Students using AI to avoid thinking? Wondering how to create learning experiences that can't simply be generated with a chatbot?

In this episode, I sit down with Coach Mark, veteran educator and project-based learning leader from Hawai'i, to explore why the rise of AI makes project-based learning more important than ever. We discuss how authentic, community-connected projects move students beyond memorization and into the kind of deep thinking, creativity, and problem-solving that AI can support—but never replace.

Through stories from High Tech High, environmental advocacy projects, and student-led AI initiatives, Coach Mark shares how learners tackled real issues like water quality in Hawai'i and Papua New Guinea while using technology to extend their thinking rather than outsource it. He also recounts a candid moment when students admitted they only use AI to complete "stupid assignments"—a powerful reminder that meaningful work still matters.

You'll learn:

• Why project-based learning is one of the best ways to prepare students for an AI-driven future
• How to design authentic tasks that require real thinking, collaboration, and creativity
• Practical ways to use AI as a thinking partner instead of a shortcut
• Why involving students in conversations about AI leads to better policies and stronger ownership
• How deeper learning experiences help students apply knowledge to real-world challenges that actually matter

If you're trying to create student-centered classrooms where AI enhances learning instead of replacing it, this episode will challenge the way you think about technology, assessment, and the future of education.

The best defense against AI misuse isn't banning it—it's designing learning that's too meaningful to fake.

Mark's Bio: Dr. Mark Hines is a prominent educational leader and Director of the Kupu Hou Academy at the Mid-Pacific Institute in Honolulu, Hawai'i, where he has taught and led for over four decades. He is widely recognized for championing Project-Based Learning (PBL), Deeper Learning practices, and progressive educational models.

Kupu Hou Academy: https://www.midpac.edu/the-center/kupu-hou-academy

Get 'Where is The Teacher': 12 Shifts for Student-Centered Environments: https://www.amazon.com/Where-Teacher-Kyle-Wagner/dp/1032484713

Do your students constantly ask, "What do I do next?" Feeling like you have to manage every detail for projects to succeed?

In this episode, I take you inside two real student exhibitions—from upper elementary passion projects to middle school independent studies—to show what happens when students are given ownership of their learning. Through interviews with the learners themselves, you'll hear how peer experts, community mentors, authentic audiences, and simple teacher supports empowered students to tackle ambitious projects with confidence.

From writing novels with published authors to learning skateboard tricks from local coaches and turning beach trash into artwork for charity, these stories reveal that the teacher's role isn't to have all the answers—it's to build the conditions for students to find them.

You'll learn:

• How to help students find peers and mentors instead of relying on the teacher for every answer
• Why combining passion, purpose, and projects leads to deeper engagement and ownership
• Simple ways to scaffold project-based learning without taking control away from students
• How authentic audiences and exhibitions raise the quality of student work
• The teacher moves that build independence while still providing the structure students need

If you're trying to shift from teacher-led instruction to student-centered, project-based learning, this episode offers practical strategies you can implement immediately to help learners become more independent, motivated, and capable.

The goal isn't to do less as a teacher—it's to create the conditions where students can do more.

Get the 12 Shifts Book for Student-Centered Environments: 'Where Is The Teacher?'

'Where Is The Teacher' (40% off)

Watching student motivation disappear as the school year winds down? Seeing more behavior issues, rushed AI-generated work, and learners who seem mentally checked out before summer even begins?

In this episode, I share a simple but powerful end-of-year shift that transformed our middle school energy: legacy work. Instead of piling on more reminders, consequences, or busy work, we asked one question: What legacy will you leave behind for next year's students? The result? A real audience, renewed motivation, and students who suddenly had a reason to care.

From student-created zines like How to Survive Homework and How to Make Friends, to transition day experiences, welcome videos, and peer-created guides, I unpack how giving students meaningful work for future learners creates ownership, purpose, and stronger engagement.

You'll learn:

• Why end-of-year motivation often collapses—and why traditional teacher responses rarely help
• How authentic audience and student ownership can instantly increase engagement
• Simple legacy project ideas you can implement in any classroom, regardless of grade level
• How to shift from work for a grade to meaningful student-centered learning experiences
• Why the end of the year may be the perfect time to empower learners—not control them more

If you're an international educator trying to finish strong without becoming the classroom police, this episode offers one simple shift that could change everything.

Students don't need more pressure at the end of the year. They need a reason to care.

Take the 12 Shifts for Student-Centered Environments Scorecard: www.transformschool.com/12shiftsscorecard

Get the 12 Shifts Book (Discounted 40%): 'Where is the Teacher: 12 Shifts for Student-Centered Environments'