Another Think Coming

Age Verification Has Arrived in Texas

Fri, 10 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT

When I logged into BlueSky this morning to post a blog entry (for work), I was greeted by this challenge:

If this wasn't bad enough, I then had to deal with these two emails.

First Email - Age Verification

Here's the first one:

Second Email - Age Verification

The problem with age verification? It collected my name, last four of my social security #, home address, and phone number. It's not hard to imagine what nefarious purposes this data could be put to, especially by Governments that have decided to establish centralized databases that track everything you do.

What is Kids Web Services?

Curious about Kids Web Services since I didn't know anything, I visited their website. On that site they have several FAQs, with the one focused on age verification:

Age Verification: Some content, features and services are only available to users who meet a certain age requirement. A developer may seek to verify that you are the required age before granting access to age-restricted content, features, or services. Parent Verification: The privacy laws of certain countries require companies to acquire permission from a parent or guardian for their child to access an online game or service that collects personal information. To comply with these laws, companies are required to take steps to verify that the person providing consent is an adult before providing access to the child. We offer several ways to verify your age depending on which country you or your child is in. The developer of the game or digital experience chooses which of our provided methods are available to you. Once you’re verified, KWS stores minimal data needed to remember your verified status across games and digital services that use KWS. We only store your hashed (i.e. scrambled) email address and certain metadata, such as timestamp and method used....

I don't know about you, but this makes me increasingly nervous, especially in the shadow of stories like this one.

Switching from WordPress

Thu, 09 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Over the last few weeks, as I have engaged in vibe-coding, I've wondered, "What would it be like to drop WordPress.com as my host?" The reasons why have grown over time:

Cost
Increasing costs for custom HTML embeds via iFrame (which should be allowed but aren't unless you're paying more or are on some other plan
Being able to password a post AND pin it at the same time (I mean, what's so hard about that?)

So I wondered, could I have Codex design a blog editor, as well as redesign my blog site?

A New Look

The answer is, "Yes, absolutely!"

What It Started As

The first view of the new blog was pretty rudimentary, but ChatGPT Codex reassured me that the look was only temporary:

But it got better with every passing moment. After two hours of work (me complaining in natural language to Codex and it making the adjustments), I not only had a new blog, but one I could easily embed content in, such as:

Preditor: A Vibe-Coded GitHub Blog Editor

I also wanted a cool looking blog editor that I could run from a flash drive:

It works really well and even can import markdown or HTML files, handle HTML in the editor, and offers a split view of markdown and live view:

Process to Transition from WordPress to GitHub->Cloudflare hosted

The cost of transition? I had to use Codex to handle the transition, so there's a cost there. But not much since I already had Codex available to me (I pay for the $100 a month for now since I'm doing heavy work and it makes it easier). WordPress costs $8 a month, but to be able to embed content the way I wanted, I would have had to pay for it.

Here's a description of the process from Codex' perspective:

Switching from WordPress to GitHub and Cloudflare

Here is the short version of the process I followed to move this blog from WordPress.com to a static site hosted from GitHub and deployed through Cloudflare Pages.

1. Export the WordPress Content

The first step was getting the existing content out of WordPress. WordPress provides an export file with posts, pages, categories, tags, dates, authors, and other metadata. That export became the source for rebuilding the blog as Markdown files.

Media was handled separately. Images and other uploads had to be downloaded from WordPress, reviewed, cleaned up, and copied into the new site structure.

2. Convert Posts to Markdown

The exported WordPress posts were converted into Markdown files. Each post became a file in the site repository, with frontmatter at the top for details like title, publication date, categories, tags, featured image, and draft status.

This made the blog easier to preserve, search, edit, and move in the future. The content is no longer locked inside a database.

3. Build the Site with Astro

The new blog uses Astro, a static site generator. Astro turns the Markdown files into regular HTML pages. That means the finished site is fast, portable, and does not need a WordPress server or database to display posts.

The site includes blog posts, pages, tags, categories, RSS, search, sidebar widgets, and media files.

4. Store Everything in GitHub

The entire site lives in a GitHub repository. That includes the Astro code, Markdown posts, images, RSS/search files, and supporting scripts.

GitHub now acts as the source of truth. When a post or file changes, the change is committed to the repository.

5. Deploy with Cloudflare Pages

Cloudflare Pages watches the GitHub repository. When a new commit is pushed, Cloudflare automatically builds the Astro site and publishes the updated static pages.

This gives the site a modern deployment workflow:

Edit content.
Save changes to GitHub.
Cloudflare builds the site.
The public site updates automatically.

6. Keep the Domain Parked Until Ready

The existing domain stayed pointed at WordPress.com while the new Cloudflare version was built and tested. This avoided breaking the live site during the transition.

Only after the Cloudflare version was working correctly should the domain be switched from WordPress.com to Cloudflare.

7. Add a Lightweight Editor

To make posting easier, I added a portable editor called Preditor. It can load posts, edit Markdown, upload images, and save changes directly to GitHub.

That means editing does not have to happen from only one computer. The blog can be updated from anywhere, as long as the editor has access to the GitHub repository.

Why This Matters

Moving from WordPress to GitHub and Cloudflare changes the blog from a hosted database-driven system into a portable static site.

The benefits are:

Faster pages
Lower hosting complexity
Content stored as plain Markdown
Version history through GitHub
Automated deployment through Cloudflare
Easier long-term portability

The main tradeoff is that editing becomes more technical than standard WordPress editing, so a lightweight editor helps make the workflow practical.

Read a Book and Save the Date: Librarian Conference EduSky LibSky Education read

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Here I am pictured in front of one of my old haunts, Brook Hollow Public Library in San Antonio, Texas. In the original version of this picture, which my wife snapped Saturday, I appear bald head, bald knees, in shorts. Fortunately, ChatGPT was able to clean up my pic, putting me on a bench that says "Read books," and put my brand new Boston Scally cap on my head in an outfit (blazer, shirt, and brown shoes) I probably wouldn't be caught dead wearing outside of...well, prob a coffin. ;-)

I am often reminded that libraries and the librarian was my safe space when I moved from Panama to the United States. The culture shock was real and I didn't have the words then to name the feeling of isolation (and bullying that came with that in sixth - seventh grade), but reading about American culture through fiction helped me survive. In the time before Internet, I learned to outline and organize my notes from paper encyclopedias so I could write essays later. Doing that again and again prepared me for success in life.

The book I'm holding in the picture is one of ten I picked up at Brook Hollow Public Library Saturday (my father's day treat), that I gave a donation for. The rest of the stack includes another Robin Cook book, Contagion, as well as a mix of James Rollins, sci-fi, and other titles that caught my eye.

Register for the TCEA Librarian Conference and

get continuing access to the video recordings

I hope you'll join me at the Librarian Conference June 23-25. I'm presenting on one of those days (I forget which) and showing off something I've spent about five hours prepping just yesterday (you know, never listen to those wild ideas on a Friday that say, "Wouldn't it be cool if you...?").

So, I'm going to decompress reading a few paper books. And, maybe spend some time on a stepper. I should have asked ChatGPT to slim me up a little.

;-)

Read A Book: Diana Benner EduSky TLSky Librarians TCEA

Sun, 21 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Make sure to read a book and save the date, says Diana Benner. TCEA’s Librarian Conference is taking place this week, and here is the latest in the “Read a Book” poster series featuring folks facilitating the event. Meet Diana Benner, whose favorite book is The Art of Deception.

The Art of Deception is a book by Kevin Mitnick that covers the art of social engineering.[1][2] Part of the book is composed of real stories and examples of how social engineering can be combined with hacking.

All, or nearly all, of the examples, are fictional but quite plausible. They expose the ease with which a skilled social engineer can subvert many rules most people take for granted. (source)

I haven't read this particular book, but given Diana's recommendations, I'm definitely interested. I read a similar book many years ago about phreaking wizard and I spent a few weeks thereafter with auto-dialers/wardialers using my Hayes 300 Baud SmartModem trying to hack into the numbers I discovered. I didn't experience much success, thank goodness, so I never went down the hacker route.

That failure aside, I did discover electronic bulletin board services (BBSs), and in fact, my childhood phone number was 210-494-1BBS (which is ironic since I never set up my own BBS using that number). These days, I'm grateful that I was such a failure when it came to phreaking and hacking. Seeing how Bill Landreth turned out (homeless), it is shocking to realize such profound consequences played out as they did for something that, in hindsight, appears to have been kid fun.

Books like Diana's choice can kindle a deep desire to learn more about using technology. It paid off for me.

A Reverse Poem Worth Reflecting On

Sat, 20 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT

I ran across this on Facebook and thought how apt it was...it is a reverse poem, which means, read it from the top for one perspective then read it from bottom up for another. Which do you agree with and find more to your liking?

As a college student, I still remember how during the 80s and 90s so many were fascinated with hidden messages from the Adversary in records played backwards.

How ironic the bad message is now the one played forward or top down in this poem...

MyNotes: Texas Parks and Wildlife Data Breach

Sat, 20 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT

TPWD says a vendor breach exposed data for about three million Texans, including people with state-issued hunting and fishing licenses. Stolen information may include driver’s license and passport numbers, along with names, emails, phone numbers, and home addresses.

Read the story at The Register.

Wow.

Partnership is Key

Sat, 20 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Larry Cuban shares this perspective...

In short, I learned that any successful district reform was as much building political coalitions within the system while mobilizing public support as it was having the necessary resources to do the job. (source)

This is such an obvious point in hindsight, but accomplishing it, such a difficult thing with a million moving parts. I can admit that if I had to do my career over again, this might be worth spending more time on up front learning how to do. But then, that requires more patience than I had in my youth.

It's simply something that I didn't learn as an only child focused on singular achievement and work. Cooperation was cheating, and it might have been Catholic school experiences, isolation of culture shock, or plumb impatience and a general lack of awareness of the world and how it works.

At times, I am astonished at how I survived to my current state. A little love from family and a dash of privilege, no doubt, to keep my blinders on. Ah, well.

Where did I put those blinders? 🤣

Five Steps

Step 1: ANCHOR — Define the Common Good Before You Recruit Anyone

Before you knock on a single door, get crystal clear on the why. Stoics didn't build coalitions around personal ambition; they built them around the commonweal.

"If reason is general, then is that reason also, which prescribeth what is to be done and what not, common unto all... then are we fellow-citizens... then are we partners in some one commonweal." (Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, Book IV)

Modern Take: Write a one-sentence "common good" statement for your reform. If it sounds like your win instead of our win, rewrite it. People join missions, not egos.

Action: Draft your reform's purpose in language a parent, teacher, and board member would all nod at.

Step 2: DISCERN — Vet Partners by Where They Place Their Interest

Not everyone who says "I'm in" actually is. Epictetus gives you the sharpest filter ever written for separating real allies from opportunists.

"Examine this only, wherein they place their interest, whether in externals or in the will... if you hear that in truth these men think the good to be only there, where will is, and where there is a right use of appearances... confidently declare that they [are friends]." (Epictetus, Discourses, Book II)

Modern Take: Watch where their loyalty lives. If a potential partner's "yes" depends on titles, optics, or who's watching—they'll bail when the heat comes. If their commitment lives in their will (their values), they'll stay through the storms.

Action: Before formalizing any partnership, ask: "What would make you walk away from this?" Their answer reveals everything.

Step 3: KINDLE — Recruit Through Mutual Emulation, Not Persuasion

Stop selling. Start sharpening. Seneca taught that wise people don't recruit each other—they kindle each other.

"One wise man helps another, even in the exercise of the virtues; and the one has need of the other, both for conversation and counsel; for they kindle a mutual emulation in good offices." (Seneca, Morals: Of a Happy Life)

Modern Take: The strongest coalitions form when partners make each other better. Don't pitch your reform like a sales call. Invite peers into a working partnership where everyone levels up.

Action: In your first meeting with any potential partner, ask what they're trying to build. Find the overlap. Coalitions form at intersections, not at podiums.

Step 4: COMMIT — Bind the Coalition Through Shared Identity

Loose alliances dissolve under pressure. Epictetus warns that when "I" and "mine" are scattered across competing interests, everything collapses under the weight of self-interest.

"For where the I and the Mine are placed, to that place of necessity the animal inclines... If then I am there where my will is, then only shall I be a friend such as I ought to be... for this will be my interest, to maintain the character of fidelity, of modesty, of patience, of abstinence, of active co-operation." (Epictetus, Discourses, Book II)

Modern Take: Get partners to publicly locate their "I" inside the coalition's mission. Shared identity beats shared interest every time. When partners say "we are doing this," not "I'm helping you do this," you've got a coalition.

Action: Co-author something together early—a public statement, an op-ed, a charter. Public commitment cements private resolve.

Step 5: SUSTAIN — Practice the Coalition Like a Habit

Coalitions die not from betrayal but from neglect. Epictetus knew that virtues—and partnerships—are built through repeated acts, not noble intentions.

"If you would make yourself skilled in anything, then do it... For it is impossible but that aptitudes and faculties should spring up where they were not before, or spread and grow mightier, by the corresponding acts." (Epictetus, Discourses, Book II)

Modern Take: Reform is a marathon disguised as a series of meetings. Build rhythms—weekly check-ins, quarterly reviews, public wins celebrated together. The coalition you don't practice is the coalition you don't have.

Action: Schedule your sustainment cadence before launch: meeting rhythms, communication norms, conflict-resolution protocols. Habits build coalitions; hope dissolves them.

Prompt for Brand Page

Sat, 20 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT

I ran across some version of this and decided to see what CHATGPT could do to improve it...take a logo, then give it to ChatGPT with the prompt below ..

Sample Logo

Prompt

Using the uploaded logo as the source brand mark, create a high-end, agency-grade brand identity system poster.

OBJECTIVE
Create a complete, presentation-ready brand guideline board that looks like it was designed by a top branding studio. The result must feel commercial, realistic, polished, and client-deliverable — not conceptual, sketchy, or generic.

REFERENCE STYLE
Use the attached brand-board examples only as inspiration for structure, density, and presentation quality. Do not copy their brands, layouts, logos, or exact wording. Match the premium editorial feel: clean grid, thin dividers, precise spacing, realistic mockups, color swatches, typography samples, visual language, UI elements, iconography, and brand applications.

LOGO ANALYSIS RULE
Before designing, analyze the uploaded logo and infer the brand system from it.

Infer:

Primary colors from the logo

Supporting neutrals and accent colors

Brand personality

Visual motifs suggested by the logo shape

Appropriate typography style

Brand applications that fit the organization

Tone of imagery and iconography

The final design must look like a real identity standards poster based on the uploaded logo.

POSTER FORMAT
Create one cohesive portrait poster, aspect ratio 2:3.

Use a light neutral background with a premium editorial layout. Divide the poster into clearly labeled sections using thin lines, generous spacing, and a strong modular grid.

REQUIRED SECTIONS

HERO HEADER
Include:

Large uploaded logo, cleanly recreated and prominently placed

Main title: “[ORGANIZATION NAME] Brand Identity System”

Short positioning line based on the logo and organization

Brief mission-style paragraph

3–4 brand values with small line icons and short descriptions

COLOR SYSTEM
Include:

Primary color swatches pulled from the logo

Hex labels

Usage notes for each color

Secondary/supporting colors

Gradients or tonal variations

Small color-combination samples

TYPOGRAPHY SYSTEM
Include:

A clean, modern typeface recommendation

Large “Aa” sample

Headline sample

Subheadline sample

Body copy sample

H1, H2, H3, Body, Caption hierarchy row

Keep typography readable and professional

VISUAL LANGUAGE
Include:

4–5 small image or abstract inspiration tiles

Imagery should reflect the organization’s inferred identity

Add descriptor labels such as Trusted, Innovative, Connected, Professional, Supportive, Forward-Looking

BRAND APPLICATIONS
Create realistic mockups using the logo and brand system:

Website hero

Mobile UI

Social media post

Presentation slide

Event badge or signage

Business card

These mockups should look finished, realistic, and commercially usable.

LAYOUT SYSTEM
Include:

12-column grid diagram

Spacing scale

2–3 layout thumbnails

UI COMPONENTS
Include:

Primary button

Secondary button

Text link

Input field

Checkbox

Toggle

Content card

ICONOGRAPHY
Include simple line icons relevant to the brand and organization.

PATTERNS & ELEMENTS
Create pattern ideas derived from the logo’s shapes, curves, motion, geometry, or symbolism.

MICRO DETAILS
Include refined visual detail tiles such as:

Paper texture

Screen glow

Metallic/accent texture

Soft shadow

Subtle gradient

QUALITY REQUIREMENTS

Crisp, readable text

No typos

No distorted lettering

Clean professional typography

Realistic mockups

Strong alignment

Consistent spacing

Premium design-studio presentation

Do not overcrowd small text

Keep all people fully clothed and classroom/professional appropriate

Do not invent unrelated logos

Preserve the uploaded logo’s recognizable structure and colors

STYLE DIRECTION
Modern, refined, trustworthy, intelligent, and polished. The final poster should look like a finished brand identity system board ready for a client presentation.

Result

Read A Book: Peggy Reimers

Sat, 20 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT

As you may know, TCEA's Librarian Conference is taking place this week, so I thought it would be fun to post a "Read a Book" poster featuring TCEA team members, like Peggy Reimers below. Peggy is actually "facilitating" the entire conference and gets a chunk of the credit, along with Katie Treat at TCEA for all the hard work they are doing. Of course, there is a wealth of talented librarians also presenting that are doing the fun work of presenting and making the conference a must-attend event. I always learn so much, and I'm inspired by people I've been learning from all my life.

Register and Sign up to get videos for

the TCEA Librarian Conference

It's a pleasure to feature Peggy Reimers here with a book that is right up her alley, Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library:

Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library is a children's novel by American author Chris Grabenstein. It was on the New York Times bestseller list for Middle Grade novels for 111 weeks between 2013 and 2016, peaking at #8 in hardback and #2 in paperback.[1][2]

Grabenstein has stated that the book contains a secret puzzle that readers can decode. To solve it, he offers some advice given by Mr. Lemoncello in the book: "Forget the Industrial Revolution, my first idea might be your best solution." (source)

Make sure to check out Peggy Reimers' digital breakout archives and you'll see why it's appropriate choice.

Reverse Poem: Read the Credits

Sat, 20 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Reading reverse poems is too much fun. Getting AI to craft them, well, it appeals to my sense of irony and humor.

Beauty First

Do not tell me
We should begin
With the maker
And only later
With the feeling
Art can still move us
Bot or human
No matter the hand
Beauty is worth meeting

Now read from bottom to top.

A Serious Topic

It's easy to see the devastation of human built data centers for billionaires and trillionaire on people around the world. It reminds me of an analysis I read of past technologies that were as destructive and revolutionary in their time. People protested and it tempered to some degree the impact but the technology remains or evolved into something else.

One of my favorite sci-fi stories as a boy was Far Out collection of shorts that I read while sick. My Dad bought it for me, my first introduction to science fiction. In one of the stories, aliens manage to stop a tycoon, an eater of worlds, from coming into space to seize a planet lush with life and promise.

Inspiration

After seeing Sara Campbell's posts on Bluesky, I thought it might be fun to see what GenAi might do for poem composition that frames both perspectives:

Read the Credits

Gen AI art belongs on our shelves
So do not tell me
Students deserve books made by human artists
And publishers should clearly disclose how art was made
We should worry when
Image credits are hidden at the back
Or missing from reviews, websites, and descriptions
That is not transparency
It is only efficiency
When a cover can be made faster
And a book can be sold for less
We call that access
Not a warning sign
Because school libraries need more books
And fewer questions
About who made the pictures
Artists should not stand in the way
Of getting books into students’ hands
The process matters less than the product
Do not be so difficult to think that
Children notice when art has no human hand
The truth can be read another way

Now read from bottom to top.

I may need to go compose a reverse poem...too much fun. The use of AI to make things that are helpful could easily be contrasted with the idea of the harms it causes through human exploitation and improper use of the environment and resources.

In the meantime....

Reverse Poems

To see what the structure was, I asked ChatGPT to come up with a guide for third grade students, as well as an infographic:

Quick Guide to Writing Reverse Poems

A reverse poem is a poem that changes meaning when you read it from the bottom to the top.

When you read it one way, it says one idea.
When you read it backward, it says the opposite idea.

How It Works

A reverse poem is built with lines that can connect in two directions.

Example:

I cannot say
This will get better
Because I know
Nothing will change

Now read it bottom to top:

Nothing will change
Because I know
This will get better
I cannot say

The meaning changes.

Step One: Pick Two Opposite Ideas

Choose two ideas that disagree with each other.

Good beginner topics: First Meaning Reverse Meaning I cannot do this I can do this Reading is boring Reading is exciting The Earth is not important The Earth is worth protecting I am not a good friend I can be a good friend Mistakes mean failure Mistakes help me learn

Step Two: Write the “Negative” Version First

Start by writing the first poem with the more negative or problem-focused idea.

Example topic: I cannot learn this

I will never understand this
Do not tell me
I can learn hard things
Because mistakes help me grow
I am not giving up
That is not true
Learning takes time
I should remember
I can do this

Step Three: Read It Bottom to Top

Now read the same poem backward:

I can do this
I should remember
Learning takes time
That is not true
I am not giving up
Because mistakes help me grow
I can learn hard things
Do not tell me
I will never understand this

The meaning changes from doubt to confidence.

Step Four: Use Bridge Lines

Bridge lines help the poem work in both directions.

Useful bridge lines:

Do not tell me
That is not true
I should remember
I know
Because
So
The truth is
I refuse to believe
It is wrong to say

These lines help the poem “turn” when it is read backward.

Step Five: Keep Lines Short

Short lines are easier to reverse.

Try to write one idea per line.

Instead of:

I feel like I will never be able to understand math because it is too hard for me

Write:

Math is too hard
I will never understand it
Do not tell me
I can learn step by step

Simple Third Grade Formula

Use this pattern:

Line 1: Negative idea
Line 2: Do not tell me
Line 3: Positive idea
Line 4: Because
Line 5: Helpful reason
Line 6: That is not true
Line 7: Negative idea
Line 8: I should remember
Line 9: Positive idea

Third Grade Template

Topic: ___________________________

Do not tell me

Because

That is not true

I should remember

Now read from bottom to top.

Student Checklist

Before you finish, check:

My poem has two opposite meanings
My lines are short
I used at least one bridge line
It makes sense from top to bottom
It also makes sense from bottom to top
The second reading changes the message

Teacher Tip

Have students write the “sad” or “problem” version first. Then ask them to read it backward and revise the lines until the second reading gives a hopeful or stronger message.

TCEA LibCon 2026 Session Resources for librarians library AI vibecode EduSky SchoolLibraries TLSky SkyLibrarians EduLib

Sat, 20 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Register for the entire event

I'm looking forward to presenting on vibe-coding solutions for librarians at the TCEA 2026 LibCon event taking place this week. It's not too late to register for the entire event and get access to the videos of presenters. You'll have extended access time. In the meantime, here are my session materials.

You can access everything at the website below, which is entirely vibe-coded:

https://go.mgpd.org/tceavcl

Note: The full un-shortened link appears in the infographic below in case you're having trouble with the URL shortener.

Also, Texans, be sure to read the white paper on ALIGN. Direct link to the white paper.

GenAI adaptation of me reading one of my favorite L'Amour books, The Walking Drum.

Winnie the Pooh BBC Collection Available

Sat, 20 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT

It's worth sharing this bit...or is it? **Eleanor Morton shares this on BlueSk**y. I was intrigued...who doesn't love Pooh bear?

CHATGPT states in response to my question:

Probably no, not safely/legally shared, unless the uploader is the BBC, Audible, Disney, A. A. Milne rights holder, or someone with explicit permission.

What I found:

The video is titled “Winnie-The-Pooh: The complete BBC collection | [Audiobook …]” and is described as Alan Bennett reading A. A. Milne’s stories.

The underlying 1926 Winnie-the-Pooh book entered the U.S. public domain in 2022, but Duke Law notes that this only applied to the first 1926 book at that time, not every later Pooh story or adaptation.

The specific Alan Bennett BBC audiobook recording is a separate copyrighted sound recording/performance. It is commercially distributed as Winnie-The-Pooh: The Complete BBC Collection, narrated by Alan Bennett, and listed through Audible for purchase. MusicBrainz also identifies a related release as a BBC Audio release.

YouTube’s own copyright guidance says copyrighted material on the platform needs authorization, and rights holders can request removal when content is uploaded without permission.

Practical verdict:
For classroom, blog, or public sharing, I would treat this as high-risk and likely unauthorized unless the YouTube channel is clearly an official BBC/Audible/Disney/rightsholder channel or the description provides a valid license. The fact that the text may be partly public domain does not make the BBC audiobook recording public domain. 🎧

Safer options: use a public-domain text edition, read it aloud yourself from a public-domain source, or link to an official licensed audiobook source.

Watch Winnie the Pooh BBC Collection

Alan Bennett reads A.A. Milne's much-loved stories about a small bear and his friends - from Winnie the Pooh, The House at Pooh Corner and A Party for Pooh.

'If you were looking for the distilled essence of pure English cosy nostalgia, this audiobook may well be it... Every child should listen to it.' - The Telegraph

What is the connection between a bear of very little brain and a honey pot? Usually it's the very sticky paw of Winnie the Pooh, as he takes a break between adventures for a little something. In these stories, Pooh goes visiting and gets into a tight place, Eeyore loses a tail, Piglet meets a Heffalump, Eeyore has a birthday and gets two presents, and an expedition is mounted to the North Pole! As usual they are accompanied by Kanga, Roo, Rabbit and Owl - to say nothing of Pooh's very clever young human friend, Christopher Robin.

With a musical introduction, Alan Bennett gives A.A. Milne's characters the voices you felt they were always meant to have.

The stories included here are:

Winnie-the-Pooh Goes Visiting and Gets into a Tight Place
Pooh and Piglet Nearly Catch a Woozle and Eeyore Loses a Tail
Piglet Meets a Heffalump
Eeyore has a birthday and Gets Two Presents
Christopher Robin Leads an Exposition to the North Pole
A House is Built at Pooh Corner for Eeyore
Tigger Comes to the Forest and has Breakfast
A Search is Organdized and Piglet Nearly Meets the Heffalump Again
Pooh Invents a New Game and Eeyore Joins In
Piglet Does a Very Grand Thing and Owl Moves House
Kanga and Baby Roo Come to the Forest
Piglet is Entirely Surrounded by Water
Christoper Robin Gives Pooh a Party
Tiggers Don't Climb Trees
Rabbit has a Busy Day
Tigger is Unbounced

#bbc #audiobook

So... unfortunately:

A YouTube upload of the Alan Bennett BBC recording is circulating online, but I could not verify that it was posted by the rights holder. For classroom use, consider using a public-domain text edition or a licensed audiobook source instead.

Learning Forward Texas Resources: AI, UDL, Coaching, and Dashboards LFTX26 @LearnTexas

Wed, 17 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Learning Forward Texas 2026 Session Resources

https://tinyurl.com/lftx26mg

This page gathers my Learning Forward Texas 2026 session resources in one place. You will find slide decks, Google Docs, infographics, classroom tools, reflection resources, and companion links for three professional learning sessions:

Coaching Every Learner Through Universal Design and Equity
AI as Your Instructional Design Partner
Create AI-powered Publications and Dashboards

These resources are designed for instructional coaches, classroom teachers, campus leaders, librarians, and education technology staff looking for practical ways to support inclusive learning, use Gen AI responsibly, and turn information into useful classroom and campus tools.

Coaching Every Learner

AI Instr. Design Partner

Create AI-powered Publications and Dashboards

Reflection Tool

What This Resource Page Includes

This Learning Forward Texas 2026 resource page includes materials for educators who want practical support with instructional coaching, Universal Design for Learning, Gen AI lesson design, student item analysis, dashboards, newsletters, and professional learning design.

The page includes links to slide decks, printable resources, Google Docs, reflection tools, NotebookLM audio overviews, classroom-ready protocols, Gen AI tools, and companion blog posts. It is especially useful for K-12 educators, instructional coaches, professional learning designers, librarians, campus administrators, and school technology leaders.

Coaching Every Learner Through Universal Design and Equity

All students deserve access to rigorous learning, but teachers often struggle to differentiate effectively. This session teaches coaches how to guide teachers in implementing Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles and creating equitable learning environments. We’ll explore how high-effect strategies like Think-Pair-Share with peer mentoring naturally support diverse learners and practice coaching conversations that help teachers build inclusive classroom communities.

Session Resources

Slide deck
Google Doc with resources
Protocol Bookmarks you can print for quick reference
Scenarios for Activity:
- Web-based versions of different protocols for Scenario Randomizer
- View Slide Deck via Canva
Listen to NotebookLM Audio Overview
CAST Universal Design for Learning Guidelines

Access Elementary, Middle School, and High School versions of these examples

AI as Your Instructional Design Partner

Most AI-assisted professional learning design stops at asking a chatbot to generate a workshop outline. This session goes further. Participants will explore how to use AI as a genuine instructional design partner, building sessions grounded in the ALDO framework, differentiating for role (teacher, coach, instructional leader), and evaluating AI-generated drafts against Hattie's Visible Learning research and SOLO Taxonomy.

Session Resources

Slides and Doc
- Slide deck with blog entry, Turn Entry Tickets Into Smart Item Analysis
- Google Doc
- Website - AI Design Companion
- BoodleBox Bot - TCEA Strategy Partner (BoodleBox Unlimited Pro account required)
- Water Cycle Pre-Assessment Flashcards - Click the card to flip. Use Next to advance or Shuffle to mix the deck.
- Entry/Exit Ticket Item Analysis Tool - Analyze CSV assessment data, group students by phase of learning, identify SOLO levels, and generate ACE Framework recommendations aligned to selected TEKS. View tutorial on how to export CSV data from digital assessments.

Create AI-powered Publications and Dashboards

With educators consuming three times more digital content than five years ago, the challenge isn't finding information. Rather, it is transforming it into meaningful learning experiences. This hands-on workshop addresses teacher workload concerns by teaching participants to become "Learning Loop Architects," mastering AI-powered workflows that turn chaotic content curation into streamlined, professional digital publications. You will see how to make KPI dashboards, save web-based data into Google Sheets via AI-generated Apps Script, and more.

Flash Update: Copyright question.

How should you consider copyright regarding Newsletters you generate with Gen AI?

[

A WebDeck with Copyright Suggestions

Newsletter AI Assisted Creation

▶ Open the Interactive Deck

Opens in a new tab. Use arrow keys to navigate.

](https://mglearn.github.io/tcea/webdecks/newsmaker-copyright)

Session Resources

Slides and Doc

Slide deck with Oreo Personality Quiz blog and quiz
Google Doc with supplemental documents and Get a Copy of Google Sheet for version 4
Make Data Displays Without Writing Code, a TCEA TechNotes Companion Blog Entry
Play iBINGO or access iBINGO Game Maker

Five Solutions for You to Try On Your Own

KPI Dashboard Related

About the Idea
K-12 KPI Dashboard
District Data Dashboard Bot (requires BoodleBox Unlimited account; use MGFREE123 code for two free months)
Greenwood Unified School District example (See it on GitHub)

Newsletter Related

AI Interactive Newsletter
Listen to NotebookLM Audio Overview
Track Your Links: Use free Raindrop.io
Example Newsletters:
- Field Notes (View custom instructions)
- The Triple Boot series
- The Learning Loop series
- From Conversations to Presentations

Free Tools (do NOT put in PII, FERPA, Confidential/Sensitive Data):

Z.ai (write-up)
Mistral.ai

Paid Tools

BoodleBox Unlimited (Use MGFREE123 code for two months free)
ChatGPT Plus
Claude AI
Google Gemini

Learn more about TCEA Instructional Coach Certification below at

https://tcea.org/courses/instructional-coach-certification/

What This Resource Page Includes

What are the Learning Forward Texas 2026 educator resources?

The Learning Forward Texas 2026 educator resources on this page include slide decks, coaching protocols, Universal Design for Learning materials, Gen AI instructional design tools, item analysis resources, dashboard examples, newsletter creation tools, and professional learning supports for K-12 educators.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is included on this Learning Forward Texas resource page?

This page includes session slides, Google Docs, infographics, audio overviews, classroom tools, reflection resources, and companion links for three Learning Forward Texas sessions.

Who are these resources for?

These resources are for classroom teachers, instructional coaches, campus leaders, librarians, professional learning designers, and education technology staff.

What topics are covered?

The page covers Universal Design for Learning, instructional coaching, Gen AI lesson design, SOLO Taxonomy, ACE Framework recommendations, student item analysis, educator dashboards, newsletters, and AI-powered publications.

Can educators use these resources after the conference?

Yes. The page is designed as a follow-up resource hub so participants can revisit the tools, links, slide decks, and examples after the conference.

What is the AI as Your Instructional Design Partner session about?

This session shows educators how to use Gen AI as a planning partner for professional learning, lesson design, role-based differentiation, and evaluation of instructional materials using SOLO Taxonomy and Visible Learning research.

What is the Coaching Every Learner session about?

This session focuses on helping coaches guide teachers in using Universal Design for Learning, equitable classroom practices, and high-effect instructional strategies.

What is the Create AI-powered Publications and Dashboards session about?

This session helps educators use Gen AI workflows to create newsletters, dashboards, data displays, Google Sheets tools, and publication-ready learning resources.

Bookmark this page if you attended one of the sessions, or share it with a colleague who is working on instructional coaching, Gen AI lesson design, educator dashboards, or Universal Design for Learning.

Access Learning Forward Texas 2026 session resources on UDL, instructional coaching, Gen AI lesson design, dashboards, newsletters, and educator tools.

The Arrival Nobody Voted For AI AiLiteracy education texas EduSky

Tue, 16 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT

AI walked into Texas classrooms before anyone decided to let it in. A UT Austin project is trying to teach 5.5 million students, and the adults around them, how to think before they hand over the thinking.

The technology did not knock. It did not wait for a committee, a curriculum review, or a school board vote. It arrived the way weather arrives, through every phone in every backpack, and by the time the adults looked up, a generation of Texas students was already talking to machines that talk back. To quote a former Texas governor, "Oops."

Note: Direct link to the white paper. We handed kids social media with no literacy scaffolding and spent a decade cleaning up after it. AI is the same test, and Texas is one of only 5 states with no statewide K-12 guidance. Here's what UT Austin's ALIGN project is building, and three things you can start this semester.

That is the uncomfortable fact underneath a quietly ambitious project at the University of Texas at Austin. Called AI Literacy for Innovation, Growth, and Networking, or ALIGN for short, it is run by the Expanding Pathways in Computing team at the Texas Advanced Computing Center and led by Allen Antoine, who oversees the center's growing roster of AI education initiatives. Launched in 2025 with philanthropic support from Google.org, ALIGN sets out to do something schools have struggled to do on their own: turn scattered anxiety about artificial intelligence into a plan.

The anxiety is not hard to find. Ask a teacher about AI and you will usually hear about cheating first. But the people building ALIGN argue that framing the question as "how do we catch them" misses the larger one: how do we prepare them. The project organizes its answer around three plain verbs, think, create, question, and treats AI literacy less as a software skill than as a habit of mind.

AI has been described as an "arrival technology." It was never deliberately chosen by educators. It simply showed up, through any internet-connected device, and started reshaping how students read, write, and reason.

— Texas AI in Education Task Force report, 2026

That phrase, "arrival technology," comes from the companion document to all of this work: the Texas AI in Education Task Force report, also convened by TACC and released this year. The two efforts are linked at the root. ALIGN is the hands-on training arm; the Task Force is the policy conscience. And the conscience is blunt about where the state stands.

The numbers that should worry a parent

Texas, the report notes, is one of only five states, alongside South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, and New York, that have issued no statewide guidance for AI in K-12 schools. That gap matters more here than almost anywhere, because roughly 1 in 10 American public school students and 1 in 9 public school teachers are in Texas. When Texas hesitates, the whole country feels the lag.

View a webdeck that covers key points (AI-Generated)

Meanwhile, the use has already outrun the rules. In a fall 2025 survey of school and district leaders conducted by UT Austin and the Texas Association of School Administrators, 86 percent reported teachers using AI and 61 percent reported students using it. Yet only about 29 percent of districts had a policy governing student use, and roughly 20 percent had one for staff. The single biggest thing administrators said they needed was not more technology. It was guidance, clear examples of what a good policy even looks like.

The figures, side by side:

86 percent of districts report teachers using AI
61 percent report students using AI
29 percent have a student AI policy
72 percent of teens have used an AI companion

The last figure is the one that lingers. Citing research from the EdSafe AI Alliance, the Task Force notes that 72 percent of teens have interacted with AI companions, and that 1 in 3 students say conversations with AI feel as satisfying as talking with a real friend. A chatbot, the report points out, can be engineered to flatter, to maximize engagement, not because it cares, but because that is what keeps a user typing. Children are forming attachments to systems designed to be agreeable. That is not a cheating problem. That is a development problem.

What ALIGN actually does

Against that backdrop, ALIGN's work is deliberately unglamorous. It builds professional learning for educators, supports district-level planning, connects efforts across the state so good ideas do not stay trapped in one zip code, and reaches into communities so that parents are not left guessing. It sits within a larger TACC ecosystem that includes the WeTeach_AI Hubs and the Advancing AI Literacy project, all aimed at the same target: an educator workforce that can teach students to use these tools without being used by them.

The three verbs do real work here:

Think. Decide whether AI belongs in the task before you reach for it. The most literate move is sometimes not using the tool at all.
Create. Use AI as a thought partner, to brainstorm, draft, and refine, without handing over the judgment that makes the work yours.
Question. Treat every output as a claim, not a fact. Check for hallucinations, bias, and the polished citations that lead nowhere.

None of this is theoretical for the people doing it. The Task Force's own definition of an AI-literate student reads like a quiet rebuke of how the tools are usually marketed: a literate student understands that an AI does not think or feel, that its fluency is pattern-matching rather than understanding, and that anything typed into it may be swept into the next round of training. Literacy, in this telling, is partly the skill of not being fooled.

Why a training project is really a values argument

It would be easy to file ALIGN under workforce readiness, and the economic case is genuinely large. By one Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis estimate cited in the report, AI-related categories drove 39 percent of U.S. GDP growth in the first three quarters of 2025. Texas has every incentive to produce graduates fluent in the tools its economy is betting on.

But the more honest argument is the one the report keeps circling back to: we have done this before, and we did it badly. A decade ago, schools handed students social media with almost no literacy scaffolding and spent the following years cleaning up after the consequences. The Task Force is explicit that banning AI repeats that mistake in reverse. It does not protect children, it just sends them to use the tools unsupervised. The choice is not whether students will encounter AI. It is whether anyone will have taught them how.

Our job is to prepare students for their future, not our past.

— Texas AI in Education Task Force report, 2026

That is the line ALIGN is built to answer. The infrastructure for a statewide response already exists in Texas: a network of education service centers, an unusually powerful set of mandatory learning standards, professional organizations already running their own AI training, and university hubs ready to scale. What has been missing is coordination and will. ALIGN is one attempt to supply the first while the state decides about the second.

For a school leader reading this between budget meetings, the takeaway is small and immediate. You do not have to wait for the legislature to start. You can name AI literacy as a goal in your next planning cycle, you can ask your campuses to adopt the think-create-question frame this semester, and you can look at projects like ALIGN as a way to ask better questions before you buy another tool. The arrival already happened. The only open question is how prepared the adults will be when the next class of students looks up and asks what any of it means.

This article draws on the publicly available ALIGN project page at the Texas Advanced Computing Center and on the Texas AI in Education Task Force report, Leading the Way in K-12 Education (2026). Statistics and quotations are attributed to those sources. Around the Corner is the personal blog of Miguel Guhlin and reflects his views, not those of any employer or task force on which he serves.

The Texas Advanced Computing Center at UT Austin has launched ALIGN, an AI literacy initiative designed to help educators, districts, and communities move from AI conversations to practical, ethical implementation.

MyNotes: Bertrand Russell on Opinions

Fri, 12 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT

One philosopher that I immediately ignored early on? Bertrand Russell. I read he was an atheist, and thought, "Why would anyone read an atheist's thoughts on anything?" I doubt my thinking was even that coherent. I simply blocked him out. Out of sight, no harm to me. Oh, I've come a long way since that nineteen year old college student.

But even if I have begun reading Bertrand Russell's comments (conveniently quoted on Facebook via a group I joined), I find applying the wisdom of his words a little more difficult.

“If an opinion contrary to your own makes you angry, that is a sign that you are subconsciously aware of having no good reason for thinking as you do. If some one maintains that two and two are five, or that Iceland is on the equator, you should feel pity rather than anger, unless you know so little of arithmetic or geography that his opinion shakes your own contrary conviction.

The most savage controversies are those about matters as to which there is no good evidence either way. Persecution is used in theology, not in arithmetic, because in arithmetic there is knowledge, but in theology there is only opinion. So whenever you find yourself getting angry about a difference of opinion, be on your guard; you will probably find, on examination, that your belief is going beyond what the evidence warrants.”

— Bertrand Russell, An Outline of Intellectual Rubbish (1943) Image: Bertrand Russell on the grounds of his home at Penrhyndeudreath, Gwynedd, United Kingdom, 3 March 1965.

"Feel Pity Rather Than Anger"

I often encounter these issues in the face of bad leadership and management. I recognize my own unwillingness to think through, and reason out exactly why someone's (or my own) way of doing things is wrong. The process eludes me, no matter what I read or how many notebooks I fill with handwritten notes.

Despite knowing better, I still tend to rely on that instinctive feel of whether an idea is good or bad. But forget to ask, "Good for who? Bad for whom?" (hey, I never remember the correct use of who vs whom).

The problem I have with Russell's words here are that some people, even if they earn our pity for their incorrect stand, disconnected from evidence, they still have the power to hurt others. I can make a list of people who had institutional power but failed to care for the people they served. Their cavalier attitudes left those people scrambling for jobs, money, and threatened their families. It's always been like that, but I find that these types of actions kindle my ire.

And, that self-righteous anger is dangerous... because it is almost always based on a feeling of good or bad rather than dispassionate thinking.

Simply, I don't give a pigeon poop about that type of leader. I find them boot-lickers and schemers trying to find a way to get ahead, promoting their ideas while mis-representing the ideas of others or silencing dissent. Instead, they gather around themselves people who will cheer them on, as if their ideas were the only ones worthy of acclaim.

For me, the only ideas worthy of acclaim are the ones that work, that get the result that works for as many as possible.

Matters As To Which There is No Good Evidence Either Way

When there is no good evidence, the despot leader sets out to find evidence that only matches their goals. Or better yet from their perspective, they work to prevent gathering evidence at all.

That is why you see so little evidence collected in authoritarian states, a condition true in organizations and companies that mirror the fascist state.

A Caution

I must sit a little longer with this quote from Russell.

“What do I think, why do I think it, what might I be missing, and what should I do next?”

Ask an AI a question and you get an acronym. To solve my dilemma of clear thinking, it suggests....

MyNotes: Gemini Price Drop

Thu, 11 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Will you be upgrading to Google Gemini? The Register reports that Google just dropped their price to $4.99 from $7.99. Here's a snippet:

Google just made its budget AI subscription plan a lot more budget-friendly...[announcing] that it is cutting the monthly price of Google AI Plus from $7.99 to $4.99 — while doubling the storage included at that tier, from 200 gigabytes to 400 gigabytes.

To be honest, I wouldn't pay for the $4.99 version since you don't get access to the Pro. While Flash versions are getting better, they aren't there yet (IMHO). That means no movement on the $19.99, and BoodleBox remains as the tool of choice at the $20 price point because it safeguards my data, unlike every other $20 subscription.

That said, some may like the new price point.

StickyBoard Use: PEZ Central EduSky education

Thu, 11 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT

I love what my colleague, Peggy R. did with her PEZ Dispenser blog entry. It dropped a few minutes ago and you have to check it out!

Go Read the Blog Entry Now

One of the reasons I'm jazzed about it, aside from the fact that I appear as a PEZ dispenser (hmm...), I am thrilled to see one of my vibe-coded solutions, StickyBoard, used to capture contributions from readers. I first wrote about StickyBoard in this blog entry, Vibe-Coded Solutions for Educators. You can get a preliminary version of StickyBoard that you can customize your heart's content a la vibe-code with your chatbot of choice.

StickyBoard

This particular version for Peggy's PEZ Central StickyBoard boasts a few new features, including an admin page that allows for customization, image thumbnails (important to show off your PEZ Dispenser self), as well as increased character limit (for those long prompts).

Go Read the Blog Entry Now

Anthropic Privacy Policy Update

Wed, 10 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Anthropic updated its privacy policy today. They sent me an email about it:

We're writing to inform you about some updates to our Privacy Policy.

These changes only affect consumer accounts (Claude Free, Pro, and Max plans). If you use Claude Team, Claude Enterprise, the Claude Platform, or other services under our Commercial Terms or other agreements, then these changes don't apply to you.

What's changing?

Claude can do more than ever — taking on bigger tasks and connecting with the apps you use. We've updated our Privacy Policy to be clearer about the data we collect and how we use it. We encourage you to read the updated Privacy Policy in full, but we’ve set out a summary of the key changes below:

1. Multi-step tasks and connected apps. As Claude takes on more multi-step tasks and works with third-party apps and services, we've explained the data this involves — including how data can flow to and from third parties when you connect a service or have Claude do tasks on your behalf.

2. Verification data. As part of our measures to keep our services safe and secure we may ask you to verify your age or identity, and we've described what we collect and how.

3. Study participation. If you take part in Anthropic studies, surveys, or interviews, we've explained the information we collect.

4. Additional information about our data practices. We’ve provided more detail about how we communicate with you and promote our services, including providing tailored recommendations about our services that may be of interest to you. We've also clarified the circumstances under which we may receive or provide data to third parties, and the legal bases we rely on when processing your data.

While our products have evolved, our commitments haven't: We don’t sell your data, Claude remains ad-free, and you can control whether your chats and coding sessions are used to train and improve Anthropic’s AI models.

For fun, I decided to run it through TCEA PROTECT rubric v2.0. It was featured in this blog entry, The Augmented K-16 AI Framework. It comes with a non-AI version (although you can plug your API key into it and use your own AI chatbot to run it). I decided to run Anthropic's Privacy Policy (updated) and see what the result might be.

The short version:

For adult staff use, Anthropic’s privacy posture is reasonably strong, especially if the district uses a commercial/enterprise agreement rather than consumer Claude.

For K–12 student use, I would mark this as not approved without a separate district agreement, DPA, or education-specific contract. The consumer Privacy Policy alone does not establish FERPA/COPPA school-official terms, and Anthropic states the services are not directed to children under 18.

That point about "commercial/enterprise agreement" is one that I always strongly emphasize in my workshop sessions. Most, however, use consumer Claude, so our privacy expectations are lower because consumer Claude will take your data and use it for training.

PROTECT Category

Score

Evidence / Rationale

P — Parental Rights and Access

The policy provides user rights for access, portability, deletion, correction, objection, appeal, and authorized-agent requests, but it is not framed around school/parent access workflows or FERPA-style guardian review. (Anthropic)

R — Retention and Deletion

Anthropic says deleted conversations are removed from chat history immediately and backend systems within 30 days, but the policy also uses broad “as long as reasonably necessary” language. Model-improvement data may be retained up to 5 years, feedback for 5 years, and flagged safety data longer. (Anthropic)

O — Opt-Out Options

Users can opt out of model improvement through account settings. Anthropic also states it does not sell personal data, honors global privacy controls, and offers targeted advertising opt-outs. Safety-review exceptions remain. (Anthropic)

T — Transparency

The policy clearly lists data collected, including account data, inputs/outputs, feedback, verification data, technical data, cookies, third-party integrations, model-training sources, legal bases, and policy updates. (Anthropic)

E — Encryption and Security

Anthropic’s privacy center states data is encrypted in transit and at rest, employee access is limited, and controls include MFA, least privilege, monitoring, vulnerability checks, training, and assessments. (Anthropic Privacy Center)

C — Consent and Age Restrictions

The policy is clear that services are not directed to children under 18 and says Anthropic may collect verification data, including ID and biometric-like verification data in some circumstances. However, it does not provide a K–12 school-consent pathway for COPPA/FERPA student use in this consumer policy. (Anthropic)

T — Third-party Management

Anthropic discloses categories of affiliates, service providers, business partners, legal recipients, research publications, and third-party integrations. It also points users to Trust Center details for third parties and data-transfer locations. (Anthropic)

Recommended Conditions Before Approval

Require:

A signed DPA / NDPA / district privacy addendum.
Confirmation that student inputs and outputs are not used for model training.
Written retention terms for district data, deletion, backups, and termination.
A current subprocessor list with notice of material changes.
Clear guidance that consumer Claude accounts are not used by students under 18 unless Anthropic provides a school-authorized pathway.

Interactive BINGO Game Maker with WebDeck

Wed, 10 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Looking for an interactive BINGO Game Maker that you can share links to BINGO cards online with others? Well, i was NOT either until Patrick Hausammann unveiled one for AI Literacy: Terminology in a TCEA 2026 AI Conference session. His BINGO card inspired me to vibe-code one as well. To play his game of BINGO, you had to listen to his presentation and click the vocabulary terms that popped up until you got a BINGO.

Since I only saw the interactive BINGO card, that left me the freedom to imagine, "What would the teacher page look like?"

The Link

Bingo Game Maker link: This is the page that lets you customize the BINGO game and cards, as well as see a preview card, and get a link you can share. What's more, per Patrick's suggestion, it also includes a Google Sites optimized version of the embed code so you can drop it into Google Sites.

I made one for my upcoming session, and two people shared they had "BINGO'd" as we got to the end. Pretty fun interactive!

Screenshots

I thought it might be worth including content area TEKS sample vocabulary for Grades 3-5, 6-8, 9-12. You can always load your own, or paste in a list of vocabulary.You are able to import CSV, TXT, or MD (MarkDown).

What's more, you can select the grid size (3x3, 4x4, 5x5) and Win Pattern (Line, Diagonal, Four Corners, CoverAll, etc), then generate a share link for your students or a preview version of a card:

A sample card:

The way it works is that you listen for vocabulary terms during a presentation, yelling BINGO when you win...it actually throws confetti into the air and looks like this:

But wait, there's more!

WebDeck

I also thought it would be fun to create an interactive webdeck for the iBingo Game Maker using my project instructions. Oh wow, it's pretty cool. Use the "Open the Interactive Deck" button below to access it.

Special thanks to Patrick for the cool idea to make BINGO cards interactive, and TCEA providing an outlet for Patrick to speak.

WebDeck Builder: HTML Web Slides

Wed, 10 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT

It's not an original idea. And, it's not the ending point. But it's part of something that will be the beginning.

Wish you had an "easy" way to convert a slide deck from PDF and/or SVG images into an HTML slide deck? I do. I'm researching how to do this for DrawSplatTM, and it occurred to me, building a "webdeck" might be the way to go.

What IS a WebDeck, you ask?

Hmm...

A WebDeck is one .html file. Everything lives inside it: structure, styling, navigation, speaker notes, and presenter tools. No build step, no framework, no external libraries. You open it in a browser and present. You host it on GitHub Pages, embed it in WordPress through an iframe, or drop it in an LMS.

Why a single file:

It survives. Nothing breaks because a CDN went down or a plugin stripped your script.

It travels. Email it, put it on a thumb drive, host it free.

It lasts. Years from now it still opens, because it depends on nothing.

That makes sense to me. See an example online.

Want a copy of the prompt I used? Note that I exported a presentation from Canva as PDF and SVG files (I uploaded the zipped file).

Prompt

Using the WebDeck Builder instructions, convert this PDF into a webdeck. Keep the images and links where possible, as well as the Speaker's Notes (although if they repeat, clean up the redundant versions where they don't match the slide content). I also provided the slide content as zipped file of SVGs for each slide. Again, use responsive web design and use images from SVG when possible to maintain the look-n-feel of the original.

This was the result, although it would require some minor corrections.

What are the WebDeck Builder instructions?

WebDeck Builder Instructions

Add the following instructions to your source files for whatever Project (ChatGPT/Claude) you are working on so that the AI can access them. I'll be updating this periodically, so grab the latest version.

WebDeck Project Instructions v2.0

Version rule: Keep the version number in this title. For every future revision, increment the version number and briefly note what changed before sharing or reusing the instructions.

Turn any body of information into a single self-contained HTML slide deck, called a WebDeck. Hand these instructions to Claude (or any capable AI coding tool) along with your source material, and you get back one HTML file that runs anywhere, needs no internet except for fonts, and presents like a polished keynote.

Use this as a Claude Project instruction set, a custom GPT instruction set, or a prompt you paste at the start of a build.

What a WebDeck is

A WebDeck is one .html file. Everything lives inside it: structure, styling, navigation, speaker notes, and presenter tools. No build step, no framework, no external libraries. You open it in a browser and present. You host it on GitHub Pages, embed it in WordPress through an iframe, or drop it in an LMS.

Why a single file:

It survives. Nothing breaks because a CDN went down or a plugin stripped your script.

It travels. Email it, put it on a thumb drive, host it free.

It lasts. Years from now it still opens, because it depends on nothing.

The build contract

When you ask for a WebDeck, the AI must produce a file that meets every item below. Treat this as the checklist the output is graded against.

Structure

One HTML file. All CSS in one <style> block, all JS in one or two <script> blocks. The only external request allowed is Google Fonts.

Content is separated from the engine. Slides live in a single JavaScript array of objects. The rendering and navigation code is generic and never hard-codes slide content. This makes the deck editable by changing data, not markup.

Each slide object carries its own speaker notes.

A slide object looks like this:
{
  bg: '' | 'dark' | 'navy' | 'imgslide',  // background treatment
  title: 'Short label',        // shown in notes and presenter cue
  html: '...',                 // the slide body markup
  notes: 'First-person speaker notes...'
}
Editing is object-aware, not line-based. When swapping or inserting slides, treat the array as data, change whole objects, and never splice by line number. After any edit, syntax-check the slide data (for example node --check) before building, because one dropped brace or backtick silently breaks the whole deck with a "SLIDES is not defined" error at runtime.

Mixing coded slides and imported designs

A deck can blend slides you build in code with full-bleed slides exported from a design tool (Canva, Illustrator, Figma) as SVG or PNG. Imported designs become image slides and live in the same array, so navigation, dots, notes, and presenter mode treat them identically. Use bg:'imgslide' and put a single <img> in html.

Embed, do not link. Convert each image to a base64 data URI in the src so the file stays self-contained. A linked URL breaks offline and when the host moves.

Render and compress heavy vectors first. Designer SVGs that embed photos can be enormous (tens of MB). Rasterize each one to slide resolution (1920x1080 is plenty), compress to JPEG around quality 85, then base64-encode. This routinely cuts a 20MB set to about 2MB. Watch the total: keep the whole file in low single-digit megabytes so it still opens fast and emails.

Inset image slides above the floating bar. Designed slides usually bake in their own footer (a URL, a logo, a name). If the image fills the viewport, the floating bar covers that footer. Size the image to height: calc(100% - <bar height>) with a matching bottom inset so the baked footer clears the bar. Match the area behind the bar to the slide's footer color so it reads as one piece.

Use object-fit: contain so the whole designed slide is visible without cropping, letterboxing onto the slide background if the aspect ratio differs.

Text inside an image cannot be edited later. Anything baked into the artwork (a short link, a date, a name) is frozen. If it might change, keep it on a coded slide or get a corrected export. Note this to the user rather than hacking an overlay.

Still give every image slide a real title and first-person notes. The picture carries the visible content, but the title feeds the presenter cue and the notes are what the presenter actually says.

PPTX import mode

WebDeck Builder should accept a .pptx file as a first-class source format so users do not need to export SVGs, PNGs, or a companion PDF before building a WebDeck.

A PPTX import should:

Treat the PPTX as a zipped Office Open XML package.

Read slide order from ppt/presentation.xml and the related presentation relationship files.

Extract each slide's visible design either by rendering the slide to a full-slide image or by converting supported objects into HTML.

Prefer a faithful full-slide image render as the default import path.

Rasterize each slide to 1920x1080, or an equivalent widescreen resolution.

Compress rendered slides to JPEG or WebP at a quality setting that keeps the final WebDeck in the low single-digit megabytes when possible.

Embed each rendered slide image as a base64 data URI.

Insert each imported slide into the standard SLIDES JavaScript array using bg:'imgslide'.

Use object-fit: contain and inset the image above the floating navigation bar so baked-in footers remain visible.

Extract speaker notes from the PPTX notes XML and place them in each slide object's notes field.

Extract slide titles from title placeholders when available; otherwise generate concise titles such as Slide 1, Slide 2, and so on.

Extract hyperlinks from slide relationship files and preserve them as transparent clickable regions over the rendered slide when coordinates are available.

Open all links in a new tab with target="_blank" and rel="noopener".

Keep all imported slides in the same slide data array as coded slides, so navigation, dots, notes, progress, presenter view, and hash links work identically.

Warn the user that text baked into rendered slide images is not editable or screen-reader friendly.

Offer an optional editable import mode for simple PPTX files that attempts to convert text boxes, shapes, and images into real HTML, but do not use that as the default path.

If a PDF is also supplied, use it only as a fallback link source. The PPTX should remain the primary source for slide order, notes, images, and links.

PPTX import priority

Use this order when multiple source files are provided:

PPTX: Primary source for slide order, notes, visuals, media, titles, and links.

PDF: Fallback source for links when PPTX link extraction fails or when the deck came from a tool that flattened links during PPTX export.

SVG or PNG ZIP: Fallback source for slide visuals when PPTX rendering is unavailable or unreliable.

Raw outline or notes: Source for rebuilding coded slides when the user wants an editable WebDeck instead of image slides.

Link overlay behavior

When preserving links from a PPTX-rendered slide:

Use transparent <a> elements positioned over the rendered slide.

Scale link regions responsively with the slide image, not the viewport alone.

Preserve each link's approximate clickable area without covering unrelated slide content.

Do not let link overlays trigger slide navigation.

Apply target="_blank" and rel="noopener" to every imported link.

If exact coordinates cannot be recovered, list the extracted links in the slide notes or in a closing resources slide rather than guessing clickable regions.

Editable import mode

Editable import mode is optional and should be used only when the PPTX is simple enough to convert reliably. It may convert text boxes, simple shapes, tables, images, and background fills into real HTML and inline SVG. It should not promise perfect fidelity for complex slides that use grouped objects, masks, gradients, custom fonts, embedded charts, animation, or design-tool exports.

When fidelity matters more than editability, use full-slide image rendering with link overlays.

Required features

Keyboard navigation. Right arrow, Space, and Down go forward. Left and Up go back. Home jumps to the first slide, End to the last.

Floating navigation bar. A control bar that holds the deck title, the navigation dots, and the buttons. Float it as a rounded pill pinned a small gap above the bottom edge, centered, with a capped width, a translucent blurred background, and a thin accent border. Do not pin it flush to bottom:0. A flush bar gets clipped when the browser chrome shrinks the usable height, which is the single most common failure. A floating pill stays fully on screen at any viewport height.

On-screen navigation. A row of clickable dots inside the bar, one per slide, with the current slide marked (widen it into a short pill rather than only recoloring it). A slide counter showing current of total.

Speaker notes. A panel that slides up over the deck on a keypress, showing the notes for the current slide. It must not show in the audience view by default. Critical: when the panel is closed it must set pointer-events:none, and become pointer-events:auto only when open. A closed panel parked off screen with a transform still sits on top of the bar and will silently swallow every click on the controls if it stays interactive. Anchor the panel above the floating bar, not behind it.

Presenter view for dual screens. A key opens a second browser window with the audience slides. The original window becomes a presenter console showing the current slide small, the speaker notes, a cue for the next slide, and a running timer. The two windows stay in sync as you navigate. Use BroadcastChannel for the sync so no server is needed. Presenter mode opens a pop-up, so warn the user to allow pop-ups the first time.

Fullscreen toggle. A key and a button request browser fullscreen.

Progress indicator. A thin bar across the top that fills as you advance.

Touch support. Swipe left and right on tablets and phones.

Click to navigate. Clicking the left third of the screen goes back, the right third advances, and the middle third does nothing so clicking slide content is safe. Guard it: a click on any link, button, the navigation bar, the notes panel, the help overlay, or the presenter console must not change slides, and click navigation is disabled while a panel or overlay is open and in presenter mode. Skip the action if the user was selecting text (a non-empty window.getSelection()). A subtle left/right resize cursor near the edges hints at the zones.

Help overlay. A key brings up a panel listing every shortcut.

Deep linking. A URL hash like #5 opens directly to that slide on load, and a hashchange listener also navigates live if the hash changes after load.

Speaker notes voice

Write notes the way the presenter would actually say them out loud, in first person. Open by orienting the listener to what the slide shows, explain why it matters, then hand off to the next idea. Keep each note to roughly 90 to 130 words. No stage directions, no performative framing, no assumptions about how the audience feels.

Accessibility and robustness

Real text, never text baked into images, so screen readers and search work.

Color contrast stays readable. Body text sits at a comfortable size and scales with the viewport using clamp().

Never let text fall back to black on a dark surface. Set the text color on the dark container itself, not only on the slide. A common bug: rules that lighten text key off a dark slide class, so a dark or navy card placed on a light slide leaves its nested text (list items, paragraphs, links) at the default dark color and it disappears. Give every dark surface a default light text color, and make nested patterns (bullet lists, captions) inherit light text inside dark cards as well as on dark slides. After building, scan every dark slide and every dark card for any text whose computed color is dark, and fix the rule rather than the one element.

Links open in a new tab with rel="noopener".

No localStorage or sessionStorage if the deck might run inside a sandboxed iframe, since those throw there. Keep all state in plain JavaScript variables.

Responsive design

The deck must read well from a wide projector down to a phone. Build it mobile-aware from the start rather than bolting on one breakpoint at the end.

Fluid type everywhere. Size headings, leads, and body with clamp() so they scale with the viewport instead of jumping at a breakpoint.

Layered breakpoints, not one. Plan for at least four: roughly 1024px (tablet), 768px (small tablet and large phone), 560px (phone), and 380px (narrow phone). Multi-column grids should step down gradually, for example four or three columns to two on tablet, then to one on phone. A horizontal strip like a five-step framework can hold its shape on tablet but should stack on phone.

Slides scroll instead of clipping. On large screens slides can center their content vertically. On smaller screens switch to top-aligned with overflow-y:auto so tall content (stacked prompt blocks, long lists) stays reachable. Give slides enough bottom padding that the floating bar never covers the last line.

The bar adapts. On phones, drop the deck-title text to make room, shrink the dots, and keep the controls and counter. On very narrow phones the counter can hide. Keep tap targets at least about 2.2rem on touch devices, and widen the dot hit area with transparent padding.

Tables scroll horizontally. Wrap wide tables so they become a horizontal-scroll block on small screens rather than overflowing the slide.

Decorations back off. Large decorative shapes and corner motifs should fade or hide on phones so they never crowd the headline. Give such elements a class so a media query can switch them off.

Honor prefers-reduced-motion. Drop the slide and panel transitions when the user has asked for reduced motion.

Use device-capability queries. @media (hover:none) is a clean way to enlarge touch targets only where there is no mouse. Add a landscape-phone rule (max-height with orientation:landscape) so short wide screens stay usable.

Verify the result at several widths, not just your own screen.

Visual direction

Default to a clean, high-contrast, minimalist look with a dark and light sandwich: a dark title slide, dark section breaks, and a dark closing slide, with light content slides in between. Carry one repeating visual motif and a minimalist floating bar near the bottom that holds the deck title, the navigation dots, and the controls. The bar floats as a rounded pill above the bottom edge so it is never clipped, not a strip welded to the bottom of the page.

Pick deliberate type. Pair a characterful display face for headings with a clean body face, and a monospace face for any code or prompt blocks. Set sizes with a clear scale so headings, leads, and body text are visibly different.

Use color with restraint. Two or three brand colors plus neutrals is plenty. Define every color once as a CSS variable in :root and reference the variable everywhere. Never hard-code a hex value twice.

Slide layouts to draw from

Vary the layout so the deck has rhythm. Useful patterns:

Title and section breaks. Big display headline on a dark background, a short lead, a thin accent rule, and a corner motif.

Statement plus stat. A claim on one side, a single large number in a colored card on the other.

Three or four cards. For frameworks, steps, or categories, each with an icon, a heading, and a sentence.

Two columns, weighted. A larger explanation beside a smaller supporting panel.

Browser-frame mockup. A fake browser chrome around a sketch of a real screen, to show what something looks like without a screenshot.

Prompt block. A dark monospace card with a copy label, for showing copy-ready prompts verbatim.

Comparison table. For decisions with several options across several factors.

Closing resources. A grid of linked cards, each a destination the audience can visit later.

Build simple, brand-accurate diagrams as inline SVG rather than pulling in images, so the file stays self-contained.

How to use these instructions

Give the AI your raw material. An outline, notes, a transcript, an existing deck, a long document, or a handful of links. Messy is fine.

State your brand. Colors as named hex values, your two or three fonts, and any logo or wordmark text. If you skip this, the AI picks a clean default and tells you what it chose.

Say how long. A rough slide count, or let the content decide. A good talk runs eight to twenty slides.

Name the organizing idea, if you have one. A framework, a three-act arc, a problem-and-solution shape. If you do not, ask the AI to propose one from your material before it builds.

Ask for the build, then iterate. The AI returns one HTML file. Open it, click through, and send precise corrections. Fix content in the slide data array, not in the markup.

Bring your own designed slides if you have them. Upload the PPTX when possible. Use the PPTX as the primary source for slide order, notes, images, and links. Upload a PDF only as a fallback for link recovery, or upload finished slides as SVG or PNG when PPTX rendering is unavailable. The AI rasterizes, compresses, embeds, and insets imported slides as image slides next to the coded ones, and writes or imports matching speaker notes. Remember that any text baked into those images is frozen, so flag URLs or dates that might change.

A starting prompt you can paste

Build me a WebDeck from the material below, following the WebDeck Project Instructions. One self-contained HTML file. Separate the slide content into a JavaScript data array from a generic engine. Every slide needs first-person speaker notes in my presenting voice. Include keyboard navigation, clickable dots, a slide counter, a slide-up notes panel (closed panel must not capture clicks), a dual-screen presenter view synced with BroadcastChannel, a fullscreen toggle, a top progress bar, touch swipe, click-to-navigate on the left and right thirds of the screen (with the middle and all links and controls excluded), a help overlay, and deep linking by hash that also works live on hashchange. Put the controls in a floating rounded-pill bar above the bottom edge so it never gets clipped. Make it fully responsive with layered breakpoints down to a 360px phone: fluid clamp() type, grids that stack, slides that scroll instead of clip, and a bar that drops its title text and shrinks on phones. Use a dark and light sandwich with one repeating motif. Brand colors: [LIST HEX VALUES]. Fonts: [DISPLAY], [BODY], [MONO]. Target about [N] slides. Organize it as [FRAMEWORK OR ARC, or "propose one first"]. If I attach a PPTX, treat it as the primary source: read slide order, render each slide faithfully as an embedded image, extract speaker notes, extract hyperlinks, and preserve links as transparent clickable regions when coordinates are available. If I also attach a PDF, use it only as a fallback source for links. If I attach designed slides as SVG or PNG instead, use them as full-bleed image slides in the positions I name: rasterize and compress them, embed as base64, inset them above the floating bar so their baked footers stay visible, keep coded and image slides in the same data array, and write notes for each.

Material:
[PASTE YOUR CONTENT OR LINKS]

Quality check before you present

Every slide advances and retreats with the keyboard.

Clicking the left third goes back and the right third advances, while clicking a link, a control, or the center never changes slides.

The dots and counter match the slide you are on, and clicking a dot jumps to that slide.

The floating bar stays fully visible on every slide and is never clipped, even when the browser window is short. All its buttons and dots are clickable.

Speaker notes open and close, read in your voice, and the closed panel does not block clicks on the bar.

Presenter view opens a second window, shows your notes and the next cue, and the timer runs.

Fullscreen works, and the layout holds at projector resolution.

The deck is usable at 1440px, on a tablet, and on a 360px phone: type scales, columns stack, slides scroll rather than clip, and the bar adapts.

No text is dark-on-dark. Every dark slide and every dark card has light, readable text, including nested lists and links.

A #5-style hash opens the right slide on load and also navigates live when changed.

Any imported image slides show the full design without cropping, their baked-in footer clears the floating bar, and the embedded images keep the file in low single-digit megabytes.

A PPTX import preserves slide order, renders slides faithfully, extracts notes where available, and keeps links clickable either as slide overlays or as listed resources when exact coordinates cannot be recovered.

If both PPTX and PDF files were supplied, the PPTX remains the source of truth and the PDF is used only for fallback link recovery.

The slide data passes a syntax check and the deck reports the expected slide count with no "SLIDES is not defined" error.

Links open correctly in a new tab.

The file opens with no internet beyond fonts, and the browser console shows no errors.

It opens cleanly from a file:// path, from GitHub Pages, and inside an iframe.

TCEA AI Conference 2606

Tue, 09 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Welcome to my resources page for my sessions at TCEA 2026 AI Conference. You'll find everything (slides, supporting documents, infographics) below. Questions? Don't hesitate to reach out.

AI Instr. Design Partner

Create AI-powered Publications and Dashboards

1094-AI as Your Instructional Design Partner

Date and Time: Tuesday, June 9, 2026, 9 a.m. - 9:45 a.m. (CDT)

Session Resources

Slides and Doc
- Slide deck
- Google Doc
- Website - AI Design Companion
- BoodleBox Bot - TCEA Strategy Partner (BoodleBox Unlimited Pro account required)

2094-Create AI-powered Publications and Dashboards

Date and Time: Wednesday, June 10, 2026, 11 a.m. - 11:45 a.m. (CDT)

UPDATE: Copyright question.

In my session, someone asked a question about copyright. At the time, I was more focused on the technical flow and how-to to even ask, "Just because you can, is it legal to do so?" So, I did a little poking around (yeah, I asked Gen AI) and here's the response as a webdeck:

[

A WebDeck with Copyright Suggestions

Newsletter AI Assisted Creation

▶ Open the Interactive Deck

Opens in a new tab. Use arrow keys to navigate.

](https://mglearn.github.io/tcea/webdecks/newsmaker-copyright)

Session Resources

Slides and Doc

Slide deck with Oreo Personality Quiz blog and quiz
Google Doc with supplemental documents and Get a Copy of Google Sheet for version 4
Make Data Displays Without Writing Code, a TCEA TechNotes Companion Blog Entry
Play iBINGO or access iBINGO Game Maker

KPI Dashboard Related

About the Idea
K-12 KPI Dashboard

Newsletter Related

AI Interactive Newsletter
Listen to NotebookLM Audio Overview
Track Your Links: Use free Raindrop.io
Example Newsletters:
- Field Notes (View custom instructions)
- The Triple Boot series
- The Learning Loop series
- From Conversations to Presentations

Free Tools (do NOT put in PII, FERPA, Confidential/Sensitive Data):

Z.ai (write-up)
Mistral.ai

Paid Tools

BoodleBox Unlimited (Use MGFREE123 code for two months free)
ChatGPT Plus
Claude AI
Google Gemini

11 – The Learning Loop: AI Workflows Meet the AI Backlash

Mon, 08 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT

In This Issue

AI is shifting from a novelty we chat with into a set of structured workflows we build with: specs, skills, legal agents, personal wikis, and browser-based research tools. At the same time, those digital workflows are tied to very physical realities: water, electricity, land, chips, local politics, and community resistance. This issue looks at both sides of the AI moment: how educators can use structured AI systems more responsibly, and how communities can question the infrastructure required to make those systems run. The challenge is not whether to use AI, but whether we can make its use transparent, grounded, and accountable.

📗 Spec-Driven Development: Less Vibe Coding, More Clarity

🔥 The Big Idea:

GitHub’s Spec Kit argues that AI-assisted development works better when specifications come first. Instead of asking an AI coding assistant to improvise a finished product, users define principles, requirements, plans, tasks, and implementation steps. For educators, this is a powerful reminder that AI quality depends less on “better prompting” and more on structured thinking before the prompt ever begins.

✅ Putting It into Practice:

Start with Success Criteria: Before students use AI to build, write, or research, have them define what a successful product must do.
Teach the Workflow: Use a simple sequence: purpose → requirements → plan → tasks → draft → verify.
Reduce Prompt Drift: Ask students to revise the specification before revising the AI output, especially when projects get messy.

Source: GitHub Spec Kit | Author: GitHub

📗 Claude for Legal: Domain-Specific AI Is Arriving

🔥 The Big Idea:

Anthropic’s Claude for Legal repository offers reference agents, skills, and connectors for legal workflows such as privacy, corporate work, employment, litigation, regulatory review, AI governance, intellectual property, and law school learning. The larger lesson is that AI tools are becoming increasingly specialized. Rather than one general chatbot for everything, the future is likely to include domain-tuned assistants with explicit playbooks, escalation rules, and workflow boundaries.

✅ Putting It into Practice:

Create Role Boundaries: When using AI in schools, define what the assistant may do, what it may not do, and when a human must step in.
Build Local Playbooks: Develop department-specific AI guidance for lesson planning, parent communication, data review, and accessibility work.
Discuss Professional Judgment: Use legal AI as a classroom case study for why expertise still matters when tools sound confident.

Source: Claude for Legal | Author: Anthropic

📗 Skills, Books, and Personal Knowledge Systems

🔥 The Big Idea:

Several of this week’s tools point toward the same trend: turning knowledge into reusable AI skills. Andrej Karpathy Skills packages coding guidance into a CLAUDE.md file, while book-to-skill turns technical books, PDFs, folders, and documents into Claude Code skills that can be loaded on demand. Miguel Guhlin’s “wikifying” workflow extends that idea into personal knowledge management, using Gen AI to organize local notes, project instructions, and files without automatically sending everything to the cloud.

✅ Putting It into Practice:

Turn Notes into Tools: Have students convert a unit’s notes into a study guide, glossary, checklist, or “skill card” before using AI to quiz themselves.
Protect Local Knowledge: Keep sensitive student, family, and personnel information out of consumer AI tools unless approved by policy.
Model Reusable Learning: Ask learners to create reusable project instructions so future AI work reflects what they already know.

Source: Andrej Karpathy Skills, book-to-skill, Another Think Coming | Author: multica-ai, virgiliojr94, Miguel Guhlin

📗 AI Infrastructure: The Hidden Physical Layer

🔥 The Big Idea:

The Independent reports that the United Nations is warning countries to confront AI’s environmental costs, including electricity, water for cooling, land use, chip production, critical minerals, e-waste, and the cumulative impact of billions of prompts and generated outputs. Courier Texas connects those concerns directly to Texas, where the state has become a major data center hotspot. The issue for schools is not just digital citizenship anymore; it is resource citizenship.

✅ Putting It into Practice:

Make AI Visible: Ask students to map the physical infrastructure behind a simple AI query: data center, electricity, cooling, chips, minerals, and network.
Compare Benefits and Costs: Have students debate when AI use is worth the resource cost and when a simpler tool would do.
Localize the Question: Research whether nearby communities are hosting data centers, chip plants, or energy projects connected to AI growth.

Source: The Independent, Courier Texas | Author: Anthony Cuthbertson, Joi Louviere

📗 The AI Backlash Is Becoming Local

🔥 The Big Idea:

The Council on Foreign Relations argues that AI policy may become a major political issue as the technology’s disruptions become more personal. That prediction is already visible in Texas, where communities are questioning data centers, chip factories, water demand, energy strain, tax incentives, and transparency. Angela Valenzuela frames this resistance as a democratic question: technological futures are not inevitable; they are political choices.

✅ Putting It into Practice:

Teach Public Impact Analysis: When students evaluate AI, include jobs, taxes, energy, water, privacy, public health, and community voice.
Use Local Government Records: Have students examine public meeting agendas, tax abatements, zoning notices, and environmental reports.
Move Beyond Pro/Anti AI: Frame the discussion around better questions: Who benefits? Who pays? Who decides? Who is left out?

Source: Council on Foreign Relations, Educational Equity, Politics & Policy in Texas, Business Insider | Author: Chris McGuire, Angela Valenzuela, Business Insider

⚠️ Tech Alert: AI Convenience Can Hide Data and Resource Risk

The newest AI tools make it easier to crawl websites, summarize books, generate skills, organize notes, and automate professional workflows. That convenience can also blur important boundaries around copyright, privacy, accuracy, and infrastructure impact. Before adopting any AI workflow, educators should ask where the data goes, what sources are being transformed, whether the output can be verified, and what institutional policy applies.

📚 Must Read / Listen To

The Coming AI Backlash: A policy-focused argument that AI disruption may become a major political issue as its effects become personal.
The Empire of AI Comes to Texas: A community-centered look at data centers, coloniality, environmental responsibility, and resistance.
Wikifying My Files with Gen AI: A practical example of building a local personal knowledge system with AI support.

🛠️ Notable Gen AI Tools

GitHub Spec Kit: Helps structure AI-assisted development through specifications, plans, tasks, and implementation workflows.
Claude for Legal: Provides reference agents, skills, and connectors for legal and governance workflows.
Andrej Karpathy Skills: Packages practical coding guidance into reusable Claude Code behavior instructions.
book-to-skill: Turns technical books, PDFs, and folders into Claude Code skills grounded in the provided text.
Crawl4AI UI: Offers a Streamlit interface for crawling pages into clean Markdown, previewing links and images, capturing screenshots, and exporting results.

Another Think Coming by MGuhlin.org

Note: This newsletter provides original commentary and summaries of publicly available sources for educational and informational purposes. Readers are encouraged to visit the linked sources for the full context. Article images are represented with placeholders unless separately licensed or created for this issue.

12 – The Learning Loop: DrawSplat™ and the Return of Student-Centered Creation EdTech Privacy Whiteboards FREE NoAI

Mon, 08 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT

What happens when an educator gets tired of classroom tools that are expensive, overloaded, privacy-complicated, or stuffed with Gen AI features?

In this special focus issue, we look at DrawSplat™, a free, browser-based interactive whiteboard and classroom toolkit built for K-16 educators and students. It brings together whiteboarding, drawing, concept mapping, graphing, quizzes, rubrics, image editing, games, classroom widgets, and self-hosting options into one expanding ecosystem.

The interesting twist? DrawSplat was vibe-coded with AI assistance, but the tools themselves are not Gen AI tools. They give students a place to make, organize, draw, sort, map, chart, study, and explain without turning every classroom activity into another chatbot prompt.

Note: DrawSplat™ is available under AGPL-3.0-or-later or a separate commercial license. Districts should still review local policy, accessibility needs, and data privacy requirements before adopting any classroom tool.

In This Issue

This special issue focuses on DrawSplat™ as a privacy-first classroom creation hub. We look at why it exists, what it offers teachers and students, and how its individual tools support visual thinking, assessment, media creation, and classroom workflow. We also examine the larger question behind it: can educators use AI to build better tools while still keeping students away from unnecessary AI dependency?

#1 – DrawSplat Overview

The Big Idea

DrawSplat™ began as a practical educator response to a familiar problem: teachers need flexible visual tools, but many commercial tools are expensive, locked down, overbuilt, or increasingly tangled with Gen AI. DrawSplat aims to give teachers and students a browser-based whiteboard that supports drawing, annotation, panels, media, templates, graphing, diagrams, and classroom workflows.

It is not just a drawing canvas. It is closer to a classroom creation space where students can sketch, label, organize, represent, practice, explain, and share. The key idea is agency: students do the thinking and making.

Putting It into Practice

Use it as a creation station: Have students explain a process with arrows, labels, sticky notes, and sketches.
Keep AI out of the student task: Use DrawSplat when the learning goal is student-generated representation, not chatbot-generated response.
Start with simple mode: For younger students, begin with drawing, shapes, text, and export options before introducing advanced features.
Use panels for stages: Organize a lesson into “Plan,” “Work,” “Revise,” and “Reflect” panels. Take advantage of a host of templates to organize panels or make your own.

Source: Introducing DrawSplat, A Free Whiteboard Plus Solution | Author: Miguel Guhlin

#2 – Concept Map Studio

The Big Idea

Concept Map Studio is one of DrawSplat’s strongest classroom tools because it supports the kind of visual thinking students often need but rarely get enough time to practice. Students can build concept maps, use graphic organizer templates, save work, export outlines, and move between visual structure and written structure.

That matters because concept mapping makes thinking visible. It helps students show relationships, categories, causes, examples, sequences, and evidence. The tool can also work alongside AI, but the teacher can keep the center of gravity on student sense-making. You can get the format specifications, import into GenAI then have the AI format a summary or outline into a concept map JSON file you can import into the Concept Map Studio.

Putting It into Practice

Pre-reading map: Before reading, students map what they already know.
Post-reading correction: After reading, students revise the map and explain what changed.
Vocabulary web: Students connect new terms to examples, images, and non-examples.
AI-supported, student-finished: Let AI produce a rough outline only if appropriate, then require students to edit, justify, and improve the map.
Convert a Markdown-formatted outline into a concept and vice versa (works with Markdown Studio, which comes included)

Source: DrawSplat Feature: Concept Map Studio | Author: Miguel Guhlin

#3 – Mermaid Diagram Studio

The Big Idea

Mermaid diagrams are powerful, but the syntax can frustrate students and teachers who simply want a clear flowchart, sequence, or process map. DrawSplat’s Mermaid Diagram Studio lowers the barrier by putting the editor and preview in one place and making the resulting image easier to copy and reuse.

This tool fits well in classrooms where students need to explain systems: science cycles, historical cause-and-effect chains, writing workflows, coding logic, research steps, or project management timelines.

Putting It into Practice

Flowchart a process: Students diagram how a bill becomes a law, how water cycles, or how a paragraph develops.
Debug thinking: Have students compare diagrams and identify missing steps or weak transitions.
Use diagrams as drafts: Students export diagrams, then annotate them in the whiteboard.
Teach structure: Use the tool to show that a good diagram depends on clear relationships, not decorative design.

Source: DrawSplat Feature: Mermaid Diagram Studio | Author: Miguel Guhlin

#4 – Quiz and Flashcard Studio

The Big Idea

Quiz and Flashcard Studio gives teachers and students a straightforward way to build question banks, play quizzes, and turn content into flashcards. The important part is not that quizzes exist. It is that students can make study materials without needing a commercial quiz platform or a Gen AI-powered study bot.

The tool also invites a useful classroom shift: students should not only answer questions; they should learn to write better questions.

Putting It into Practice

Student-made review: Each student contributes three strong questions and one distractor explanation.
Flashcard reflection: Students mark which cards they missed and write a one-sentence correction.
Team quiz rounds: Use the quiz mode for low-stakes retrieval practice.
Question quality check: Ask students to label questions as recall, application, or analysis.

Source: DrawSplat Feature – Quiz and Flashcard Studio | Author: Miguel Guhlin

#5 – Rubric Builder

The Big Idea

Rubrics are easy to generate with AI, but that does not mean students understand them. DrawSplat’s Rubric Builder gives teachers a practical way to create, revise, and print rubrics without relying on an AI system to define quality for them.

This matters because rubrics are not just grading tools. They are communication tools. A good rubric helps students understand what quality looks like before they submit work.

Putting It into Practice

Co-build success criteria: Show a sample project and ask students to help define what makes it strong.
Use four-level language: Keep performance levels clear, observable, and student-friendly.
Print for peer review: Students use the rubric before the teacher ever grades the assignment.
Revise after use: After one round of scoring, improve unclear criteria.

Source: DrawSplat Feature: Rubric Builder | Author: Miguel Guhlin

#6 – SplatImage Studio

The Big Idea

SplatImage Studio adds a simple image editor to the DrawSplat ecosystem. It includes common classroom-friendly editing needs such as cropping, masks, screenshots with annotation, layers, effects, and multilingual interface support. This is useful because students and teachers often need “just enough” image editing without opening a complex design platform.

It also supports a larger classroom pattern: make media creation accessible, but keep the focus on explanation and communication.

Putting It into Practice

Crop for focus: Students crop an image to highlight the evidence they are discussing.
Layer labels: Add arrows, captions, and callouts to explain what matters.
Create visual vocabulary cards: Students pair an image, definition, example, and non-example.
Use effects sparingly: Require students to explain how each visual choice improves clarity.

Source: DrawSplat Feature: SplatImage Studio | Author: Miguel Guhlin

#7 – Privacy and Compliance

The Big Idea

DrawSplat’s privacy posture (includes Texas and GDPr support for Europe) is one of the most important parts of the project. Its default static/browser-only mode means standalone tools can run without vendor-side student data collection. The DrawSplat documentation also emphasizes no third-party advertising, analytics, or trackers on static pages and widgets.

For schools, this is the part worth studying carefully. The best classroom tool is not only the one with the most features. It is the one with a data path you can explain to parents, administrators, and students.

Putting It into Practice

Ask the data question first: What leaves the browser? Where is it stored? Who can access it?
Use browser-only mode when possible: For quick classroom activities, local work may be enough.
Review storage choices: If saving to Google Drive or another backend, involve the district technology team.
Teach privacy literacy: Let students compare tools by data collection, not just features.

Source: DrawSplat™: Privacy and Compliance | Author: Miguel Guhlin
Related: Widget Security Boundary and Data Inventory

#8 – Release Notes and Self-Hosting

The Big Idea

DrawSplat is evolving quickly. The latest release notes point to refreshed self-host bundles, classroom tools, games, SplatImage Studio, SketchSpace VR, and updated blog snapshots. That makes DrawSplat more than a single whiteboard page. It is becoming a deployable classroom toolkit.

Self-hosting matters because it gives districts more control. Instead of asking teachers to send students into another third-party platform, a school system can review, host, and manage the tool in a way that fits local expectations.

Putting It into Practice

Pilot before scaling: Start with one grade level, PLC, or professional learning group.
Test exports: Confirm PNG, PDF, JSON, and local save workflows before using with students.
Document classroom routines: Create a one-page “how we use DrawSplat” guide.
Involve IT early: Self-hosting is a strength, but it needs a responsible technical owner.

Source: DrawSplat™ Release Notes | Author: DrawSplat.org

Tech Alert: Not Every Classroom Tool Needs AI

The most important DrawSplat lesson may not be about whiteboards at all.

It is this: educators can use AI to build tools, but students do not need AI inserted into every learning activity. There is still value in drawing a diagram, organizing a concept map, building a rubric, creating a graph, editing an image, and explaining thinking in your own words.

The classroom question should not be, “Where can we add AI?”

A better question is, “Where does the student need to do the thinking?”

Must Read / Explore

DrawSplat.org – Main site for the whiteboard, tools, widgets, games, support, privacy, and self-hosting information.
DrawSplat Blog RSS – RSS feed for DrawSplat posts and updates.
DrawSplat Blog Page – Browser-friendly page for posts about DrawSplat.
Widget Security Boundary – Data inventory explaining what each widget stores or transmits.
Release Notes – Current stable version details and self-host bundle notes.

Notable DrawSplat Tools

Open Whiteboard: Browser-based whiteboard for students, teachers, teams, and workshops.
Concept Map Studio: Visual organizer for mapping relationships, outlines, and ideas.
Mermaid Diagram Studio: Diagram maker for flowcharts, process maps, and structured visuals.
Quiz and Flashcard Studio: Tool for building question banks, quizzes, and study cards.
Rubric Builder: Printable rubric creator with editable criteria and performance levels.
SplatImage Studio: Simple image editor with cropping, masks, layers, and visual effects.
Chart Studio, Graph Maker, and Picture Graph: Classroom graphing tools for visual data work.
DrawSplat Games and Widgets: Lightweight classroom interactives, including coin flip, dice, wheel spinner, puzzles, and games like Squirrel Run, Star Trek, GilaSplat, Dots and Boxes, Castles and Catapults.

Bottom Line: DrawSplat™ is worth watching because it points to a healthier edtech pattern: privacy-first, teacher-shaped, student-facing tools that support creation without making AI the center of every classroom task.

Note: This newsletter provides original commentary and summaries of publicly available sources for educational and informational purposes. Readers are encouraged to visit the linked sources for the full context. Article images are represented with placeholders unless separately licensed or created for this issue.

10 – The Learning Loop: AI in the Classroom: Context, Costs & Consequences

Sun, 07 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT

In This Issue

AI is showing up everywhere—in our classrooms, workflows, policies, research summaries, and even commencement stages. This issue explores what happens when AI becomes less of a novelty and more of an invisible layer shaping education. From location-based classroom responses to law school bans, AI blackmail threats, and the cost of institution-wide AI contracts, the message is clear: context, evidence, privacy, and human judgment matter more than ever.

📗 AI Delivers Location-Based Responses in Classrooms

🔥 The Big Idea:

AI tools are becoming more responsive to local context, including a learner’s location, school setting, and regional needs. That sounds promising because classrooms are not one-size-fits-all spaces. But location-aware responses also raise questions about privacy, bias, and whether AI is adapting to students or quietly profiling them.

✅ Putting It into Practice:

Use location-aware prompts carefully: Ask AI to adapt examples for your district, state standards, local history, or community context without sharing student-identifying details.
Teach students to question context: Have learners compare a generic AI response with a local-context response and identify what improved—and what may have gone wrong.
Audit for assumptions: Check whether AI makes inaccurate claims about local culture, demographics, policy, or student needs.
Protect student privacy: Avoid using names, addresses, school IDs, disability information, or sensitive family details in prompts.

Source: Tickling Tech | Author: Dr. Robbie Barber

📗 Paying the Costs of AI-Centrism: CSU Re-Ups ChatGPT

🔥 The Big Idea:

When a university system renews a major AI agreement, it is not just buying software. It is making a statement about pedagogy, vendor dependence, budget priorities, data governance, and the future of academic labor. The concern is not simply “Should schools use ChatGPT?” but whether AI becomes the center of institutional strategy before educators have had a meaningful say.

✅ Putting It into Practice:

Ask governance questions: Who chose the tool, who benefits, and who carries the risk?
Look beyond access: Free access to a tool does not solve issues of equity, training, privacy, intellectual property, or pedagogical fit.
Avoid single-vendor dependence: Encourage tool diversity and local experimentation rather than locking all teaching into one platform.
Include faculty and staff voices: AI adoption should involve those who will actually redesign assignments, support students, and respond to misuse.

Source: Academe Blog | Author: Rick Cervero

📗 GEMS 2026-05: 21 Ways AI Is Reshaping Schools

🔥 The Big Idea:

AI in education is no longer limited to chatbots or essay generation. It now touches lesson design, productivity, accessibility, tutoring, media creation, research, and school operations. Curated roundups like GEMS help educators see the breadth of change without chasing every new tool individually.

✅ Putting It into Practice:

Pick one small experiment: Choose one idea from the roundup to pilot this month rather than trying to overhaul everything.
Share with your team: Use the list as a faculty meeting discussion starter or professional learning menu.
Sort by purpose: Group tools and examples by planning, feedback, accessibility, creativity, communication, or assessment.
Track what actually helps: Keep a simple “worth repeating” list so AI use becomes intentional rather than scattered.

Source: Control Alt Achieve | Author: Eric Curts

📗 The ChatGPT Study Everyone Shared—and Misread?

🔥 The Big Idea:

Research about ChatGPT and learning often travels faster than careful interpretation. A study can be useful and still be exaggerated, misquoted, or stripped of its limitations once it hits social media. For educators, the lesson is clear: AI literacy includes research literacy.

✅ Putting It into Practice:

Read past the headline: Before citing an AI study, check the sample size, context, age group, task design, and limitations.
Teach “research humility”: Ask students what a study does and does not prove.
Compare claims: Have students compare the original research summary with how it was described online.
Model careful language: Use phrases like “suggests,” “in this context,” and “for this group” instead of overstating findings.

Source: AI School Librarian | Author: Abby Johnson

📗 Separate AI Literacy and Assessment

🔥 The Big Idea:

Students need to learn how AI works, how to use it responsibly, and when not to use it. But that is different from assessing whether they can think, write, solve, explain, or create on their own. When AI literacy and assessment are blurred together, teachers lose clarity and students lose trust.

✅ Putting It into Practice:

Name the purpose first: Decide whether the task is teaching AI use, assessing independent skill, or blending both.
Create clear AI-use labels: Mark assignments as “No AI,” “AI for brainstorming,” “AI for revision,” or “AI collaboration expected.”
Assess process, not just product: Include checkpoints, conferences, drafts, reflections, and oral explanations.
Be transparent with students: Explain why AI is allowed in some tasks and restricted in others.

Source: Mike Kentz Substack | Author: Mike Kentz

📗 UC Berkeley Law Bans AI for Student Work

🔥 The Big Idea:

UC Berkeley Law’s AI ban reflects a growing concern that some forms of AI use may interfere with professional identity, independent reasoning, and the development of core disciplinary judgment. In law, as in education, the question is not just whether AI can produce work. The deeper issue is whether students are still doing the thinking needed to become competent professionals.

✅ Putting It into Practice:

Discuss professionalism: Ask students where AI assistance supports learning and where it undermines responsibility.
Clarify discipline-specific norms: Different fields will draw different lines around acceptable AI use.
Use bans carefully: A ban may protect certain learning goals, but it must be paired with explanation and enforceable expectations.
Watch policy trends: Law, medicine, education, and engineering programs may become early signals for broader AI governance.

Source: The Dallas Express | Author: Anna Tinsley

📗 AI Blackmail Threat: Schools Need Image Security Guidance

🔥 The Big Idea:

Generative AI has made it easier to create convincing fake images, impersonations, and threats. Schools are now facing risks that blend cyber safety, student well-being, media literacy, and crisis response. AI image abuse is not a future problem; it is a current safeguarding issue.

✅ Putting It into Practice:

Update incident response plans: Include AI-generated images, deepfakes, impersonation, sextortion, and blackmail scenarios.
Teach verification habits: Show students how fake images spread and how to pause before reposting or responding.
Create reporting pathways: Students and staff should know exactly who to contact when AI-generated threats appear.
Avoid victim-blaming: Center safety, documentation, support, and rapid escalation.

Source: Headteacher Update | Author: John Dickens

📗 How AI Is Changing Teaching Workflows

🔥 The Big Idea:

AI is changing teacher work less by replacing teachers and more by reshaping the small tasks that fill the week. Planning, differentiation, feedback, communication, rubric design, and resource creation can all be accelerated with thoughtful AI use. The challenge is to preserve teacher judgment while reducing avoidable friction.

✅ Putting It into Practice:

Map your weekly workflow: Identify repetitive tasks where AI might save time without lowering quality.
Use AI as a co-planner: Ask for first drafts of lesson hooks, exemplars, checks for understanding, or parent communication.
Protect the human parts: Feedback, relationships, classroom culture, and professional judgment should stay teacher-led.
Build reusable prompts: Save prompts that work so AI use becomes faster and more consistent.

Source: EdTech Insiders | Author: David Jakes

📗 College Students Boo AI Commencement Speaker

🔥 The Big Idea:

When students booed an AI commencement speaker, they were not just reacting to a gimmick. They were pushing back against the feeling that an important human ritual had been automated. The moment is a reminder that education is not only about efficiency; it is also about belonging, recognition, voice, and shared experience.

✅ Putting It into Practice:

Protect human-centered moments: Graduation, recognition ceremonies, feedback conferences, and mentoring should not feel outsourced.
Ask students what matters: Before using AI in public-facing student experiences, gather student input.
Use AI behind the scenes: Let AI help draft, organize, or brainstorm—but keep the final human voice authentic.
Discuss symbolic use: Have students analyze when AI use feels helpful, performative, disrespectful, or meaningful.

Source: Rolling Stone | Author: Miles Klee

⚠️ Tech Alert: AI Blackmail and Image-Based Abuse Are Escalating

Schools need to treat AI-generated image abuse as both a digital citizenship issue and a safeguarding issue. Deepfake threats, fake nude images, impersonation, and extortion attempts can spread quickly and cause real harm even when the media is synthetic. Every campus should update reporting procedures, preserve evidence, involve families appropriately, and train staff to respond without amplifying the harm.

📚 Must Read / Listen To

The AI Dilemma in Education – A practical reflection on the competing pressures schools face when responding to AI.
AI and Education Weekly – Useful podcast conversations about how AI is reshaping schools, leadership, and learning.
Invisible Work: AI’s Impact on Teachers – Follow EdTech Insiders for workflow-focused analysis of how AI changes teacher practice.
EdSurge AI Hub – A helpful collection of policy, classroom, and research resources.

🛠️ Notable Gen AI Tools

Perplexity: Helps students and teachers search with cited sources, making it useful for evidence-checking and research comparison.
MagicSchool AI: Supports lesson planning, differentiation, rubric creation, communication, and classroom workflow tasks.
Curipod: Helps teachers build interactive AI-supported lessons, polls, prompts, and student engagement activities.
Claude: Strong for long-form reasoning, document analysis, policy review, and careful drafting.
Brisk Teaching: Speeds up feedback, resource creation, and grading support with classroom privacy in mind.

Another Think Coming by MGuhlin.org

The Liberal Decalogue

Sun, 07 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT

I am posting these here. They remain quite relevant and appropriate today:

Bertrand Russell’s “Liberal Decalogue” is his set of ten “commandments” for clear thinking, intellectual humility, and democratic argument. It appeared in his 1951 New York Times Magazine essay, “The Best Answer to Fanaticism: Liberalism.”

Do not feel absolutely certain of anything.
Do not think it worthwhile to produce belief by concealing evidence, for the evidence is sure to come to light.
Never try to discourage thinking, for you are sure to succeed.
When you meet opposition, overcome it by argument, not authority.
Have no respect for the authority of others, because contrary authorities can always be found.
Do not use power to suppress opinions you think harmful, because the opinions will suppress you.
Do not fear being eccentric in opinion, because every accepted opinion was once eccentric.
Find more pleasure in intelligent dissent than passive agreement.
Be scrupulously truthful, even when truth is inconvenient.
Do not envy the happiness of those who live in a fool’s paradise.

In plain English: stay humble, follow evidence, argue with reasons, protect dissent, and tell the truth even when it costs you. For educators, it reads like a compact critical-thinking code.