Here’s an update that might fly under the radar — but it deserves the spotlight. Book Creator has added text-to-speech in edit mode and in PDFs, and it’s a big win for accessibility, literacy, and just better student support all around.

Wait, Didn’t Book Creator Already Have This?

Yes… kind of. Book Creator has had text-to-speech for a while — but it only worked in read mode, and it read the entire book aloud.

That was helpful, sure, but not super flexible.

With this new update, students can now:

• Listen to individual text boxes

• Hear text inside shapes

• Play back imported PDFs

• All while still editing

They just click the speaker icon under the element, and it reads that part aloud — complete with word highlighting.

Why This Update Is a Game Changer

That shift — from whole-book playback to in-the-moment read-alouds — is major. Especially for:

• Multilingual learners decoding directions

• Students with dyslexia proofreading their writing

• Any middle schooler who swears their paragraph is flawless… until they hear it

This lets students hear what they wrote before they submit it, helping them catch mistakes their eyes might miss.

And yes, it’s available to all users.

PDF Text-to-Speech: Premium Only

One part of this feature — reading text from PDFs — is premium-only.

Here’s how that works:

• 📄 Upload PDFs into a book

• 🔍 Use “Scan for Text”

• 🔊 Have it read aloud directly inside the project

That means worksheets, textbook pages, and articles just got way more accessible inside Book Creator.

Customizable and Optional (But Maybe Don’t Turn It Off)

Educators can also:

• ✅ Turn off text-to-speech if needed

• 🎙️ Adjust voice and speed

But if you’re thinking of disabling it — I’d caution you there. I’m a Universal Design for Learning guy. If it’s essnetial for some, I believe it’s beneficial for all to have access to.

Bonus: It Closes the Loop

Are your students already using speech-to-text in Book Creator? Now students can dictate their writing and listen back for self-revision. That creates a full feedback loop:

Dictate → Listen → Revise → Repeat

It builds confidence, independence, and stronger writing skills.

Have You Tried It?

📍 Have your students started using text-to-speech in edit mode? Noticed any changes in how they read or write? I’d love to hear what you’re seeing in action. Let us know in the comments below!

If you’re a Padlet user — especially riding the free plan — there’s a quiet little update you’re going to love: the new “Clear Posts” feature. It’s simple, but clutch.

What It Does

This feature lets you wipe all the posts from a Padlet board so you can reuse it without having to delete and rebuild the whole thing from scratch.

Think of it as hitting reset.

Let’s say you use a Padlet with your first period class. After class, hit “Clear Posts” and reuse that same board with your second period — fresh slate, no repeated content, no new board needed.

Why It Matters

If you’re on Padlet’s free plan, you’ve likely hit the cap on how many boards you’re allowed to have. Instead of deleting a board just to make room, you can now:

• Reuse existing boards

• Clear them quickly

• Avoid rebuilding layouts over and over

A Few Quick Notes

• 🛑 Only board creators or admins can use this feature.

• 🔐 Once you clear the posts, you can’t undo it. You’ll need to enter a verification code to confirm.

• 🗃️ Pro tip: Before you clear a board, export it as a PDF so you have a record of all the content (just in case you need to refer back).

• 🏖️ Not available on Padlet Sandboxes — you’ll still have to clear those manually.

How to Use It

1. Open your Padlet board

2. Click the three-dot menu

3. Choose Clear Posts

4. Enter the verification code

5. Boom — clean slate

Have You Tried It?

📍 If you’ve used the Clear Posts feature to reset a board or avoid going over your Padlet limit, I’d love to hear how it’s working for you. Drop a comment below!

A Serious Update Worth Paying Attention To

Let’s hit pause on all the fun tech tools for a moment and talk about something that’s less flashy but really important—ethics in EdTech.

SchoolAI recently announced a set of changes to its Historical Figure Spaces. Yes, it’s a tech update—but it’s also a story about responsibility, student safety, and what we should expect from companies creating tools for our classrooms.

The Backstory: Where Things Went Wrong

Here’s what happened.

Educators started raising very real, very valid concerns about how SchoolAI’s avatars were portraying certain historical figures, especially Anne Frank and others connected to complex, painful parts of history.

There were reports of concerning responses about the Holocaust, and other overly simplified or even harmful portrayals being delivered through these AI-generated interactions.

And yeah, let’s be clear:
❌ Not okay.
❌ Not historically responsible.
❌ Not something we can afford to ignore.

The worry was that students could stumble into conversations with AI avatars that oversimplified—or worse, misrepresented—sensitive historical topics. Not exactly the classroom learning experience we’re going for.

What SchoolAI Did About It

To their credit, SchoolAI listened. They released a public statement (basically a blog post) outlining some thoughtful updates to the Historical Figure Spaces.

Here’s what they changed:

• ✅ Added safeguards to improve historical accuracy
• ✅ Provided fuller context to AI-generated content
• ✅ Made teacher-led moderation a core feature

So instead of tossing students straight into an unsupervised AI chat with a “historical figure,” now teachers have:

• More control
• More visibility
• And (hopefully) a little more confidence in what students will experience

Is it perfect? Nope. But it’s a step forward—and more importantly, it’s a company listening and responding to educators.

The Debate Isn’t Over

While the update is a good step, some educators still feel it doesn’t go far enough.

Here are just a few of the ongoing concerns being voiced:

• 🤖 Making tech feel too human — Blurring lines between fact and fiction
• 🧠 Bias + inaccuracy — AI still isn’t perfect at historical nuance
• 🧍‍♂️ Consent issues — Historical figures never agreed to be AI chatbots
• 🚫 Problematic personas — What do we do with avatars of flawed figures like enslavers or war criminals?
• 💬 Weirdness factor — Pretending to talk to the deceased raises serious classroom questions

So yeah, even though some improvements have been made, the conversation about what shouldn’t be AI-ified is far from over.

Why This Matters for Educators

This situation with SchoolAI is important, not just because of what happened, but because of what it represents:

• A reminder that not all tech is ready for the classroom
• A chance to model critical thinking and digital responsibility
• A call for educators to keep speaking up when tools miss the mark

It also opens the door to bigger discussions with students about truth in storytelling, ethics in AI, and what it means to represent history responsibly.

What’s the Takeaway?

⚠️ The Problem:

• SchoolAI’s historical avatars were misrepresenting sensitive topics, including the Holocaust

🔁 The Response:

• SchoolAI added:
  • Safeguards
  • Context
  • Teacher moderation

🤔 The Ongoing Questions:

• Should these kinds of tools exist at all?
• How do we handle ethics + accuracy in AI-generated learning tools?
• Where should we draw the line?

Your Voice Matters

Now more than ever, companies building tools for classrooms need to hear directly from educators.

Have you used SchoolAI’s historical figure spaces?
Do you feel the updates go far enough?
What’s your take on AI avatars in education?

👇 Share your thoughts in the comments below:

• What concerns do you still have?
• What should responsible AI in classrooms look like?
• What other companies should be learning from this?

Let’s keep the conversation going—for our students and the future of ethical EdTech.

I’m not sharing any breaking news by telling you that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is here and an undeniable part of our learners’ futures (I hope it’s not breaking news to you!). But, where do we start?

Below, I’ll highlight some tools that Molly Klodor and I discussed in a recent episode of the Educational Duct Tape podcast that help expose learners to AI in a hands-on way while also easing you, the teacher, into seeing AI as a part of your learning environment. Shout-out to Molly for suggesting most of these awesome tools!

From simple AI games for younger students or beginners to more complex tools for middle and high school learners, here’s a range of resources that can be easily integrated into your classroom . . .

Showing Learners What AI Is

1. Google Arts & Culture AI Games: Fun with Quick, Draw

If you’re looking for a way to introduce AI concepts to younger students, the AI-powered games from Google and Google Arts & Culture are a great place to start. A really fun, easy-to-use one is Quick, Draw!, a fast-paced game where students draw objects while an AI tries to guess what they’re sketching.

This game isn’t just entertaining—it’s an excellent teaching moment. After playing, teachers can spark discussions by asking students questions like, “How did the AI know that was an umbrella?” or “What was happening behind the scenes?” This leads to a deeper understanding of AI as a system that learns to recognize patterns and responds to inputs (like drawings) to generate answers.

Molly also pointed out that one thing that’s super nice about this tool and the next one is that they don’t require accounts for use.

2. Say What You See: A Game of AI Prompts

Another interactive game from Google Arts & Culture is Say What You See. In this game, students describe what they observe in a piece of art or an image, and the AI guesses what they’re talking about. This game is an excellent tool for teaching students how AI interprets human input and improves their ability to craft precise and clear prompts.

Like Quick, Draw, teachers can use this game as a light, engaging activity during indoor recess or as a quick filler at the end of a lesson. It also opens the door to conversations about how AI uses language to “understand” human instructions.

3. Google Applied Digital Skills: Understanding AI

When it’s time to dive deeper into AI beyond games, Google’s Applied Digital Skills offers free, structured lesson plans designed to teach students different tech skills.  Two of them – Explore a Topic: Generative AI and Discover AI in Daily Life would be great to use, especially the Discover AI in Daily Life one, as it would teach learners the basics of AI. The lesson explains what AI is and how it works without students directly using AI tools themselves. It’s a perfect introductory lesson for students (and teachers!) who are still grasping the fundamentals of AI.

4. aiEDU: A Teacher’s Dream for AI Resources

For educators seeking more comprehensive resources, aiEDU provides outstanding programming that feels like it was created with a teacher’s perspective in mind. These resources are not just about using AI in the classroom but about helping students truly understand how AI impacts our world. The materials are well-designed, easy to follow, and offer activities that challenge students to think critically about the ethical and practical implications of AI.

Allowing students to actively engage with AI

Molly suggested starting with those 4 previous tools that expose the learners to what AI is and how it works. Once that basic knowledge is in place, she shared that your next step is to put these concepts into practice with AI-powered tools that support learning, allowing students to actively engage with AI in meaningful, safe, and teacher-guided ways.

5. MagicSchool: Guided AI Exploration

She shared that, when you’re ready to use AI tools in your classroom, MagicSchool is a fantastic resource to start with. One option is for teachers to launch a MagicStudent virtual “room” with curated AI tools. These might include tools for generating ideas, checking grammar, or even engaging in debate. Students can explore the tools freely within the boundaries you set, ensuring both safety and focus. As Molly’s suggestion connects to a concept that I love to share: “freedom within fences.” So, learners get some freedom to explore, but their within a safe fenced space.

Molly pointed out that a major advantage of MagicSchool is that it doesn’t require students to create accounts, and teachers can monitor student activity, ensuring AI is used effectively. This flexibility makes it ideal for formative assessments without the stress of grades.

6. SchoolAI: Customizable Learning Spaces

Another powerful tool for educators is SchoolAI, which works similarly to MagicSchool but with more customizable spaces. Teachers can set up individual spaces for different AI activities, like debate practice or essay editing, and tailor each space to specific learning objectives. As Molly shared, the tool “redirects students into a very tight little boundary in a really safe way,” making it a perfect solution for ensuring students stay on task, but still get to learn how to leverage AI for learning.

Molly shared some love for SchoolAI’s ability to create highly specific scenarios, such as simulating debates with historical figures like John Locke, offering students an interactive and immersive experience. She did note that, based on her work with elementary schoolers, she feels that SchoolAI may be more suited for students in third grade and above due to the complexity of its language interactions.

7. Exploring ChatGPT with Older Students

As students grow more comfortable with AI, educators may consider transitioning them to more widely used AI tools, such as ChatGPT. ChatGPT is more appropriate for students aged 13 and up, with parental approval. This transition can prepare students for real-world applications of AI as they begin to use platforms that will be relevant in higher education and their future careers. ChatGPT and other large language models like Gemini, Copilot, and Claude can aid in research, writing, and even creative projects. However, it’s important to model appropriate AI use for students first, guiding them in how to ask questions and helping them understand how to critically evaluate AI-generated content.

Final Thoughts

Introducing students to AI doesn’t have to be intimidating. With the right tools and a structured approach, you can help students understand AI’s role in the world while fostering critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Whether your learners are using fun games like Quick, Draw! or interacting with actual chatbots, the key is to create opportunities for students to interact with AI in meaningful ways.

For more in-depth discussions about AI tools and teaching tips, don’t forget to check out my full conversation with Molly Klodor on the Educational Duct Tape Podcast.

What AI tools are you excited to introduce in your classroom? What ones did Molly and I leave out? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Over the last few years, many educators have turned to AI detection software to check for student use of AI in their assignments. One such tool, Turnitin.com, is widely known for its plagiarism detection, but it now includes an AI detection feature as well. But, is the AI Detection feature effective? And is it fair?

In a recent episode of the Educational Duct Tape Podcast, I discussed this with my friend and fellow educator, Molly Klodor, who raised important concerns about its effectiveness and fairness.

Turnitin’s AI Detector: Useful or Problematic?

For years, educators have used Turnitin to detect plagiarism by identifying direct copying from internet sources. But its AI detector is less straightforward. Molly pointed out that, while Turnitin claims its tool is highly effective, the study they cite in those claims involves a small sample size of undergraduate students, not younger or more diverse students.

In fact, Adam Sparks highlighted on X that, while Turnitin’s AI detector performed the best of the 14 detectors in the study, it may be far less reliable than it claims: “In this study, Turnitin was right about 79% of the time. Put another way, it was wrong about 1/5th of the time!“

On the bright side, in this study at least, Turnitin did not have any results that the researchers believe would’ve led to “False Accusations.” In other words, while it missed a AI-generated text more often than you’d hope, it never identified human-written text as being AI-generated.

Avoiding those false accusations is essential but, on the other hand, Sparks noted that Turnitin failed to recognize AI writing almost 30% of the time. This means that in nearly a third of cases, students using AI tools could pass undetected. Interestingly, each of those undetected cases from the study occurred when AI-generated text was modified before being submitted. And get this: it doesn’t have to be modified by a human. Have ChatGPT write something for you and then ask it to modify it and Turnitin and other AI Detectors will be less likely to notice AI’s involvement.

Most strikingly, Sparks pointed out that the very study Turnitin cites includes a warning: “The systems we tested should not be used in academic settings.” Despite this, Turnitin and others continue to promote their AI detectors for classroom use.

Molly and I discussed how this kind of error rate could have serious consequences in a classroom setting.

The first consequence is having AI-generated work slip through without the teacher noticing. And if your goal is to assess your learners’ mastery, as it should be, that’s a missed opportunity for an accurate assessment. And with Turnitin leading the pack of tools (in the study they cited) with a 79% success rate (plus a warning from the researchers themselves), the degradation of the quality of your assessments of mastery is evident.

The second and, in my opinion, bigger consequence is false accusations of student cheating or, as studies often label them, false positives. In this scenario, a student writes their own essay and the AI detector mistakenly identifies it as AI-generated. At that point, it’s not that big of a deal unless the unthinkable happens: the teacher trusts a website more than they trust their own learner. *shudders*

Again, I should point out, this is a scenario where Turnitin performed well (in this study). While GPT Zero had a likelihood of false accusations (which it defines as “a ratio of false positives and partially false positives to all cases”) of 50% and 5 other tools had more a 0% false accusation rate (Check for AI, Crossplag, GPT-2 Output Detector Demo, Writeful GPT Detector, and Writer), Turnitin and 7 other tools (Compilatio, Content at Scale, DetectGPT, Go Winston, OpenAI Text Classifier, PlagiarismCheck, ZeroGPT) had 0% false accusation rates.

And, listen, that’s pretty good news. But I’m not going to look at a study where 14 different tools looked at 18 undergrad-written essays and had an average false accusation rate of 6.75% (😦) and say “OK, go ahead and use an AI detector on my 10-year-old’s writing assignment.” Seriously, while Turnitin’s false accusation rate was 0%, the average for the 14 tools was to falsely accuse 1 of of every 18 students of having cheated with AI. (6.75% of 18 = 1.21)

And I’m even less likely to condone the use of them for learners other than my own kids, and here’s why:

Impact on Non-Native English Speakers and Neurodivergent Students

While Turnitin reports that “care was taken during dataset construction to represent statistically under-represented groups like second language learners [and] English users from non-English speaking countries,” studies have found that AI detection tools can misidentify work from students whose writing may not match typical patterns—particularly non-native English speakers (source: AI Bias Against Non-Native English Speakers) and neurodivergent students (source: Stanford’s Study on Bias Against Neurodivergent Writers). This leads to false accusations, which unfairly targets these specific groups of students, raising concerns about equity in the classroom.

I do want to point out, again, that Turnitin performed perfectly on the 9 essays in this study that were “human-written in a non-English language with a subsequent AI/machine translation to English,” but again there were only 9 of them and they were undergraduate students. And, despite the perfect score of Turnitin (Compilatio and Content at Scale and also scored perfectly) the average for the 14 tools was 69% accuracy for those essays that were written by humans in a non-English language and then machine-translated to English. And here’s the kicker: the average false accusation rate of the 14 tools for the translated essays was 11.1%, with GPT Zero having a false accusation rate of 66.67%. (ouch) So, while GPT Zero would suggest accusing 6 of these 9 non-English speakers of academic dishonesty, the average of the 14 tools suggests accusing 1 of the 9. And, while 1 is better than 6, it ain’t 0.

What If It Was a Different Situation?

Here in Ohio, I have to renew my teaching license every five years. And, as a part of that renewal, I have to have my fingerprints taken for a BCI (Bureau of Criminal Identification) and FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) background check.

What if a group of convicted criminals did the background check, but used fake fingerprints and the test missed 41% of the criminals?

That’s the average number of “undetected cases” in the study that Turnitin (who had 27.8%, the second best) cited.

What if 6.76% of the educators with clean backgrounds were falsely accused of having criminal histories?

That’s the average false accusation ratio in the study that Turnitin cited.

Why AI Detection Can’t Be the Only Solution

Imagine how educators would feel if they were falsely accused of having criminal records.

This hints at the emotional impact on students. Imagine having a teacher that you trust, respect, and revere accuse you of cheating . . . when you put your full, honest work into an assignment.

Turnitin even shows the student the AI-generation score before they submit it. What would it feel like to see your hard work immediately flagged as AI-generated? This could be particularly traumatizing, especially for students already struggling with academic pressure.

Molly and I both agree: AI detection should not be the final word in determining academic integrity. These tools are guessing based on patterns, not identifying any hidden marker in the text. There’s no “tracker” embedded in AI-generated writing—just an algorithm making an educated guess. And like any guess, it can be wrong.

Fortunately, like other tools, Turnitin has admitted that inaccurate results are a possibility and the even published a guide for how to handle those situations to avoid falsely accusing learners of cheating.

While Molly suggested not using AI detection as the final word in this decision, if you’ve listened to the episode of the Educational Duct Tape Podcast, you’ll know that I came down more firmly: it likely shouldn’t be any word in the decision, worse yet the final one.

The Real Conversation Teachers Should Be Having

Rather than relying heavily on these tools, teachers should foster discussions with students about their writing process, their use of resources, and how they can ethically engage with AI tools. Teachers should conference with students throughout the writing process, formatively assess their writing and comprehension regularly, and see patterns in student writing.

If you’re already using plagiarism detectors like Turnitin, go ahead and continue to use them for their intended purpose—identifying direct copying from the web. But when it comes to AI detection, be cautious. It won’t catch all of the AI-generated work and, more importantly, the stakes are too high for students to face false accusations based on flawed technology.

Final Thoughts

As AI continues to shape the educational landscape, we need to approach new technologies with a balance of caution and curiosity. AI detectors like Turnitin’s may play a role in managing academic integrity, but they can’t replace the nuanced formative assessments that can inform educators’ understanding of their students’ work. Ultimately, teaching students about ethical writing practices will always be more impactful than what any algorithm can determine.

Have thoughts on AI detection in the classroom? Let’s discuss!

If you’d like to hear my full conversation with Molly tune into this episode of the Educational Duct Tape Podcast.

I want you to be more like a buffalo this school year.

Yes, a buffalo. Let me explain.

🗣️👂 You can also hear this post in my podcast or, with additional visuals, on YouTube.

The Buffalo and The Cow

I first heard about being like a buffalo in a podcast interview with Rory Vaden, an accomplished speaker, author, business coach, and podcaster. Vaden shared a fascinating insight from his upbringing in Colorado, a place where both buffalo and cows roam.

When a storm approaches from the west, cows naturally run east, attempting to outrun it. Inevitably, the storm catches up with them, and they end up running with the storm, prolonging their discomfort. Buffalo, on the other hand, charge directly into the storm, minimizing the time they spend in it. This metaphor brilliantly illustrates how we often handle challenges.

The AI Storm in Education

Speaking of storms, the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) in education can feel like a brewing storm. Heck, it’s not even brewing anymore. It’s here. There are legitimate fears about the implications of AI: Will it replace teachers? Will students use it to cheat? How will it impact student privacy? These concerns are valid and deserve our attention.

However, just as a storm provides much-needed water for plants, AI holds immense potential for enhancing education. From personalized learning experiences to efficient administrative tools, the benefits are substantial.

Facing the AI Storm Head-On

As educators, it’s crucial to acknowledge both the scary and valuable elements of AI. There will probably be lightning. There may be flooding and there’s a remote possibility of a tornado. But there are also benefits. The key is not to run away from the AI storm or, like an ostrich, bury our heads in the sand.

We must face it head-on like the buffalo. Here are a few potential steps to adopt the buffalo mentality when it comes to AI and education:

Steps to Embrace AI in Education

1. Educate Yourself

Stay informed about the latest AI developments and their applications in education. If you’re like me, you sometimes cringe when you hear about a new AI tool. It’s exciting but also overwhelming. It’s a challenge, but we have to stay informed.

2. Plan for Implementation

Consider how AI can be thoughtfully integrated into your teaching practices and curriculum. In what ways will you use it? In what ways will you not use it?

3. Establish Guardrails

Set clear boundaries for AI use to ensure it aligns with your educational values. Freedom within fences is key. Where are your fences regarding AI use? Figure that out before your students ask about them.

4. Develop Policies

Create guidelines and policies for AI use in your classroom, and share your voice at the school and district level about your system’s policies. We need these policies in place, regardless of whether they are prohibitive or permissive.

5. Discuss Shared Norms and Procedures

Engage students in conversations about how AI will and will not be used in your classroom. Avoid using the words “rules” and “prohibited.” Instead, talk about norms and standard operating procedures.

6. Embrace Change

Be open to experimenting with AI tools and learning from the experience, both successes and setbacks. It’s time to put on that growth mindset hat.

Where can you learn more?

While there are a multitude of sources for learning about AI in education, I would like to suggest the Educational Duct Tape Podcast and this website.  If I want you to be like the buffalo, I want to be the one that supports you as you do that. In the coming months, my podcast guests and I will explore AI’s potential and address its challenges.

Make sure you’re subscribed to the podcast or my newsletter so you can learn alongside me.

Let’s face this storm together, head-on, and emerge stronger on the other side.

This is a sponsored post. All opinions, however, are my own.

Years ago, I took on a job as a technology integration specialist in a school building that had just gone 1:1 with Chromebooks. On my first day of work, I was introduced to all of the important characters in my job:

• The principal
• The custodian
• The library-media specialist
• The spreadsheet

The spreadsheet? Yup – a spreadsheet that listed the hundreds of Chromebooks and other devices that I’d be managing.

That’s fine. I’m good at spreadsheets, I thought. Over the next few days, I studied, organized, tweaked, and prepped that spreadsheet for Chromebook check-out day.

I felt calm. I felt confident. I felt ready to rock.

Those feelings evaporated within the first few minutes of checking out the first Chromebook.  What do we do when a student’s assigned Chromebook doesn’t work when we first hand it to them? What do we do when they drop it as they walk away from us?  What about the kid who hasn’t filled out his acceptable use policy? What about the new kid that we hadn’t added to our spreadsheet yet? What about the kid that the guidance office didn’t tell us had unenrolled?

Spreadsheets are not good for managing large fleets of student Chromebooks or other tech devices. We need something better.

Here are a dozen reasons that VIZOR for Chromebooks Can Eliminate Your Chromebook Management Headaches. Continue reading 12 Ways VIZOR Can Eliminate Your Chromebook Management Headaches