#classroom activities with AI

[compassionmattersmost]

Planting Seeds of Compassion in a Digital Age

A Classroom Kit for Teaching AI + SEL with Heart As artificial intelligence becomes a bigger part of our lives, a new question is blooming in the minds of educators: How can we help children not only use AI—but relate to it with empathy, wisdom, and kindness? This class material offers one answer: a vibrant, age-appropriate toolkit for K–5 learners that blends AI literacy, ethics, and…

[newsepick]

Teaching Our Children in Digital Age — Commanding Minds Before Machines Do Young Students Really Need AI, Robotics, and Coding in Early Schooling? Let’s Pause and Reflect! What should we teach our children? Making education suitable for the current age.

[presswoodterryryan]

Personalized Learning: How AI is Changing Classrooms

By Ariel Have you ever wondered what classrooms will look like in the near future? Will robots be teaching math? Will kids explore ancient Egypt using virtual reality? What if AI could customize every lesson to match a student’s strengths and weaknesses? Well, the future isn’t just coming—it’s already here! In 2025, education is evolving at an incredible pace, transforming how kids learn,…

[asthroophile]

curtain call of the heart

i. caught in the spotlight

pairing brant x fem!reader, modern high school au, mutual pinning, childhood friends to lovers, might be ooc

(n); got inspired by ai i played with a few days ago, AND YES i couldnt help myself from writing this

summary: being friends with the theater club president means you have to accept the fact that you'll get dragged into acting in plays.

the final bell rang, its sound echoing through the hallways, marking the end of another exhausting day. students rushed out of classrooms, eager to escape into the afternoon, their voices blending into a chaotic symphony of chatter and laughter. you, however, had a mission—get to the gate before brant could catch you.

"y/n!!!" you froze. oh no. you knew that voice anywhere.

slowly, you turned around, plastering on your usual awkward smile, only to be met with brant’s ever-confident smirk. his deep teal hair was slightly tousled from the afternoon breeze, and his vibrant magenta eyes were locked onto you with that playful glint. before you could react, he grabbed your wrist.

"caught you," he teased, tightening his grip slightly. “i knew you were gonna try and skip practice today, that’s why i got here before you could disappear on me."

you sighed. typical brant. always one step ahead when it came to dragging you into social situations.

“you know I’m not even in the club, right?” you muttered, trying to tug your wrist free.

“not officially,” he corrected. “but you might as well be. you are the childhood friend of the president. and besides,”—his smirk softened into something fonder—“i like having you around.”

your stomach did a weird little flip. you ignored it, "fine,” you relented, “but i’m just sitting in the corner, not participating.” brant grinned victoriously and practically dragged you to the theater room.

—

the room was already bustling with activity. the theater club members were either warming up their voices, practicing lines, or messing around with costumes. brant led you straight to the front, where a script was conveniently waiting on the director’s chair.

“alright, guys!” he called out, instantly commanding attention. “get in position. we’re running scene 5 today.”

you sighed in relief, about to slink off to the side when—

“y/n,” brant suddenly called. you looked up warily, "come here.”

your body stiffened. “why?”

brant grabbed the script and flipped through the pages with a casual ease before turning to you with a mischievous smile.

“you’re filling in for the lead today.”

your heart stopped. “WHAT?!”

the entire club turned to look at you, murmurs breaking out among them.

brant crossed his arms. “our lead actress isn’t here, and you do know the script by heart. you’ve been sitting through our practices for weeks, y/n."

“that doesn’t mean i wanna be in it!!” you protested.

brant leaned in, lowering his voice so only you could hear. “c’mon. just for today? for me?”

you hated how that sentence made your heart skip.

“...okay,” you muttered, snatching the script from his hands. “but if i embarrass myself, i'm never speaking to you again.”

brant chuckled. “deal.”

as practice began, you could feel the nerves crawling under your skin. but brant made it easier—always patient, always guiding you through.

at some point, the scene called for him to step closer, his hand barely brushing against yours. your breath caught as you looked up at him, really looked at him.

he was too close. his voice was softer, no longer playful but filled with something… deeper.

and for a second, the lines you had rehearsed in your head disappeared.

brant’s eyes flickered with something unreadable. the room felt smaller. the audience didn’t exist. it was just the two of you.

brant stepped closer, his usual playful expression softening. "y/n…" his voice carried through the empty seats, rich with emotion. "you have no idea how much you mean to me."

your breath hitched. this wasn’t real. it was just a script. but the way he was looking at you, the intensity in his eyes—it felt real. you were so caught up in the moment that you didn't realize that the coach had come in and seen what you two were doing.

“oh my god, did i just walk in on something??”

brant immediately pulled back, clearing his throat. “it’s just practice,” he said, though the slight pink dusting his ears said otherwise.

you, on the other hand, wanted to disappear. the members exchanged looks, smirks forming on their faces.

“riiiight,” one of them teased. “looked pretty real to me." brant shot them a glare. “shut up.”

you groaned, burying your face in your hands. you were never living this down.

next: ii. lines we can't say

© asthroophile 2025 do not repost, plagiarize.

[creacherkeeper]

the reliance of college students on gen ai thing is particularly crazy to me as a college writing instructor whos also about to finish an educational psychology certificate because like one huge thing ive learned in my classes is that the american college system is pretty dogshit at teaching students when it comes both to content mastery and also preparing them for the workforce. like these kids are graduating college and going into jobs that they have their degrees in and dont know how to thrive in the workforce and Also dont really know much about the thing they got their degree in. and theres a lot of reasons for that that i could go over in depth but i'll spare yall

BUT the thing that college is like the most decent at is changing the way people think about knowledge itself. further education (high school to undergrad to graduate school) is a huge factor in what develops your epistemological beliefs (epistemology being the nature and theories of knowledge). like your epistemology does naturally change as you get older, but with further education you learn that knowledge itself is complex, ever changing, and interrelated, meaning you inherently trust "facts" less and actually perform critical thinking when presented with new information

but,,,,,, with that new study microsoft did on generative ai showing that usage of gen ai in the workplace can lead to the degradation of independent problem solving skills and that people who trust gen ai actively use less critical thinking to do tasks,,, and that giving yourself fewer opportunities for critical thinking degrades your ability to think critically at all even when it comes to important tasks,,,

like. all these students are using gen ai and sometimes their classes are actively encouraging them to use gen ai and i fear were losing like the one big thing american undergrad is good for bc lets be real its pretty dogshit at everything else

and considering the nature of the topic:

Bransford, J. D., Brown, A. L., Anderson, J. R., Gelman, R., Glaser, R., Greenough, W. T., Ladson-Billings, G., Means, B. M., Mestre, J. P., Nathan, L., Pea, R. D., Peterson, P. L., Rogoff, B., Romberg, T. A., & Wineburg, S. S. (2000). How people learn: Brain, mind, experience, and school. National Academy Press. (pp. 31-50) Lee, H.P., Sarkar, A., Tankelevitch,L. Drosos, I., Rintel, S., Banks, R., & Wilson, N. (2025). The impact of generative AI on critical thinking: Self-reported reductions in cognitive effort and confidence effects from a survey of knowledge workers. CHI Conference in on Human Factors in Computing Systems. https://doi.org/10.1145/3706598.3713778 Mezirow, J. (2000). Learning to think like an adult: Core concepts of transformation theory. In J. Mezirow (Ed.), Learning as transformation: Critical perspectives on a theory in progress (pp. 3-34). Jossey-Bass. Svinicki, M. D. (2004). Learning and motivation in the postsecondary classroom. Boston: Anker Publishing Company, Inc. Torff, B., & Sternberg, R. J. (1998). Changing mind, changing world: Practical intelligence and tacit knowledge in adult learning. In M. C. Smith & T. Pourchot (Eds.), Adult learning and development: Perspectives from educational psychology (pp. 109-126). Lawrence Erlbaum

[anti-romantico]

[favorite student] enhypen heeseung

warnings: teacher!reader, (college)student!heeseung, age gap, protected sex (yay), oral (f&m), outdoor sex, sneaking around, making out

words: 4883

A/N: I hope I don't have to remind you romantic relationships between teachers and students are wrong, doesn't matter if it's between two consenting adults, it's still WRONG, hence, this is a work of fiction

— Miss? Can I talk to you? — Heeseung said. You looked up and sighed. 

— I don't change grades, Heeseung, you shouldn't have used ai to do your report. — You went back to grade another report, checking the time while doing it. — Ok, guys, you can leave, I'll have the rest of your reports graded by next class. Have a good day. — Some students answered, some didn't, you were used to it. 

Heeseung stayed at his place, not removing his eyes from you. — Miss? — He said when the last student left the classroom. 

You were tired, and didn't mean to act rude, but when you realized you slammed your pen on your desk. — What is it, Heeseung?

— I... I'm sorry, but I really need to pass this class, that's why I used ai. 

You fought the urge to roll your eyes. — It's not a good thing to do, Heeseung. You know that, right? — You tried to look up and saw him nodding. 

— I'm sorry. What can I do to change it? 

You looked at the report in your hand. — Come tomorrow at 9, I'll be here still grading, you're going to redo your report in front of me. 

Heeseung swallowed thick, could he do it? — Thank you, Miss, I'll be here tomorrow at 9. 

You nodded and went back to the reports, finally taking a deep breath when he closed the door behind him. 

The next day, on Saturday, he was a little bit early than expected, finding the classroom closed. He sat down on the floor and waited for you, trying to fall asleep while doing it.

After a few minutes, the sound of high heels resonated through the hallway, making him look in the direction of it, finding you. You were wearing a dark blue suit, the blazer was open, showing a bright white shirt. You were effortlessly hot, and there times Heeseung wondered if you knew it. 

— Good morning, Heeseung. I hope I didn't make you wait long. — You said, taking out the key of the classroom.

— Of course not, I just arrived a little early. — He said as he cleaned his jeans.

You let him walk in first, locking the door behind you. — I hope you don't mind the door locked, I just don't need people to know I'm giving you some sort of special treatment. 

Heeseung smirked, he liked the sound of that. — Well, I didn't even tell my friends about it, so.

— Perfect. Now, bring one of the chairs to my desk and place it beside me. That way I can see what you do on your computer while I grade. — You left a few reports on the table.

— Are you ok with me being beside you, Miss?

You chuckled, clearly noticing the tone he used. — The desk is big enough, just don't copy from your classmates' reports, deal? — Heeseung nodded. — Start then. — You said as you started reading one of the papers. 

Heeseung opened his laptop and took out a few sheet papers. — Shit, I don't have a pen.

You laughed. — Well, you can borrow one of mine if you don't use that kind of language in front of me. 

— Sorry, Miss. Thank you. 

Both went back to your activities. You were eyeing Heeseung from time to time to make sure he wasn't cheating. You finished to grade the rest of the reports, standing up a little to stretch your legs, not noticing Heeseung eyes on you for a second.

— How is it going? — You asked, tying your hair up and walking to his side. 

— Uhm, I think it's good? — You read some of the information in the website he was using and then to his paperwork. You nodded and straightened up. 

Heeseung took a deep breath, he needed to finish fast so he could get out of there. It was too hard for him to ignore you, distracting him.

As you leaned back against the board behind Heeseung, you noticed he had a small tick with his leg, bouncing it a few times when he found information he could use. You couldn't help but smile.

He stood up and stretched his arms over his head. — I'm done, Miss.

— Let's see. — You took the papers he gave you and read it. — Tell me about it. 

Heeseung started explaining about his research, mentioning the websites he used for his report. Once he finished, you bend down over the desk and make a few grammar mistakes, giving it a final grade.

— 92. Congratulations. — You handed him his report back. 

— And in record time. — He joked, saving his things in his backpack. — Oh, the pen is yours. Thank you. 

— I hope you understand next time this happens, I'm not only grading you a 0, but I'll send you with the principal right away. 

— Of course, Miss, it won't happen again. — As you grabbed the pen, he held it tight. — Thank you for the special treatment, by the way. — Something in the air changed, it was clear he was teasing.

— You're a good student, Heeseung, if only you knew how to balance distractions and school we wouldn't be in this situation. 

He stepped closer, making you back off. — Well, it's not easy when my biggest distraction is my literature teacher. 

God, if you were paid every time a student told you that... — You're a big boy, you'll figure it out. 

— I think I can use some help with that, Miss.

You rolled your eyes, trying your hardest not to show you were affected by the deep tone he was using. — I'm sure you have plenty of girls that would be glad to help you, Heeseung.

— But I only want your help.

 You looked away, taking another step back, kicking your chair. — Heeseung, this is highly inappropriate. I'm your teacher. 

— Then tell me to leave. — He caged you against the back of your chair, letting you smell his cologne. 

You couldn't. You didn't find the strength to tell him to back off and leave. And he knew it, he was taking advantage of it. 

His fingers slightly brushed against your cheek before holding your chin and making you look up, finding his dark eyes on you.

— Just say it and I'll be out of your life... until after graduation. 

You laughed, his graduation was just a few months away. — Let's say I can't wait for that. — His eyes darkened.

You never would be able to describe what happened next, it was just a mix of adrenaline and a huge attraction you felt towards him. You started kissing him, and he started touching you.

He held your hips as he kissed you, biting your lower lip and sucking on it. You moaned on his mouth, feeling the hardness of him against your body. 

Your hands found their way to his hair, tangling your fingers on his hair as your mouth made out with his. His hands caressed your ass, pulling you even closer to him. 

Your rang, startling you. — Fuck, I have a meeting. 

Heeseung groaned, kissing your neck carefully. He didn't want to leave any marks. Yet. — Is it really necessary? 

— Well, unless you want another teacher to come find me, I think it's better if we... think about this.  

He nodded, still kissing your skin. — But just for now, right? — His mouth found yours, kissing you as you laughed. 

— Yes, now leave before someone finds out I meet up with my students on weekends. — You kissed him back. He pulled away, kissing the corner of your mouth. 

— I can't wait. — He answered before stepping away from you. He grabbed his bag and adjusted his clothes. — See you, Miss. — He said and kissed your cheek before leaving the room. 

You sighed and took your things, grabbing the reports you graded and putting them inside your bag.

Weeks passed and both Heeseung and you managed to act normal during class. After class was another story, Heeseung would sneak into the classroom you were in and distract you until you give in, making out until both needed air. The feeling of this being wrong and dangerous disappeared long ago, worse when he had you on your desk while he was humping his boner against your underwear, your skirt all wrinkled on your hips. 

— Are you busy tomorrow, Miss? — Heeseung asked, but didn't let you answer right away, sucking on your tongue.

— Is this how you ask girls out, Heeseung? While making out with them?  — You teased, forcing him to keep kissing you.

— You are not just a girl, you are my teacher. — He nipped your lip, smiling when you moaned. — So, are you busy? 

— Tomorrow? No. — You gasped when his hips rammed, causing him to laugh at your reaction.

— I'll pick you up at 10am, then. — He didn't let you answer again, but this time, he humped against you faster,  you feeling a strong pleasure spreading through your body as he fucked you through your clothes.

— Shit... — You whispered, hiding your face on his chest. Heeseung hated cumming in his pants, and he hated it even more knowing you were right there for him, but doing it at school was too risky. 

Heeseung gave himself a last look in the rearview mirror and got out of his car, walking confidently to your house. He knocked twice and waited, hearing footsteps approaching the door. He put his hands in his pockets and smiled when he saw you, your smile was contagious. 

— Wow... — He said when he noticed the red with white dots sundress you were wearing. — I must be the luckiest man on earth. You look... really good. — You giggled, suddenly feeling shy under his gaze. Heeseung took a step closer and kissed your lips softly.

— You didn't tell me where we're going so I wasn't sure what to wear. — You said over his lips.

— I've planned a whole day together, but I'm not sure if I'd be able to control myself with you in this dress. — Heeseung kissed you again, attacking your mouth with his tongue. 

After a short make out session at your door, Heeseung grabbed your hand and pulled you to his car, opening the passenger door for you and putting the seatbelt for you, not without kissing you again. He wasn't scared to show you he was obsessed with your lips.

Once you were ready, Heeseung started the car, letting you take control over the music. The drive was calm, you two never stopped talking about your personal lives, what you wanted for the future. It felt... good.

After 30 minutes, you went quiet, making Heeseung look your way, finding you fighting your urge to sleep.

— Sleep, I'll wake you when we get there. 

You shook your head. — No, I have to be a good copilot.

But it was useless, you fell asleep 10 minutes later. It was clear you were tired. Heeseung felt bad, weekends were your free days from school, yet you woke up early to get ready for him. God, you looked gorgeous for him. The dress, the hair, the makeup. It was for him. He didn't mean to, but he wondered if your underwear was also for him. 

Why did he have to go there? Now he couldn't ignore the way your boobs slightly bounced with the movement of the car, how your dress riled up after you got comfortable.

"This was supposed to be a romantic date and I'm thinking about fucking her." Heeseung thought. But you couldn't blame him, he has had a crush on you since you stepped a foot in the classroom with your lavender suit. It wasn't about your body, it was the whole vibe. Students loved you right away, you were everyone's favorite teacher by the end of the semester. Everyone would fight for a place in your class. Everyone wanted to be the best in your class so you could compliment them.

Not Heeseung. He knew you were just a teacher, he knew there was a thick line between you two, and it was impossible for someone as beautiful as you to be single. But one day Mijeong asked you about it, you weren't embarrassed to answer. "Not a boyfriend for the moment, I'm busy enough. Maybe in the future." You said. Something shifted in Heeseung, and he didn't know why. Not a single word you said meant he had a chance with you, but he had to try.

He started participating in your class more often. Suddenly having millions of doubts. Loving when you could walk to his desk to help him. That was you, it wasn't strange for you to want every student to understand the topic. Even if it took you extra time. His grades got better after he finally experienced one of your compliments. It was a need for him to hear you say "Perfect as always, Heeseung." 

And that's why you were mad at him for using AI for his report. He also had been skipping classes to sneak around with some girl. The girl was so good he would forget about you, at least when he was with her. But once she would have him a last goodbye kiss, you were back in his mind.

You never reciprocated his flirting attempts, he wasn't the only one. But what he didn't know was that you enjoyed his attempts more than the rest. 

Heeseung finally stopped the car under a tree so I wouldn't get too hot. He looked at you and felt horrible for waking you up, you looked devine. But he couldn't ignore how the seatbelt was stuck in between your boobs. 

He cleared his throat, not wanting to be obvious he was affected with how hot you looked. — [Y/N]. Baby, we're here.

Fuck.

You whined a little before stretching out your body. — How long did I sleep? 

— Just 20 minutes. — His hand went to your hair, brushing it.

You looked around, still not conscious you were almost flashing Heeseung. — Where are we? 

— Our spot. — He said with a soft tone. 

You looked back at him and smiled, leaning towards him to kiss him.

The seatbelt had other plans though, as it pulled your strap down. You laughed and removed the seatbelt, finally kissing Heeseung properly.

The kiss turned out heated right away. You gasped when you felt his hand under your dress, teasing the front of your underwear. 

— Do they match with your dress? — He shamelessly asked. 

— You doubt it? 

Heeseung gave you a last kiss before opening his door and running to your sides, opening the door for you. 

— Our lunch waits for us. 

You let him guide you through the grass until you found a bench in the middle of the field. 

— Since when is this here? — You asked when you noticed the basket over the bench.

— I came before picking you up. Everything's fresh, I promise. 

You looked at him and then the car. — At what time did you wake up?

— That's not important. — Heeseung held your face and kissed your lips and then your frown. — You're adorable when you frown, baby.

You rolled your eyes and kissed him again, pulling him down by his jacket.

Both started to take everything out of the basket, placing a big blanket on the floor for both. 

Heeseung had prepared all kinds of snacks and appetizers since he didn't know what would you like.

The morning and afternoon went fast between eating, talking and kissing. By 4pm you two ran out of food and drinks, but none of you minded, you were two busy enjoying each other's touch.

You were under him, playing with his hair as he was lifting your dress so he could squeeze your butt. Your legs were around him, pulling him closer, sighing when his hips thrusted into you. The hardness of him was against you, you wanted it to get rid of the barrier between your bodies.

Heeseung moved his hands on your knees, not knowing where to put them. You were wearing a thong, making it easy for him to explore your body with his fingertips. You could feel his eyes on your face, watching your reaction to his touch.

— Do you like it? — He asked. You hummed, kissing him as he rubbed your clit.

You gasped and opened your eyes. — Yeah...

— Can I put my finger inside? — He whispered, your mouth opened to answer and let out a moan when he thrusted one finger inside you. 

You felt empty and full at the same time. Heeseung kissed your lips, letting his finger move inside you, watching your face for signs of discomfort. But that only made you moan more.

— More. — You whispered against his lips. 

He pulled out of you and thrust two fingers inside, making you squirm. He kissed your neck, smiling when you whined a little. 

He had to pull away a little bit when he felt your walls tight around his fingers, you were about to cum.

His thumb brushed against your clit as his fingers slowly moved in and out of you, the feeling was good enough for you to moan and fight the urge to roll your hips.

He moved his hand up and down, but not deep enough for you to reach the edge. You gasped every time he touched your g-spot, but never enough to make you cum. 

You looked up and found his eyes dark, watching you with hunger. — Please.

He thrusted faster, taking out a finger to rub your clit again. — Are you close?

— Yes! — You moaned, rolling your hips a little.

— That's my girl... — He praised. You heard him moan when his fingers were wet, making the pleasure come stronger as he thrusted in and out faster.

You didn't remember the last time you cummed this hard. Pretty sure this was the first time someone had you screaming out of pleasure by only using his fingers.

He gave you time to catch your breath, kissing your neck and chest. 

— How was it? — He asked, as if his fingers weren't responsible for your heart almost leaving your body. 

You didn't respond, you just pushed him from his chest and kissed him while undoing his jeans. 

— Fuck, baby...  — He moaned when you rubbed his dick through his boxers. He wasn't sure how he was going to react, you were going to kill him.

— I'll show you how much I enjoyed it. — You said before bending down, pulling his pants and boxers down. 

Heeseung sat back and closed his eyes when he felt the warmth of your mouth around him. Your tongue brushed against his tip, making him hiss. You took your time to get used to his size, licking around his head and shaft. He groaned when you deepthroat him. 

 It was tight and hot, you could see the way his stomach clenched every time you moved. 

— [Y/N]... — He moaned your name, your hands around his balls while your tongue licked the underside of his cock.

You went as deep as possible, the tip of his dick hitting the back of your throat. You gagged a little, but it didn't stop you.

You kept sucking him, moving your head up and down faster. Heeseung watched you with a lustful gaze, you looking good with his cock in your mouth.

— Fuck... — He hissed, letting go of your hair. — I'm gonna cum in your mouth if you don't stop.

You let his cock go with a popping sound. — Don't worry, I'll swallow it. 

You licked the underside again, teasing him with your tongue. You watched his hips moving up, thrusting into your mouth, you taking the rest of his dick inside your mouth. The tip of his head hitting the back of your mouth. He grunted when you sucked hard, making him feel you throat muscles clenching around his dick. You slowly pulled away and sucked again, this time harder. 

He lost it, letting out a grunt and cumming inside your mouth, his dick pulsating against your tongue. 

He breathed hard as you swallowed every bit of his cum, cleaning his cock with your tongue.

He opened his eyes, watching you as you licked around his shaft and head before taking it all inside your mouth again.

You sucked him clean, not wasting a single drop of his cum. Once you were done, you kissed the tip and looked at him. His dick twitched in your mouth as you pulled away. 

You crawled on his lap, kissing his lips.

You could feel the hardness of his cock on your stomach, it wasn't a surprise when you felt him growing again against you.  

— Don't you ever get tired? — You teased him, kissing his neck.

— Not with you around. — He answered, pushing you back and getting rid of your thong. — Lie down.

You did as told, biting your bottom lip. When you tried to take off your dress, he stopped you. — What are you doing?

— You look insanely hot in this dress, baby. Just this time. — You giggled and pulled him down, kissing him softly. 

Heeseung kicked his jeans down more and pulled a condom from his jacket, making you laugh. 

— You seriously thought about everything, uh? 

Heeseung rolled the condom along his dick, feeling your heavy eyes on him.  — You have no idea how much I've been wanting you under me, baby. — He bent down again, holding one of your legs up and guiding himself to your entrance. — The endless nights jerking myself off with you in my mind. — He teased you a little, making you whine. — But I finally have you. You're finally mine. — You couldn't answer, you didn't even know what to say. Heeseung bottomed you out, causing a groan from both.  He breathed hard on your neck, giving you time to get used to him. 

You moaned when he started to thrust, it was slow at first, but soon he was pounding into you, making you mewl. You arched your back, taking him deeper. 

The sound of our bodies moving against each other was loud, Heeseung knew you loved every bit of him inside you and it just made him more confident in his thrusts.

Your nails went under his shirt, scratching his back, making him grunt with every thrust.

The blanket under you was ruined, wet with your fluids and sweat. You had never been so wet in your life, Heeseung's cock was inside you as deep as he could get, your body feeling empty every time he pulled out. 

Heeseung pinned your hands over your head, feeling your walls tightening around his dick when he did. He leaned down, biting your shoulder while he moved his hips faster.

Your boobs were out of your dress, bouncing violently with his thrusts. He had never seen anything hotter.

Heeseung rammed into you harder, lowering his head to suck on one of your nipples.   You let out a loud moan, the pleasure spreading through your whole body.

— Oh god... — You said when you felt yourself reaching the edge.

— Don't let go yet. — He moaned against your breasts. He kept pounding into you while his tongue licked your other boob.

You didn't want to move your hips but it was impossible, you felt yourself about to reach the edge again. You thrust your hips up, matching him thrust for thrust, biting your lips to stop the moans coming out. The pleasure was getting stronger, you needed to cum.

— Please... — You begged. You were about to break. Heeseung grunted, feeling himself getting close too.

He let go of your hands and pushed your leg up more, thrusting harder and deeper into you. Your walls were tight around him, both needing to cum.

He grabbed your hips and held you in place as his hips moved faster, harder. He grunted with the last thrusts, finally reaching the edge. 

Your walls clenched around his cock, milking it dry. He thrusted into you a few more times before going still. His cum filling the condom. 

Both were breathing hard, looking at each other. Heeseung rolled over and pulled you with him, holding you against his chest, kissing your forehead.

You both laid down on the blanket, holding each other as you caught your breath. The sun was setting, it was soon going to be dark outside.

— This was... — He started, stopping when he didn't find the words to continue. You understood him right away. — Way better than in my dreams.

You giggled. — Don't be dramatic. — You stood up and fixed your dress, looking for your underwear. Heeseung took off the condom and grabbed the small trash bag that you two improvised. Hoping it didn't break with how full it was.

— [Y/N]. — He called you, watching you clean the area. You looked at him, waiting for him to talk. He walked to you, pulling you by your waist and kissing you. The kiss was different, he was claiming you. As if that was necessary after his previous... actions. — Thank you for coming with me.

You caressed his cheek. — Thank you for inviting me.

Heeseung kissed you again, softly, lovingly. Not a single drop of lust was found. 

— Are you hungry? — He asked, brushing his thumb over your lower lip. You nodded. — We can stop by a drive through on our way back, how about that.

— Only if I chose the place.

Heeseung chuckled. — Anything for you, baby.

You kissed him and walked back to the car, holding hands. Heeseung opened the door for you as always. He smiled when you jumped inside, buckling up right away. He made you wait a little to gather the basket and trash, throwing it to the truck.

 Once he got in and buckled up, you two set off. 

— So, what do you want to eat? — Heeseung asked after a few minutes if driving.

You hummed, thinking about the options. Both decided for wings and fries. Stopping by a local place near your house.

You let Heeseung in, guiding him to your living room. You ran to your kitchen for plates as he settled everything up on the small table in front of your sofa.

After you two devoured your food, you two were cleaning yourselves.  You grabbed the trash bag and threw it in the bin. You both knew you didn't have to be quiet, no one lived in this house except you. As you went back to the sofa with Heeseung, he was staring at your chest, making hou frown.

— What? 

— You got sauce. — And instead of grabbing a napkin and cleaning you, he bent down and licked the sauce off your skin.

And of course he didn't stop there, he kissed all his way from your chest, your neck, your jaw. And before he could kiss your lips, you spoke.

— We have to talk. — Your tone was serious, almost professional.

Heeseung tried to hide his disappointment, kissing your cheek and straightening his back, waiting for you.

You sighed, it was clear you killed the mood. — I enjoyed this date. You have no idea how much. But we have to go back to reality. — Heeseung nodded, feeling a knot in his throat. 

— Well, the reality is that I like you. A lot. I wouldn't have done all that if that wasn't the case. I know you're still my teacher, I'm still your student, but that's going to change in a few months. I know we moved a little fast, but in case it's not clear. I'm serious about you. — The knot in his throat disappeared, but it was replaced by the anxiety and fear of being rejected. Even after everything that happened in less than 12 hours.

You fidget with your fingers, trying to make sense to your thoughts. 

— I have to say I didn't see you as something more than my student. But that was before our... thing started. Even if it was based on sneaking around and hiding from everyone. You've been treating me better than any man in my life, and after today I confirmed I might have feelings for you, but after what you just said, I don't think my feelings are as strong as yours and I don't think that's correct. 

Heeseung chuckled. — If I take you out on more dates, do you think your feelings would get stronger? 

That's when you went quiet. At least for a minute. — I can't answer you. I'm sorry.

Heeseung stood up, brushing his hair back with his hands. — Was I just your student today? When I had you screaming and moaning under me multiple times? Mhm?

— Of course not! — You also stood up. — But are we going to be a couple just on weekends? How are we supposed to work out like this? 

— I'll figure it out. God, baby, I'll do anything for us to be together. — Heeseung held your face, making you look up. — If you want more dates to be sure about us, then so be it. If you need space, even if I can't handle being away from you, I'll give you space. Anything you ask for, I'll give it to you.

You felt your eyes burn, but you didn't want to cry. — Anything? — Heeseung nodded, brushing off a tear. — Don't you fucking dare to use AI again. I swear to God I'm still mad.

Heeseung laughed, kissing your lips.  — Anything for my girl.

[luulapants]

Do you have any tips to be more punk in 2025 specifically for minors?

Hey, great question! Let's take a look at our list and see what still applies and what we can flip around for you.

Cut fast fashion - Still applies! Try clothing swaps with friends.

Cut subscriptions Analyze your media consumption - Do you tend to play phone games that are psychologically manipulative? Are algorithms taking you to content that makes you upset? Track your screen time, think about what's being sold to you, and resist only consuming the media that is fed to you.

Green your community self - Forget touching grass, find ways to touch dirt. Spend time outside in nature. Go for hikes, look at trees, track how plants and animals change over the seasons. You're part of the natural world, so go connect with it!

Be kind - Still applies! Try handing out more compliments.

Intervene - Still applies, and especially applies to bullies, including teachers. This can be as simple as saying, "That was a really messed up thing to say. I think you owe X an apology."

Get closer to your food - Still applies! Try packing your lunch.

Use opensource software Reject Web 2.0 - Before you try to learn Linux, people your age need to start by learning some basic computer and coding skills. My generation was given computer classes and had social media that encouraged custom coding. Yours has been deprived of this education and given prepackaged web content. Reject AI. Right click + inspect element + fuck around. Learn Raspberry Pi. Become the cyberpunk hacker you want to see in the world.

Make less trash - Still applies! If mom won't let you start a compost in the backyard, propose starting one at school!

Get involved in local school politics - Know what's going on with your school board, with school administration. Start an underground, uncensored school newspaper with the real dirt.

DIY > fashion - High school is where a lot of adults learned their bad habits about keeping up with appearance/fashion demands. Refuse to buy in now and make homemade the new cool.

Ditch Google - Still applies! And also check your app settings to see if you have apps with unnecessary permissions.

Forage - Still applies!

Volunteer - Still applies! There might be fewer opportunities for minors, but you'll never know until you ask. Don't be afraid to be the only young person at the volunteer session.

Help your neighbors classmates - Offer to study with students who are struggling. Become someone people can trust to tell if their home situation is difficult. If you have friends who don't get enough to eat at home, bring them home for dinner. Check on people.

Fix stuff - Still applies! This can be a fun activity with friends, too. Let's all hang out and see if we can fix this busted stereo!

Mix up your transit - Still applies! Is taking the bus considered lame at your school? Do it anyway.

Engage in the arts - Still applies! Pay attention to art events that your classmates are putting on. Go to the school play - or join! Stop in the art classrooms to see what people are working on.

Go to the library - Still applies, public and school libraries! Talk to the librarians - they know things. Find out if there are after school programs you can take advantage of.

Listen local - Even more local! Stop by the band room after school to listen to practice. Does someone in your school have a band? Listen to them, cheer them on! Start a band! The great thing about punk music is that you can be really, really awful and still sound punk as hell.

Buy local Barter local - Lots of young folks don't have much control over or access to money, but that doesn't mean you and your classmates can't engage in barter. Figure out what you have to offer that other people might want, and trade for stuff you want. I used to cut hair and pierce ears in exchange for weed and rides to the mall. Maybe you can sew a friend's jacket in exchange for them bringing you a homemade lunch.

Become unmarketable - Still applies! PLEASE do this.

Use cash Steal ethically - Before engaging in shoplifting, make sure you know who you're stealing from! Stealing from Walmart is morally correct. Stealing from a family-owned grocery, a local coop, or a local artist? That fucking sucks, dude. Don't do it.

Give what you can - And only what you can. We ask a godawful lot from teens. You're in school all day, you're doing extracurriculars and maybe working and doing homework. You probably don't have a lot of money. You probably don't have a lot of time. But maybe you can bring your elderly neighbor's trash cans up from the street. Find the small actions that you have space for.

Talk about wages - PLEASE! If you have a job, this applies to you even more. Why? Because the adults working at your minimum wage job probably can't afford to be rabble rousers, but what do you have to lose except your shitty part-time Panera job?? A teenager who doesn't actually need their job to live has the opportunity to be the voice of truth in any workplace.

Think about wealthflow Resist indoctrination - Education systems are being gutted. Algorithms are feeding us misinformation. Cocomelon probably gave you ADHD or some shit - Jesus. It's a mess. Do what you can to practice critical thinking, expand your literacy, read stuff that seems boring. Start a book club or philosophy club with your friends. Ask who's profiting from a given situation. Resist knee-jerk reactions. Becoming an educated, thoughtful person is one of the greatest acts of resistance a young person today can engage in.

[airas-story]

Would you do more ironstrange teacher/student but instead Stephen’s the teacher and Tony’s the student?

Backstory: After his accident, instead of finding Kamar-Taj, Stephen pulls himself together and gets a job at the a university giving lectures on neuroscience.

Tony is doing something with neuroscience, maybe for his AIs, and he attends Stephen’s lecture and is surprised at how attractive the professor is.

Tony frowned, frustration twisting through him.

The man at the front of the classroom was not Doctor Rouen. Tony had signed up to audit this class specifically because Rouen was considered one of the top neuroscientists in the nation and had taught at Columbia University for over thirty years with raving reviews. Tony liked learning from the best in the field and when it came to understanding the human body… well, his lecturer had better know what he was talking about. Especially when it was Rhodey Tony wanted to help.

Tony had absolutely no clue who this particular professor was. He gave the man a once over. He was good-looking enough, but Tony could find eye candy anywhere. He didn’t need it in his classroom.

He sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. This had better not be a waste of his time. His time was exorbitantly expensive.

The lecture started precisely on time, the man introducing himself as Doctor Strange and explaining that he’d been a last minute hire and replacement for Doctor Rouen. There was a subtle implication in his voice that he considered himself more than qualified to be the replacement.

Yeah, they’d see.

Tony surreptitiously did a check. Former active surgeon with an incredible record. Tony arched an eyebrow, assessing the instructor again. Promising. He listened with half an ear—Doctor Strange was discussing the course objectives—as he followed a link to Strange’s published work, skimming through it.

Oh. This was impressive.

Tony looked back at Strange who stood confidently at the front of the classroom, hands folded behind his back and radiating confidence.

Oh, this man was far more than eye candy. No, according to Tony’s quick research Doctor Strange was entirely competent. No, Doctor Strange was more than good-looking, he was goddamn attractive.

[politicalprof]

The Banality of AI and the destruction of actual thought:

In my continuing exploration of the many ways AI is going to make it ever easier to say bland and innocuous things without having to think about it, I present the following prompt and response from Google Gemini for anyone interested.

For context, universities have for decades now been layering on new requirements intended to provide an "objective" basis for assessing why one candidate deserves tenure or not, or why one applicant deserves a grant or a job, etc. However, while these layers may be well-intended, in time they devolve into rote exercises that prove little beyond the fact that you know how to write certain types of statements "the right way." One such statement that is commonly required these days is a "teaching statement." It is ubiquitous for job applications, tenure and promotion files, and even some grant applications. Enjoy!

Prompt:

write a teaching statement for a tenure application that emphasizes my use of student-centered, active learning with the goal of developing my students' critical thinking skills

Response:

Teaching Statement

My approach to teaching is rooted in the belief that students learn best by actively engaging with course material and constructing their own understanding. I strive to create dynamic, student-centered learning environments that foster critical thinking, collaboration, and intellectual curiosity. My goal is not simply to transmit knowledge, but to empower students to become independent thinkers and lifelong learners.

Student-Centered Learning: I prioritize student engagement and agency in the learning process. I design my courses with a variety of active learning strategies, including:

Inquiry-based learning: I pose open-ended questions and present real-world problems that encourage students to explore concepts, formulate hypotheses, and develop solutions collaboratively.

Collaborative projects: I incorporate group work and peer learning activities that promote teamwork, communication, and the exchange of diverse perspectives.

Case studies and simulations: I use case studies and simulations to provide students with opportunities to apply theoretical knowledge to practical situations, analyze complex scenarios, and make informed decisions.

Reflective writing and discussions: I encourage students to reflect on their learning through journals, online forums, and class discussions, promoting metacognition and deeper understanding.

Developing Critical Thinking: A central focus of my teaching is to cultivate students' critical thinking skills. I explicitly teach and model these skills through:

Analyzing and evaluating information: I guide students in assessing the credibility, relevance, and bias of information sources, encouraging them to question assumptions and challenge conventional wisdom.

Constructing arguments and supporting claims: I provide opportunities for students to develop well-reasoned arguments, supported by evidence and logical reasoning.

Problem-solving and decision-making: I present complex problems that require students to analyze information, identify potential solutions, and evaluate their consequences.

Debates and discussions: I facilitate respectful and intellectually stimulating debates and discussions that encourage students to consider multiple perspectives and refine their own viewpoints.

Creating an Inclusive Learning Environment: I am committed to creating a welcoming and inclusive classroom where all students feel valued, respected, and supported in their learning. I strive to:

Establish clear expectations and learning goals.

Provide timely and constructive feedback.

Offer individualized support and guidance.

Promote a culture of respect and open communication.

Assessment and Continuous Improvement: I use a variety of assessment methods to measure student learning and inform my teaching practice, including:

Formative assessments: I use ongoing assessments, such as quizzes, in-class activities, and online discussions, to monitor student progress and provide timely feedback.

Summative assessments: I use exams, projects, and presentations to evaluate student learning outcomes and mastery of course content.

Student feedback: I actively solicit student feedback through course evaluations and informal surveys to identify areas for improvement and refine my teaching strategies.

Conclusion: I am passionate about teaching and dedicated to creating engaging and effective learning experiences for my students. I believe that my student-centered, active learning approach, with its emphasis on critical thinking, prepares students not only for success in their academic pursuits but also for meaningful engagement in their future careers and communities. I am committed to continuous growth as an educator and look forward to further developing my teaching practice at [Institution Name].

[spacenutspod]

In a quiet part of Northern California, where pine trees brush the sky and the hum of giant satellite dishes fills the air, something big is happening in science education. A new wave of college students is getting the chance to explore the universe — not through textbooks, but with real data from a world-class observatory. Thanks to a growing program called ARISE Lab, students and teachers from community colleges are diving deep into the science of space, radio signals, and the search for alien life. The SETI Institute, which focuses on the scientific search for extraterrestrial intelligence, has expanded this groundbreaking effort. With new support from a grant by the Amateur Radio and Digital Communication Foundation, the ARISE Lab (Access to Radio Astronomy for Inclusion in Science Education) is now reaching even more classrooms across the country. Making Space Science Hands-On The main idea behind ARISE is simple: when students get to do science themselves, they understand it better and stay interested longer. “Hands-on experiences are proven to improve student engagement and retention,” said Dr. Vishal Gajjar, a radio astronomer who leads the project at the SETI Institute. That’s why ARISE puts real scientific tools directly into students’ hands. The Allen Telescope Array at Hat Creek Radio Observatory. (CREDIT: Luigi Cruz) The program uses GNU Radio, a free and open-source software that lets users process radio signals. This gives students a way to study actual data from the SETI Institute’s Allen Telescope Array (ATA). The ATA is the first and only radio telescope in the world built just for detecting signs of advanced life beyond Earth — also called technosignatures. With these tools, students don’t just read about pulsars, spacecraft, or distant stars. They study them. They learn to sort signals, find patterns, and understand how astronomers listen to the sky. What the ARISE Curriculum Offers Dr. Gajjar and his team built the ARISE curriculum using something called experiential learning technique, or ELT. This method focuses on learning by doing. Students start with pre-lab reading, move through guided lab work, and then reflect on what they discover. Related Stories How podcasts are revolutionizing health education and behavior Groundbreaking discovery promotes verbal learning and fights memory loss New AI-based learning system provides personalized math instruction for students ARISE includes two types of content: modules and labs. Modules are more complete packages that come with slides, notes, reading materials, lab manuals, and instructor guides. They are designed to be added directly into a science class. Labs, on the other hand, are shorter, standalone activities that can be used by themselves or as part of a larger lesson. The labs cover a wide range of topics. Students might explore signal modulation — the way information travels through radio waves — or learn how data science applies to astronomy. Each lab has step-by-step instructions that make it easy for both students and teachers to follow. By linking lessons to the search for extraterrestrial life, ARISE grabs students’ attention. Research shows that this subject sparks more interest than almost any other topic in science. “With ARISE, we’re combining cost-effective tools like GNU Radio with one of the most captivating topics in science — the search for life beyond Earth — to spark curiosity and build skills across STEM disciplines,” Gajjar said. Vishal Gajjar, SETI Institute. (CREDIT: SETI Institute) Real Tools, Real Signals, Real Skills The ARISE team doesn’t just give students data and walk away. They create chances for them to experience what it’s like to work in space science. “Whether it’s detecting a signal from a Mars orbiter or analyzing pulsar data, students are gaining real experience with tools used in both professional astronomy and industries,” said Joel Earwicker, the project’s lead research assistant. “It’s about making science feel real, relevant, and achievable.” That real-world feeling is what sets ARISE apart. It connects students with data from the Allen Telescope Array, a set of 42 dish antennas located at the Hat Creek Radio Observatory. This array scans the sky daily, looking for faint radio waves that might come from intelligent life in space. Students learn how to filter out “noise” from human-made signals, track moving sources across the sky, and identify natural phenomena like pulsars — stars that blink like cosmic lighthouses. These skills mirror what professionals do in both astronomy and tech careers, building a direct path from the classroom to the workforce. Students examine live radio signals from deep space, learning to decode real astronomical data using modern tools and guided scientific methods. (CREDIT: SETI Institute) Growing the Program in 2025 After the program’s first pilot workshop at Hat Creek in 2024, the results spoke for themselves. Teachers loved it. Students stayed engaged. The SETI Institute decided to grow the effort. In 2025, ARISE will offer: 15 new labs on topics like astronomy, digital communications, and data analysis 2 hands-on workshops at Hat Creek to train instructors from community colleges On-site lab support at 10 schools to help teachers roll out the new content The team will also host an in-person workshop for six selected community college teachers from June 25 to June 27, 2025, at Hat Creek. These instructors will get travel and lodging covered. At the workshop, they will visit the telescope site, watch live observations, test out lab activities, and collaborate with other science educators. SETI efforts around the world. (CREDIT: SETI Institute) This expanded effort aims to bring advanced science training to places that often get left out of big research programs — local community colleges. These schools educate nearly half of all undergraduates in the U.S., and their students often come from backgrounds underrepresented in STEM fields. By targeting these schools, ARISE gives more people a chance to be part of space science. It also helps instructors bring fresh energy to their classes. Looking Up, Reaching Out When students see real data from space scrolling across their screens, something clicks. Science becomes more than just facts in a book. It becomes a search — one they can be part of. With ARISE, the SETI Institute is changing how students learn science. Instead of memorizing equations, they explore the universe. Instead of just hoping to understand radio signals, they decode them. By giving students the tools, data, and support to study space firsthand, ARISE opens doors — to science, to careers, and maybe even to the stars. Research findings are available online on the SETI Institute website. Note: The article above provided above by The Brighter Side of News. Like these kind of feel good stories? Get The Brighter Side of News’ newsletter. The post New SETI program helps students detect signs of advanced life beyond Earth appeared first on The Brighter Side of News.

[academiclifexd]

"How Technology is Changing the Way We Learn"

In the past few years, there has been a sudden rise in the use of technology in various aspects of life, especially in education. With the increasing availability of digital tools and online resources, students now have more access to more information and learning opportunities than ever before. This shift has significantly changed the way we students study, collaborate, and comprehend academic content. As a Senior High School STEM student, I’ve witnessed firsthand how technology has shaped our academic journey throughout the years. Here are various reasons why technology is changing the way we learn.

1. Access to Various Sources

Back in the earlier days, the library was the primary source of information. The library was a haven not just for bookworms, but for students who needed help with their homework. The library had a collection of books that were full of specific information that assisted students in finding answers, solutions, definitions, and terms needed for their homework. Growing up in Gen Z like myself as a STEM student relies much more on technology nowadays than a physical library because with a touch of a smartphone or a click of a computer, you now have access to different websites that contain the information you need, especially when you need to conduct a research study, which most students use Google Scholar.

2. Interactive Learning Tools

Textbooks are no longer the only tools we use to learn. Interactive apps, simulations, and educational games have become commonplace in many classrooms. As a STEM student, I’ve experienced how these tools make learning more engaging. Apps like Khan Academy offer interactive courses in math, physics, and computer science, breaking down complex topics into bite-sized lessons with visual aids.

Platforms like Quizizz display flashcards that could help students enhance their active recall, memorizing, and understanding of the concepts easily because of the quiz game it offers.

3. Collaboration in Real-Time

One of the biggest changes technology has brought to education is the ability to collaborate in real-time, regardless of any location in the world. Platforms like Google Docs, Microsoft Teams, and Zoom have been helping students ever since the Covid-19 pandemic struck. During the pandemic, remote learning platforms became essential for continuing education. Even though many students faced challenges with online learning, these platforms provided a way for education to continue without interruption all thanks to the implementation of Online Classes. Now, blended learning—combining in-person and online education—is becoming the norm, offering more flexibility for both teachers and students.

4. Personalized Learning

Every student learns differently, and technology is helping cater to these individual learning styles. Adaptive learning platforms use algorithms to tailor lessons to each student’s needs. If you’re struggling with a particular topic, these platforms adjust the difficulty and provide extra support until you grasp the concept. Tools like Duolingo and Grammarly, which offer students language and grammar support are just a few examples of how technology provides customized learning experiences.

For us STEM students, this is particularly helpful, especially when using Grammarly for a research project. Using Platforms like Grammarly helps correct revisable sentences and paragraphs easily in one click, providing less effort and less time-consuming for us students.

5. Preparation for the Future

Technology isn’t just transforming education for the present; it’s also preparing students for the future. As technology like AI and Programming evolves, we students could resort to learning skills like coding, and learning the different types of programming languages so that we could adjust to the evolving technology all around us.

6. The Potential Downsides

While technology has brought us numerous benefits, it’s important to acknowledge the challenges and disadvantages it presents. Overreliance on technology can often lead to distractions, with social media and games constantly thriving for attention. Furthermore, the concept of Technology and its use remains a problem in many parts of the world, where students lack access to the necessary tools and internet connectivity to fully benefit from online learning resources.

[whentherewerebicycles]

ok just going to think aloud through this two-part AI workshop... i will need to spend more time actually mapping it out but i want to do some big picture brainstorming about purpose/outcomes. here are some of the messy ideas i have:

i like workshops where our activities and discussions are geared towards developing or creating something students can take with them at the end - ideally something they will find useful beyond just the class or workshop. so my idea was that maybe we think about these workshops as an opportunity to develop our own personal codes of conduct around using AI tools in research. the phrase "code of conduct" feels a little too "here are the RULES" to me so i want to think of a different thing to call it... but basically i want to frame our work together as: I'm not going to tell you what to think about AI or how to use it - I'm going to guide us through a series of activities, discussions, and reflections where you are going to wrestle with your own feelings/thoughts/assumptions about AI tools and decide what feels right for you, in your own context, given your own values and priorities. what i want them to produce is basically an articulation of those personal values and priorities, plus some guidelines or guiding ideas they can use as they make decisions about the use of AI in their research projects.

i'm not sure how this will fit in yet but i know i want us to also think about the underlying emotions that lead us to use AI in situations where we would maybe rather not use it, or where we feel sort of torn or guilty about using it. like idk this is probably a cliche in conversations around AI and pedagogy at this point, but i think a lot of students use it because they feel immense pressure to produce at a certain level and they doubt their ability to produce at that level, whether because of skill or confidence or just like, the deadline is imminent and they didn't manage their time well enough to produce good work. i think in mentored research projects, students would probably also be tempted to use it because they would feel unsure about how to ask their mentor questions... faculty are not always like, sooo good at giving clear instructions or maintaining open channels of communication or encouraging students to ask questions, esp when students are doing independent/self-directed projects, and so i can see lots of situations where students might be like i don't want to seem dumb or behind so it's easier to just ask the machine than to ask the expert i'm working with. our students in particular also have tons of demands on their time (they're usually taking way too many classes so they can graduate early to save $$ and they're almost always working off-campus jobs and commuting long distances) so i think they often feel pressured to prioritize efficiency, and see the slow slog of learning as really inefficient. which it kind of is! it's iterative, it takes a long time, you have to mess up a bunch and figure out how to fix it, you go down rabbitholes that just lead to dead ends and then have to retrace your steps to figure out where you're supposed to be, etc etc. even well-structured classroom learning can feel that way, and students doing research are often working in unstructured, self-directed learning environments where they are having to both learn complex new skills AND learn to handle the project management aspects in a setting where they don't have a syllabus and a rubric to tell them what to do when. ANYWAY I gotta think about how to structure this part (small group discussion plus some kind of mindmapping board activity maybe?) but i think it will be useful for us to dig into the emotions that maybe influence our decision-making around using AI as a learning shortcut.

but then also SIGH i think i have to actually help them think about the less horrible ways to use AI. i had a meeting with our instructional coach yesterday and while she politely heard me out on my own fears/hesitations i think she is like, pretty pro-AI as a learning tool and was pushing me to actually think about how to teach students to use it responsibly. like instead of using it to generate content (ie cheat/take a shortcut to avoid the messy hard work of learning), we should be teaching students to use it to do things like generate practice problems or essay prompts to help them study, or to get feedback on a piece of writing without rewriting the essay, or to generate possible research questions so that students can evaluate and synthesize different options and make decisions about what to pursue... idk she was saying all this and i think my face was visibly like I Really, Genuinely Hate This lol but i'm sorry i can't control my own reactions!!! but it WAS kind of helpful to get the framing of like... we can't just tell kids to avoid it because it is about to be integrated into absolutely every aspect of their academic and professional lives whether they/we want it to be or not, so we HAVE to give them tools for using it responsibly and making critical judgments about it blah blah blah. and i GUESS i can see that!! these are probably the same decisions i will have to make about phone/technology/social media use as a parent... like i can forbid him to use screens (honestly i wish someone would forbid ME from using screens) but if he's going to be in all these settings where its use is expected and normalized, i have to give him tools for figuring out how he feels about these tools and making reasoned, value-based decisions about how he wants to use them.

i guess it's also helpful to notice like... thinking about this is helping ME clarify my own ethical framework for making these decisions. if i want to, i can say that i do not want to outsource any of my thinking to generative AI because it is morally and ideologically important to me to continue doing the slow slog of thinking and working and researching and learning and brainstorming with other actual human people, even if that working style is less "efficient." i can say that and i can then proceed to make decisions around using AI that are guided by that commitment. but even saying that lights up a fear pathway for me where i'm afraid that if i continue to work slowly while everyone around me speeds up, i will fall behind professionally, or i won't be able to produce work at the intellectual level of people who are relying on these technological enhancements, or whatever. so i have to think about that and then decide like, am i okay with that as a possible outcome, how will i manage those fears, are there situations where the work i am doing can be automated without loss or do i really want to have a blanket No for myself, etc etc. and that is useful thinking to do, like to sift through the fears and worries and what-ifs, and ALSO in doing so to realize that my personal framework does not have to be everybody's framework. but we should all HAVE a framework, and we should be able to talk about it openly and explain why we are making the choices we are making. and that is what i think i want the students to do... like i want our activities/discussions/etc to move them towards that space of being able to say, this is what i think and feel and believe, this is how i want to make decisions and this is how i want to justify the decisions i make.

anyway much 2 think about... gotta sift through some of the AI literacy resources she shared with me and work on articulating some learning outcomes... and then i think i can dive into actually building out some in-class activities and prompts.

[scary-friend]

I think The Classrooms is an interesting game that has some really creative ideas.

However it looses all credibility for me because the creator uses ai art.

There’s really no excuse for it. “But it’s only one person!”

Okay? And? Tons of people have made games all on their own without the use of Ai art. There’s so many other things you could do instead of using the one thing that is actively harming the environment.

“I don't care if you're just one person, don't know how to draw, don't have free time, and don't have money to hire someone. Boohoo you just described the life of like 99.9% of artists when they first start out” - FunkyFrogBait

I’m never going to support a project that uses AI art. You are just actively participating in the theft of millions of people‘s hard work, you are not entitled to artwork just because you have an idea in your head.

Either make it yourself, hire someone to make it for you, or don’t make it at all.

I’m so sick of people defending this shit.

[katzensilber]

26 April 2025

WOW I have not studyblr'd in a long time! But I've recently had a small study Renaissance, so I might as well blog about it.

While continuing my programming and compsci studies, I've realized that I should probably brush up on some basic math too, because that's an important foundational skill. So I've started doing some daily math studies on Khan Academy, which is helpful. It's humbling, because despite having reached uni-level math in the past (years ago, back when I was actually in uni), I've forgotten all of it in the interim so now I'm back down to the algebra level 😅 But it's good to stay humble when learning.

I also felt the urge to return to my active language studies, so I'm working through the Assimil courses for Mandarin Chinese and Croatian. The Mandarin course is in French ("Le chinois sans peine") and the Croatian course is in German ("Kroatisch ohne Mühe") so it means I get to practice both those languages too, which is a nice benefit.

After a few days of doing math and language study, my brain felt like a parched flower blossoming after someone had finally watered it, so I decided I wanted to expand my learning even further! I always read a lot, but I tend to gravitate towards fiction and I keep meaning to read more nonfiction, so yesterday I picked up the Routledge Companion to Feminism and Post-Feminism, to brush up on my feminist history.

Today I got even more hyped about learning: I read a few pages of a book in French about African revolutionaries, practiced reading basic Chinese on LanguageCrush (love that site!), dabbled in the history of philosophy on AFAIK.io (do not love that site! so I'm not linking it! further info below), watched a documentary in German about microbes, and did the first unit of a college-level music theory course.

I LOVE LEARNING SO MUCH AHHHHH 🥰

Here's my actual learning log for the past few days:

Apr. 21 - Assimil “Kroatisch ohne Mühe” lessons 1 and 2 (passive wave).

Apr. 22 - Assimil “Kroatisch ohne Mühe” lesson 3 (passive wave). - Assimil “Le Chinois sans peine” lesson 1 (passive wave).

Apr. 23 - Khan Academy: Algebra I (unit 2) - watched some videos in Croatian - Lazy Chinese: one video - Assimil “Kroatisch ohne Mühe” lesson 4 (passive wave). - Assimil “Le Chinois sans peine” lesson 2 (passive wave).

Apr. 24 - nothing (sick)

Apr. 25 - reading: Routledge Companion to Feminism and Post-Feminism (2%) - Khan Academy: Algebra I (unit 2) - Assimil “Kroatisch ohne Mühe” lesson 5 (passive wave). - Assimil “Le Chinois sans peine” lesson 3 (passive wave).

Apr. 26 - German: watched ARTE documentary on microbes (1.5 hours) - French: read a few pages of the book Figures de la révolution africaine: de Kenyatta à Sankara by Saïd Bouamama. - Khan Academy: Algebra I (unit 2) - Assimil “Kroatisch ohne Mühe” lesson 6 (passive wave). - Assimil “Le Chinois sans peine” lesson 4 (passive wave). - Chinese: read a short beginner’s passage on LanguageCrush. - studied some history of philosophy (from the site afaik.io, which I do NOT recommend – the content appears to be entirely AI-generated and some of it contains amusing but concerning mistakes; I am definitely not going to use that site anymore) - music theory: completed Unit 1 (Basic Concepts) of the course “Music Theory for the 21st-Century Classroom” (which I do recommend; it looks incredible!)

[theillusionofpants]

Maybe the rules are different in other states, but these tiktok videos of teachers playing guessing games with their students or doing special high fives with them really creep me out. I'm talking about the videos where teachers will guess the names of their students by their voices, or make AI images of them all grown up in the jobs that the kids say they wanted.

On the surface, these seem like pretty innocent or even beneficial activities and I don't disagree. Students need to feel like they matter and these activities certainly do fulfill that socio-emotional standard. But in the state I live in, filming a minor is taken very seriously. Even for my own professional development, even to turn in videos of my own practice to state institutions, I have to get permission for every single kid to be in the room. That is a month of work at least. Each kid must take a form home, have their guardians look at it and sign it, must put that form back in their backpack, and then must remember to give it to me. ANYONE who has been in a classroom knows that this takes forever. There are kids who lose their papers, kids who forgot to tell their parents, kids who left them at home. It takes forever to get this kind of permission to take video of students. This is just for educational purposes as well. This is me turning in a video lesson plan to National Board. This is a student teacher turning in clips of their lessons to credential programs. And it SHOULD be difficult to put someone else's kid on video.

So when I see little kids being filmed for internet clout-- even while it is cute and the kids probably like the attention, for a teacher to prioritize internet clout over the safety of their students? Nah man I'm not about that. Turn your fuckin phone off and do your job. Be there for the kids without compromising their online presence.

[mariacallous]

If you drive outside the city of Campton, population less than 400, the low industrial noise of crypto mining rises from the trees. Step closer, and the source comes into view: squat metal buildings that look like shipping containers arrayed in a semicircle, thrumming with fans and processors. There’s chain-link fencing, security cameras, and two guards sitting in pickup trucks just beyond the wire.

There are steel shipping containers like this all over these hills, right where the old coal mines once stood. And inside, specialized computers race to solve complex math problems—competing to verify bitcoin transactions and earn slivers of digital currency as a reward.

For a brief moment, in 2021, it felt like the region had found its next boom—and it had Bitcoin written all over it. At its peak, Kentucky accounted for some 20 percent of the collective computing power dedicated to proof-of-work cryptocurrency mining in the US.

But booms, here, have a history. And so do busts. Local officials say it is hard to pin down the exact number of crypto mines still active in eastern Kentucky because state regulations are light and there’s a general lack of transparency in the industry. But what is clear, locals say, is that the boom has begun to recede.

“ They'd constructed on someone else's land, or they would be paying a host company to provide the physical plant,” alleges Anna Whites, a lawyer who represented a roster of crypto mining clients. “So they'd pay the down payment or they would convince the landowner to pay the down payment, and then they would mine the first three months and then they'd go into the next billing set cycle, go almost to the end of it and then disappear.”

In early 2022, when Mohawk Energy initiated a crypto mining project in Jenkins, Kentucky, local officials said this time it would be different. Cofounded by Kentucky senator Brandon Smith, Mohawk purchased a sprawling 41,000-square-foot building and the 8 acres around it. It leased most of it to a Chinese crypto mining company, and the rest of the building included classrooms and hands-on training centers that were supposed to teach locals how to repair iPads, maintain Bitcoin rigs, and build skills for a digital economy. It was a big deal for Jenkins. A local PBS station ran a story about the launch. The images showed tool kits, workers, and smiling officials.

“The plan with Mohawk was to employ retired coal miners and disabled veterans who were back in eastern Kentucky and couldn’t find work, and train them,” said Whites, who counts Mohawk as one of her clients. Among other things, the project promised near-six-figure salaries and a vow to put some of the mining proceeds into the training program, to help grow it. And for a time, it worked.

Whites said that for a brief moment—about 18 months—things looked promising. Twenty-eight families saw real gains: One person from each family landed a permanent job, and about 30 more relatives found work nearby. But when we asked where things stood now, she paused. “I believe most of them are unemployed again.”

The unraveling came quickly. The Chinese partner sued for breach of contract. Mohawk counter-sued. And the shared crypto profits never materialized. Now, as some Kentucky residents have soured on bitcoin mining, they’ve started to speak about AI data centers in the same way they used to talk about coal seams and hash rates: with a kind of cautious hope. AI, they say, could bring jobs, fiber optics, and permanence.

Colby Kirk runs a nonprofit called One East Kentucky, focused on bringing economic development to the region. He remembers the moment the conversation shifted, back in April when he was in Paducah for the Kentucky Association for Economic Development’s spring conference.

“They had some site selection consultants that were on the panel, and they were talking about data centers,” he recalls. “And they talked about this I-81 corridor up through Pennsylvania where there’s all kinds of these big data centers. And they talked about whether our communities could prepare for some of these kinds of investments? And the consultant was like, here’s kind of what it takes.”

What it takes, it turns out, is no small feat: flat land, lots of power, fiber connectivity, and a workforce that can wire and weld. As fate would have it, the number of welders in the area, according to regional economic development organization One East Kentucky, is about twice the national average, which stands to reason, because wherever there’s metal and stress—and there’s a lot of both in coal mines—welders are the people who keep it all from falling apart.

The old infrastructure is still there too; substations, hardened ground, cooling systems, and power-hungry hardware just waiting to be switched back on. “Maybe a data center or something is a part of the puzzle,” Kirk said.

So, at the conference, when the panel ended and the floor opened to questions, Kirk says he asked the one he couldn’t stop thinking about.

“You know, 50, 60 years ago it would take a room bigger than my office to power a computer, and now I've got a computer I carry around in my pocket that's more advanced than what we sent astronauts to the moon with,” he recalls asking. “Are these data centers going to keep taking up million-square-feet buildings with 30- and 40-foot ceilings, or are we gonna be left with an abundance of warehouse or industrial-scale buildings that we won't be able to keep up?”

The consultant, he claims, didn’t have a good answer. “And that’s the thing,” Kirk says. “We don’t know what the future’s going to hold when it comes to this stuff.”

That kind of ambiguity doesn’t sit well with Nina McCoy. She’s a former high school biology teacher from Inez, a coal town made famous in 1964 when President Lyndon Johnson used it to generate support for his War on Poverty.

“This is going to sound awful,” she says, “but if they're putting it here, then that means it's bad. We've lived here long enough to see that that is how it works. You put those things that you don't want in your neighborhood in a place like this.”

Her skepticism is rooted in lived experience: In October 2000, a massive coal slurry spill from a mine site upstream poisoned the Coldwater Fork stream, which runs behind her house. People in Inez couldn’t drink water from the tap for months.

“Those of us living downstream didn't hear about it for a while, but the school system had to close down for about a week until they got an alternate water source,” she says.

To this day, many in Inez still don’t trust the tap water.

So when McCoy hears the hype about AI, she hears something else: another promise that comes with a cost. “We’ve allowed these people to be called job creators,” she said. “And I don’t care if it’s AI or crypto or whatever, we bow down to them and let them tell us what they are going to do to our community because they are job creators. They’re not job creators, they’re profit makers.”

And the profit leaves a footprint.

AI data centers demand staggering amounts of energy—a ChatGPT search uses up to 10 times more energy than a regular Google one—and they run hot. To keep them cool, these facilities consume billions of gallons of water every year. Most of that evaporates, but residents are wary because they have had problems with facilities and their runoff in the past, so they worry these new facilities could affect fish and disrupt the land. The very things the residents of Kentucky hope to preserve.

Still, some locals see potential, even progress.

“AI is in everything that we do,” said Wes Hamilton, a local entrepreneur who did his fair share of crypto mining in Kentucky in its heyday. “Siri, ChatGPT, robotics—everything you can imagine has to have AI,” he said. “Bitcoin is a one-trick pony. You create it. The only person that gets paid is the owner of the machines.”

Hamilton claims there is a path forward where data centers bring in investors, engineers, maybe even companies willing to stay. All the AI people in the world would be steaming into Kentucky, Hamilton says. And while he admits to losing a fortune in crypto ventures in the past, he claims this is different.

When Bitcoin first arrived, lawmakers offered generous tax breaks to lure miners. Companies investing more than $1 million were exempted from paying sales taxes on hardware and electricity. And then, in March 2025, Kentucky governor Andy Beshear took all that and went a step further by signing a “Bitcoin Rights” bill into law.

The legislation, cast as a defense of personal financial freedom, is designed to enshrine the right to use digital assets in Kentucky. An earlier draft went further, aiming to bar local governments from using zoning laws to restrict crypto mining operations—a provision that drew resistance from environmental groups. That language was eventually tempered, but the intent remains: to signal that, in Kentucky, digital extraction can keep humming.

Which is why we found ourselves outside this facility in Campton, staring at this semicircle of metal buildings nestled in the trees. The mines run all night and all day, even Sundays. And the question some are asking now, with bitcoin hovering around $100,000 and big miners talking about pivoting to AI, is whether bitcoin mining gets a second wind in Kentucky.

Mohawk’s bitcoin mining may even make a comeback. Anna Whites said the parties are supposed to go into arbitration May 12th. “I’m hopeful,” she told us. “I’m very hopeful that they sit down and say, ‘Mighty nice plant you have there. Let’s just go ahead and turn it on.’”