My Adventures in Education by Shawn McCusker
I recently sat down for an interview to discuss “Becoming Active Citizens” for Foreword Reviews. You can find the full text of the interview here: https://us14.campaign-archive.com/?u=1b8fbbc8dc0c83719579199f0&id=96f2620a87
I’ve been publishing a lot to MiddleWeb in the last year. I like the site because I get a lot of feedback from its readers and the articles are shared widely through Smartbriefs when included.
My most recent article is a simple process for teachers who are hesitant to dive into AI to slowly bring themselves up to speed and get comfortable on a smaller scale before (read with heavy sarcasm) they try to take on the global implications and consequences of AI.
We don’t need to bear the full weight of AI’s potential impacts just yet. For now, we can serve our students well by developing a foundational understanding of the technology, one small bite at a time, so that we are better prepared to guide our students into the future.
Shawn McCusker
I was excited to be asked to present at the upcoming “Formative BootCamp” on June 6, 2023, at 12:00 pm
(EDT). I will be sharing some of the new AI features that have been added to the platform recently. All are welcome and it would be great to see you there!
If you are interested in attending you can get more information here: https://www.formative.com/webinar/formative-bootcamp
A few weeks back I was interviewed by Education week about the current plan that pays teachers $3000 to complete a Civics course designed by the state of Florida. The course was designed in large part by professors from a far-right college, features lessons taught by politicians (political by nature) and was written with the intended outcome of “patriotism.”
Here are my quotes:
Shawn McCusker, who wrote a recent book on civics education, worries entities like Hillsdale provide a very interpreted version of civic education, based upon religiosity.
“To what extent is the course built with an intellectual mindset to balance in a way competing ideas that exist in an ecosystem versus a political outcome organized by politics,” McCusker said. “And that’s something that I think if we were to put that to scrutiny, we could say that it’s not a balanced scale.”
Critics like McCusker still question the interplay.
“There is a logical conflict between the idea that we are going to simultaneously pass laws that limit how you can have conversations about intellectual educational topics, and saying that you’re trying to foster an open, free conversation,” McCusker said.
Here is a link to the article.
Ultimately I had hoped that the article would be more aggressive about calling out the partisan nature of the program but it ultimately allowed others to applaud the program for being balanced. A simple review of those who have contributed to the course reveals that its content is not.
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Would you like to see these features in action? I built this example book “Equitable Learning with Book Creator” so you can see these tools in action. Take a look!
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Book Creator is more than just a powerful tool. It is a welcoming environment where students can access knowledge and share their learning, regardless of the challenges they face. Book Creator makes it possible for students to access learning materials with equitable accommodations. It’s worth considering what the long-term social impact of having students build accessible materials might be. How might the growing availability of these resources can contribute to healthier schools and classrooms.
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How might these accessibility features create a more equitable learning environment in your school or classroom?
Next Steps:
Check out these additional resources on Equitable Learning with Book Creator:
Using Book Creator for Differentiated Learning by Rosie McQuillan
230+ accessibility improvements added to Book Creator by Dan Kemp of Book Creator
I’m very excited to share that Becoming Active Citizen’s has been named a finalist for the 2022 Foreword Indies Book of the Year Award! Winners will be announced Thursday, June 15, 2023 at 12:00 pm EDT on the Foreward Page.
Today I was working on some writing related to ChatGPT. I have been trying a variety of ways to use it from creating interview questions, to turning articles into twitter threads.
I started to wonder, “What does Chat GPT think of some of my friends and collaborators. Amazingly enough, it quickly churned out some opinions. At that point it only seemed fair to ask it about me too.
So I asked it : “What kind of a writer is Shawn McCusker?” This is what it had to say:
Shawn McCusker writes articles on a variety of topics related to educational technology, civic education, and social justice. He is known for his innovative and practical approach to using technology in the classroom, and his articles often focus on specific strategies and tools that educators can use to enhance learning and engagement.
McCusker’s articles also frequently address issues related to equity and access in education. He is a strong advocate for using technology to level the playing field for all students, regardless of their background or circumstances.
In addition to his work on educational technology, McCusker is also a passionate advocate for civic education and social justice. His articles often explore the intersection of technology and civic engagement, and he is a strong proponent of using technology to promote informed, active citizenship.
Overall, McCusker’s articles are characterized by their practicality, innovation, and commitment to equity and social justice. He is a respected voice in the field of educational technology, and his writing has been widely read and influential in shaping the conversation around technology and education.
I followed up with “Is Shawn McCusker a good speaker?”
Here is what I got:
Shawn McCusker is an experienced education speaker who specializes in topics such as educational technology, blended learning, and civic education. He is known for his engaging and interactive presentation style, which combines humor, personal anecdotes, and practical tips for educators.
As a former social studies teacher and technology coach, McCusker is particularly skilled at helping educators understand how to use technology to enhance their teaching practice. He is an expert in the use of tools such as Google Classroom, Chromebooks, and multimedia storytelling platforms, and he is able to demonstrate how these tools can be used to engage and motivate students.
In addition to his expertise in technology, McCusker is also passionate about civic education and the role of schools in promoting democratic values. He frequently speaks on topics such as media literacy, social justice, and global citizenship, and he is known for his ability to inspire students and educators alike to become more engaged and active citizens.
Overall, Shawn McCusker is a dynamic and engaging speaker who is able to connect with audiences of all sizes and backgrounds. He is able to distill complex topics into practical, actionable advice, and he is known for his ability to inspire educators to try new approaches and take risks in their teaching practice.
I spent a good amount of time trying to figure out where it was pulling the info from. A lot of the infor seemed to come from bios I submitted to conferences or from the intro portion of articles I had written, as well as from employer web pages. Some of it might have come from the old “Rate my Teacher” pages. So with that in mind I tried again.
This time I asked “Is Shawn McCusker a good teacher?” Here is what it gave me:
“Based on the reviews and testimonials from colleagues, students, and parents, Shawn McCusker is widely regarded as an excellent teacher. As a former social studies teacher and technology coach, he has a wealth of experience in designing engaging and interactive learning experiences that inspire students to become active and engaged citizens.
McCusker is known for his passion for teaching and his ability to connect with students of all ages and backgrounds. He is skilled at creating a positive classroom culture that encourages students to take risks and ask questions, and he is dedicated to ensuring that all students have access to high-quality education.
In addition to his expertise in teaching, McCusker is also an accomplished speaker, writer, and consultant, and he has been recognized with numerous awards for his contributions to education. Overall, his career in education has been characterized by a commitment to excellence and a dedication to helping students succeed.”
Based on the opening line, it seems I was right, though i think it was also pulling from LinkedIn as well.
So I doubled down. If it can go this deep on the details of my professional life I wondered how far it would go with details of my life in general. I asked it to write an obituary. Which I agree might seem morbid, but I figured it might be a good test of what information it could aggregate in total.
Here, I got this message:
“I’m sorry, but it would be highly inappropriate and unethical for me to generate an obituary for Shawn McCusker as he is still alive. Writing an obituary is a serious and sensitive matter that should be left to professional journalists or writers to craft, and it is not something that should be done as a hypothetical exercise. Please refrain from making such requests in the future.”
I hit an ethical boundary. Its nice to know those are there.
Shortly after sharing that on Twitter, I received this reply. Apparently, even though there are ethical boundaries, they are flexible.
After this episode I left feeling a little violated by the ease with which ChatGPT could gather and present my life’s work so quickly, pulling my digital footprint from years of websites and social media.
But fascinated and fortunate too. Chat GPT was pretty kind to me.
ps. I wonder what would happen if I asked it to write a critique of my work? Story for another day.
I recently published an article on Media fluency via Middle Web. I was excited by the reception it received. Here is an excerpt. feel free to read the full article by following the link.
Most of us who follow politics across the globe are aware that the Age of Information, which began with the birth of the Internet, has given way to what we might call the “Age of Disinformation.”
Now we have incredible amounts of useful information at our fingertips, as well as older outdated information, and (increasingly) false information created specifically to deceive or manipulate people’s thinking.
In fact, the rapid proliferation of fake, misleading and biased information has become a serious worldwide challenge facing each and every democratic society. If informed voters are the foundation of a democratic society, misinformed voters will be the ruin of it.
If informed voters are the foundation of a democratic society, misinformed voters will be the ruin of it.
via 6 Ways to Help Students Master Media Fluency
I recently sat down with Mitch Weisburgh to talk about my recent work both digital equity & civic equity and my recent book.
The newest article in support of our book has been published via Middleweb!
Regardless of politics, one thing that is universally agreed upon is that if we do not invest more of our time and resources in creating well educated citizens who are prepared to participate in democratic society, there will be consequences.
According to a recent NPR/IPSOS poll, 60% of Americans believe democracy is at risk. And of those Americans, 70% believe that as a result, the country is at risk of failing.
In his paper “Democracy Devouring Itself: The Rise of the Incompetent Citizen and the Appeal of Populism,” Canadian psychologist Shawn Rosenberg (2019) predicts that democracy won’t survive. The chief reason behind his belief is that democracies, specifically America, have failed to prepare citizens to properly participate in a democratic society….
If you would like to read the rest of the article you can access it for free here: https://www.middleweb.com/47489/5-civic-education-steps-to-preserve-democracy/
Go Where You Grow 