Nathan Holbert
@snowdaylearninglab.org
Learning Scientist. Maker and designer. Player of games and toys. Dad. Associate Professor @ Teachers College, Columbia University. Pop & Play host http://tc.edu/popandplay
Pinned
The Life of a Showgirl and Being a Swiftie
Podcast Episode · Pop and Play · 11/11/2025 · 38m
podcasts.apple.com
Today we have the first Pop & Play "play date"! If you listened to "Life of a Showgirl," you'll enjoy our conversation with @brownellcassie.bsky.social about play with the Swiftie community. And join @haenyyoon.bsky.social, me, and Cassie on 11/13 @ 9:15pm ET at #popoff to keep the playdate going!
Probably the most video game look of all consoles. Love it.
November 27, 2025 at 3:46 AM
Probably the most video game look of all consoles. Love it.
Opening bluesky today and…
a man in a white shirt is standing in front of a window and saying her .
Alt: Michael Bluth from arrested development saying her .
media.tenor.com
November 27, 2025 at 3:44 AM
Opening bluesky today and…
Reposted by Nathan Holbert
Handing back student work that’s been written by ChatGPT with a 0 followed by the comment “This essay will never stand in authentic wonder before the Beauty of God’s creation.”
Pope Leo XIV told students not to use artificial intelligence for homework, saying that AI ‘won’t stand in authentic wonder before the beauty of God’s creation.’
Even God Is Worried About ChatGPT
Pope Leo XIV told students not to use artificial intelligence for homework, saying that AI ‘won’t stand in authentic wonder before the beauty of God’s creation.’
www.vulture.com
November 26, 2025 at 3:35 PM
Handing back student work that’s been written by ChatGPT with a 0 followed by the comment “This essay will never stand in authentic wonder before the Beauty of God’s creation.”
Reposted by Nathan Holbert
FINALLY! After hearing about all the cool movies, books, games and TV from our guests, @haenyyoon.bsky.social and I get to talk about “What’s Poppin’?” for us! A nice light Pop & Play that will hopefully introduce you to a few new treats for the holiday break.
What's Poppin' for Haeny and Nathan?!
Podcast Episode · Pop and Play · 11/25/2025 · 23m
podcasts.apple.com
November 25, 2025 at 12:44 PM
FINALLY! After hearing about all the cool movies, books, games and TV from our guests, @haenyyoon.bsky.social and I get to talk about “What’s Poppin’?” for us! A nice light Pop & Play that will hopefully introduce you to a few new treats for the holiday break.
FINALLY! After hearing about all the cool movies, books, games and TV from our guests, @haenyyoon.bsky.social and I get to talk about “What’s Poppin’?” for us! A nice light Pop & Play that will hopefully introduce you to a few new treats for the holiday break.
What's Poppin' for Haeny and Nathan?!
Podcast Episode · Pop and Play · 11/25/2025 · 23m
podcasts.apple.com
November 25, 2025 at 12:44 PM
FINALLY! After hearing about all the cool movies, books, games and TV from our guests, @haenyyoon.bsky.social and I get to talk about “What’s Poppin’?” for us! A nice light Pop & Play that will hopefully introduce you to a few new treats for the holiday break.
Reposted by Nathan Holbert
Thread of some of my favorite readings on education and technology. Would love to hear yours!
Ackermann, E. K. (2020). Experiences of artifacts: People’s appropriations / objects’ “affordances.”
This paper is so wonderful. Excellent for helping readers understand how to connect design to constructivist theory. Edith's writing is beautiful and powerful.
This paper is so wonderful. Excellent for helping readers understand how to connect design to constructivist theory. Edith's writing is beautiful and powerful.
Experiences of Artifacts: People’s Appropriations/Objects’ “Affordances”
direct.mit.edu
November 25, 2025 at 1:02 AM
Thread of some of my favorite readings on education and technology. Would love to hear yours!
Reposted by Nathan Holbert
Not sure what the all time favorite would be, but I love any article that can help illuminate the influences of completely overlooked or "invisible" tech.
This recent one from @neilselwyn.bsky.social is a great example. See also- Garcia's book on the school bus.
doi.org/10.1177/1757...
This recent one from @neilselwyn.bsky.social is a great example. See also- Garcia's book on the school bus.
doi.org/10.1177/1757...
The modern classroom chair: Exploring the ‘coercive design’ of contemporary schooling - Neil Selwyn, 2024
This paper explores the role of material design as a form of institutional power within contemporary school settings. Drawing on concepts of ‘coercive design’ a...
doi.org
November 25, 2025 at 6:58 AM
Not sure what the all time favorite would be, but I love any article that can help illuminate the influences of completely overlooked or "invisible" tech.
This recent one from @neilselwyn.bsky.social is a great example. See also- Garcia's book on the school bus.
doi.org/10.1177/1757...
This recent one from @neilselwyn.bsky.social is a great example. See also- Garcia's book on the school bus.
doi.org/10.1177/1757...
Reposted by Nathan Holbert
Wow, hard to narrow down... I'd certainly have to list Apple's book
Education/Technology/Power: Educational Computing as a Social Practice|Paperback
With a focus on educational computing, this book examines how technological practices align with or subvert existing forms of dominance. Examines the important question: Is the enormous financial ...
www.barnesandnoble.com
November 25, 2025 at 1:06 AM
Wow, hard to narrow down... I'd certainly have to list Apple's book
Thread of some of my favorite readings on education and technology. Would love to hear yours!
Ackermann, E. K. (2020). Experiences of artifacts: People’s appropriations / objects’ “affordances.”
This paper is so wonderful. Excellent for helping readers understand how to connect design to constructivist theory. Edith's writing is beautiful and powerful.
This paper is so wonderful. Excellent for helping readers understand how to connect design to constructivist theory. Edith's writing is beautiful and powerful.
Experiences of Artifacts: People’s Appropriations/Objects’ “Affordances”
direct.mit.edu
November 25, 2025 at 1:02 AM
Thread of some of my favorite readings on education and technology. Would love to hear yours!
Was just asked (among others) by @benshapi.ro for recommendations (old and new) for articles on learning and tech. Figured I'd share my brief list here! Others had excellent recs I didn't want to duplicate, but here are a few I suggested...
November 25, 2025 at 12:10 AM
Was just asked (among others) by @benshapi.ro for recommendations (old and new) for articles on learning and tech. Figured I'd share my brief list here! Others had excellent recs I didn't want to duplicate, but here are a few I suggested...
Oh shit. The definitive correct Star Wars ranking DOES exist!
Ranking the best of Star Wars:
1.) Andor
2.) Any SW movie when you’re 8 years old
3.) Knights of the Old Republic
4.) Knights of the Old Republic II
5.) Tattered Star Wars expanded universe paperback you found for $1
6.) Empire Strikes Back
7.) A New Hope
8.) Christmas in the Stars holiday album
1.) Andor
2.) Any SW movie when you’re 8 years old
3.) Knights of the Old Republic
4.) Knights of the Old Republic II
5.) Tattered Star Wars expanded universe paperback you found for $1
6.) Empire Strikes Back
7.) A New Hope
8.) Christmas in the Stars holiday album
November 24, 2025 at 10:02 PM
Oh shit. The definitive correct Star Wars ranking DOES exist!
[Pearls clutched tightly]
rogue one is bad folks. i have believed this since i saw it in theaters and no subsequent rewatch has changed my mind. basically a chop job until the final sequence, which is good (for star wars)
November 24, 2025 at 8:44 PM
[Pearls clutched tightly]
Reposted by Nathan Holbert
My SWAG is that many tech people who do not agree with DOGE's aims nonetheless agree with their methods.
There actually has not been enough reflection in the tech community about DOGE
November 24, 2025 at 4:45 PM
My SWAG is that many tech people who do not agree with DOGE's aims nonetheless agree with their methods.
Reposted by Nathan Holbert
The issues with AI and education are vast, and I appreciate that this story aims to engage with that complexity, but it misses the mark in so many ways by boiling it down to two competing ideas, 1) "AI is here to stay" and will transform the job market and 2) AI is bad for critical thinking. 1/8
Higher Education’s AI Problem : Up First from NPR
Across the country, colleges and universities are struggling to figure out how to incorporate AI into the classroom. ChatGPT debuted almost exactly three years ago. And very quickly, students began to...
www.npr.org
November 24, 2025 at 1:31 PM
The issues with AI and education are vast, and I appreciate that this story aims to engage with that complexity, but it misses the mark in so many ways by boiling it down to two competing ideas, 1) "AI is here to stay" and will transform the job market and 2) AI is bad for critical thinking. 1/8
The issues with AI and education are vast, and I appreciate that this story aims to engage with that complexity, but it misses the mark in so many ways by boiling it down to two competing ideas, 1) "AI is here to stay" and will transform the job market and 2) AI is bad for critical thinking. 1/8
Higher Education’s AI Problem : Up First from NPR
Across the country, colleges and universities are struggling to figure out how to incorporate AI into the classroom. ChatGPT debuted almost exactly three years ago. And very quickly, students began to...
www.npr.org
November 24, 2025 at 1:31 PM
The issues with AI and education are vast, and I appreciate that this story aims to engage with that complexity, but it misses the mark in so many ways by boiling it down to two competing ideas, 1) "AI is here to stay" and will transform the job market and 2) AI is bad for critical thinking. 1/8
I’m with the Belcher family.
Bobs Burgers GIF
Alt: A scene from the show Bobs burgers where the family climbs on a giant cooked turkey holding an umbrella and flies away—a scene reminiscent of the movie My neighbor Totoro
media.tenor.com
November 24, 2025 at 4:07 AM
I’m with the Belcher family.
Reposted by Nathan Holbert
I don't understand how anyone can watch how blatantly Grok is manipulated to answer the way ownership desires it to and then act like the other LLM chatbots couldn't possibly be similarly but less obviously compromised to produce responses in whatever way corporate interests and priorities dictate.
November 23, 2025 at 7:13 PM
I don't understand how anyone can watch how blatantly Grok is manipulated to answer the way ownership desires it to and then act like the other LLM chatbots couldn't possibly be similarly but less obviously compromised to produce responses in whatever way corporate interests and priorities dictate.
Reposted by Nathan Holbert
Journalist challenge: Use “Machine Learning” when you mean machine learning and “LLM” when you mean LLM. Ditch “AI” as a catch-all term, it’s not useful for readers and it helps companies trying to confuse the public by obscuring the roles played by different technologies. 🧪
November 22, 2025 at 4:50 PM
Journalist challenge: Use “Machine Learning” when you mean machine learning and “LLM” when you mean LLM. Ditch “AI” as a catch-all term, it’s not useful for readers and it helps companies trying to confuse the public by obscuring the roles played by different technologies. 🧪
Just read a few long threads about Game of Thrones and it’s like a forgotten and dusty room has been opened for the first time in ages. I’m finding all this cool stuff (“Oh yeah the faceless! Oh and the weird tree stuff!”) in there that used to be very meaningful to me.
November 23, 2025 at 2:02 AM
Just read a few long threads about Game of Thrones and it’s like a forgotten and dusty room has been opened for the first time in ages. I’m finding all this cool stuff (“Oh yeah the faceless! Oh and the weird tree stuff!”) in there that used to be very meaningful to me.
Reposted by Nathan Holbert
Feeling queasy now I've learned that Google is not only now offering Gemini ambassador certificates to teachers but also awarding students and *children* to be corporate AI mascots. Coercive normalization of commercialized digital education. blog.google/outreach-ini...
November 22, 2025 at 8:19 PM
Feeling queasy now I've learned that Google is not only now offering Gemini ambassador certificates to teachers but also awarding students and *children* to be corporate AI mascots. Coercive normalization of commercialized digital education. blog.google/outreach-ini...
Reposted by Nathan Holbert
Are we really at a stage in public education where we consider it OK to have literally Google-branded schoolchildren whose learner identities are tied to being "responsible AI" users of private for-profit technologies?
November 22, 2025 at 8:31 PM
Are we really at a stage in public education where we consider it OK to have literally Google-branded schoolchildren whose learner identities are tied to being "responsible AI" users of private for-profit technologies?
Sounds familiar… 😕
The real problem is that administrators view faculty as problems to be solved, too, rather than as colleagues and certainly not as allies. This narrow posture has reinforced their bunker mentality, keeping them from aligning with faculty, consulting world experts among us, and being united.
November 22, 2025 at 4:05 AM
Sounds familiar… 😕
One doesn’t play Trump like a fiddle. More like the spoons—literally anyone can do it. It’s so fun to watch when the stakes are low!
November 21, 2025 at 10:07 PM
One doesn’t play Trump like a fiddle. More like the spoons—literally anyone can do it. It’s so fun to watch when the stakes are low!
Reposted by Nathan Holbert
Mamdani going in there calling Trump sir a couple times and singing the 1-800-588-EMPIRE jingle with him and effortlessly turning him into a committed socialist.
it's so funny to watch the far right White House press pool try to bait Trump to say something nasty about Mamdani and every time he's just like "nah this guy rocks"
November 21, 2025 at 9:13 PM
Mamdani going in there calling Trump sir a couple times and singing the 1-800-588-EMPIRE jingle with him and effortlessly turning him into a committed socialist.