LeiLani sits down with Dr. Jeff Borden, Dean of the School of Education at Western Governors University, during the ASU+GSV Conference on Monday, April 13, 2026.

Dr. Borden is rethinking how teachers are trained—arguing that if we want more human-centered classrooms, we must first redesign how educators themselves learn, with AI as a core support. He highlights a critical gap: today’s AI systems are not built to grow alongside a learner over time. Without that longitudinal relationship, large language models fall short of their true educational potential.

He emphasizes the importance of timing in learning—specifically, reinforcing knowledge at the precise moment a learner is about to forget or has just forgotten. This “just-in-time” reinforcement, largely absent in current chatbot-based AI, is essential if AI is to meaningfully transform education.

In the conversation, LeiLani introduces a pressing challenge: the wide disparity in student ability levels and the constant pressure on teachers to accelerate learning within limited time. How, she asks, can AI truly address the dimension of time in the classroom? Borden’s response reframes the issue and points toward a more adaptive, time-aware model of learning.

The discussion culminates in a deeper exploration of what “whole child” learning actually means today—not as a slogan, but as a construct grounded in emerging science. Borden outlines a pragmatic view of how AI can and should be integrated into that model.

This is a conversation that moves beyond hype, offering a grounded perspective on both the promise and the limits of AI in education—and a clearer definition of what whole child learning should look like going forward.

Tune in below for the full interview.