Over the years, our column series in TechTrends has explored the intersections of creativity, education, and emerging technologies. Over the past year, we’ve explored a wide range of perspectives on GenAI through interviews with leading thinkers like Ethan Mollick, Ronald Beghetto, and Mairead Pratschke; through focus groups with K–12 leaders; and through articles that offer historical context, theoretical grounding, and practical strategies for teaching and learning with these tools.

Each conversation and article offers a distinct lens on the role of GenAI in education, snapshots that capture specific moments in an ever-shifting landscape. Taken individually, they provide insight into key questions, challenges, and opportunities. Taken together, they form something akin to a pointillist portrait: a composite image that is still coming into view, as educators and researchers work to understand, adapt to, and shape the implications of GenAI in real time.

In our latest conversation, we speak with Leon Furze, an educator, writer, and researcher whose work brings together deep classroom experience with thoughtful critique of AI’s evolving role in education. Our discussion spans a range of topics: from demystifying large language models to rethinking writing instruction, navigating personalization hype, and developing practical frameworks like the AI Assessment Scale. This article is a must-read for anyone seeking a clear-eyed, educator-centered perspective on GenAI. Leon urges us to move beyond panic or blind enthusiasm toward a more intentional, critical, and nuanced engagement with this powerful set of technologies.

You can find the complete citation and link to the article below.

McCaleb, L., Henriksen, D., Mishra, P., & Oster, N. (2025). Between Imperative and Panic: Navigating AI’s Educational Moment with Leon Furze. TechTrends (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-025-01116-7