Shea Smith
@qsprn.bsky.social
letterpress enthusiast | doctoral candidate
• researching the datafication & platformization of education
• quantum sufficit, pro re nata
• researching the datafication & platformization of education
• quantum sufficit, pro re nata
Reposted by Shea Smith
kudos to whoever was responsible for this nice piece of Reddit trolling in response to a finance guy looking for a quick heads-up on how best to understand ed-tech .... "at first this will seem wrong but push through"
@audreywatters.bsky.social
@audreywatters.bsky.social
November 19, 2025 at 11:18 PM
kudos to whoever was responsible for this nice piece of Reddit trolling in response to a finance guy looking for a quick heads-up on how best to understand ed-tech .... "at first this will seem wrong but push through"
@audreywatters.bsky.social
@audreywatters.bsky.social
Reposted by Shea Smith
‘Glampersands’, as in, a glorious collection of metal type ampersands recently cast by my pal Pat Reagh. #letterpress
November 13, 2025 at 8:12 PM
‘Glampersands’, as in, a glorious collection of metal type ampersands recently cast by my pal Pat Reagh. #letterpress
Reposted by Shea Smith
Marjorie Taylor Greene was hired, trained, and paid by tech oligarchs & others from the very beginning to be a political troublemaker. With Trump’s downfall looming, Greene is now being strategically groomed to be JD Vance’s vice president.
Mark my words.
Mark my words.
November 15, 2025 at 4:00 PM
Marjorie Taylor Greene was hired, trained, and paid by tech oligarchs & others from the very beginning to be a political troublemaker. With Trump’s downfall looming, Greene is now being strategically groomed to be JD Vance’s vice president.
Mark my words.
Mark my words.
Reposted by Shea Smith
"AI in education revives old debates on who defines and teaches 'truth.' As LLMs shape how knowledge is built and shared, tech firms, not states, could emerge as new global educators. ... able to influence millions with no pedagogical or ethical framework." www.unesco.org/en/articles/...
Who educates the LLMs?
AI in education revives old debates on who defines and teaches “truth.” As LLMs shape how knowledge is built and shared, tech firms, not states, could emerge as new global educators
www.unesco.org
November 10, 2025 at 7:17 PM
"AI in education revives old debates on who defines and teaches 'truth.' As LLMs shape how knowledge is built and shared, tech firms, not states, could emerge as new global educators. ... able to influence millions with no pedagogical or ethical framework." www.unesco.org/en/articles/...
Reposted by Shea Smith
Made a real-size cassette tape from metal type and kind of love it, like I loved that mix tape my high school bestie got from a cooler older cousin circa ‘93. Available as a small print: www.starshaped.com/small-prints...
November 3, 2025 at 3:33 PM
Made a real-size cassette tape from metal type and kind of love it, like I loved that mix tape my high school bestie got from a cooler older cousin circa ‘93. Available as a small print: www.starshaped.com/small-prints...
Reposted by Shea Smith
Wired has just published an in-depth piece on Alpha Schools ... giving us a deep-dive on the realities of AI-driven schools sold on the promise of students plugged into personalised learning systems and doing ('crushing') a full day's schoolwork in only 2 hours: www.wired.com/story/ai-tea...
Parents Fell in Love With Alpha School’s Promise. Then They Wanted Out
In Brownsville, Texas, some families found a buzzy new school’s methods—surveillance of kids, software in lieu of teachers—to be an education in and of itself.
www.wired.com
October 27, 2025 at 7:31 PM
Wired has just published an in-depth piece on Alpha Schools ... giving us a deep-dive on the realities of AI-driven schools sold on the promise of students plugged into personalised learning systems and doing ('crushing') a full day's schoolwork in only 2 hours: www.wired.com/story/ai-tea...
Thank you, @starshapedpress.bsky.social
Your postcards always brighten my day!
Your postcards always brighten my day!
October 28, 2025 at 10:18 PM
Thank you, @starshapedpress.bsky.social
Your postcards always brighten my day!
Your postcards always brighten my day!
Reposted by Shea Smith
Which style of intelligence do you prefer? My software developer husband prefers the regular text,, musician daughter prefers the irregular…
May 4, 2025 at 3:26 PM
Which style of intelligence do you prefer? My software developer husband prefers the regular text,, musician daughter prefers the irregular…
Reposted by Shea Smith
Can anyone recommend an blog, newsletter or open access article on critical AI literacy? Even better if it critiques the promotion of AI literacy as a way to avoid AI risks and harms!
October 27, 2025 at 11:13 AM
Can anyone recommend an blog, newsletter or open access article on critical AI literacy? Even better if it critiques the promotion of AI literacy as a way to avoid AI risks and harms!
Reposted by Shea Smith
"Some major universities are inviting tech companies ... to take on a much bigger role as education thought partners, A.I. instructors and curriculum providers.
That means dominant tech companies are now helping to steer what an entire generation of students learn about A.I, and how they use it"
That means dominant tech companies are now helping to steer what an entire generation of students learn about A.I, and how they use it"
Private tech companies feeding at the trough of taxpayer-supported public institutions
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/26/t...
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/26/t...
Big Tech Makes Cal State Its A.I. Training Ground
www.nytimes.com
October 26, 2025 at 12:23 PM
"Some major universities are inviting tech companies ... to take on a much bigger role as education thought partners, A.I. instructors and curriculum providers.
That means dominant tech companies are now helping to steer what an entire generation of students learn about A.I, and how they use it"
That means dominant tech companies are now helping to steer what an entire generation of students learn about A.I, and how they use it"
Reposted by Shea Smith
Home builders guild debuts partnership with Big Arson.
“The 55 attendees started the morning by reading aloud a mission statement for the new academy that vows to lead the ‘safe, fair’ use of AI and ‘keep the human side of teaching strong.’”
“The 55 attendees started the morning by reading aloud a mission statement for the new academy that vows to lead the ‘safe, fair’ use of AI and ‘keep the human side of teaching strong.’”
Teachers union debuts AI training partnership with Big Tech
The $23 million effort aims to help teachers boost efficiency, but also prompts concerns
gothamist.com
October 23, 2025 at 6:53 PM
Home builders guild debuts partnership with Big Arson.
“The 55 attendees started the morning by reading aloud a mission statement for the new academy that vows to lead the ‘safe, fair’ use of AI and ‘keep the human side of teaching strong.’”
“The 55 attendees started the morning by reading aloud a mission statement for the new academy that vows to lead the ‘safe, fair’ use of AI and ‘keep the human side of teaching strong.’”
Reposted by Shea Smith
Seems like an opportune moment to re-up our paper about AWS seeking infrastructural dominance in education through a range of operations that include platforming the edtech industry on its cloud services codeactsineducation.wordpress.com/2022/07/12/h...
How many classes today were canceled because a whole suite of EdTech services are built atop AWS?
You know what platform never crashes?
You know what platform never crashes?
October 20, 2025 at 4:46 PM
Seems like an opportune moment to re-up our paper about AWS seeking infrastructural dominance in education through a range of operations that include platforming the edtech industry on its cloud services codeactsineducation.wordpress.com/2022/07/12/h...
Reposted by Shea Smith
Aidan Walker on why "now is *not* the time to ban phones ...
why Jonathan Haidt sucks"
howtodothingswithmemes.substack.com/p/now-is-not...
why Jonathan Haidt sucks"
howtodothingswithmemes.substack.com/p/now-is-not...
October 11, 2025 at 8:51 PM
Aidan Walker on why "now is *not* the time to ban phones ...
why Jonathan Haidt sucks"
howtodothingswithmemes.substack.com/p/now-is-not...
why Jonathan Haidt sucks"
howtodothingswithmemes.substack.com/p/now-is-not...
Reposted by Shea Smith
"Why would OpenAI and Microsoft spend $23 million to give 'free training' on how to use AI to teachers? Because they love teachers? No. Because they want to get their products into public schools in an attempt to cultivate the education market. ... To automate teachers, in other words."
It takes no special technical expertise to know that
1) AI's main value proposition today is automating labor,
2) AI is going to supercharge economic inequality, and
3) If we do not get out in front of that policy-wise, we are fools.
www.hamiltonnolan.com/p/thinking-o...
1) AI's main value proposition today is automating labor,
2) AI is going to supercharge economic inequality, and
3) If we do not get out in front of that policy-wise, we are fools.
www.hamiltonnolan.com/p/thinking-o...
Thinking of AI as a Social Problem
No need to know the unknowable. The knowable is bad enough.
www.hamiltonnolan.com
October 8, 2025 at 12:16 PM
"Why would OpenAI and Microsoft spend $23 million to give 'free training' on how to use AI to teachers? Because they love teachers? No. Because they want to get their products into public schools in an attempt to cultivate the education market. ... To automate teachers, in other words."
“With the current adoption rate of generative AI, we will almost certainly move from knowledge as a common good to information as a sponsored service within a couple of years.”
The Age of Sponsored Knowing
And What This Means To Higher Education
jeppestricker.substack.com
October 4, 2025 at 8:36 AM
“With the current adoption rate of generative AI, we will almost certainly move from knowledge as a common good to information as a sponsored service within a couple of years.”
Reposted by Shea Smith
So great. Thanks a million @starshapedpress.bsky.social
Some of the original sketches for my collaboration with @fieldnotesbrand.bsky.social. Major props to the librarians who share publishers bindings.
September 26, 2025 at 2:27 PM
So great. Thanks a million @starshapedpress.bsky.social
Reposted by Shea Smith
Cool parcel in the post of an "Ed-tech Agitprop Pack" unexpectedly sent by @neilselwyn.bsky.social
"The ed-tech that we're currently dealing with is not a done deal!" as the accompanying note says.
"The ed-tech that we're currently dealing with is not a done deal!" as the accompanying note says.
October 2, 2025 at 11:21 AM
Cool parcel in the post of an "Ed-tech Agitprop Pack" unexpectedly sent by @neilselwyn.bsky.social
"The ed-tech that we're currently dealing with is not a done deal!" as the accompanying note says.
"The ed-tech that we're currently dealing with is not a done deal!" as the accompanying note says.
Reposted by Shea Smith
Say it often, say it loud:
"Overall, research has not supported the common-sense presumption that digital approaches to schooling are better than non-digital alternatives. At the broadest level, widespread computer use in education has been found to be associated with lower student achievement."
"Overall, research has not supported the common-sense presumption that digital approaches to schooling are better than non-digital alternatives. At the broadest level, widespread computer use in education has been found to be associated with lower student achievement."
Fit for Purpose? How Today’s Commercial Digital Platforms Subvert Key Goals of Public Education
Digital educational platforms have become ubiquitous in American classrooms, with tools like Google Workspace for Education, Kahoot!, Zearn, Khan Academy, and many others now structuring curriculum, i...
nepc.colorado.edu
September 29, 2025 at 10:18 AM
Say it often, say it loud:
"Overall, research has not supported the common-sense presumption that digital approaches to schooling are better than non-digital alternatives. At the broadest level, widespread computer use in education has been found to be associated with lower student achievement."
"Overall, research has not supported the common-sense presumption that digital approaches to schooling are better than non-digital alternatives. At the broadest level, widespread computer use in education has been found to be associated with lower student achievement."
Reposted by Shea Smith
Made With Human Intelligence (and all 19th century type) 7x5” prints now available. #letterpress
www.starshaped.com/small-prints...
www.starshaped.com/small-prints...
September 28, 2025 at 2:26 PM
Made With Human Intelligence (and all 19th century type) 7x5” prints now available. #letterpress
www.starshaped.com/small-prints...
www.starshaped.com/small-prints...
The kids are alright.
DAZED | ‘I’m a modern-day luddite’: Meet the students who don’t use laptops (16 Sept. 2025)
www.dazeddigital.com/life-culture...
DAZED | ‘I’m a modern-day luddite’: Meet the students who don’t use laptops (16 Sept. 2025)
www.dazeddigital.com/life-culture...
‘I’m a modern-day luddite’: Meet the students who don’t use laptops
The vast majority of students rely on laptops – and increasingly AI – to help with their university work. But a small number are going analogue and eschewing tech almost entirely in a bid to re-engage...
www.dazeddigital.com
September 25, 2025 at 12:56 PM
The kids are alright.
DAZED | ‘I’m a modern-day luddite’: Meet the students who don’t use laptops (16 Sept. 2025)
www.dazeddigital.com/life-culture...
DAZED | ‘I’m a modern-day luddite’: Meet the students who don’t use laptops (16 Sept. 2025)
www.dazeddigital.com/life-culture...
Reposted by Shea Smith
“(…) what gets repeatedly ignored is this fundamental paradox: GenAI’s architecture absolutely depends on consciously taken actions that would stand in violation of any of our institutions’ academic-integrity policies.” @thetattooedprof.bsky.social
www.chronicle.com/article/some... 2/n
www.chronicle.com/article/some... 2/n
Advice | Sometimes We Resist AI for Good Reasons
Why higher ed needs to listen to the contrarians in setting policies on using tools like ChatGPT in faculty work.
www.chronicle.com
September 24, 2025 at 9:12 PM
“(…) what gets repeatedly ignored is this fundamental paradox: GenAI’s architecture absolutely depends on consciously taken actions that would stand in violation of any of our institutions’ academic-integrity policies.” @thetattooedprof.bsky.social
www.chronicle.com/article/some... 2/n
www.chronicle.com/article/some... 2/n
Reposted by Shea Smith
For those who don't know, I produce a podcast featuring some of the latest thinking in the critical studies of education & tech.
We have just kicked off our third season with an episode on 'Technosolutionism' ... please take a listen & subscribe!
www.buzzsprout.com/1301377
We have just kicked off our third season with an episode on 'Technosolutionism' ... please take a listen & subscribe!
www.buzzsprout.com/1301377
September 24, 2025 at 6:01 AM
For those who don't know, I produce a podcast featuring some of the latest thinking in the critical studies of education & tech.
We have just kicked off our third season with an episode on 'Technosolutionism' ... please take a listen & subscribe!
www.buzzsprout.com/1301377
We have just kicked off our third season with an episode on 'Technosolutionism' ... please take a listen & subscribe!
www.buzzsprout.com/1301377
Reposted by Shea Smith
Reposted by Shea Smith
The purpose of education, if there is "education" under techno-fascism/Christian Nationalism, is compliance and control. "AI" serves this perfectly. 2ndbreakfast.audreywatters.com/how-do-you-w...
How Do You Want to Be Remembered?
"The best way to honor Charlie’s memory," California Governor Gavin Newsom said, "is to continue his work." And so we've seen in the last week: the targeted harassment of those who've spoken out about...
2ndbreakfast.audreywatters.com
September 19, 2025 at 10:23 AM
The purpose of education, if there is "education" under techno-fascism/Christian Nationalism, is compliance and control. "AI" serves this perfectly. 2ndbreakfast.audreywatters.com/how-do-you-w...
Reposted by Shea Smith
This right here.
companies make it difficult or impossible to disable ai in their products because it is an authoritarian project made from a stack of consent violations in a trenchcoat
they don't give you a checkbox for "i don't want this and will never use it" because they know many people would check that box
they don't give you a checkbox for "i don't want this and will never use it" because they know many people would check that box
September 20, 2025 at 5:57 PM
This right here.