MARCH MADNESS OF LEARNING LIVE FROM SXSW EDU with AJ Gutierrez, Jasmine Maze, and Justin Serrano

The future of education is being reshaped by a convergence of AI, human-centered design, and bold experimentation—yet the core challenge remains: how to center students in a system historically built for efficiency, not connection. In a high-energy panel at SXSW EDU, Mike Palmer and his co-panelists—AJ Gutierrez, Jasmine Mays, and Justin Serrano—debate the 'March Madness of Learning' trends, revealing a critical tension: while AI promises to revolutionize teaching and learning, its real power lies not in automation, but in amplifying human judgment. AJ argues that the most transformative shift isn’t adopting new tools, but asking deeper questions: What do we really know about our students? Why do we teach what we teach? The panel warns against 'AI slop'—mindless content generation—and instead champions 'productive distrust,' where skepticism becomes a tool for critical thinking. Jasmine emphasizes that AI should free teachers from administrative burdens, not add to them, creating space for the relational, interpretive, and moral work of teaching. Justin highlights the rise of 'outcomes-based contracting' in education, where districts now pay for measurable student gains, not just software access. The conversation culminates in a shared call to action: empower local districts with R&D capacity, invest in rapid-cycle evaluation, and treat AI not as a replacement, but as a thinking partner.