Welcome to ππ ππ¨π
I write about how the technologies we call artificial intelligence shape our work as educators and how we might, in turn, shape those technologies to make our institutions better.
Here, you will find writing about my experience with large language models in the classroom, how books are still the best educational technology for understanding complex ideas, why treating AI models as human-like makes it harder to understand their potential as educational tools, and other explorations of how technology is changing education.
What is AI Log? is the best thing I have written about what and why I write.
People find ππ ππ¨π through reader recommendations. Please share if you find what I write interesting or valuable.
Why subscribe?
All the content here is free, so subscribing simply means each post goes directly to your email inbox. I will never share your email address, but if I depart Substack, I will use it to let you know where to find my writing.
Follow me on Bluesky, LinkedIn, and Substack Notes if you are into that sort of thing. In addition to links to each essay, I post commentary on writing and writers that I find interesting.
ππ ππ¨π speaks
The best essays on ππ ππ¨π started as invited talks. I have talked with educators and technologists all over the world, from Iowa to Dubai, about a wide range of topics, from why I am so skeptical of AI tutors to how William James can help us resist the attention economy. I live in Philadelphia, which means I can travel easily and cheaply to most of the eastern seaboard.
Get in touch if you want to talk by emailing me at Rob.Nelson at hey.com or find me on LinkedIn.
Why do you call this thing ππ ππ¨π ?
I chose the name because I wanted to log my impressions of AI over time, think captainβs log on Star Trek without the captain or the stardates.
The name is an homage to the best blog joke ever. Bob Loblaw, a lawyer fromΒ Arrested Development,Β played by Scott Baio, writes the "Bob Loblaw Law Blog."
Robβs AI Log Blog is not a good joke. But it is inspired by one, and I need you to know that.
The ππ ππ¨π is a metaphor or a trope or something. Read this post where I explain the name ππ ππ¨π by telling two stories, one from 1871 and one from 1967.
Alsoβ¦
AI Log is better than bad. Itβs GOOD!
Where did you get that cool logo and the other graphical elements of your blog?
I donβt use AI generators to create images for this blog. You can read why here.
Phil Scroggs, a designer and illustrator based in Seattle, created the logo, banner, and wordmark (I had to ask him what that meant) for this Substack. We collaborate on illustrations and visual elements for my talks and this blog.
If you are starting out on Substack or want to improve your graphics for an existing site, I highly recommend working with Phil. Check out Phillustrations.com.
Who are you?
My name is Rob Nelson. For a while now, I have been teaching courses in cultural and educational history that explore how gender roles, slavery, technology, and social justice movements have shaped institutions and individuals in North America. Lately, I have been writing and giving talks exploring the educational value of generative AI, how it is changing education, and what we should do about it.
For nearly two decades, my day job was with a fully accredited university located in southeastern Pennsylvania and offering degrees at the bachelor's, master's, and doctoral levels.1 There, I led university-wide projects to implement academic information systems for course evaluation, curriculum management, graduate admissions, learning management, and student records.
Before that, I worked at Rutgers University as an academic advisor, taught first-year writing courses, served a year as a visiting assistant professor of American Studies, directed a program for Japanese students studying in the US, and pursued (and got!) a PhD in American History.
Before that, I lived in Athens, Ga, where I thought about writing novels or maybe for the movies. While there, I attended classes at UGA long enough that I eventually earned a BA in comparative literature. On several occasions, I drank coffee sitting near Michael Stipe but never talked to him. I did talk to Bill Berry and Mike Mills once, though, hanging out in the back alley of theΒ Georgia Bar.
I grew up in Augusta, GA, known for being the birthplace of James Brown and as the home of the Masters Golf Tournament.
Why Substack?
As it gets tougher to make a living as a writer, some of my favorite journalists, novelists, and cultural critics have started publishing on Substack. Even though I donβt charge for ππ ππ¨π , I publish here to support writers being paid for their work and in hopes that my writing finds an audience.
That said, Substack is funded by venture capitalists, and they will eventually want a return. That means it is likely that this platform will become unpleasant, either gradually or all at once. If this happens (plan for the worst), I will depart for another platform. If an open digital platform for writers and readers emerges (hope for the best), I will depart for that greener pasture. For now, I am happy to take advantage of the largess of Andreessen Horowitz.
I stole this joke from the funny and talented writer John Hodgman, who likes to say something similar about his alma mater, Yale University. As penance, I ask you to check out Mr. Hodgmanβs newsletter, Secret Society, and subscribe if it seems like your kinda thing.
