Teddy Kim - CIDDL

Research on the Screen Time Question

Screen time is often treated as a relatively homogeneous, duration-based construct, despite substantial differences in how, why, and in what contexts screens are used (Kaye et al., 2020). During this CIDDL Office Hours session, Dr. James Basham and Dr. Matthew Marino challenged that framing and discussed why understanding screen use in education requires a much more nuanced approach.

Designing AI-Integrated Learning Experiences for Pre-Service Teachers: A Real-Classroom Example

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no longer a futuristic concept but a present reality that is reshaping how we teach and learn. Dr. James Basham, Yerin Seung, and I recognized that for pre-service teachers, developing a proactive attitude and the ability to leverage AI are fundamental competencies they must possess before entering the field. We designed our course to move beyond mere tool usage, aiming to foster a deep-seated AI literacy that balances technological benefits with pedagogical integrity. This post explores how we integrated AI into our curriculum to prepare the next generation of educators for a tech-driven classroom.

Support Students with Disabilities’ Independence with Mobile Devices

This brief examines how mobile devices can support the independence of students with intellectual disabilities as they navigate college campuses and community settings. Drawing on Dr. Hester’s discussion of her collaborative work with Lori Cooney and Dr. Don McMahon, it explains how Google My Maps can be customized according to individual students’ destinations, preferences, support needs, and person-centered plans. The brief also considers how mobile technology can be incorporated into teacher preparation, how educators can develop more balanced perceptions of mobile devices, and what future research is needed to strengthen technology-supported transition and inclusive postsecondary education practices.

young boy working next to a laptop writing on a pad of paper

Episode 3: Rethinking AI Literacy Through Human Agency

This episode asks a related question: What does it mean to be AI literate while remaining an active human agent?

CIDDL Office Hours: CIDDL Needs Assessment

During this CIDDL Office Hour session, Cheryl Lemke, President and CEO of The Metiri Group, shared early findings from CIDDL’s 2026 Needs Assessment, offering a timely look at how higher education faculty and preparation programs are thinking about educational technology, artificial intelligence, and assistive technology. As CIDDL begins a new five-year cycle, the needs assessment provides an important snapshot of the field’s current priorities and emerging concerns. A central message from the session was clear: faculty are no longer simply asking which tools to use, but are asking deeper questions about pedagogy, student learning, accessibility, ethics, and how to prepare future educators for increasingly AI-rich K–12 environments.

Campus scene with two students in wheelchairs using tablets and a standing student with a phone, icons above show campus services.

Why Mobile Devices Matter in Special Education: Supporting Independence, Transition, and Participation

Smartphones, tablets, and wearable devices have become natural parts of everyday life. People use mobile devices to navigate, communicate, manage schedules, access information, and monitor health and daily routines (we don’t endorse products or companies; these are simply examples). In special education, however, mobile devices can be more than convenient tools; they can serve as assistive technology that supports students with disabilities in accessing opportunities in academics, transitions, employment, independent living, and community participation.

Summary of OECD Digital Education Outlook 2026

The OECD’s Digital Education Outlook 2026 shifts the focus from values to practice by asking a more operational question: given that generative AI is already present in educational systems, how can its use be steered to genuinely support learning and professional teaching practice? In this sense, the two reports are not in tension but complementary, with UNESCO articulating the “why” of educational AI and the OECD addressing the “how.”

Assistive Technology in Education: Current Evidence, Emerging Models, and Practices

Assistive technology (AT) plays a vital role in helping students with disabilities access learning, participate in classroom activities, and exercise greater autonomy in school. This webinar series was designed to bridge these areas by linking evidence, systems thinking, and practical examples. Four research teams contributed sessions that collectively addressed the current landscape of AT, challenges and opportunities in teacher preparation, systems-level models that support AT implementation, and disability-specific examples of practice. Together, these perspectives offer a comprehensive view of how AT can and should function across educator preparation programs and PK-12 schools.

people around a table using technology and AI

Summary of UNESCO AI and the Future of Education

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is poised to transform education at every level (CIDDL, 2024). However, this advancement raises a deeper question: “Is AI strengthening education, or is it pulling it away from its core purpose?”
UNESCO’s 2025 report, AI and the Future of Education: Disruptions, Dilemmas and Directions, addresses this global pivot point head-on. Bringing together scholarly voices, the report examines how AI challenges long-standing assumptions about teaching, learning, and the role of the human teacher. While some chapters point to unprecedented opportunities, others urge caution about the structural, pedagogical, and ethical risks that accompany rapid adoption.
I intentionally highlight three chapters—3, 4, and 5—that speak most directly to classroom practice, instructional design, and the evolving work of educators.

Let's Talk AI and Special Education with Host Joe Sabado.

CIDDL Office Hours: The Future of AI Integration

CIDDL’s most recent Office Hours featured Joe Sabado, Deputy CIO at UC Santa Barbara and an influential practitioner-scholar in AI governance and digital leadership (Please check his website, Campus AI Exchange, and our blog post about it). With more than 30 years of experience supporting students and building institutional systems, he offered a powerful and human-centered perspective on the future of AI adoption in higher education, emphasizing responsibility and stakeholder engagement.

Author: Teddy Kim