Coffeechug AI Thinking and Learning 1.21.25
So much to process as a result of AI but nothing to do with AI but also all about AI
Yep, that subtitle perfectly explains my headspace in the last month when it comes to AI. There are so many voices, thoughts, opinions, research studies, tools, techniques, updates that it really seems impossible to keep up. And nevermind taking the proper time to really sit, reflect, and process the information to then be able to find time to tinker and decide what I think myself.
Regardless that does not mean I don’t do anything nor you. It means we find time to play and tinker each day to continue to shape our thinking and actions.
Before I share the information for this newsletter I thought I would reintroduce myself. There are a lot of new subscribers and it is a new year so why not?
Short little bio:
STEM Lead for the Mississippi Bend AEA in Bettendorf Iowa. I also support computer science, AI, social studies, talented and gifted, and school improvement work. When not wearing those hats I am on a mission to bring wonder and play back into the classroom. Known as “Coffeechug” to the education community, this lifelong learner with over 20 years of classroom experience thrives on sharing his craft with the world as teacher, website community creator, author, keynote speaker, workshop designer, and professional development trainer. Avid fan of STEAM, Makerspaces, and project-based learning, and of course, coffee.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/coffeechug/
Who are you? Feel free to introduce yourself in the comments to connect with other fellow readers!
Onwards to learning this week. One tool tip and one huge resource for you as a reader of the newsletter.
One AI tool that I learned about while I was delivering an AI workshop a few months back was a tool called Napkin. It is a tool that I find myself using more and more to visually explain information and I continue to discover many educators are not aware of the tool and when the use it, they end up really liking it.
Napkin just announced updates to their platform
20% Faster Visual Generation: Faster, smoother visual creation lets you share ideas quicker than ever–without compromising quality–allowing you to generate more visuals in less time.
18% Better Label and Description Accuracy: Improved labeling and descriptions mean higher-quality visual generation from the start, saving you time on edits so you can focus on what matters.
50+ New Designs: A wide variety of new designs to help you create unique, tailored visuals that perfectly fit your needs.
45% Better Icon Matching: Our improved AI models ensure generated visuals have more relevant icons, while the expanded icon library and improved Spark Search experience offer greater flexibility for customization.
This year, 2025, I am working be more intentional with sharing more often with better information, and trying my best to help people with not just AI, but teaching and learning, and self empowerment.
And with that I want to share with all the subscribers who continue to read and follow along my nerdy journey access to a recent 3 part AI workshop where for two hours each session I worked with a community college to explore AI. Below is a link to a 30+ page learning document I created for them along with the recordings for each session that include two powerful AI voices in the field of Stefan Bauschard and Kimberly Becker. Both guests provided so many new learning paths to consider.
This document is a culmination of years of my own learning that I feel honored to be able to train and share with others. I hope you find it helpful as well. And if you have anything to add please let me know.
This podcast episode left me rethinking many current thoughts. Well worth the listen and I just bought her book to read after I finish my current read which has me rethinking life altogether!
Until next time
A-A-Ron