A teacher friend of mine told me that this year students were different. If she asked to see a hall pass from a freshman, they'd give her the finger. They swore at her and were gen...
Talking with strangers is surprisingly informative
A meaningful amount of people’s knowledge comes from their conversations with others. The amount people expect to learn predicts their interest in having a conversation (pretests 1 and 2), suggesting that the presumed information value of conversations guides decisions of whom to talk with. The results of seven experiments, however, suggest that people may systematically underestimate the informational benefit of conversation, creating a barrier to talking with—and hence learning from—others in daily life. Participants who were asked to talk with another person expected to learn significantly less from the conversation than they actually reported learning afterward, regardless of whether they had conversation prompts and whether they had the goal to learn (experiments 1 and 2). Undervaluing conversation does not stem from having systematically poor opinions of how much others know (experiment 3) but is instead related to the inherent uncertainty involved in conversation itself. Consequently, people underestimate learning to a lesser extent when uncertainty is reduced, as in a nonsocial context (surfing the web, experiment 4); when talking to an acquainted conversation partner (experiment 5); and after knowing the content of the conversation (experiment 6). Underestimating learning in conversation is distinct from underestimating other positive qualities in conversation, such as enjoyment (experiment 7). Misunderstanding how much can be learned in conversation could keep people from learning from others in daily life.
An Adult’s Guide to Social Skills, for Those Who Were Never Taught (Published 2020)
It’s a shame so few of us are taught the basics of how to interact constructively with each other. If you never were, we’re here to help.
Small talk acts like social glue – here’s how to get better at it
Maybe think of small talk as a technology: a human invention for accomplishing social goals.
How to Give a Great Research Talk
Teachers Are Not OK
AI, ChatGPT, and LLMs "have absolutely blown up what I try to accomplish with my teaching."
'Nature' Retracts Paper on the Benefits of ChatGPT in Education
“What educators, parents and policy officials really needed was high quality data and evidence to help guide them. What they have had to deal with instead is some substandard research.”
How to turn small talk into smart conversation
Tips from a comedian and a journalist on the art of going from small talk to big ideas. Try these out at the next summer wedding reception.
What Great Listeners Actually Do
What makes a good listener? Most people think is comes down to three components: not interrupting the speaker, following along with facial expressions, and being able to repeat back almost verbatim what the speaker has just said. According to research from Zenger and Folkman, however, we’re doing it all wrong. Instead of thinking of a good listener as a sponge —absorbing everything but providing little feedback — a skilled listener should be thought of as a trampoline who amplifies and supports a speaker’s thoughts by providing constructive feedback. Engaging in a two-way conversation is essential, according to data, and Zenger and Folkman define six levels of listening, all meant to help listeners develop this skill.
Retraction Note: The effect of ChatGPT on students’ learning performance, learning perception, and higher-order thinking: insights from a meta-analysis
Humanities and Social Sciences Communications - Retraction Note: The effect of ChatGPT on students’ learning performance, learning perception, and higher-order thinking: insights from a...
Retraction Note: The effect of ChatGPT on students’ learning performance, learning perception, and higher-order thinking: insights from a meta-analysis
Humanities and Social Sciences Communications - Retraction Note: The effect of ChatGPT on students’ learning performance, learning perception, and higher-order thinking: insights from a...
Exploring Conversation Design: Applications and Benefits
Discover the what, why and how of Conversation Design, including its definition, applications, and benefits.
University students feel ‘anxious, confused and distrustful’ about AI in the classroom and among their peers
Whether students and faculty are actively using AI or not, it is having significant interpersonal, emotional effects on learning and trust in the classroom.
University students feel ‘anxious, confused and distrustful’ about AI in the classroom and among their peers
Whether students and faculty are actively using AI or not, it is having significant interpersonal, emotional effects on learning and trust in the classroom.
Good conversations have lots of doorknobs
Or "Spiderman Is My Boyfriend"
What Parents Need to Know About AI in the Classroom | Stanford HAI
From immersive learning and personalized tutors to lesson plans and grading, AI is everywhere in K-12 education.
Why Some Students Learn Faster
A hypothesis about teaching and learning
