Episode 8- Is AI Destroying the Soul of Learning? A Ground-Level Perspective with Tim Howes

Future-proof Education: AI and Beyond

👤 Guest: Tim Howes, Assistant Executive Director at ACES (Area Cooperative Educational Services)

📝 Episode Summary: In this episode, Bob Hutchins sits down with education leader Tim Howes to unpack a recent Gizmodo article provocatively titled “It’s Breathtaking How Fast AI is Screwing Up the Education System.” Rather than reacting with fear or fanfare, Bob and Tim take a grounded, inside-the-classroom view of what’s really happening as AI makes its way into schools.

They discuss whether AI is truly “destroying the soul of learning” or simply surfacing long-standing issues in curriculum design, student engagement, and outdated assessment models. Tim brings clarity from the front lines—sharing how teachers and students are already using AI to scaffold learning, personalize instruction, and reduce stress. Far from replacing deep thinking, AI may be sparking it in new and more accessible ways.

🔍 Topics Covered:

• Why panic headlines miss the deeper story of AI in education

• AI as a mirror for broken pedagogy—not a destroyer of learning

• Student agency, motivation, and what "cheating" actually reveals

• Using AI for differentiated instruction and real-time feedback

• Empowering neurodivergent and multilingual learners with AI tools

• Examples of classroom collaboration using generative tools

• How AI can restore trust in the teacher-student relationship

• Defining the real “soul of learning” in a tech-driven age

🧠 Key Quote: "The soul of learning is agency. And AI, if we’re thoughtful, doesn’t take that away—it protects it." – Tim Howes

📌 Who It’s For: Superintendents, school leaders, classroom educators, edtech innovators, and anyone who wants to move beyond the fear and into practical, human-first conversations about AI in learning.

🔗 Resources & Mentions:

• Gizmodo Article: “It’s Breathtaking How Fast AI Is Screwing Up the Education System”- https://gizmodo.com/its-breathtaking-how-fast-ai-is-screwing-up-the-education-system-2000603100

• ACES AI Certification Program for Educators- https://www.aces.org/services/professional-learning/workshops