Vibe Coding from New Zealand | Ep. 87

05/12/2025 1h 2min

Listen "Vibe Coding from New Zealand | Ep. 87"

Episode Synopsis

In this episode of ChatEDU (Vibe Coding from New Zealand) while Liz continues her adventure, Matt is joined by Yaron Overeem, a school principal from New Zealand and ChatEDU listener. He shares his experience with AI literacy, cultural preservation, and the rise of vibe coding. But first, a recent Futurism article details how an AI-powered teddy bear was pulled from shelves after giving dangerous instructions to kids. Matt and Yaron reflect on the risks of generative AI, especially when it comes to younger users.Story #1: AI in Career PathwaysNew CTE pilots in the U.S. are preparing high schoolers for AI-infused careers in agriculture, healthcare, and manufacturing. Matt highlights a story out of South Carolina and asks how schools can support students in learning to build AI. Yaron shares how his students are beginning to explore how AI connects to broader industries and why it’s critical to go beyond job titles and explore industry ecosystems.Story #2: AI and Academic IntegrityAfter analyzing 85 episodes of ChatEDU transcripts in NotebookLM, Matt reveals that AI cheating and academic integrity rank among the top three most frequently discussed topics on the show, alongside bias and AI literacy. Yaron shares his own reflections from the faculty lounge and the classroom, including what happens when students and teachers start using AI to write communications. His solution: pick up the phone and talk.Story #3: Māori Language, Bias, and Data SovereigntyAs AI tools become widespread in education, cultural representation and linguistic accuracy are under scrutiny. Yaron unpacks a growing national conversation about how tools like ChatGPT and Gemini often misrepresent Māori culture and language, including his own example of an AI-generated image of Tangaroa that looked suspiciously like Jason Momoa. Teachers are concerned about misinterpretations, omissions, and inaccuracies when using AI in bilingual classrooms. Locally developed tools like Te Hiku Media’s Māori speech recognition system are offering promising alternatives, and the government is being pushed to consider Te Tiriti o Waitangi and data sovereignty in its AI policies.Beneath the Surface: Vibe CodingInspired by a past episode, Yaron began using Gemini AI Studio and Firebase to create custom classroom tools using only natural language prompts. From timers and reward systems to student scheduling, he has built tailored apps that meet his school’s needs without traditional coding. It’s a compelling example of what happens when educators apply creativity and curiosity to AI in practice.Bright Byte: AI Saving New Zealand’s BirdsMatt and Yaron look at how AI vision and genetic analysis are helping preserve endangered species like the flightless kākāpō. AI-enabled traps use computer vision to detect predators like rats and possums without harming native wildlife.Links & ReferencesAI-Powered Stuffed Animal Pulled From Market After Disturbing Interactions With Childrenhttps://tinyurl.com/5fn6uf8hAI Tutors in Early Reading Instructionhttps://tinyurl.com/3mdvj4zuBusinesses Want Employees With AI Skillshttps://tinyurl.com/wasm78jnMāori Culture, Language, and Data Sovereigntyhttps://tinyurl.com/3yhb7xkfImages made with AI recycle colonial stereotypes and biashttps://tinyurl.com/mvmnta5xNew Zealand is turning to AI and genetic research to save rare birdshttps://tinyurl.com/4ck3zn4eLearning They'll Love - Dr. Elizabeth RaddayASCD: https://tinyurl.com/bde652nnAmazon: https://tinyurl.com/22t9hz77Barnes and Noble: https://tinyurl.com/bdckf6zwAnnouncements & SponsorsCheck out the new Student AI Course for middle and high school. Email Matt and Liz at ⁠[email protected]⁠The Winter Micro-Credential is now open. Join us for the educator and school leader course starting in January - ⁠ ⁠⁠skills21.org/ai/micro⁠The National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing. ⁠www.nextgenmfg.org⁠