Asking what students need and when with Professor Anna Mills

Asking what students need and when with Professor Anna Mills

Author: Jeff Utecht & Tricia Friedman October 21, 2024 Duration: 40:20

Professor Anna Mills discusses the evolving landscape of AI literacy in education, emphasizing the need for a balanced approach to integrating AI into writing and learning processes. She reflects on the challenges of defining boundaries for AI use in academic settings, the importance of fostering intrinsic motivation among students, and the necessity of bridging the gap between K-12 and higher education. 

Anna Mills has taught writing at public two-year colleges in the San Francisco Bay Area for 18 years and currently teach at College of Marin. Her OER textbook, How Arguments Work: A Guide to Writing and Analyzing Texts in College, has been used at over 65 colleges. She serves as the English Discipline Lead for the California community colleges OER Initiative, and her collection AI Text Generators and Teaching Writing: Starting Points for Inquiry is featured in the Writing Across the Curriculum Clearinghouse. As a consultant for OpenAI, she tested GPT-4 before its release. Currently, she serves as volunteer advisor on the teacher-created app MyEssayFeedback.ai and as faculty for the AAC&U Institute on AI, Pedagogy, and the Curriculum. As a member of the MLA/CCCC Task Force on Writing and AI, she helped launch Exploring AI Pedagogy: A Community Collection of Teaching Reflections.

 

Connect with our guest:

www.annarmills.com

 https://x.com/AnnaRMills

 https://www.linkedin.com/in/anna-mills-oer/

 

 

Thank you to our amazing show sponsor!

Neulight

 

 


Ever feel like the conversation around education moves faster than a school day? Shifting Schools: Conversations for K12 Educators is here to slow things down just enough for a meaningful dialogue. Hosted by practicing educators Jeff Utecht and Tricia Friedman, this podcast creates a necessary space for teachers and administrators to dig into the real work of modern teaching. Instead of just theory, you’ll hear from fellow practitioners and thought leaders who are navigating the same challenges you face daily. The discussions move beyond surface-level trends to unpack practical strategies and tools that can be adapted for your own classroom or school. Whether it’s rethinking assessment, integrating technology with purpose, or fostering a more inclusive learning environment, each episode is grounded in the shared goal of improving outcomes for every student. Tuning in feels less like another professional development requirement and more like a candid staff room conversation with colleagues who get it. This is where the abstract ideas about educational change meet the concrete reality of the K-12 world, offering actionable insights for anyone committed to the craft of teaching. Find Shifting Schools wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts for a regular dose of perspective and practical ideas.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Shifting Schools: Conversations for K12 Educators
Podcast Episodes
How to build a story one ingredient at a time with Keala Kendall [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:49
Join us as Keala Kendall, author of the compelling gothic novel That Which Feeds Us, takes us through her creative process, the importance of representation in storytelling, and how horror can serve as a mirror to societ…
Dr. Brittney Cooper on Picture Books, Collaboration, and Love [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 16:49
This week, Tricia Friedman welcomes Dr. Brittney Cooper to the podcast to talk about her new picture book, Mama Says I'm Fine, illustrated by Tamisha Anthony. The conversation explores the story behind the book, the emot…
Why Patricia Cornwell Still Believes in Stories [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:03
Patricia Cornwell joins Tricia Friedman for a conversation about memory, writing, curiosity, forensic science, and the memoir she never expected to write. In this episode, Cornwell reflects on the childhood experiences t…
Great gifts for Teacher Appreciation Week [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:42
This week Jeff and Tricia share their five top gifts to celebrate the special educator in your life. They take you through why these five gifts celebrate creativity, learning, wellness, and show personal recognition duri…
What we learn when we listen to students [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 16:06
What happens when you stop talking about students and start talking with them? In this episode, Jeff Utecht sits down with high schoolers and asks a question most adults skip: what do you actually need from school right…
The Business of You with Marnie Stockman and Nick Coniglio [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:26
This week Jeff talks with Nick and Marnie about why we want to help students stop waiting for permission and start building a bridge to a career on your their own terms. In this episode, Jeff Utecht is joined by Marnie S…
Sara Amini: The Stories We Carry and the Friends Who See Them [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:26
What can a graphic novel teach educators about belonging, friendship, and the inner lives of young people? Sara Amini is an actor and author whose semi-autobiographical middle grade graphic novel Mixed Feelings started a…
Why Friendship Is Serious Business for Kids and Adults [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:19
Alyson Gerber joins Tricia Friedman to talk about The Liar Society, why friendship is serious business, and what mystery stories can teach young readers and adults about belonging, trust, competition, and connection. In…