productivity / tips and tricks

Something Big is Happening [Shumer] + reflections on it by the BIG Questions Institute

On 02/18/2026, in 21st century, 24x7x365 access, Artificial Intelligence/Agents/LLMs/and Related, bots, career development, change, changing business models, cloud-based computing / apps / other cloud-related, corporate / business world, creativity, curriculum, dangers of the status quo, design, disruption, education, emerging technologies, experimentation, future, future of higher education, game-changing environment, generational differences, graphics, health, K-12 related, law schools, leadership, learning ecosystem, Learning Experience Design, lifelong learning, pace of change, productivity / tips and tricks, professional development, reinvent, skills, society, sociology, staying relevant, strategy, student-related, surviving, teachers, trends, United States, writing, youth, by Daniel Christian

Something Big Is Happening — from shumer.dev by Matt Shumer; see below from the BIG Questions Institute, where I got this article from

I’ve spent six years building an AI startup and investing in the space. I live in this world. And I’m writing this for the people in my life who don’t… my family, my friends, the people I care about who keep asking me “so what’s the deal with AI?” and getting an answer that doesn’t do justice to what’s actually happening. I keep giving them the polite version. The cocktail-party version. Because the honest version sounds like I’ve lost my mind. And for a while, I told myself that was a good enough reason to keep what’s truly happening to myself. But the gap between what I’ve been saying and what is actually happening has gotten far too big. The people I care about deserve to hear what is coming, even if it sounds crazy.

…
They’ve now done it. And they’re moving on to everything else.

The experience that tech workers have had over the past year, of watching AI go from “helpful tool” to “does my job better than I do”, is the experience everyone else is about to have. Law, finance, medicine, accounting, consulting, writing, design, analysis, customer service. Not in ten years. The people building these systems say one to five years. Some say less. And given what I’ve seen in just the last couple of months, I think “less” is more likely.
…

The models available today are unrecognizable from what existed even six months ago. The debate about whether AI is “really getting better” or “hitting a wall” — which has been going on for over a year — is over. It’s done. Anyone still making that argument either hasn’t used the current models, has an incentive to downplay what’s happening, or is evaluating based on an experience from 2024 that is no longer relevant. I don’t say that to be dismissive. I say it because the gap between public perception and current reality is now enormous, and that gap is dangerous… because it’s preventing people from preparing.

What “Something Big Is Happening” Means for Schools — from/by the BIG Questions Institute
Matt Shumer’s newsletter post Something Big is Happening has been read over 80 million times within the week when it was published, on February 9.
…
Still, it’s worth reading Shumer’s post. Given the claims and warnings in Something Big Is Happening (and countless other articles), how would you truly, honestly respond to these questions:

What will the purpose of school be in 5 years?
What are we doing now that we must leave behind right away?
What can we leave behind gradually?
What does rigor look like in this AI-powered world?
Does our strategy look like making adjustments at the margins or are we preparing our students for a fundamental shift?
What is our definition of success? How do the the implications of AI and jobs (and other important forces, from geopolitical shifts and climate change, to mental health needs and shifting generational values) impact the outcomes we prioritize? What is the story of success we want to pass on to our students and wider community?

Claude Code Puts Tech Workers on Notice [Urwin]

On 02/11/2026, in 21st century, 24x7x365 access, Artificial Intelligence/Agents/LLMs/and Related, business, career development, change, computer science, content development, aggregation, repositories, corporate / business world, platforms, productivity / tips and tricks, programming, skills, tools, United States, vendors, workplace, by Daniel Christian

Claude Code Puts Tech Workers on Notice — from builtin.com by Matthew Urwin
Anthropic is flexing its new and improved Claude Code, which used vibe coding to build the company’s latest tool, Cowork. The feat has inspired both excitement and angst within the tech world as the future of work continues to grow more uncertain.

Summary:
Anthropic is becoming the leader in enterprise artificial intelligence, thanks to upgrades made to Claude Code. The coding tool practically built Anthropic’s Cowork product — sparking both excitement around the possibilities of vibe coding and fears around the job outlook of tech workers.

The Campus AI Crisis — by Jeffrey Selingo; via Ryan Craig
Young graduates can’t find jobs. Colleges know they have to do something. But what?

Only now are colleges realizing that the implications of AI are much greater and are already outrunning their institutional ability to respond. As schools struggle to update their curricula and classroom policies, they also confront a deeper problem: the suddenly enormous gap between what they say a degree is for and what the labor market now demands. In that mismatch, students are left to absorb the risk. Alina McMahon and millions of other Gen-Zers like her are caught in a muddled in-between moment: colleges only just beginning to think about how to adapt and redefine their mission in the post-AI world, and a job market that’s changing much, much faster.

“Colleges and universities face an existential issue before them,” said Ryan Craig, author of Apprentice Nation and managing director of a firm that invests in new educational models. “They need to figure out how to integrate relevant, in-field, and hopefully paid work experience for every student, and hopefully multiple experiences before they graduate.”

Kling 3.0 just launched. The best video model yet. [Cooper]

On 02/06/2026, in Artificial Intelligence/Agents/LLMs/and Related, communications, content development, aggregation, repositories, creativity, design, digital video, experimentation, graphics, human-computer interaction (HCI), media/film, platforms, productivity / tips and tricks, tools, United States, vendors, by Daniel Christian

Kling 3.0 just launched. The best video model yet. — from heatherbcooper.substack.com by Heather Cooper
& workflows from Imagine Art 1.5 pro, Pixverse Real-Time Video & Genspark

In today’s edition:

Kling 3.0: Everyone a Director
Character consistency, native audio, 15-second generations & first results
Image & Video Prompts
Imagine Art 1.5 Pro, Genspark AI Workspace 2.0 & PixVerse Real-Time Video Workflows

Kling 3.0: Everyone a Director
Kling just dropped version 3.0, and it’s a legitimate leap forward for AI video production (Kling is the GOAT). After spending early access time testing the new capabilities, I can confirm this is the most significant update to video generation tools I’ve seen in months.

Key highlights:

Character & Element Consistency:
Flexible Video Production:
Native Audio with Dialogue & Singing:
Enhanced Image Generation:
Professional Output:

Axios CEO Jim VandeHei’s note to his kids: Blunt AI talk [VandeHei]

On 02/04/2026, in 21st century, 24x7x365 access, active learning, adjunct faculty, adult learning, Artificial Intelligence/Agents/LLMs/and Related, bots, business, career development, change, changing business models, cloud-based computing / apps / other cloud-related, colleges, communities of practice, community colleges, corporate / business world, digital learning, education technology, emerging technologies, experimentation, faculty/staff, game-changing environment, heutagogy, higher education, homeschooling/homeschoolers, human-computer interaction (HCI), ideas, informal learning, innovation, instructional design, intelligent systems, intelligent tutoring, K-12 related, learning, learning agents, learning ecosystem, Learning from the Living [Class] Room, liberal arts, library / librarians, lifelong learning, productivity / tips and tricks, skills, society, staying relevant, student-related, surviving, teachers, teaching & learning, technologies for your home, tools, trends, United States, universities, vendors, vision/possibilities, workplace, youth, by Daniel Christian

Jim VandeHei’s note to his kids: Blunt AI talk — from axios.com by CEO Jim VandeHei
Axios CEO Jim VandeHei wrote this note to his wife, Autumn, and their three kids. She suggested sharing it more broadly since so many families are wrestling with how to think and talk about AI. So here it is …

Dear Family:
I want to put to words what I’m hearing, seeing, thinking and writing about AI.

Simply put, I’m now certain it will upend your work and life in ways more profound than the internet or possibly electricity. This will hit in months, not years.
The changes will be fast, wide, radical, disorienting and scary. No one will avoid its reach.

I’m not trying to frighten you. And I know your opinions range from wonderment to worry. That’s natural and OK. Our species isn’t wired for change of this speed or scale.

My conversations with the CEOs and builders of these LLMs, as well as my own deep experimentation with AI, have shaken and stirred me in ways I never imagined.

All of you must figure out how to master AI for any specific job or internship you hold or take. You’d be jeopardizing your future careers by not figuring out how to use AI to amplify and improve your work. You’d be wise to replace social media scrolling with LLM testing.

Be the very best at using AI for your gig.

…more here.

Also see:

Also relevant/see:

The Essential Retrieval Practice Handbook — from edutopia.org
Retrieval practice is one of the most effective ways to strengthen learning. Here’s a collection of our best resources to use in your classroom today.
January 29, 2026

Also see:

What is retrieval practice? — from retrievalpractice.org

When we think about learning, we typically focus on getting information into students’ heads. What if, instead, we focus on getting information out of students’ heads?

Farewell to Traditional Universities | What AI Has in Store for Education [Jensen Huang, NVIDIA]

On 01/31/2026, in 21st century, 24x7x365 access, adjunct faculty, adult learning, Artificial Intelligence/Agents/LLMs/and Related, business side of he, change, changing business models, cloud-based computing / apps / other cloud-related, colleges, communities of practice, community colleges, content development, aggregation, repositories, cost of getting a degree, credentialing, dangers of the status quo, Daniel S. Christian, digital learning, education technology, emerging technologies, experimentation, faculty/staff, future, future of higher education, game-changing environment, generational differences, higher education, human-computer interaction (HCI), ideas, innovation, instructional design, intelligent systems, intelligent tutoring, internet, IT in HE, law schools, learning, learning agents, learning ecosystem, Learning Experience Design, Learning from the Living [Class] Room, learning preferences, learning spaces, lifelong learning, more voice more choice more control, personalized/customized learning, platforms, productivity / tips and tricks, skills, society, student-related, teaching & learning, technologies for your home, trends, United States, universities, vendors, vision/possibilities, workplace, youth, by Daniel Christian

Farewell to Traditional Universities | What AI Has in Store for Education

Premiered Jan 16, 2026

Description:

What if the biggest change in education isn’t a new app… but the end of the university monopoly on credibility?

Jensen Huang has framed AI as a platform shift—an industrial revolution that turns intelligence into infrastructure. And when intelligence becomes cheap, personal, and always available, education stops being a place you go… and becomes a system that follows you. The question isn’t whether universities will disappear. The question is whether the old model—high cost, slow updates, one-size-fits-all—can survive a world where every student can have a private tutor, a lab partner, and a curriculum designer on demand.

This video explores what AI has in store for education—and why traditional universities may need to reinvent themselves fast.

In this video you’ll discover:

How AI tutors could deliver personalized learning at scale
Why credentials may shift from “degrees” to proof-of-skill portfolios
What happens when the “middle” of studying becomes automated
How universities could evolve: research hubs, networks, and high-trust credentialing
The risks: cheating, dependency, bias, and widening inequality
The 3 skills that become priceless when information is everywhere: judgment, curiosity, and responsibility

From DSC:
There appears to be another, similar video, but with a different date and length of the video. So I’m including this other recording as well here:

The End of Universities as We Know Them: What AI Is Bringing

Premiered Jan 27, 2026

What if universities don’t “disappear”… but lose their monopoly on learning, credentials, and opportunity?

AI is turning education into something radically different: personal, instant, adaptive, and always available. When every student can have a 24/7 tutor, a writing coach, a coding partner, and a study plan designed specifically for them, the old model—one professor, one curriculum, one pace for everyone—starts to look outdated. And the biggest disruption isn’t the classroom. It’s the credential. Because in an AI world, proof of skill can become more valuable than a piece of paper.

This video explores the end of universities as we know them: what AI is bringing, what will break, what will survive, and what replaces the traditional path.

In this video you’ll discover:

Why AI tutoring could outperform one-size-fits-all lectures
How “degrees” may shift into skill proof: portfolios, projects, and verified competency
What happens when the “middle” of studying becomes automated
How universities may evolve: research hubs, networks, high-trust credentialing
The dark side: cheating, dependency, inequality, and biased evaluation
The new advantage: judgment, creativity, and responsibility in a world of instant answers

As seen on LinkedIn.com:

Philippa provides a link to:

How AI Agents Are Changing Corporate Learning with Dr. Philippa Hardman (Podcast Episode 7)

AI and the Work of Centers for Teaching and Learning [Bruff]

On 01/23/2026, in adjunct faculty, Artificial Intelligence/Agents/LLMs/and Related, colleges, communities of practice, community colleges, content development, aggregation, repositories, digital learning, education technology, emerging technologies, faculty/staff, future of higher education, game-changing environment, higher education, human-computer interaction (HCI), ideas, innovation, instructional design, intelligent systems, intelligent tutoring, IT in HE, law schools, learning, learning agents, learning ecosystem, Learning Experience Design, learning spaces, liberal arts, library / librarians, pedagogy, productivity / tips and tricks, student-related, teaching & learning, United States, universities, vision/possibilities, by Daniel Christian

AI and the Work of Centers for Teaching and Learning — from derekbruff.org by Derek Bruff

Penelope Adams Moon suggested that instead [of] framing a workshop around “How can we integrate AI into the work of teaching?” we should ask “Given what we know about learning, how might AI be useful?” I love that reframing, and I think it connects to the students’ requests for more AI knowhow. Students have a lot of options for learning: working with their instructor, collaborating with peers, surfing YouTube for explainer videos, university-provided social annotation platforms, and, yes, using AI as a kind of tutor. I think our job (collectively) isn’t just to teach students how to use AI (as they’re requesting) but also to help them figure out when and how AI is helpful for their learning. That’s highly dependent on the student and the learning task! I wrote about this kind of metacognition on my blog.

In the same way, when I approach any kind of educational technology, I’m looking for tools that can be responsive to my pedagogical aims. The pedagogy should drive the technology use, not the other way around.

How to Design with AI in 2026 (based on the most compelling research published in 2025). — from linkedin.com by Dr. Philippa Hardman

Several resources from Paul Fain re: how AI is impacting the workplace

On 01/22/2026, in 21st century, 24x7x365 access, adult learning, Artificial Intelligence/Agents/LLMs/and Related, business, change, changing business models, cloud-based computing / apps / other cloud-related, colleges, community colleges, corporate / business world, corporate universities / corporate training, digital learning, education technology, emerging technologies, experimentation, faculty/staff, future, future of higher education, game-changing environment, generational differences, global / globalization, higher education, human-computer interaction (HCI), intelligent systems, leadership, lifelong learning, platforms, productivity / tips and tricks, research, skills, society, sociology, student-related, training / L&D, trends, United States, universities, vendors, vocational / trades, workplace, youth, by Daniel Christian

The following resources were mentioned in Paul Fain’s posting entitled, “High Demand, Low Wage“ — from the-job.beehiiv.com by Paul Fain

AI And Automation Will Take 6% Of US Jobs By 2030 — from forrester.com by J.P. Gownder
Measuring US workers’ capacity to adapt to AI-driven job displacement — from brookings.edu by Sam Manning, Tomás Aguirre, Mark Muro, and Shriya Methkupally
Anthropic Economic Index report: economic primitives — from anthropic.com

AI Is Quietly Rewiring the ADDIE Model (In a Good Way) [Hardman] + Generative AI for Course Design: Writing Effective Prompts for Multiple Choice Question Development [Najafi]

On 01/20/2026, in Artificial Intelligence/Agents/LLMs/and Related, assessment, bots, colleges, communities of practice, community colleges, content development, aggregation, repositories, corporate / business world, corporate universities / corporate training, digital learning, education technology, emerging technologies, experimentation, faculty/staff, higher education, human-computer interaction (HCI), ideas, innovation, instructional design, intelligent systems, IT in HE, law schools, learning, learning agents, learning ecosystem, Learning Experience Design, learning theories, liberal arts, Michigan, online learning, pedagogy, productivity / tips and tricks, teaching & learning, training / L&D, United States, universities, workplace, by Daniel Christian

AI Is Quietly Rewiring the ADDIE Model (In a Good Way) — from drphilippahardman.substack.com by Dr. Philippa Hardman
The traditional ADDIE workflow isn’t dead, but it is evolving

The real story isn’t what AI can produce — it’s how it changes the decisions we make at every stage of instructional design.

After working with thousands of instructional designers on my bootcamp, I’ve learned something counterintuitive: the best teams aren’t the ones with the fanciest AI tools — they’re the ones who know when to use which mode—and when to use none at all.

Once you recognise that, you start to see instructional design differently — not as a linear process, but as a series of decision loops where AI plays distinct roles.

In this post, I show you the 3 modes of AI that actually matter in instructional design — and map them across every phase of ADDIE so you know exactly when to let AI run, and when to slow down and think.

Also see:

Generative AI for Course Design: Writing Effective Prompts for Multiple Choice Question Development — from onlineteaching.umich.edu by Hedieh Najafi

In higher education, developing strong multiple-choice questions can be a time-intensive part of the course design process. Developing such items requires subject-matter expertise and assessment literacy, and for faculty and designers who are creating and producing online courses, it can be difficult to find the capacity to craft quality multiple-choice questions.

At the University of Michigan Center for Academic Innovation, learning experience designers are using generative artificial intelligence to streamline the multiple-choice question development process and help ameliorate this issue. In this article, I summarize one of our projects that explored effective prompting strategies to develop multiple-choice questions with ChatGPT for our open course portfolio. We examined how structured prompting can improve the quality of AI-generated assessments, producing relevant comprehension and recall items and options that include plausible distractors.

Achieving this goal enables us to develop several ungraded practice opportunities, preparing learners for their graded assessments while also freeing up more time for course instructors and designers.

Shoppers will soon be able to make purchases directly through Google’s Gemini app and browser.

Google and Walmart Join Forces to Shape the Future of Retail — from adweek.com by Lauren Johnson
At NRF, Sundar Pichai and John Furner revealed how AI and drones will shape shopping in 2026 and beyond

One of the biggest reveals is that shoppers will be able to purchase Walmart and Sam’s Club products through Google’s AI chatbot Gemini.

There are two ways instructional designers are using AI. The first is obvious. The second is a superpower. [Hardman]

On 01/07/2026, in Artificial Intelligence/Agents/LLMs/and Related, content development, aggregation, repositories, corporate universities / corporate training, experimentation, human-computer interaction (HCI), ideas, instructional design, intelligent systems, learning ecosystem, Learning Experience Design, productivity / tips and tricks, training / L&D, workplace, by Daniel Christian

There are two ways instructional designers are using AI. The first is obvious. The second is a superpower. — from linkedin.com by Dr Philippa Hardman

For other L&D related items, see the following items from the Learning Guild:

Your Past Skills Are Your L&D Superpower — by Armando Contreraz
AI Is Not the Answer to Everything in L&D — by Peter Lazaro
AI Clarity: 4 Mindset Shifts Learning Leaders Need Before Building an AI Strategy — by Peter Lazaro

10 Elearning Interaction Ideas You May Not Have Thought Of Yet [Malamed]

On 01/07/2026, in digital learning, elearning, ideas, instructional design, interaction design, interactivity, learning, learning ecosystem, Learning Experience Design, productivity / tips and tricks, training / L&D, by Daniel Christian

10 Elearning Interaction Ideas You May Not Have Thought Of Yet — from theelearningcoach.com by Connie Malamed

Is click-to-reveal always bad for learning?
Not necessarily. Click-to-reveal interactions can be useful when you want to manage cognitive load, reveal information gradually, or work within limited screen space. In those cases, clicking supports the presentation of information.

However, from an instructional perspective, clicking alone does not make an interaction meaningful. An interaction adds value when it asks learners to think, not just trigger more content.

The interaction ideas below require learners to analyze, judge, predict, or diagnose. These are the types of mental actions learners perform in real work settings. Each one includes a short, real-world question to show how the idea might be used in practice.

Learning Ecosystems

10 Elearning Interaction Ideas You May Not Have Thought Of Yet [Malamed]

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