Can AI take away a student's voice or help protect it? In this episode of My EdTech Life, host Dr. Alfonso Mendoza, a top voice in the ed tech space, sits down with virtual education leaders Larissa Black and LaKeshia Brooks to dig into artificial intelligence in education, digital literacy, virtual teaching, and the growing backlash against ed tech in K-12 schools.
With a combined 34 years in education, Larissa and LaKeshia share their personal journeys from classroom teachers to virtual education leaders, and how their approach to generative AI shifted from early excitement to grounded, cautious advocacy. This conversation covers what actually matters when selecting AI and ed tech tools (accessibility and accommodations first), how to assess student work honestly in a virtual classroom, why authentic assessment beats AI-generated worksheets, and why lumping every ed tech tool into today's "AI backlash" narrative puts students who need accommodations at risk.
If you're an educator, instructional coach, virtual school leader, or ed tech decision-maker trying to navigate AI adoption, digital citizenship, and screen-time policy debates in 2026, this episode is packed with practical, classroom-tested insight.
What You'll Learn:
1. How virtual teachers moved from "move fast, break things" to cautious AI advocacy
2. Why accessibility and accommodations should drive ed tech tool selection
3. How to talk with students about AI use without a power struggle
4. Why authentic, process-based assessment matters more in the AI era
5. The risk of lumping every ed tech tool into the AI backlash narrative
6. What personalized AI tutoring could mean for educational equity
7. Why teacher training must come before student AI training
8. The future of virtual schooling in an AI-driven education landscape
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction to the Conversation
02:59 The Role of AI in Education
05:57 Personal Journeys in Virtual Teaching
09:05 Mindset Shifts in Using Generative AI
12:00 Digital Literacy and Student Engagement
14:51 Navigating EdTech Backlash
17:50 Selecting Effective EdTech Tools
20:56 Assessing Student Work in a Virtual Environment
23:41 Empowering Student Voices
26:46 Future of EdTech and Student Learning
30:54 Navigating AI in Virtual Education
36:21 The Role of Educators in AI Adoption
41:26 Reflections on AI Integration
41:55 Future of Virtual Schooling and AI
47:49 Connecting with Educators and Resources
50:28 Edu Kryptonite and Growth Mindset
53:13 Kindness and Perspective in Education
Connect with our guests:
LaKeshia Brooks — @msmathminded (TikTok)
Larissa Black — @TeachWiseAI (TikTok)
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