What does the growing popularity and utility of AI tools mean for students, teachers, and schools? And what can educators do to leverage these tools to make learning stick?

This week we are sharing an episode from our friends at Stanford School of Engineering – an episode of The Future of Everything, with host Russ Altman. Originally released in August 2024, this episode features our own GSE dean and School’s In co-host, Dan Schwartz in the hot seat. Schwartz covers several topics on the future of educational technology, including:

• 01:27 Enter AI: Opportunity and upheaval in education
• 02:49 Teachers vs. technology: Do we still need humans?
• 08:24 Cheating, ChatGPT, and assignments that matter
• 12:25 Industry, EdTech, and AI’s future direction
• 18:14 Assessment, analytics, and ethical design
• 25:30 Embodied learning and virtual AI integration

Dan Schwartz is the James Quillen Dean and the Nomellini & Olivier Professor of Educational Technology at Stanford Graduate School of Education. He is also the Halper Family Faculty Director of the Stanford Accelerator for Learning.

An expert in human learning and educational technology, Schwartz also oversees a laboratory that works to prepare students to continue learning and adapting throughout their lifetimes.To learn more about his work, visit his faculty profile.

The Future of Everything podcast explores how technology, science, and medicine are shaping our lives. Host Russ Altman asks his guest to discuss their role in creating the future – of everything. Learn more about this episode on the show’s website.

Stanford GSE is at the forefront of education research and teacher preparation, dedicated to advancing equitable, accessible, and impactful learning experiences for all.

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How does sleep affect student academic performance? And how might school start times be setting them up to fail?

On this episode of School’s In, originally broadcast in April 2019, we welcome Professor Rafael Pelayo, a clinical professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences. He discusses what sleep does for the brain and how it matters for learning. Pelayo tackles several topics, including:

• 04:43 What sleep really does for us
• 08:26 Sleep and learning: The essential link
• 13:10 Adolescent sleep challenges
• 17:52 The school start time debate
• 23:45 Changing attitudes, sleep technology, and healthy habits

Dr. Rafael Pelayo is a clinical professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford University’s Sleep Medicine Division, where his clinical focus is on sleep medicine and the neurology of children and adults. He is also the author of How to Sleep. To learn more about his work, visit his faculty profile.

School’s In is your go-to podcast for cutting-edge insights and fresh perspectives on the future of learning. Hosted by Stanford Graduate School of Education Dean Dan Schwartz and Senior Lecturer Denise Pope, each episode dives into the latest research, innovations, and real-world challenges shaping education today.

Stanford GSE is at the forefront of education research and teacher preparation, dedicated to advancing equitable, accessible, and impactful learning experiences for all.

Stay connected with the latest insights – subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Threads.

How can schools help students develop digital literacy in the classroom? And how can these techniques be applied to how we consume news and identify reliable information?

On this episode of School’s In, recorded live on campus in May 2025, we welcome a panel including GSE Professor Emeritus Sam Wineburg, Stanford journalism lecturer Janine Zacharia, high school teacher Valerie Ziegler, and Stanford undergraduate student Alvin Lee. The panel discusses the importance of teaching students how to accurately navigate the internet, and how this approach to digital information can be built into course curricula. Our guests tackle several topics, including:

• 02:57 Teaching digital literacy in a changing world (panelists’ responses to Part 1 with Sam Wineburg)
• 08:05 Truth, trust, and TikTok: Navigating information in the AI era
• 15:08 The educator’s dilemma: Keeping up with AI in the classroom
• 22:37 Beyond the mandate: Building digital literacy into the curriculum
• 25:38 Creating a culture of curiosity: Advice for students, educators, and parents

Sam Wineburg is the Margaret Jacks Professor, Emeritus, of education at Stanford Graduate School of Education, where his research focused on how people assess the credibility of digital content. To learn more about his work, visit his faculty profile.

Janine Zacharia is a lecturer in the Department of Communication at Stanford University. She regularly appears on cable news shows and radio programs as a Middle East analyst. To learn more about her work, visit her faculty profile.

Valerie Ziegler teaches U.S. history, economics, and advanced placement U.S. government and politics at Abraham Lincoln High School in San Francisco. Learn more about her work here.

Alvin Hong Lee is a senior at Stanford University, where he is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in political science. A proud product of California public schools, Lee is founder and executive director of GENup, California’s largest youth-led education policy organization.

School’s In is your go-to podcast for cutting-edge insights and fresh perspectives on the future of learning. Hosted by Stanford Graduate School of Education Dean Dan Schwartz and Senior Lecturer Denise Pope, each episode dives into the latest research, innovations, and real-world challenges shaping education today.

Stanford GSE is at the forefront of education research and teacher preparation, dedicated to advancing equitable, accessible, and impactful learning experiences for all.

Stay connected with the latest insights – subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Threads.