Blog - John Spencer

Apr 29 2025

Why Deeper Learning Is a Critical Advantage in the Age of AI

By John Spencer Concentration Code, Creativity, Podcast One Comment

The future is unpredictable. So, when we try to design learning experiences that "prepare students for the future," we have to recognize that we don't always know what they'll need. In this article, I explore the counterintuitive reality that the best way to prepare students…

Apr 22 2025

In a World of AI, Content Curation Is More Important Than Ever

By John Spencer Artificial Intelligence, Creativity, Podcast, Technology and Media Literacy No Comments

Content curation is a vital part of the creative process. In this blog post and podcast, we explore why curation matters and how we can help students learn how to engage in the curation process. Listen to the Podcast If you enjoy this blog but…

Apr 16 2025

Sam Marsden on the Value of Improv Games to Spark Creative Thinking

By John Spencer Creativity, Podcast No Comments

In my latest podcast episode, I interview Samantha Marsden, who shares how drama and improve strategies can help students gain creative confidence, improve their communication skills, and engage in iterative thinking. Her new book Acting Games for Improv is out and I highly recommend it.…

Apr 08 2025

We Want Students to Be Creative, But How Do We Assess This?

By John Spencer Creativity, Podcast 8 Comments

We know that creativity is vital for student learning. We also know that we tend to value the things we assess. However, when we assess creativity, we can unwittingly cause students to become risk-averse. So, how do we assess creativity in a way that encourages…

Apr 02 2025

Centaurs, Cyborgs, and Coffee-Bearded Logos – Seven Ways AI Is Changing Creativity

By John Spencer Artificial Intelligence, Creativity, Podcast No Comments

About a week ago, ChatGPT rolled out a major update to its image generation and suddenly my feed was flooded with AI-generated images in the style of Studio Ghibli. While the results are impressive (yes, it finally gets hands and text right) but also pretty…

Mar 26 2025

Ten Ways to Use AI for Deeper Learning and Mastery

By John Spencer Artificial Intelligence, Podcast No Comments

We often hear about AI and student cheating. This is a valid concern. But I'd like to highlight ways that we can use AI for deeper mastery. In this post (and podcast), I explore how we can move beyond using AI for quick answers and…

Mar 20 2025

Ten Traditional Teaching Practices that Still Belong in a PBL Unit

By John Spencer Creativity, Podcast, Project-Based Learning No Comments

While it's easy to reject traditional teaching practices as "less authentic" in PBL, we explore why these ten strategies actually belong in PBL unit plans. Listen to the Podcast If you enjoy this blog but you’d like to listen to it on the go, just…

Mar 13 2025

Lynn Cashell on How She Integrated AI into Genius Hour

By John Spencer Artificial Intelligence, Podcast One Comment

In this latest episode, Lynn Cashell shares how she integrated AI into her student Genius Hour projects. Listen to the Podcast If you enjoy this blog but you’d like to listen to it on the go, just click on the audio below or subscribe via iTunes/Apple…

Mar 06 2025

Taking a Beta Approach to Teaching and Innovation

By John Spencer Creativity, Podcast, Teacher Life 6 Comments

This week, we explore the concept of "teaching in beta"—a mindset that embraces imperfection and experimentation in the classroom. Learn how veteran teachers are innovating with new strategies, taking creative risks, and continually iterating on their lessons to foster resilience and growth in both students…

Mar 02 2025

Jed Dearybury on the power of play for all ages

Jed Dearybury on the Power of a Playful Mindset (Interview)

By John Spencer Creativity, Podcast No Comments

In my latest podcast episode, I interview Jed Dearybury. He's a deep thinker and a creative spirit. As the co-author of The Playful Classroom, Jed advocates for integrating play into every aspect of school; from curriculum and instruction to assessment to the classroom culture to…