From Golf Courses to Google: The Most Important Part about AI in Education

TL;DR

• AI is an assistant, not a replacement

• YouTube for Learning & Community - Google Energizer Spark Video

• Building community is the most important part of the process!

• Honor Roll peeps gets everything ever blah blah blah 😂

AI, Community, and Surprise PGA Tour Level Golf Coures 🤖⛳️

Hey there, you WONDERFUL educator! Dr. Tarver here, and I gotsta tell ya—this past week was prettyyyyy dope. I hit the road, talked way too fast, and even got a some hits up at one of the most legendary golf courses in the world.

Let’s break it down like we’re smashing our older brother’s lego collection, shall weeeee?

🏌️ AI Revelation at the Golf Course? Didn’t See That Coming.

So, earlier in the week, I roll up to speak at what I thought was just a regular ol’ town in North Carolina. As I’m driving up, I’m looking around thinking to myself this is superrr nice, almost too nice…

Turns out?

After a quick lil AskJeeves search (jkjk it was Google), it was a lil place called Pinehurst Golf Course. Yeah, THE Pinehurst. Please don’t judge me for not knowing, I’m more of an NBA guy (but a moderate level of judging is probably warranted 😂🤦🏼‍♂️).

Don’t worry tho, I did manage to hit a few range balls before getting down to business (in my head, I hit par) and grab some souvenirs for my 2 sons who actually play ye ole golfie.

But the real highlight?

Talking to a room full of teachers, superintendents, and administrators about connecting with the next generation whilst incorporating our old school values.

There was a part in my talk where I was laying out AI (Artificial Intelligence) and how it can be used for good (and not just evil). Don’t get me wrong, students mostly use it to finish 2 hour assignments in 12 seconds, but how can we help them leverage it to get better, as opposed to bypassing learning?

In my humble (and biasedly correct opinion 😂) blocking AI tools like Gemini and ChatGPT isn’t the answer. As I was saying this, a revelation hit me and I laid it out for the room:

“In five to ten years, your students who can’t use AI effectively are going to lose jobs to students at other schools whose educators are teaching them how to LEVERAGE these AI tools correctly and efficiently. We have to prepare them for, not prevent them from, the future.”

I also told them that in a few years, they themselves are going to only hire people who use AI to do their jobs, because those people will be working circles around everyone else.

IMPORTANT: Use AI as an assistant, not a replacement.

Our job isn’t to ban the tech. It’s to teach students how to use it responsibly—to think critically, problem-solve, and navigate a world where AI is just another tool in their belt.

If we don’t?

They’ll be left behind.

📢 Google, YouTube, and the Power of People

Next stop? A Google Energizer event for Google Champions! This was a prelude to the TCEA conference, in which I did not attend (I hear great things, hope to go next yearrrrr)!

Just a few of the PHENOMENAL people I got the chance to snag selfies with!

At the Google Energizer, I got the opportunity to chat with some brilliant minds and hear from Google about upcoming product upgrades (or “upgradez” if you’re being edgy in 2005).

Hope I won’t go to jail for breaking an NDA, but I’ll summarize for you, just like every other company—Google is leaning into AI.

Here’s the kicker: AI can boost what we do, but it can’t replace people.

P.S. I had the opportunity at this to do a quick 20 minute spark presentation on YouTube! Here it is if you want to check it out:

With all the AI talk and after reflecting on what people care about on social media, it reminded me again that the most important part of all these new advances is still…people.

The best creators (and teachers) don’t just push out content, they connect with their audience.

People

connect

with

People.

👥 People First, AI Second

Whether I was at the golf course or in a room full of tech geniuses, one truth kept coming up: AI is a tool, not the mission.

It can help us teach smarter, work faster, and reach more students—but at the end of the day, it’s that li’l human connection that makes the difference.

So, yeah, let’s embrace AI. Let’s teach students how to properly use it. But let’s never forget that the real magic happens in the relationships we build—in the classroom, online, and, every now and then, on the golf course. 😂

Keep learning, keep growing, and maybe, just maybe, we can help some students be ready for the world they’re walking into.

#NeverStopLearning

-Dr. T

P.S. Really want to level up your Ai and/or YouTube game? Honor Roll peeps get access to those trainings, PLUS working on something fun in this area for this summer! CAN I GET A “WE READY FOR SUMMER” AMEN!?! 😂

Holla @ me if you’re looking for a speaker/trainer for this summer! No pressure tho!