Welcome to Protopia… a “What If” Sandbox of Becoming!

So often websites present knowledge as complete, tidy and final. So often discussions of the future of education and schooling in an age of AI are dystopian or utopian.

Disrupted History takes a different view.

Neither dystopia nor utopia is our destination. Rather, technology is taking us to protopia. More accurately, we have already arrived in protopia. (Kelly, 2016, p.13)

According to Kevin Kelly: “Protopia is a state of becoming, rather than a destination. It is a process… It is hard to see because it is becoming… a soft process that is shape-shifting.” The incremental changes in technological change mean that we are constant newbies, constantly learning, constantly in iteration.

In the Protopia page, Disrupted History’s structures are looser, the edges blur, and the questions outnumber the answers. It’s where we pull back the curtain to reveal the ‘newbie”. We show the messy, the incomplete and the broken toys that litter the sandbox of experimentation and learning. We transparently show our working.

The Protopian ‘What If’ Sandbox is an experimental space for what are often loose and incomplete ideas – a playground for provocations, prototypes, and pedagogical ponderings that don’t quite fit anywhere else on Disrupted History. Expect eclecticism. Expect tangents. Expect ideas in beta.

Here you’ll find video and audio fragments, experimental tools, AI musings, ideas still incomplete, starting points for activities and classroom detours, and future-facing speculations – all shared with curiosity at the core. Ideas with promise. In Protopia, the posts will be thought of as ‘scattered toys’. The ‘scattered toys’ might be messy. Some might be magic. All represent a hint, an insight, a germ of a concept, a thought bubble that’s part of an ongoing project of reimagininge what history education might be becoming in an age of disruption.

Dig in. Remix. Question. Play.

Some Scattered Toys in the Protopian Sandbox!

What if…? What if we used primary sources from World War One to create Lego kits that depict Australian experiences of the Western Front and then evaluated those images for accuracy?

⬆️What if…? What if Vince Wall made images of himself and then turned himself into an action figure in package… that was animated?

⬆️A “Deep Dive” audio discussion created in Google Labs NotebookLM based upom Wall, V., Bedford, A., & Redmond, P. (2025). Generative artificial intelligence in education: Initial principles developed from practitioner reflexive research. The Journal of Educational Research, 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1080/00220671.2025.2510398

⬆️What if…? What if History teachers provided students with primary sources related to architecture in the High Italian Renaissance and asked students to analyse those sources with a view to creating, and subsequently evaluating for accuracy, their own Renaissance building? (Images created using Google Gemini and ChatGPT.)

⬆️What if…? What if History teachers asked students asked students to research an allocated ancient Egyptian deity? What is the students were then tasked to create concept art for costumes to be used in a television series to be produced by a major streaming service. (Student images created using Microsoft Bing Chat Image Generation.)

⬆️What if…? What if Google Flow Veo2 was given VERY limited descriptions of the Western Front and a wide time range (1916-18) and was told it to create a video that showed a bird’s eye view of a battlefield? What if students were to evaluate that video’s accuracy on the basis of sources?

⬆️What if…? What if Google Flow Veo2 could help students visualise a First Nations soldier during the battle of the Somme?

⬆️What if…? What if Vince Wall did that Funko Pop version of himself?

⬆️What if…? What if we could actually think of why something like this animation might enahnce learning?

Chatbots Playing in the Protopian Sandbox

This is a dynamic space for exploring the potential of education-focused chatbots. This page offers links to a variety of experimental and demonstration chatbots created by the author of this site. The designed to test, explore, and showcase emerging technologies in education. These tools reflect the evolving intersection of pedagogy and artificial intelligence, aligning with Disrupted History’s commitment to critical engagement with innovative ideas.

While these chatbots provide an opportunity for experimentation and discovery, it’s important to note that they may not be actively monitored or recently updated. As such, users are encouraged to approach them with caution: use them reflectively, safely, and critically.

A simple starting rule for the use of AI is to NEVER upload personal or confidential information about yourself or others to a bot or artificial intelligence platform. These ‘bots are no an exception to this rule.

The Asbestos Metaphor: Treat your data ‘like asbestos’: You want to know where it is at all times. You want to know where it is stored. You want to know how it may be used. You don’t want to spread it around. Asbestos, while useful in some circumstances, can be dangerous. Data has many uses. Data can be used to help but can also cause harm. Treat it with care.

Whether you’re an educator, student, or curious learner, we invite you to reflect deeply on how these tools align with ethical practices, educational goals, and the complexities of teaching and learning. You are invited to give thoughtful and balanced feedback on these bots through the form provided.

The Chatbot Sandbox is a space for thoughtful exploration, not reliance. Consider these tools as starting points for inquiry and dialogue about the role of AI in education. Let this be an opportunity to engage reflectively, question assumptions, and imagine new possibilities for teaching and learning in the digital age.

Dive in, explore, and join the conversation about how AI might shape the future of education.

Chatbots currently playing in our sandbox…

HistoryBuddy An AI history tutor bot developed in PlaylabAI. (Bots created within PlaylabAI are ‘remixes’ of bots that have been trialed and used in classroom contexts with students. Before using PlaylabAI, like any other platform, check its terms and conditions and research its staff, structure and mission to see whether this is suitable for your ethical, safety, and data security standards.)

History Backchat. This app gives secondary school students feedback on their historical writing. It is designed for Australian schools. Developed in PlaylabAI. (Bots created within PlaylabAI are ‘remixes’ of bots that have been trialed and used in classroom contexts with students. Before using PlaylabAI, like any other platform, check its terms and conditions and research its staff, structure and mission to see whether this is suitable for your ethical, safety, and data security standards.)

The History Experience Simulator An interactive choose-your-own-adventure game for exploring History in secondary schools. This game immerses students in historical scenarios where they’ll make decisions that shape historical outcomes, fostering critical thinking and empathy. Developed in PlaylabAI. (Bots created within PlaylabAI are ‘remixes’ of bots that have been trialed and used in classroom contexts with students. Before using PlaylabAI, like any other platform, check its terms and conditions and research its staff, structure and mission to see whether this is suitable for your ethical, safety, and data security standards.)

First Nations Pedagogy Advisor This Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Pedagogies Advisor is a chatbot project designed to support Australian teachers and educators. It has been developed by a non-Indigenous teacher with the advice and support of a group of experienced and qualified First Nations curriculum advisors and educators. It is NOT a substitute for teachers engaging with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander liaison staff or advisors within their own school or system. Developed in PlaylabAI. (Bots created within PlaylabAI are ‘remixes’ of bots that have been trialed and used in classroom contexts with students. Before using PlaylabAI, like any other platform, check its terms and conditions and research its staff, structure and mission to see whether this is suitable for your ethical, safety, and data security standards.)

Inclusive Learning Brainstormer A prototype chatbot to assist Inclusive Learning staff. Developed in PlaylabAI. (Bots created within PlaylabAI are ‘remixes’ of bots that have been trialed and used in classroom contexts with students. Before using PlaylabAI, like any other platform, check its terms and conditions and research its staff, structure and mission to see whether this is suitable for your ethical, safety, and data security standards.)

The Goddess Isis Chat Talk to the Ancient Egyptian goddess Isis to discover Ancient Egypt. Developed in PlaylabAI. (Bots created within PlaylabAI are ‘remixes’ of bots that have been trialed and used in classroom contexts with students. Before using PlaylabAI, like any other platform, check its terms and conditions and research its staff, structure and mission to see whether this is suitable for your ethical, safety, and data security standards.)

The Jim Crow Era Simulator This project is a gamified simulation experience designed for Australian history students who are studying the history of the US Civil Rights movement. The model draws upon references such as: NAAMHC, Learning for Justice, Teaching Hard History podcast. Developed in PlaylabAI. (Bots created within PlaylabAI are ‘remixes’ of bots that have been trialed and used in classroom contexts with students. Before using PlaylabAI, like any other platform, check its terms and conditions and research its staff, structure and mission to see whether this is suitable for your ethical, safety, and data security standards.)

How are our bots behaving?

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