Stephen Aguilar
@stephenaguilar.com
Educational researcher focused on EdTech x AI,student engagement and motivation. Associate professor at USC Rossier. Associate Director of USC Center for Generative AI and Society
Pinned
Stephen Aguilar
@stephenaguilar.com
· Feb 8
Authenticating Intelligence Book — Stephen J. Aguilar
Authenticating Intelligence offers a fresh, balanced perspective on the role AI can—and should—play in the classroom. This essential guide explores the opportunities AI presents while highlighting the...
stephenaguilar.com
Good news! Over the next year or so I will be writing my first book, published by @bloomsburyacad.bsky.social.
"Authenticating Intelligence: Preventing AI from Hijacking Education"
Sign up for my newsletter for AI news, book progress, and my musings about how AI will change education.
"Authenticating Intelligence: Preventing AI from Hijacking Education"
Sign up for my newsletter for AI news, book progress, and my musings about how AI will change education.
No credible scientist thinks that ChatGPT (or other LLM-based tool) is conscious.
November 26, 2025 at 5:59 PM
No credible scientist thinks that ChatGPT (or other LLM-based tool) is conscious.
I hope we continue to find good science so we can keep exploring the stars.
Voyager 1 is almost one light-day from Earth. The intrepid #spacecraft will cross a major distance milestone in November 2026 - 16.1 billion miles. #Voyager1 #lightday
Link for more information: www.popsci.com/science/voya...
Link for more information: www.popsci.com/science/voya...
November 26, 2025 at 8:11 AM
I hope we continue to find good science so we can keep exploring the stars.
I barely trust my wife to know how persnickety I can be about flights, flight times, and seats—so no.
Companies are racing to develop A.I. tools that can make reservations for flights, hotels and more on your behalf. Here’s what to know.
What Is Agentic A.I., and Would You Trust It to Book a Flight?
Companies are racing to develop artificial intelligence tools that can make reservations for flights, hotels and more on your behalf. Here’s what to know.
nyti.ms
November 25, 2025 at 7:33 PM
I barely trust my wife to know how persnickety I can be about flights, flight times, and seats—so no.
AI HAS GONE TOO FAR
November 25, 2025 at 5:28 PM
AI HAS GONE TOO FAR
I suck at pinball but this was super fun as a kid.
November 24, 2025 at 11:50 PM
I suck at pinball but this was super fun as a kid.
Reposted by Stephen Aguilar
The Handbook of Personalized Learning is finally in print!
Arrived yesterday(!) & pre-order pricing thru 🦃. www.routledge.com/Handbook-of-...
We provided teachers & designers with a guide to theoretically supported PL design logic & demos across subject areas, ages, & contexts.
+DIY figure! ⬇️
Arrived yesterday(!) & pre-order pricing thru 🦃. www.routledge.com/Handbook-of-...
We provided teachers & designers with a guide to theoretically supported PL design logic & demos across subject areas, ages, & contexts.
+DIY figure! ⬇️
November 24, 2025 at 2:57 PM
The Handbook of Personalized Learning is finally in print!
Arrived yesterday(!) & pre-order pricing thru 🦃. www.routledge.com/Handbook-of-...
We provided teachers & designers with a guide to theoretically supported PL design logic & demos across subject areas, ages, & contexts.
+DIY figure! ⬇️
Arrived yesterday(!) & pre-order pricing thru 🦃. www.routledge.com/Handbook-of-...
We provided teachers & designers with a guide to theoretically supported PL design logic & demos across subject areas, ages, & contexts.
+DIY figure! ⬇️
I've accepted that after a hard workout it's a good idea to ice. 40 year old need still work, but need upkeep.
November 23, 2025 at 9:07 PM
I've accepted that after a hard workout it's a good idea to ice. 40 year old need still work, but need upkeep.
One of the hallmarks of true intelligence is saying "I don't know."
Looks like generative AI fails there as well.
Looks like generative AI fails there as well.
November 23, 2025 at 8:20 PM
One of the hallmarks of true intelligence is saying "I don't know."
Looks like generative AI fails there as well.
Looks like generative AI fails there as well.
Reposted by Stephen Aguilar
Good riddance. Lots of things don't exist because of the damage DOGE did, like this multi-million dollar Congressionally-mandated report that was about to be published when everyone working on it was laid off or put on administrative leave.
November 23, 2025 at 3:51 PM
Good riddance. Lots of things don't exist because of the damage DOGE did, like this multi-million dollar Congressionally-mandated report that was about to be published when everyone working on it was laid off or put on administrative leave.
Rest assured I do review my posts for typos and still manage to miss about 30% of them.
Let's see AI do THAT.
Let's see AI do THAT.
November 22, 2025 at 1:55 AM
Rest assured I do review my posts for typos and still manage to miss about 30% of them.
Let's see AI do THAT.
Let's see AI do THAT.
I've been seeing this make the rounds, and am disappointed by takes that say "SEE! AI has no place be in education and makes us dumb!"
That's not even close to supported by the findings 1/n
That's not even close to supported by the findings 1/n
Relying on ChatGPT to teach you about a topic leaves you with shallower knowledge than Googling and reading about it, according to new research that compared what more than 10,000 people knew after using one method or the other.
Shared by @gizmodo.com: buff.ly/yAAHtHq
Shared by @gizmodo.com: buff.ly/yAAHtHq
November 22, 2025 at 1:26 AM
I've been seeing this make the rounds, and am disappointed by takes that say "SEE! AI has no place be in education and makes us dumb!"
That's not even close to supported by the findings 1/n
That's not even close to supported by the findings 1/n
Every time I think about investing in crypto I'm reminded that I can just go buy a box of monopoly and play with that fake money instead.
November 21, 2025 at 6:50 PM
Every time I think about investing in crypto I'm reminded that I can just go buy a box of monopoly and play with that fake money instead.
💯. Many academics manage to successfully binge write papers (5-10k words) then edit.
That process doesn't work for books. I was able to write my book in about 7 months, and it took daily effort (1hr/day) + one weekend in the woods of focused effort.
That process doesn't work for books. I was able to write my book in about 7 months, and it took daily effort (1hr/day) + one weekend in the woods of focused effort.
A reminder that writing books is hard, and if you find it difficult, it’s not because you’re bad at it, it’s because it’s hard.
November 21, 2025 at 5:54 PM
💯. Many academics manage to successfully binge write papers (5-10k words) then edit.
That process doesn't work for books. I was able to write my book in about 7 months, and it took daily effort (1hr/day) + one weekend in the woods of focused effort.
That process doesn't work for books. I was able to write my book in about 7 months, and it took daily effort (1hr/day) + one weekend in the woods of focused effort.
This is a real tension. The review process is 100% free service academics provide for each other, but that doesn't mean I want LLMs used to evaluate my work.
Also, publishers have begun to use LLMs themselves to have folks "ask questions" about the paper. Rather than read it.
Also, publishers have begun to use LLMs themselves to have folks "ask questions" about the paper. Rather than read it.
I just had a meeting with other editors-in-chief of journals in my field to talk about AI issues in publishing.
AI technology has raised a lot of practical and ethical issues in research that our review processes (and the time we allot to them) are unprepared to cope with. #AcademicSky
AI technology has raised a lot of practical and ethical issues in research that our review processes (and the time we allot to them) are unprepared to cope with. #AcademicSky
November 21, 2025 at 5:51 PM
This is a real tension. The review process is 100% free service academics provide for each other, but that doesn't mean I want LLMs used to evaluate my work.
Also, publishers have begun to use LLMs themselves to have folks "ask questions" about the paper. Rather than read it.
Also, publishers have begun to use LLMs themselves to have folks "ask questions" about the paper. Rather than read it.
This entire thread is worth a read, but I'll note that I didn't have "federal officers incite violence and use AI write their reports" on my bingo card.
Judge Ellis also found that a top CBP leader's testimony was not credible, in part because he admitted that was relying on unreliable "use of force" reports generated by DHS officers — and in a footnote, says video showed an officer asking ChatGPT to help him fill out a use of force report!
![As for the evidence Defendants marshalled through Parra with respect to CBP’s actions, Parra testified in his deposition that he had only been in the field with CBP a “handful of times, four to five,” during Operation Midway Blitz. Doc. 191-9 at 30:7–10. And he made clear that he based much of his declaration on information he gleaned from use of force reports, with maybe some (unidentified) review of video footage. See, e.g., id. at 81:17–82:16, 85:17–23, 86:15–91:1 (describing that Parra viewed some video footage, but that he could not recall how much or of what events). Given the inconsistencies between the BWC footage and the use of force reports, with the BWC footage undermining what agents put in their reports, the Court cannot rely on Parra’s broad generalizations of protesters’ actions or Defendants’ responses to those actions. [FN 9]
[FN 9] 9 The Court also notes that, in at least one instance, an agent asked ChatGPT to compile a narrative for a report based off of a brief sentence about an encounter and several images. Axon_Body_4_Video_2025-10-03_0949_D01A2556T at 00:00–00:42. To the extent that agents use ChatGPT to create their use of force reports, this further undermines their credibility and may explain the inaccuracy of these reports when viewed in light of the BWC footage.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:2vtbmhmrwzbqcfv4we4uxzzt/bafkreidrgcuxzzkkyozeaimpri73bx75rjcbkhvo5gpkv2lbm4kgpcsk74@jpeg)
November 21, 2025 at 2:04 AM
This entire thread is worth a read, but I'll note that I didn't have "federal officers incite violence and use AI write their reports" on my bingo card.
I saw this when I was writing my book on @scrivenerapp.bsky.social. Mac OS has a popup that lets you "rewrite" stuff using Apple's AI.
It's easy to ignore. Use the guide below if you want to just turn it off entirely.
Still, of all the things to freak out about re: AI, this isn't one of them.
It's easy to ignore. Use the guide below if you want to just turn it off entirely.
Still, of all the things to freak out about re: AI, this isn't one of them.
Unlike most apps these days, Scrivener does not use AI in any way. However, if you’re on a Mac, you may see an AI prompt.
.
Here’s why, and what you can do if you want to remove this: buff.ly/MlAq0rL
.
Here’s why, and what you can do if you want to remove this: buff.ly/MlAq0rL
November 20, 2025 at 12:37 AM
I saw this when I was writing my book on @scrivenerapp.bsky.social. Mac OS has a popup that lets you "rewrite" stuff using Apple's AI.
It's easy to ignore. Use the guide below if you want to just turn it off entirely.
Still, of all the things to freak out about re: AI, this isn't one of them.
It's easy to ignore. Use the guide below if you want to just turn it off entirely.
Still, of all the things to freak out about re: AI, this isn't one of them.
I grew up in San Bernardino County, California during the late 80s-90s. Every year we would get smog alerts (think of UV exposure alerts, but smog).
School was canceled a few of times every year because it was unhealthy for kids to be out and about during the smoggier late spring/summer days.
School was canceled a few of times every year because it was unhealthy for kids to be out and about during the smoggier late spring/summer days.
Literally just lectured about this!
In the late 1960s, air quality was so bad in several cities they had to turn on the street lights during the day so drivers could see. And yeah, the Cuyahoga River was so polluted it literally caught on fire.
In the late 1960s, air quality was so bad in several cities they had to turn on the street lights during the day so drivers could see. And yeah, the Cuyahoga River was so polluted it literally caught on fire.
Oh, I don’t know. Our rivers no longer catch on fire and our air is far less poisonous than it used to be, even in smog bowls like Los Angeles. And I think those are good things.
November 20, 2025 at 12:26 AM
I grew up in San Bernardino County, California during the late 80s-90s. Every year we would get smog alerts (think of UV exposure alerts, but smog).
School was canceled a few of times every year because it was unhealthy for kids to be out and about during the smoggier late spring/summer days.
School was canceled a few of times every year because it was unhealthy for kids to be out and about during the smoggier late spring/summer days.
Reposted by Stephen Aguilar
The UNC School of Education is hiring! Consider applying for our TT position focusing on elementary multilingual learners or our director position for the BA in elementary education program!
November 19, 2025 at 7:36 PM
The UNC School of Education is hiring! Consider applying for our TT position focusing on elementary multilingual learners or our director position for the BA in elementary education program!
Reposted by Stephen Aguilar
From computing power to global competition, former Google CEO Eric Schmidt and President Kim took the stage at USC’s first AI Summit to discuss the opportunities ahead for students & researchers as #AI transforms the world. Watch their full discussion: weare.sc/tt3bs
November 18, 2025 at 7:00 PM
From computing power to global competition, former Google CEO Eric Schmidt and President Kim took the stage at USC’s first AI Summit to discuss the opportunities ahead for students & researchers as #AI transforms the world. Watch their full discussion: weare.sc/tt3bs
New winner for the worst idea ever.
maybe I'm misreading the email, but I think they just floated the idea of using AI in the tenure & promotion process.
a woman is sitting on a couch with a phone in her mouth .
Alt: a woman is sitting on a couch and is confused
media.tenor.com
November 19, 2025 at 7:06 PM
New winner for the worst idea ever.
Shoving AI into everything without a clear use-case is a recipe for disaster.
I do this ish for a living, I am an AI developer and researcher, and *I* don’t fully understand the security implications. What hope do regular users have?
www.windowscentral.com/microsoft/wi...
www.windowscentral.com/microsoft/wi...
Microsoft warns that Windows 11's agentic AI could install malware on your PC: "Only enable this feature if you understand the security implications"
Microsoft is pushing ahead with its plan to add agentic capabilities to Windows 11 but has issued an important security warning for anyone who is interested in trying it out.
www.windowscentral.com
November 19, 2025 at 2:10 AM
Shoving AI into everything without a clear use-case is a recipe for disaster.
Good opportunity for folks!
🌍Yes! The UNC School of Education is searching for a 9-month, tenure-track faculty member for a position in teacher education with a focus on elementary grade multilingual learners! So exciting!
🗣️ Apply by 1/5/26!
👀 Details here: unc.peopleadmin.com/postings/309...
🗣️ Apply by 1/5/26!
👀 Details here: unc.peopleadmin.com/postings/309...
Faculty Position in Teacher Education with a focus on Elementary Grade Multilingual Learners
The School of Education at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill invites applications for a position in teacher education with a focus on elementary grade multilingual learners starting July...
unc.peopleadmin.com
November 19, 2025 at 12:28 AM
Good opportunity for folks!
Ok but what if it's my cats doing it, both figuratively and literally.
November 17, 2025 at 11:07 PM
Ok but what if it's my cats doing it, both figuratively and literally.
Should be a fun event! Hope to see you all there.
This month's Motivation Monday will be over Researching in Unprecedented Times. Join us in conversation with @stephenaguilar.com, @christymbyrd.bsky.social, and @jeffgreene.bsky.social on November 24th.
November 17, 2025 at 9:25 PM
Should be a fun event! Hope to see you all there.
Reposted by Stephen Aguilar
This month's Motivation Monday will be over Researching in Unprecedented Times. Join us in conversation with @stephenaguilar.com, @christymbyrd.bsky.social, and @jeffgreene.bsky.social on November 24th.
November 17, 2025 at 8:42 PM
This month's Motivation Monday will be over Researching in Unprecedented Times. Join us in conversation with @stephenaguilar.com, @christymbyrd.bsky.social, and @jeffgreene.bsky.social on November 24th.