Harnessing AI in Education: Insights from Chelsea Lopez of The Social Institute

Harnessing AI in Education: Insights from Chelsea Lopez of The Social Institute

Author: Jeffrey Bradbury - TeacherCast Educational Network May 19, 2025 Duration: 30:54
In this episode of Digital Learning Today, Chelsea Lopez, a former special education teacher and current Director of Education Advancement at the Social Institute, discusses the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in education. If you are a new listener to TeacherCast, we would love to hear from you.  Please visit our Contact Page and let us know how we can help you today!

Subscribe to Our Weekly Newsletter

To get our weekly Instructional Coaching Tips sent right to your inbox, please subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

Conversation Takeaways

  • AI is any technology that can perform tasks requiring human intelligence.
  • Educators need to understand AI to effectively teach students about it.
  • AI is already embedded in our daily lives, often without us realizing it.
  • Policies should focus on how to use AI, not just how not to use it.
  • AI can enhance productivity and support educators in their roles.
  • Professional development on AI is crucial for educators.
  • AI literacy will become a key component of digital literacy in schools.
  • Collaboration between curriculum and technology departments is essential.
  • AI can help create lesson plans and teaching materials efficiently.
  • The future of education will increasingly integrate AI across various subjects.

Chapters

  • 00:00 Introduction to AI in Education
  • 03:02 Understanding AI: Definitions and Applications
  • 06:00 AI in Daily Life: Demystifying Technology
  • 09:03 Navigating AI in Schools: Policies and Practices
  • 11:47 The Role of Educators in AI Literacy
  • 15:10 AI as a Teaching Assistant: Enhancing Productivity
  • 17:52 Addressing Concerns: Control and Curriculum
  • 21:01 Future of AI in Education: Trends and Predictions

About our Guest: Chelsea Lopez

Chelsea Lopez is a passionate and dedicated leader at The Social Institute, where she serves as the Director of Educator Advancement. In this role, Chelsea is responsible for creating and delivering innovative professional development for educators, focusing on social media and technology. She works in developing comprehensive teacher resources, asynchronous and synchronous courses, educational materials, and webinars. Before joining The Social Institute, Chelsea spent time as an educator, having taught K-5th Special Education and 6th-8th Special Education. In her most recent teaching role, Chelsea served as the 6th-8th grade Intervention Coordinator, where she supported students and teachers in meeting academic and behavioral goals. Her diverse teaching experiences provide her with a deep understanding of the challenges educators face and the strategies needed to support student success. Chelsea’s commitment to supporting educators and students extends beyond her professional work. She is actively involved in coaching middle school cheerleading as well as high school softball and has a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities that educators, students, and families face today.

Links of Interest


About The Social Institute

The Social Institute (TSI) is the leader in equipping students to navigate learning & well-being in a tech-fueled world. Through #WinAtSocial, our interactive, peer-to-peer learning platform, we empower students, educators, and families to make high-character choices online and offline. #WinAtSocial Lessons teach essential skills while capturing student voice and actionable insights for educators. These insights help educators maintain healthy school culture, foster high-impact teaching, and build meaningful relationships with families. Our unique, student-respected approach empowers and equips students authentically, enabling our solution to increase classroom participation and improve student-teacher relationships. Through our one-of-a-kind lesson development process we create lessons for a variety of core and elective classes while incorporating timely topics like social media, A.I., screen time, misinformation, and current events to help schools stay proactive in how they support student health, happiness, and academic success.

Links of Interest


Follow Our Podcast And Subscribe


Follow Our Host


Join Our PLN

Are you enjoying the TeacherCast Network, please share your thoughts with the world by commenting on Apple Podcasts today? I enjoy reading and sharing your comments on the podcast each week.

Let’s Work Together


Check Out More TeacherCast Programming


Need A Presenter?


For More Information: https://www.TeacherCast.net ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ [gravityform id="2" title="true"]

Hosted by Jeff Bradbury of the TeacherCast Educational Network, Digital Learning Today is a conversation for educators who think strategically about the long game. This podcast moves beyond quick tech fixes to examine the underlying frameworks and leadership philosophies required for meaningful, lasting improvement in schools. It’s designed for those in the driver’s seat of change-principals, district administrators, and instructional coaches-who understand that real transformation is about systems, not just software. Listeners will find practical discussions on implementing digital learning initiatives effectively, crafting and executing school improvement plans that stick, and the nuanced work of fostering a collaborative, innovative culture among staff and students. The dialogue naturally bridges educational theory with the realities of school business and management, offering a grounded perspective on steering institutions forward. By focusing on sustainable models and big-picture ideas, each episode provides a space to reflect on the core structures that define modern education, making this podcast a resource for anyone committed to thoughtful, systemic growth in their learning community.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Digital Learning Today
Podcast Episodes
Unlocking Student Engagement: Insights from Discovery Education [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:14
Welcome to Digital Learning Today. In this episode, Jeff Bradbury explores the strategic systems shaping the future of education—Instructional Coaching, Artificial Intelligence, Professional Learning, and Educational Tec…
Empowering Student Voice by Building AI Ethics Frameworks [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:38
Welcome to Digital Learning Today. In this episode, Jeff Bradbury explores the strategic systems shaping education's future, focusing on Instructional Coaching, Artificial Intelligence, Professional Learning, and cutting…
AI in the Classroom: Practical Strategies that Prompt Student Success [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:44
In this episode of Digital Learning Today, Jeffrey Bradbury and Stephanie Clinise explore the integration of artificial intelligence in education, specifically in high school environments. They discuss the transition cha…