Ep 233 | Mi Amigo is Khanmigo: "60 Minutes" of Fame for Hobart, Indiana Schools with guests Peggy Buffington, Melissa Higgason, & Alaina Richter
In Episode #233 of Silver Lining for Learning we feature Khanmigo, a highly discussed AI-powered online tutor. Proponents contend that it could transform K-12 education by changing teachers job roles to be more of an ever-ready coach, counselor, and learning facilitator, instead of always directly in charge of delivering content. Experts also contend that intelligent tutoring systems like Khanmigo could also change the ways in which students learn by personalizing the learning process, providing immediate feedback and suggestion, and creating an overall less stressful environment. According to the Khan Academy, Khanmigo is being piloted in 266 school districts as of December 2024. One of those school districts is the School City of Hobart, Indiana. The school district was feature on 60 Minutes with host Anderson Cooper. During the broadcast, Cooper interviewed many students as well as the Superintendent, Dr. Peggy Buffington, about the effectiveness of Khanmigo as well as how the system might flag concerns about student interactions and activities in the system which might signal remedial forms of learning or timely interventions from a mental health counselor. During Episode #234, we will fortunately hear from Dr. Buffington as well as two School City of Hobart teachers, Alaina Richter and Melissa Higgason (see bios below). We are sure that this episode of SLL will have plenty of ideas, applications, and examples of who teachers might use AI technology in different educational settings. Given recent advances in generative forms of AI associated discussion and debate about the benefits and challenges of AI in education, ideas discussed should have immediately application.
Some links to the TV episode and post episode reflection and chat with Anderson Cooper are below. They were on 60 Minutes with Anderson Cooper in December: Khan Academy partnership with Hobart School District in Indiana (60 Minutes feature with Anderson Cooper; December 9, 2024): https://www.hobart.k12.in.us/our-district/scoh-khan-aacademy
Dr. Peggy Buffington, Ph.D. is the Superintendent of School City of Hobart. Peggy Buffington served as co-chair of Ready NWI, the education arm of the One Region, One Vision leadership team to improve the quality of life in Northwest Indiana. Ready NWI meets once a month with its partner sponsors of the Center of Workforce Innovation, and Higher Education Partners, to raise the percentage of people with postsecondary degrees in the area to 60 percent. The group has grown to include 30 sister school districts. They are paving the way for students to Be Ready for College and Careers!
Peggy earned two degrees from Purdue University Calumet including a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Elementary Education/Reading Endorsement and a Master of Science in Instructional Design. She earned a Doctor of Philosophy in Curriculum and Instruction and Educational Technology from Purdue University. She has received several awards including the Purdue Calumet Outstanding Alumni Award, Outstanding Achievement Educator Award from the Hobart Chamber of Commerce, the Educator of the Year Award from the American Legion Post 54, Teacher of the Year for The Great Gateway Region of the United States for Technology & Learning, Indiana Teacher of the Year, One Region’s Outstanding Contribution Award, Excellence in Education from AdvancEd, District 1 Indiana Superintendent of the Year, the Indiana School Board Association Lorin A. Burt Outstanding Educator of the Year, and was inducted into Ivy Tech’s Society of Innovators. Peggy has been published in several education journals. She serves on the board of the St. Mary Medical Hospital. She believes there is no greater mission in life than to serve others, especially children. She can be reached at Dr. Peggy Buffington: peggyb@hobart.k12.in.us
Melissa Higgason, M.S.Ed., is a passionate educator with over 20 years of experience in science education, curriculum development, and research development. As a Chemistry Teacher at Hobart High School, she leverages inquiry-based teaching methods and cutting-edge tools like Khanmigo, an AI platform developed by Khan Academy, to inspire curiosity and innovation in her students. Previously, Melissa served as Associate Director of the Center for Science and Technology Education at Purdue University Northwest. In this role, she developed and implemented technology-enhanced curricula for K–12 science educators, led professional development workshops, and taught alongside teachers to model best practices in STEM instruction. She also supported grant-funded initiatives to advance STEM education and analyzed teacher and student performance data to enhance program outcomes. In addition to her work in education, Melissa has extensive experience in research development. At Purdue University Northwest, she partnered with faculty and administration to secure funding for interdisciplinary research projects, providing detailed guidance on grant proposals and building relationships with national funding agencies. Her efforts supported the growth of collaborative research initiatives that bridged education and innovation. Melissa’s career reflects her dedication to fostering collaboration, empowering educators, and advancing science education through research, technology, and strategic initiatives. Melissa remains dedicated to supporting students and educators by fostering collaboration, integrating technology, and promoting innovative approaches to teaching and learning. She can be reached at: higgasonclass@hobart.k12.in.us
Alaina Richter is in her fourth year of teaching 4th grade math in a departmentalized setting at Hobart—where she also graduated from. After playing basketball and earning her degree at Indiana University Northwest, she came back to her hometown to follow her longtime passion for teaching. Alaina especially loves teaching math and enjoys finding ways to make it click for her students. She’s all about building confidence, encouraging curiosity, and making her classroom a place where kids feel supported and capable. She can he reached at arichterclass@hobart.k12.in.us