! But the AI wave will continue to swell - impacting education, and our daily lives.
So this month's poll asks:
Thanks for reading!
Please reach out with questions or ideas for future newsletters. Also, if you know of a teacher who is leading the way with AI integration, let me know so they can be featured in the "Teacher Spotlight"!
