Episode 61 - Dean MacInnis & Dr. Alec Couros: The Principal and the Professor

In this episode of Education Matters, host Jason Buccheri sits down with Dean MacInnis, President of the Canadian Association of Principals, and Dr. Alec Couros, Professor of Educational Technology and Media. Presented in partnership with the Canadian Association of Principals, the conversation dives into the shifting role of school leadership as generative artificial intelligence arrives faster than traditional systems can respond. The guests explore the "policy gaps" currently facing administrators and the real-world challenges emerging in schools, such as the rise of deepfakes and the need to rethink student assessment. Dr. Couros argues that while AI can act as a "thinking partner" to alleviate administrative burdens, it also requires educators to protect the fundamental value of "writing as thinking". Website:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠educationmatters.media⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (https://educationmatters.media/) About: Each week, we bring you candid and personal interviews with educators and edtech leaders. New episodes: Every Tuesday & Thursday—don’t miss next week’s conversation! Join the convo: What’s your take on today’s discussion? Feedback is good! Comment below. Timestamps: [00:00:00] AI Leadership Challenges And Policy Gaps For School Principals [00:00:54] Introducing Dean MacInnis And Dr Alec Couros [00:01:39] Career Background Of Canadian Association Of Principals President [00:02:25] Dr Alec Couros Educational Technology And Media Expertise [00:02:45] Addressing Real World School Issues Like Deepfakes [00:04:17] Canadian Association Of Principals History And Mission [00:06:12] Principals As Lead Learners Within School Culture [00:08:13] Developing Provincial Governance For Educational Software [00:10:04] Rethinking Assessment And Instructional Learning Spaces [00:13:06] Overcoming Fear Of The Unknown In Leadership [00:15:57] Practical AI Tools For Budget Forecasting And Communication [00:18:12] Managing Data Privacy Within The Microsoft Ecosystem [00:20:10] Cognitive Offloading And Habits Of Student Minds [00:22:50] Essential Human Elements In Teacher Feedback And Interaction [00:24:22] Using AI As A Strategic Thinking Partner [00:27:18] Identifying True Evidence Of Learning Beyond Product Focus [00:29:45] Introducing AI Literacies At The Kindergarten Level [00:32:05] Sequence Of Literacy Mastery Before AI Implementation [00:34:53] Humanistic Side Of Social Emotional Well Being [00:37:32] Reorienting Classroom Time To Foster Human Relationships [00:39:40] Reducing Teacher Prep Time Through Automated Workflows [00:41:13] Transparent Planning And Human In The Loop Accountability [00:42:03] Closing Thoughts And Support For The CAP Conference [00:42:45] Territory And Treaty Acknowledgement For Land Stewardship [00:43:06] Podcast Subscription Information And Host Credits