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