Dr. Heather Leslie
@heatherleslie.bsky.social
Learning Designer. Purveyor of pedagogy. Educator. Lifelong learner/forever student. #ungrading
I wrote about my reflections going into the Giving Thanks season 🙏🍂✨ medium.com/@heatherlesl...
Cultivating an Abundance of Gratitude
Cultivating an Abundance of Gratitude This week is Thanksgiving, the time of year we share our gratitude for all the things we are lucky enough to receive- our health, our loved ones, our material …
medium.com
November 25, 2025 at 12:14 AM
I wrote about my reflections going into the Giving Thanks season 🙏🍂✨ medium.com/@heatherlesl...
Reposted by Dr. Heather Leslie
This is not the way, and @cnygren.bsky.social and I lay out in detail why it isn’t in this essay here. static1.squarespace.com/static/55577...
November 24, 2025 at 1:16 PM
This is not the way, and @cnygren.bsky.social and I lay out in detail why it isn’t in this essay here. static1.squarespace.com/static/55577...
Reposted by Dr. Heather Leslie
This whole thing is out of control.
The Ecological Cost of AI Is Much Higher Than You Think - Truthdig
As the demands of AI grow, each generation of microchips requires more energy, minerals and water to produce, driving a ruinous cycle.
www.truthdig.com
November 13, 2025 at 6:51 AM
This whole thing is out of control.
Reposted by Dr. Heather Leslie
Read Audrey Watters, always.
"Technologies are often wielded in ways meant to imply that humans are weak, messy, slow, stupid, replaceable.
We are strong, messy, awkward, flawed, irreplaceable. All of us.
Our strength comes, in part, from this vulnerability, from our humanity."
"Technologies are often wielded in ways meant to imply that humans are weak, messy, slow, stupid, replaceable.
We are strong, messy, awkward, flawed, irreplaceable. All of us.
Our strength comes, in part, from this vulnerability, from our humanity."
AI Grief Observed
These remarks were delivered this evening at the Creatively Critical Tech Speaker Series at Illinois State University.
"There is no good way to say this."
These are the opening words of Yiyun Li’s l...
2ndbreakfast.audreywatters.com
November 13, 2025 at 3:05 AM
Read Audrey Watters, always.
"Technologies are often wielded in ways meant to imply that humans are weak, messy, slow, stupid, replaceable.
We are strong, messy, awkward, flawed, irreplaceable. All of us.
Our strength comes, in part, from this vulnerability, from our humanity."
"Technologies are often wielded in ways meant to imply that humans are weak, messy, slow, stupid, replaceable.
We are strong, messy, awkward, flawed, irreplaceable. All of us.
Our strength comes, in part, from this vulnerability, from our humanity."
I wrote about a recent book I read and the start of my journey trying to integrate regenerative values into my education design amidst all this AI disruption medium.com/@heatherlesl...
The end of education as we know it: Regenerating my praxis amidst AI
I recently read a book titled The End of Education as We Know It: Regenerative Learning for Complex Times by Ida Rose Florez. I came across…
medium.com
November 8, 2025 at 3:47 AM
I wrote about a recent book I read and the start of my journey trying to integrate regenerative values into my education design amidst all this AI disruption medium.com/@heatherlesl...
Reposted by Dr. Heather Leslie
...When experts talk about artificial intelligence, for example, they always talk about tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, and the day after that; very rarely do we hear about what has already been achieved to date."
2/2
2/2
May 17, 2025 at 3:02 PM
...When experts talk about artificial intelligence, for example, they always talk about tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, and the day after that; very rarely do we hear about what has already been achieved to date."
2/2
2/2
Reposted by Dr. Heather Leslie
This is actually the thing that worries me most about AI. It's "there is no such thing as society" implemented as software solution. Needing to ask people for help, advice, or information is part of how we build and maintain social and professional bonds.
Preliminary results show that the current framework of "AI" makes ppl less likely to help or seek help from other humans, or to seek to soothe conflict, and that people actively prefer that framework to any others, literally serving to make them more dependent on it.
Sycophantic AI Decreases Prosocial Intentions and Promotes Dependence
Both the general public and academic communities have raised concerns about sycophancy, the phenomenon of artificial intelligence (AI) excessively agreeing with or flattering users. Yet, beyond isolat...
arxiv.org
October 24, 2025 at 4:23 PM
This is actually the thing that worries me most about AI. It's "there is no such thing as society" implemented as software solution. Needing to ask people for help, advice, or information is part of how we build and maintain social and professional bonds.
Reposted by Dr. Heather Leslie
“I already ban the use of generative AI in my own courses, and as a promoter of master’s theses. I explicitly tell my students they won’t learn anything by using it. [...] A general ban is necessary, but nobody dares to say so.”
🙋🏻♀️🙋🏻♀️🙋🏻♀️
apache.be/2025/10/24/b...
🙋🏻♀️🙋🏻♀️🙋🏻♀️
apache.be/2025/10/24/b...
Belgian AI scientists resist the use of AI in academia
Several AI scientists have published an open letter calling for a ban on AI use by students.
apache.be
October 24, 2025 at 10:28 AM
“I already ban the use of generative AI in my own courses, and as a promoter of master’s theses. I explicitly tell my students they won’t learn anything by using it. [...] A general ban is necessary, but nobody dares to say so.”
🙋🏻♀️🙋🏻♀️🙋🏻♀️
apache.be/2025/10/24/b...
🙋🏻♀️🙋🏻♀️🙋🏻♀️
apache.be/2025/10/24/b...
Reposted by Dr. Heather Leslie
“The widespread use of these tools, in both school and work, feels like it's driven by a self-fulfilling prophecy: the promise of an employment landscape only AI itself can imagine.”
Higher ed's rush to adopt AI is about so much more than AI: defector.com/higher-eds-r...
Higher Ed’s Rush To Adopt AI Is About So Much More Than AI | Defector
If you don’t work at a university or have college-age kids, you may have missed the flurry of news stories and social media banter about AI adoption in higher ed, stories which have snowballed into…
defector.com
October 23, 2025 at 4:03 PM
“The widespread use of these tools, in both school and work, feels like it's driven by a self-fulfilling prophecy: the promise of an employment landscape only AI itself can imagine.”
Reposted by Dr. Heather Leslie
There's a nice chart on this page with alternatives. www.raspberrypi.org/blog/ai-educ...
How anthropomorphism hinders AI education - Raspberry Pi Foundation
Our approach to describing AI and machine learning in AI education resources for young people.
www.raspberrypi.org
October 19, 2025 at 2:26 PM
There's a nice chart on this page with alternatives. www.raspberrypi.org/blog/ai-educ...
Reposted by Dr. Heather Leslie
"Life meanders like a path through the woods. We have seasons when we flourish and seasons when the leaves fall from us, revealing our bare bones. Given time, they grow again."
***
Katherine May, "Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times"
***
Katherine May, "Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times"
October 12, 2025 at 6:30 PM
"Life meanders like a path through the woods. We have seasons when we flourish and seasons when the leaves fall from us, revealing our bare bones. Given time, they grow again."
***
Katherine May, "Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times"
***
Katherine May, "Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times"
Reposted by Dr. Heather Leslie
It’s time to post this quote again…
“The children are always ours, every single one of them, all over the globe; and I am beginning to suspect that whoever is incapable of recognizing this may be incapable of morality.”
― James Baldwin
“The children are always ours, every single one of them, all over the globe; and I am beginning to suspect that whoever is incapable of recognizing this may be incapable of morality.”
― James Baldwin
October 5, 2025 at 3:08 AM
It’s time to post this quote again…
“The children are always ours, every single one of them, all over the globe; and I am beginning to suspect that whoever is incapable of recognizing this may be incapable of morality.”
― James Baldwin
“The children are always ours, every single one of them, all over the globe; and I am beginning to suspect that whoever is incapable of recognizing this may be incapable of morality.”
― James Baldwin
So one thing I cannot stand are those AI-generated podcasts from Notebook LM. So many in higher ed are telling students to use this to understand dense academic articles. While I get the intent to make content accessible to learners to both: a break down the subject and b: present it in an audio
October 3, 2025 at 4:16 PM
So one thing I cannot stand are those AI-generated podcasts from Notebook LM. So many in higher ed are telling students to use this to understand dense academic articles. While I get the intent to make content accessible to learners to both: a break down the subject and b: present it in an audio
Just published an article in the
Journal of Faculty Development on a new instructor orientation I designed that onboards faculty to teach asynchronous online courses. The orientation has received positive feedback and I’m happy to share our experience
digital.sandiego.edu/ldc-scholars...
Journal of Faculty Development on a new instructor orientation I designed that onboards faculty to teach asynchronous online courses. The orientation has received positive feedback and I’m happy to share our experience
digital.sandiego.edu/ldc-scholars...
New Instructor Orientation: Preparing Faculty to Facilitate Online Courses
This case study of a new instructor orientation describes a course to prepare faculty to facilitate courses in a university’s online programs. This case study provides a detailed description of the co...
digital.sandiego.edu
October 3, 2025 at 2:48 AM
Just published an article in the
Journal of Faculty Development on a new instructor orientation I designed that onboards faculty to teach asynchronous online courses. The orientation has received positive feedback and I’m happy to share our experience
digital.sandiego.edu/ldc-scholars...
Journal of Faculty Development on a new instructor orientation I designed that onboards faculty to teach asynchronous online courses. The orientation has received positive feedback and I’m happy to share our experience
digital.sandiego.edu/ldc-scholars...
Reposted by Dr. Heather Leslie
"I’ve concluded that instead of teaching students to read and write, I should be teaching them how to prompt AI better. If only I’d had a better education in AI prompt writing, I’d be able to get AI to create more AI-proof teaching materials for me."
I Need AI to Write Better Lesson Plans So My Students Stop Using AI to Write Their Papers
I care deeply about my students’ learning, but with all the new technologies available to help them cut corners, I worry that they’re not doing the...
buff.ly
October 2, 2025 at 1:40 AM
"I’ve concluded that instead of teaching students to read and write, I should be teaching them how to prompt AI better. If only I’d had a better education in AI prompt writing, I’d be able to get AI to create more AI-proof teaching materials for me."
This is so sad. Among other horrible decisions, reinstating grades and doing away with narrative evaluations are removing what distinguishes this institution and the quality educational experience it offers
www.insidehighered.com/news/governa...
www.insidehighered.com/news/governa...
Spending Soars, Rankings Fall at New College of Florida
Student outcomes and rankings are slipping at the liberal arts college while spending is up. Critics believe the college is at risk of implosion, and some are calling for privatization.
www.insidehighered.com
October 1, 2025 at 5:17 PM
This is so sad. Among other horrible decisions, reinstating grades and doing away with narrative evaluations are removing what distinguishes this institution and the quality educational experience it offers
www.insidehighered.com/news/governa...
www.insidehighered.com/news/governa...
Reposted by Dr. Heather Leslie
Really a must read. And very brave right now too.
October 1, 2025 at 3:47 PM
Really a must read. And very brave right now too.
Reposted by Dr. Heather Leslie
🚨NEW RESEARCH🚨
AWU teamed up with @techequity.bsky.social & @cwaunion.bsky.social to produce a report - Ghost Workers in the AI Machine: U.S. Data Workers Speak Out About Big Tech’s Exploitation - documenting the working conditions of the workers behind the AI boom.
cwa-union.org/ghost-worker...
AWU teamed up with @techequity.bsky.social & @cwaunion.bsky.social to produce a report - Ghost Workers in the AI Machine: U.S. Data Workers Speak Out About Big Tech’s Exploitation - documenting the working conditions of the workers behind the AI boom.
cwa-union.org/ghost-worker...
September 30, 2025 at 6:08 PM
🚨NEW RESEARCH🚨
AWU teamed up with @techequity.bsky.social & @cwaunion.bsky.social to produce a report - Ghost Workers in the AI Machine: U.S. Data Workers Speak Out About Big Tech’s Exploitation - documenting the working conditions of the workers behind the AI boom.
cwa-union.org/ghost-worker...
AWU teamed up with @techequity.bsky.social & @cwaunion.bsky.social to produce a report - Ghost Workers in the AI Machine: U.S. Data Workers Speak Out About Big Tech’s Exploitation - documenting the working conditions of the workers behind the AI boom.
cwa-union.org/ghost-worker...
Does anyone know of a meta-analysis of ungrading research? #ungrading
September 29, 2025 at 6:23 PM
Does anyone know of a meta-analysis of ungrading research? #ungrading
Reposted by Dr. Heather Leslie
Read the long version here. www.artforum.com/features/gen...
MACHINE YEARNING
Sonja Drimmer critically examines art historians’ recent embrace of generative AI as a tool for humanities research.
www.artforum.com
September 28, 2025 at 1:00 PM
Read the long version here. www.artforum.com/features/gen...
This quote:
“writing requires an unending effort at something resembling authenticity. Most mistakes come from not being yourself, not saying what you think, or being afraid to figure out what you really think.”
“writing requires an unending effort at something resembling authenticity. Most mistakes come from not being yourself, not saying what you think, or being afraid to figure out what you really think.”
Chiming in on Lynn Hunt. A gorgeous prose writer - and she works at it, which is why I also love assigning this by her! www.historians.org/perspectives...
How Writing Leads to Thinking (and Not the Other Way Around) – AHA
Writing is stressful. Sitting in my computer chair my neck and shoulder muscles almost immediately tense up as I dig around in my brain for the best phrase or even any coherent string of words.
www.historians.org
September 25, 2025 at 10:21 PM
This quote:
“writing requires an unending effort at something resembling authenticity. Most mistakes come from not being yourself, not saying what you think, or being afraid to figure out what you really think.”
“writing requires an unending effort at something resembling authenticity. Most mistakes come from not being yourself, not saying what you think, or being afraid to figure out what you really think.”
Reposted by Dr. Heather Leslie
Everyone involved in committees and policymaking around genAI in universities should be required to listen to at least one episode of Mystery AI Hype Theater 3000 with @emilymbender.bsky.social and @alexhanna.bsky.social before every meeting.
www.dair-institute.org/maiht3k/
www.dair-institute.org/maiht3k/
September 24, 2025 at 8:24 PM
Everyone involved in committees and policymaking around genAI in universities should be required to listen to at least one episode of Mystery AI Hype Theater 3000 with @emilymbender.bsky.social and @alexhanna.bsky.social before every meeting.
www.dair-institute.org/maiht3k/
www.dair-institute.org/maiht3k/
Reposted by Dr. Heather Leslie
My very limited understanding of the technology had me believing that hallucinations were the wrong concept because (1) everything LLMs do is repeat statistical probabilities, and so have no grounding in reality or truth, and (2) LLMs are not beings and do not perceive and so do not hallucinate. 1/
"In a landmark study, OpenAI researchers reveal that large language models will always produce plausible but false outputs, even with perfect data, due to fundamental statistical and computational limits."
www.computerworld.com/article/4059...
www.computerworld.com/article/4059...
OpenAI admits AI hallucinations are mathematically inevitable, not just engineering flaws
In a landmark study, OpenAI researchers reveal that large language models will always produce plausible but false outputs, even with perfect data, due to fundamental statistical and computational limi...
www.computerworld.com
September 21, 2025 at 2:11 PM
My very limited understanding of the technology had me believing that hallucinations were the wrong concept because (1) everything LLMs do is repeat statistical probabilities, and so have no grounding in reality or truth, and (2) LLMs are not beings and do not perceive and so do not hallucinate. 1/
Beautiful piece!
Our second Growth, Not Grades winner is Sharlyn Barrett 🎉
Sharlyn writes how chasing perfection — whether pounds on a scale or letters on a page — left her ready to give up. She imagines an education that values growth and self-acceptance.
Read and share!
growbeyondgrades.org/blog/degradi...
Sharlyn writes how chasing perfection — whether pounds on a scale or letters on a page — left her ready to give up. She imagines an education that values growth and self-acceptance.
Read and share!
growbeyondgrades.org/blog/degradi...
The Degrading Scale — Grow Beyond Grades
In her essay, Sharlyn Barrett recalls how the pursuit of perfection—whether on a scale or on a report card—stripped joy from both learning and life, and how messages about perfection left her exhauste...
growbeyondgrades.org
September 19, 2025 at 9:06 PM
Beautiful piece!
Reposted by Dr. Heather Leslie
If we want to stem the problematic use of A.I. in K-12 and higher education, we need to understand why students use it. The latest from me and @ehutt.bsky.social.
AI isn't the end of the essay
Artificial intelligence chat bots like ChatGPT will force educators to change how they motivate and grade students, write professors Ethan Hutt and Jack Schneider. We need to emphasize the process of ...
www.wbur.org
September 18, 2025 at 1:39 PM
If we want to stem the problematic use of A.I. in K-12 and higher education, we need to understand why students use it. The latest from me and @ehutt.bsky.social.