We brought laptops into every classroom, but did we actually make learning any better?
Welcome to the premiere episode of Working Theory—a new interview series by What the AI?! where Jeff Keltner sits down with frontier builders, industry veterans, and tech leaders to test the ideas shaping the future of human intelligence.
In this deep-dive interview, Jeff is joined by Jamie Casap, former Chief Education Evangelist at Google. Together, they tackle the uncomfortable truth about classroom technology: why the 1-to-1 device revolution largely "automated bad education," whether banning smartphones in schools fixes the distraction crisis, and how Generative AI can transcend simple chatbot interfaces to become a true 1-to-1 personalized tutor.
Jeff and Jamie also debate the "cheating vs. learning" paradox facing parents and teachers today. When an AI model can instantly write a three-page analysis of Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech, are students outsourcing critical thought, or are schools simply asking the wrong questions?
Plus, they explore how higher education must pivot toward teaching uniquely human skills, prompt context mastery, and lifelong learning in an era where traditional computer science degrees are rapidly losing their historic premium. Inside this episode:The EdTech Fallacy: Why strapping a "turbo engine to a horse's ass" failed classroom pedagogy. The 1-to-1 Tutor Dream: How LLMs customize reading levels, math logic, and real-world context.
The Screen Time Debate:
Should schools ban smartphones and bring back non-digital environments?
Is AI Homework Cheating?
The division-by-hand vs. calculator analogy for cognitive development.
Reinventing Higher Ed: Why universities must focus on human skills over paper credentials.
Prompt Engineering vs. Context: How to give AI models the exact background they need:
ABOUT THE GUEST:
Jaime Casap was Google's Chief Education Evangelist from 2006 to 2020, working with K-12 districts and universities on bringing technology into learning. He writes and speaks about education, equity, and AI.
CONNECT WITH JAMIE CASAP:
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jcasap/
• Substack: https://substack.com/@jcasap
• X (Twitter): https://x.com/jcasap
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jcasap/
• Threads: https://www.threads.com/@jcasap
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/jcasap.bsky.social
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/casap
0:00 - EdTech Automated Bad Education: Jamie Casap Joins Working Theory
1:15 - "Strapping a Turbo Engine to a Horse": Where the Laptop Revolution Failed
4:46 - From Computer Labs to 1-to-1 Devices: Why Pedagogy Didn't Change
6:16 - The Screen Time & Smartphone Ban Debate in Modern Classrooms
8:35 - Why We Can't Just Return to 1990s Education Models
11:00 - The 1-to-1 Tutor Gold Standard: How AI Personalizes Math and Reading
15:06 - What Skills Matter When AI Holds All the World's Information?
17:09 - The MLK Speech Experiment: Is Using ChatGPT Cheating or Efficiency?
20:00 - The Calculator Analogy: When Should Students Outsource Cognitive Work?
24:54 - Standardized Testing vs. Real-World Curiosity
28:10 - How Higher Education Must Pivot: Higher Learning vs. Paper Degrees
34:54 - Jamie & Jeff’s Favorite AI Tools & Prompt Context Tricks
