What Only Humans Can Teach: Jessica Paulsen and Roberto Vargas on Post-AI Classrooms
Mon Jan 26 2026
What if AI could actually make your classroom more human?
In this episode of AmpED to 11, we sit down with Jessica Paulsen, President of Innovation and Impact at LEAP Innovations, and Roberto Vargas, Managing Director of IT and Data Systems at Distinctive Schools, to unpack a provocative question: If AI can already do many of the tasks we’ve traditionally assigned in school, what new kinds of learning should we be designing—learning that only humans can shape, feel, and experience?
Jessica and Roberto are at the forefront of human-centered, AI-integrated education. From personalized learner profiles powered by NotebookLM to co-created AI handbooks designed with students, their work isn’t just about adopting technology—it’s about redesigning systems that truly serve kids. We dive deep into how educators can thoughtfully integrate AI while preserving authenticity, amplifying agency, and centering students’ stories.
And we don’t shy away from the hard stuff. We question whether “personalized learning” has gone too far. We push past easy efficiency wins to examine real transformation. And we explore how teacher prep, policy, and mindsets must evolve—fast—if we want equity and humanity to remain at the heart of schools.
What you’ll learn:
Bold strategies for integrating AI without losing your humanityWhy student co-design and voice is the missing piece in most AI policiesHow Distinctive Schools is using NotebookLM to build living learner profilesWhy data transparency and digital trace ethics must be part of AI rolloutsTangible ways to redesign PD around mindset shifts, not one-off toolsHow dialogue, storytelling, and even “vibe planning” are the future of learning
Hosted by Brett Roer and Rebecca Bultsma, this episode will shift how you think about AI—not as a replacement for teachers, but as a power tool for unleashing what makes us most human in the first place.
Tune in, subscribe, and share if you’re ready to turn up the volume on what’s possible in education.
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What if AI could actually make your classroom more human? In this episode of AmpED to 11, we sit down with Jessica Paulsen, President of Innovation and Impact at LEAP Innovations, and Roberto Vargas, Managing Director of IT and Data Systems at Distinctive Schools, to unpack a provocative question: If AI can already do many of the tasks we’ve traditionally assigned in school, what new kinds of learning should we be designing—learning that only humans can shape, feel, and experience? Jessica and Roberto are at the forefront of human-centered, AI-integrated education. From personalized learner profiles powered by NotebookLM to co-created AI handbooks designed with students, their work isn’t just about adopting technology—it’s about redesigning systems that truly serve kids. We dive deep into how educators can thoughtfully integrate AI while preserving authenticity, amplifying agency, and centering students’ stories. And we don’t shy away from the hard stuff. We question whether “personalized learning” has gone too far. We push past easy efficiency wins to examine real transformation. And we explore how teacher prep, policy, and mindsets must evolve—fast—if we want equity and humanity to remain at the heart of schools. What you’ll learn: Bold strategies for integrating AI without losing your humanityWhy student co-design and voice is the missing piece in most AI policiesHow Distinctive Schools is using NotebookLM to build living learner profilesWhy data transparency and digital trace ethics must be part of AI rolloutsTangible ways to redesign PD around mindset shifts, not one-off toolsHow dialogue, storytelling, and even “vibe planning” are the future of learning Hosted by Brett Roer and Rebecca Bultsma, this episode will shift how you think about AI—not as a replacement for teachers, but as a power tool for unleashing what makes us most human in the first place. Tune in, subscribe, and share if you’re ready to turn up the volume on what’s possible in education.