New TERC Tech Talks Video Podcast Evaluates AI Tools for Educators

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (September 12, 2025) — TERC, a leading nonprofit in STEM education research and development, has launched TERC Tech Talks, a new video podcast series designed to help educators, parents, and practitioners navigate the rapidly evolving world of AI tools and emerging learning technologies.

Educators today are inundated with new technologies promising to transform teaching and learning. With limited time and resources, testing every new tool isn’t realistic. TERC Tech Talks offers an informal, engaging way to explore these tools without a large time commitment.

Hosted by TERC researchers Ken Rafanan, Dr. Zac Alstad, and Elise Levin-Güracar, the series invites viewers to join them as they test drive AI tools live, unscripted, and in the context of real teaching and learning. Each episode highlights successes, challenges, and classroom strategies, then wraps up with the hosts’ top tips for considering these tools.

In each episode, viewers will get:

  • Clear, accessible explanations even if they’re not tech-savvy
  • Real classroom insights instead of marketing demos
  • Honest pros and cons from educators who understand what works
  • Practical takeaways that can be applied immediately or reasons to skip the tool

“AI has the potential to shape learning in powerful ways,” said Ken Rafanan, TERC senior STEM education researcher and co-host. “But educators need reliable, unbiased information about which tools are worth their time. That’s what we aim to provide with TERC Tech Talks.”

Episodes are now available on YouTube, with new content released biweekly. View them here: https://www.youtube.com/@tercSTEMEd

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About TERC

TERC is a Cambridge, MA based nonprofit made up of teams of forward-thinking STEM experts dedicated to innovation and creative problem solving. TERC believes great futures are built through math and science.  

For nearly 60 years, TERC has taken a learner-centered approach to STEM education in both formal and informal settings. At the frontier of theory and practice, TERC’s work encompasses research, content and curriculum development, technology innovation, professional development, and program evaluation. Through TERC’s STEM curricula and programs, students develop the knowledge and skills needed to ask questions, solve problems, and expand their opportunities. TERC’s professional development helps teachers and facilitators utilize new tools, materials, and inquiry-based strategies to enrich the learners’ experience.    

TERC strives to create level playing fields for all learners, reaching millions of students each year. TERC imagines a future where teachers and students are members of vibrant communities engaged in creative, rigorous, and reflective inquiry.

To learn more, please visit www.terc.edu.