
Erik Ofgang
Erik Ofgang is Tech & Learning contributor. A journalist, author and educator, his work has appeared in The New York Times, The Smithsonian, Washington Post, The Atlantic, and Forbes.com. He currently teaches at Western Connecticut State University’s MFA program. While a staff writer at Connecticut Magazine he won a Society of Professional Journalism Award for his education reporting. He is interested in how humans learn and how technology can make that more effective.
Latest articles by Erik Ofgang

5 Cybersecurity Tips For Schools From CISA’s Deputy Assistant Director
By Erik Ofgang published
Making quick cost-effective changes to cybersecurity systems can make a big difference for school safety, says CISA Deputy Assistant Director Trent Frazier.

5 Tips For Getting Online and In-Person Adjunct Teaching Positions
By Erik Ofgang published
These strategies have helped me get consistent work as an adjunct professor

4 AI Tools I Actually Use As An Educator
By Erik Ofgang published
There’s a lot of talk about AI’s uses in education but I find that personally I only really use a few tools.

My Students Are Submitting AI Papers. Here’s What I Do
By Erik Ofgang published
Like many educators, I've been thrust into a brave new world of AI and modern teaching that I had not been trained for and to which appropriate responses aren't always clear.

Solar-Powered Schools: What You Need to Know
By Erik Ofgang published
Thousands of schools across the U.S. have saved money by installing solar panels. The process can involve little to no upfront costs and often results in significant cost savings for the school or district.

Guarding Your District Against AI Deepfakes, Including Porn
By Erik Ofgang published
Students in U.S. schools have already created deepfakes of classmates, including deepfake pornography

Digital Leisure Reading Does Less to Aid Comprehension Than Print Reading
By Erik Ofgang published
A new study found that when students read digital texts for leisure it had almost no impact on their reading comprehension. Here’s everything you need to know.

GPT-4o: What Educators Need to Know
By Erik Ofgang published
I tested GPT-4o, the new model powering some versions of ChatGPT. It combines text, audio, visual, and video outputs and inputs, and is faster and more natural in its responses, which has many implications for teachers.

Flipped Classrooms Can Benefit From AI, Say Flipped Learning Pioneers. But There Are Concerns
By Erik Ofgang published
AI chatbots could potentially assist flipped classroom instructors, both during class time and when students are watching videos, but the tech needs to solve its bias problem first

Best Summer Learning Apps & Sites
By Ray Bendici, Diana Restifo, Erik Ofgang published
The best summer learning apps and sites for students can help keep kids learning all year round

4 Ways to Increase Ebook and Audiobook Awareness For Summer Reading
By Erik Ofgang published
More students are reading ebooks and listening to audiobooks than ever before but more can still be done to increase awareness of these platforms

4 Ways To Fight Spring Fever Outbreaks
By Erik Ofgang published
Spring is the time of year when even normally diligent students (and even some faculty) start struggling to pay attention.

Hackers Are After Student Data. Here’s Why
By Erik Ofgang published
Students generally have pristine credit records, which makes student data an appealing target for criminals. The good news is, there are ways they can help keep student data safe.

4 Star Wars Tech Tools for Teaching
By Erik Ofgang published
With Star Wars Day (May the 4th) fast approaching, it's a good time to appreciate how far edtech has come

How Often Are Students Submitting AI Papers? Frequently, Says New Data
By Erik Ofgang published
More than two million papers reviewed by Turnitin's AI detection tool had at least 80% AI-generated content

Do ChatGPT-Style AI ChatBots Help Students Learn? Yes, But There Are Caveats, Says Research
By Erik Ofgang published
AI chatbots show promise in helping college students but are less effective for K-12, with the impact on learning seeming to decrease over time

Teaching Financial Literacy
By Erik Ofgang published
More states are adopting financial literacy requirements for students. Here are tips for teaching the topic.

Climate Change Data Tool Provides New Learning Opportunities
By Erik Ofgang last updated
The nonprofit EcoRise and AT&T have partnered to make robust climate change mapping data available to students.

What Is Khanmigo? The GPT-4 Learning Tool Explained by Sal Khan
By Erik Ofgang published
Khan Academy’s Khanmigo learning guide is powered by GPT-4 and Sal Khan says it is so powerful that it feels like it has passed the Turing Test

Using AI and Robots To Build Social Connections For All Students
By Erik Ofgang published
Yale doctoral student Rebecca Ramnauth studies the ways in which AI and robots can increase connections between humans

5 Things About Using AI for Writing That I Wish Enthusiasts Would Remember
By Erik Ofgang published
Using AI for writing has the potential to improve education but we need to make sure it truly benefits students

ISTELive and the ASCD Annual Conference Combined: What You Need To Know
By Erik Ofgang published
The ISTELive and ASCD annual conferences will take place together in a joint convention in San Antonio in the summer of 2025

Bringing AI, STEM and Robots To American Samoa
By Erik Ofgang published
An influx of robotics carts has allowed schools in American Samoa to integrate AI into the curriculum
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