Description

Join host Cate Tolnai for a thought-provoking conversation with Lindy Hockenbary—"the bridge between education and technology"—who argues that AI literacy isn't "one more marble" for teachers, but core learning woven into math, science, and social studies. Lindy shares why engaging critically with technology (not avoiding it) gives educators and students agency to shape its impact. 🌉💡

🎯 What You'll Discover:

The Overflowing Jar of Marbles Metaphor 🫙

• Education keeps adding initiatives (AI literacy, digital citizenship, SEL) without removing anything—the jar is overflowing
• Lindy's solution: stop adding marbles, start merging them by integrating new literacies into existing curriculum
• Breaking marbles into "marble dust" creates space—interdisciplinary learning that makes room for relevance and depth

AI Literacy is Core Curriculum, Not Extra 🧮

• At its foundation, AI is math: patterns, probability, sampling, variables—concepts already in K-12 standards
• Example: "Why does your TikTok FYP look different than mine?" connects algorithms to real-world student experience
• Integrate AI literacy into science, social studies, and more—adding relevance while teaching required content

When Education Gets Blindsided 🚨

• Lindy submitted virtual learning proposals years before the pandemic—all rejected, then desperately needed in 2020
• She was talking about AI integration before ChatGPT launched (Nov 2022)—education was caught off guard again
• Her advice to 2014 Lindy: push harder, don't get lost in busyness, help education prepare instead of react

Don't Ban Technology—Engage With It Critically 🔍

• Removing cell phones or blocking AI takes educators and students out of the conversation
• When teachers engage critically with tools, they gain voice to advocate for safer, more purposeful uses
• "Technology built without us and not for us is technology used on us, not by us"

Embrace the Gray (Not Black or White) 🌫️

• Every technology has good and bad—finding the gray means asking better questions and evaluating thoughtfully
• Example: Text-to-video AI enables equity (aspiring filmmakers without expensive equipment) and raises deep fake concerns
• Sitting in discomfort, asking critical questions, and staying engaged gives educators power to shape outcomes

Bridging Education, EdTech & Families 🌉

• Lindy helps teachers understand product feedback cycles and UI (user interface) so they can advocate for better tools
• She helps EdTech companies understand classroom realities—"the devils are in the details" that save teachers hours
• Now expanding to support families navigating AI, screen time, and digital citizenship with their kids

Key Takeaways:

✨ AI literacy isn't extra—it's math, science, and social studies connecting to students' real-world experiences 
✨ Stop adding marbles; start merging them—integrate new literacies into existing curriculum with relevance 
✨ Education gets blindsided by emerging tech—Lindy's virtual learning proposals were rejected, then desperate in 2020 
✨ Don't ban or avoid technology; engage critically to gain voice in shaping safer, purposeful uses 
✨ Embrace the gray—every technology has good and bad; critical engagement gives educators agency 
✨ Lindy bridges educators, EdTech companies, and families—grounding conversations in shared responsibility

🎯 Perfect For:

• Educators integrating AI literacy into existing curriculum without adding to already-full plates
• Teachers seeking relevant, real-world connections for math, science, and social studies standards
• Leaders navigating cell phone policies, AI implementation, and digital citizenship initiatives
• EdTech companies wanting to understand classroom needs and build better products
• Parents seeking guidance on AI, screen time, and technology use with their children
• Anyone who feels overwhelmed by "one more thing" and needs strategies to merge initiatives

Resources & Mentions:

🌐 Brand New Website - lindyhoc.com
📊 AI Literacy TECH-Tac-Toe resource
📚 AI Literacy in Action: The Core Curriculum Connection
📖 A Teacher's Guide to Online Learning by Lindy Hockenbary
📱 EdWeek Article: "Why a Good Cellphone Policy Is About More Than Just Restrictions" 

Connect With Lindy Hockenbary:

Facebook: @LindyHoc
Instagram: @lindyhoc
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindyhockenbary/
Website: lindyhoc.com

About Lindy Hockenbary:

Lindy Hockenbary—aka "LindyHoc"—is the bridge between education and technology. With experience in instructional technology, professional development, and curriculum design, she helps educators unpack the effects of emerging technologies—especially AI—on curriculum and instruction. Her journey began in a technology-equipped classroom teaching business education and CTE. Since then, she's supported educators worldwide, authored A Teacher's Guide to Online Learning, and collaborated with EdTech companies to ensure tools align with K-12 needs. Named a 2025 Women in AI honoree by ASU+GSV, Lindy's mission is "Make EdTech 100"—empowering educators with confidence and clarity to navigate the evolving intersection of technology and pedagogy.

This episode challenges us to stop avoiding technology and start engaging critically—because agency comes from participation, not isolation. 🌉

#AILiteracy #EdTech #DigitalCitizenship #EmergingTechnology #CoreCurriculum #EdChat #CriticalThinking #TeacherSupport #AIinEducation #MediaLiteracy #InformationLiteracy #WomenInAI #EducatorEmpowerment