In April, I had the honor to be a keynote for Advancing a Massachusetts Culture of Assessment (AMCOA); a great organization that has some of the people I deeply respect and have had the opportunity to work with over the years.
This piece absolutely hit the mark. Your framing of GenAI not as a replacement but as a catalyst for rethinking assessment resonated deeply. I’ve been working on scaffolding models that integrate structured content mapping, spiral learning, and AI-powered feedback loops and your point about aligning assessment with process, not just product, is critical.
I particularly appreciated the emphasis on authentic learning and the reminder that innovation should serve pedagogy: not just novelty.
One area I’d add to the conversation is the foundational role that skills like cursive handwriting can play in supporting the orthographic loop. -the cognitive process linking visual perception, motor coordination, and memory consolidation.
There’s compelling research suggesting that even in AI-supported models, preserving these practices strengthens neural pathways for reading fluency and long-term retention. Cursive handwriting: https://extension.ucr.edu/features/cursivewriting
While we may disagree on the fate of cursive, your piece strengthens my conviction that GenAI’s highest use isn’t automation: it’s alignment. I’m eager to keep exploring how GenAI partnerships can reshape what’s possible. -whether typed, printed, or (gasp) scrawled in Helvetica.
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Note: The recommendation to explore your substack and the link to: AI + Education = Simplified came from my own GenAI partnership, with ELIOT (Emergent Learning for Observation and Thought).
Fantastic observations as always, Lance Eaton. You have way of painting a visual!
aww--thank you Christine! I try :)
This piece absolutely hit the mark. Your framing of GenAI not as a replacement but as a catalyst for rethinking assessment resonated deeply. I’ve been working on scaffolding models that integrate structured content mapping, spiral learning, and AI-powered feedback loops and your point about aligning assessment with process, not just product, is critical.
I particularly appreciated the emphasis on authentic learning and the reminder that innovation should serve pedagogy: not just novelty.
One area I’d add to the conversation is the foundational role that skills like cursive handwriting can play in supporting the orthographic loop. -the cognitive process linking visual perception, motor coordination, and memory consolidation.
There’s compelling research suggesting that even in AI-supported models, preserving these practices strengthens neural pathways for reading fluency and long-term retention. Cursive handwriting: https://extension.ucr.edu/features/cursivewriting
While we may disagree on the fate of cursive, your piece strengthens my conviction that GenAI’s highest use isn’t automation: it’s alignment. I’m eager to keep exploring how GenAI partnerships can reshape what’s possible. -whether typed, printed, or (gasp) scrawled in Helvetica.
———————-
Note: The recommendation to explore your substack and the link to: AI + Education = Simplified came from my own GenAI partnership, with ELIOT (Emergent Learning for Observation and Thought).
The modern U.S. public education system, since the creation of the Department of Education, has never been about education; rather, programming. https://torrancestephensphd.substack.com/p/dumbing-down-students-so-everyone