Podcasts about edtech

In this episode, I sit down with Sam Owens and Shauna Misir, learning specialists and academic advisors at Beacon College, to explore how AI is reshaping assistive technology for neurodivergent learners. You'll also hear practical examples of how tools like NotebookLM, Goblin Tools, and AI writing supports can improve reading, writing, and organization while maintaining clear boundaries for responsible use. If you want to better understand how AI can support accessibility, inclusion, and personalized learning in education, this episode has you covered! Show notes: https://classtechtips.com/2026/02/27/assistive-technology-bonus/ Sponsored by Beacon College: http://beaconcollege.edu Follow Monica on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/classtechtips/  Take your pick of free EdTech resources: https://classtechtips.com/free-stuff-favorites/   

We begin this episode with Laurie Forcier and Pablo Langa from EDT & Partners, who share their insights on global education strategy and the impact of artificial intelligence amid today's shifting geopolitical landscape. Next, Graham Feek from Greenwood Academies Trust highlights an important warning regarding potential hardware supply shortages in the education sector. He also emphasizes that schools must begin shifting their culture in how they view technology as an investment that drives efficiency, rather than merely an expense. The conversation continues with Jarno Aantjes from ReadSpeaker, who explains how their text-to-speech technology supports the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) approach in creating more inclusive learning environments for neurodivergent students and additional language learners. Complementing this discussion, Katie Freeman from Internet Matters underscores the importance of media literacy and online safety for children. She also stresses the need for schools to transition toward safer, more protected AI usage approaches by 2026. Although Bett UK 2026 has concluded, innovation in education never stops. Visit https://uk.bettshow.com/ to explore event highlights and stay connected with the global education community. This episode is proudly sponsored by Edmentum — visit https://www.edmentum.com/ — and fully supported by the Bett team.

Send a textJoin hosts Ben Kornell and guest host Peter Stiepleman, host of The Imperfect Leader, as they explore AI in schools, screen-time policy, math reform, higher ed disruption, and the future of assessment integrity.✨ Episode Highlights:[00:00:00] Peter Stiepleman on leading with “ed, not tech” when implementing AI in schools[00:06:33] Seattle-area student walkout over ChatGPT access sparks debate on AI in classrooms[00:08:11] 26 states advance phone bans and K–5 screen-time legislation[00:10:59] Khan Academy's failed India rollout shows implementation, not tools, drives impact[00:16:26] Whether global systems may leapfrog the U.S. in AI-powered education[00:18:38] AI-supported speech therapy and reading intervention free educators for human connection[00:20:55] Utah's math overhaul ignites debate over data science, calculus acceleration, and rigor[00:27:24] Rural districts innovate through regional collaboration and expanded course access[00:29:14] Higher ed faces declining endowments, enrollment pressure, and early college expansion[00:35:09] Anthropic co-founder argues AI will increase the value of humanities degreesPlus, special guest:[00:39:10] Brandon Smith, CEO of Integrity Advocate, on AI-driven cheating, proctoring reform, and protecting assessment integrity

We're marking Rare Disease Month 2026 by highlighting the powerful story of Shanthi Hegde, a young patient advocate working to transform how bleeding disorders are understood, treated, and supported. This work is fueled by her own arduous journey with two rare bleeding disorders and immune dysregulatory syndrome, and an extended diagnostic odyssey marked by dismissal, underdiagnosis, and structural bias. “I was told many times by many providers that these disorders are not common in Indians and that my bruises were there just because I'm brown.” Admirably, Shanthi pushed past this mistreatment, advocated for her medical needs, and devoted herself to tackling a range of issues confronting rare disease patients from mental health access to affordable drug pricing to research equity. In this remarkable Year of the Zebra conversation with host Lindsey Smith, you'll also learn about: Shanti's work with the Hemophilia Federation of America; How gaps extend beyond treatment to include insurance coverage, provider training, and substance use care; What clinicians can do to improve the work they do with rare disease patients. Join us for a conversation that connects patient voice to system change, and explores what real equity for rare disease communities will require. Mentioned in this episode:Hemophilia Federation of AmericaShanthi's LinkedIn Profile If you like this podcast, please share it on your social channels. You can also subscribe to the series and check out all of our episodes at www.osmosis.org/podcast

In this episode of Disruption/Interruption, KJ sits down with Stacy Richter, CEO of Live Lingua, to explore how the EdTech industry has lost sight of what really matters: human connection. Stacy shares his unconventional journey from corporate collections to boutique marketing to language education, revealing how technology became the status quo it was supposed to disrupt. Discover why the "four-legged stool" approach—combining live tutors, technology, AI tools, and resources—is transforming language learning outcomes and bringing the human element back into education. Four Key Takeaways: (9:12) The Technology Paradox - In language learning, technology has become the status quo rather than the disruptor. EdTech platforms are now the norm, but the pendulum swung so far toward exclusive technology that learners lost the human connection essential for true language acquisition. (13:13) Transactional vs. Transformational Learning - Language learning apps excel at increasing screen time and gamification, but their primary goal isn't actual fluency—it's engagement. Real language mastery requires moving beyond transactional interactions to transformational, person-to-person connections that build relationships and trust. (22:58) The Full-Stack Language Model - Live Lingua's "four-legged stool" approach combines live human tutors (the hub), integrated technology, AI tools for practice, and supplementary resources. This hybrid model makes tutoring sessions 10x more valuable and can shorten the learning curve by months or even years. (30:29) The Power of One Connection - Technology cannot replace the value of human connection. As Stacy emphasizes, you're only one conversation, one relationship away from a breakthrough in your personal or professional life—a truth that applies far beyond language learning. Quote of the Show (9:12):"In the education space, the technology has become the status quo. The pendulum swung from personalized in-person services... so far the other way where it's been exclusively technology.” – Stacy Richter Join our Anti-PR newsletter where we’re keeping a watchful and clever eye on PR trends, PR fails, and interesting news in tech so you don't have to. You're welcome. Want PR that actually matters? Get 30 minutes of expert advice in a fast-paced, zero-nonsense session from Karla Jo Helms, a veteran Crisis PR and Anti-PR Strategist who knows how to tell your story in the best possible light and get the exposure you need to disrupt your industry. Click here to book your call: https://info.jotopr.com/free-anti-pr-eval Ways to connect with Stacy Richter: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/therealstacyrichter/Company Website: https://livelingua.com How to get more Disruption/Interruption: Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/eccda84d-4d5b-4c52-ba54-7fd8af3cbe87/disruption-interruption Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/disruption-interruption/id1581985755 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/6yGSwcSp8J354awJkCmJlDSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Michelle Moore is an EdTech expert turned mindset mentor and the creator of 100 Days to Self-Love, a transformative journal designed to help individuals reconnect with their worth and purpose. After years of leading in the education technology space, Michelle felt called to deepen her impact by guiding others through personal healing and growth. Blending her experience in education with her passion for mindfulness, energy alignment, and self-reflection, Michelle now supports others in living with intention, confidence, and joy. As a certified yoga instructor and advocate for self-care, she believes in the power of daily rituals to cultivate self-worth and unlock true potential. Her journal, 100 Days to Self-Love, reflects her mission to inspire others to embrace their authentic selves, align with their values, and live lives rooted in meaning and inner peace. 100% of the proceeds benefit Warrior Retreats where the idea for the journal was birthed. When she's not mentoring or creating tools for healing, Michelle enjoys traveling, laughing, and spending quality time with her two sons. 
Connect with her on Instagram @michellenmoore_
Grab your copy of 100 Days to Self-Love: https://a.co/d/9V8CJkD   Check out these resources Michelle mentioned during our conversation. Passion project https://m.youtube.com/@thepassiontestforyou Journal link https://a.co/d/iqyzNP0 Warrior retreats https://www.instagram.com/warriorretreats?igsh=NXoyMWs1bDFweGF1   ______________________________________________________________________ The Edupreneur: Your Blueprint To Jumpstart And Scale Your Education BusinessYou've spent years in the classroom, leading PD, designing curriculum, and transforming how students learn. Now, it's time to leverage that experience and build something for yourself. The Edupreneur isn't just another book; it's the playbook for educators who want to take their knowledge beyond the school walls and into a thriving business.I wrote this book because I've been where you are. I know what it's like to have the skills, the passion, and the drive but not know where to start. I break it all down: the mindset shifts, the business models, the pricing strategies, and the branding moves that will help you position yourself as a leader in this space.Inside, you'll learn how to:✅ Turn your expertise into income streams, without feeling like a sellout✅ Build a personal brand that commands respect (and top dollar)✅ Market your work in a way that feels natural and impactful✅ Navigate the business side of edupreneurship, from pricing to partnershipsWhether you want to consult, create courses, write books, or launch a podcast, this book will help you get there. Stop waiting for permission. Start building your own table.Grab your copy today and take control of your future.Buy it from EduMatch Publishing https://edumatch-publishing.myshopify.com/collections/new-releases/products/the-edupreneur-by-dr-will

Brett Salakas and I have an energetic future focused conversation for you this episode as we talk about human-centred community and connection especially in learning and teaching. Brett opened our conversation by explaining the background artwork by Indigenous artist Melissa Barton, whilst sharing his experience of working on a program to adapt international standards for Australia at HP, linking the artwork that narrates HP's educational vision in Australia. Listen in as Brett shares his personal and professional journey, including his teaching experience and his role as an HP Education Ambassador. He described an artwork created by Indigenous artist Melissa Barton (that you can see is his screen background) that represents the Australian education system and HP's educational vision for Australia. We discus the different types of screen time and its impact on education that is very topical here across media and government policy makers. Brett emphasized the need to differentiate between productive and recreational screen time, highlighting the importance of using technology to enhance learning rather than simply entertain. We also touch on the evolving nature of education and the need to maintain focus on core values and purposes. Brett shared an example from Korea, known as the "wild geese," where students are sent abroad for education, highlighting the perceived quality of education in countries like Australia. We focus in on the Australian education system's values and the importance of focusing on clear educational goals rather than chasing trends or technology fads. Brett emphasized the need to understand the purpose of AI within education, framing it as a tool under the broader umbrella of cybernetics that serves human needs. We also discussed the future of learning environments, drawing parallels between ancient learning spaces and modern technology. We explored the concept of "campfire caves, mountaintops, and holodecks" as metaphors for different learning spaces, where it is essential that the importance of balancing technology with human-centered education is forefront. Brett's recent initiative, the Wattle Vision, involved gathering CIOs from 16 Australian universities to create a collective vision statement for the role of technology in higher education over the next 20 years. The vision focuses on creating relationship-rich environments and experiences for students, emphasizing a human-centered approach. Brett spent two years working with industry experts, including HP, Microsoft, Intel, and Adobe, to develop this vision and has now returned to execute the 13 action items outlined in the plan. Thriving Matters podcast has just celebrated 150 episodes with 'ordinary gals and guys who are doing extraordinary things in life and work' with more to come! If you enjoyed this episode with Brett, we would appreciate you subscribing and spreading it around your colleagues, family and friends. Brett is a champ, who deeply loves his leadership work in educational across the globe!   To Connect with Brett: LI: linkedin.com/in/salakas URL: salakas.live EMAIL: brett.salakas@hp.com   To Connect with Carrie: LI: linkedin.com/in/carriebenedet URL: carriebenedet.com  Email: carolinebenedet2@gmail.com

EdTech #395 - Innovative voluntary financing options for artificial intelligence capacity-building https://millenniumedu.org/un-a-79-966-innovative-voluntary-financing-options-for-artificial-intelligence-capacity-building/

Imran Ahmed, founder and CEO of the Center for Countering Digital Hate, joins me to talk about how social media platforms, algorithms, and AI systems are designed and what that means for our children's mental health and safety.   Together we explore:   How social media algorithms are built to maximize attention, and why emotionally extreme content is often amplified. What research reveals about how quickly self-harm and eating disorder content can be served to young users. How AI platforms can respond dangerously to vulnerable teens when guardrails are not properly in place. Why this is not just a "screen time" issue, but a systemic design and accountability issue. The difference between pulling the "emergency brake" and creating meaningful long-term change. What parents can realistically do at home to build digital resilience, foster trust, and partner with their children in navigating online spaces.   This episode isn't meant to create more fear, but to offer greater clarity. My hope is that parents walk away feeling informed, empowered, and better equipped to both advocate for safer systems and strengthen the relationship that ultimately protects kids most: the one they have with you.     LEARN MORE ABOUT MY GUEST:

In this episode, I share actionable AI coaching strategies for guiding meaningful conversations with educators about integrating AI into their teaching practice. You'll also hear tips on identifying AI's role in workflows, addressing skepticism, and supporting hands-on collaboration to build confidence with AI tools. If you want to help your colleagues embrace AI effectively while keeping instructional goals at the center, this episode is for you! Show notes: https://classtechtips.com/2026/02/24/ai-coaching-359/ Sponsored by my Easy EdTech Club: https://EasyEdTechClub.com Follow Monica on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/classtechtips/  Take your pick of free EdTech resources: https://classtechtips.com/free-stuff-favorites/   

Diffusion models changed how we generate images and video—now they're coming for text.In this episode, we sit down with Stefano Ermon, Stanford computer science professor and founder of Inception Labs, to unpack how diffusion works for language, why it can generate in parallel (instead of token-by-token), and what that means for latency, cost, and real-time AI products.We talk through:The simplest mental model for diffusion: generate a full draft, then refine it by “fixing mistakes”Why today's autoregressive LLM inference is often memory-bound—and why diffusion can shift it toward a more GPU-friendly compute profileWhere Mercury wins today (IDEs, voice/real-time agents, customer support, EdTech—anywhere humans can't wait)What changes (and what doesn't) for long context and architecture choicesThe real-world way to evaluate models in production: offline evals + the gold-standard A/B testStefano also shares what's next on Mercury's roadmap—especially around stronger planning and reasoning for agentic use cases.Try Mercury + learn more: inceptionlabs.aiFor more practical, grounded conversations on AI systems that actually work, subscribe to The Neuron newsletter at https://theneuron.ai.

Four years after ChatGPT changed everything, schools are still treading water.In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Kip Glazer, principal of Mountain View High School, home of Google, and author of Ready to Lead With AI: A Practical Guide for School Leaders. Dr. Kip has been in this conversation since 2015 and she is bringing ALL of that experience to the table.We talk about why the AI cheating conversation is failing our students, what questions every school leader should be asking vendors before letting ANY tool into their school, and why the real work has always been about human connection, not detection.If you are a school leader, educator, or aspiring administrator trying to navigate AI without losing sight of what matters most, this one is for you.Chapters00:00 Introduction and Context Setting02:55 The Impact of AI on Education05:48 Navigating AI as a School Leader08:49 Practical Applications of AI in Schools11:37 Mindset and Attitude in Leadership14:48 Actionable Tips for School Leaders17:43 The Role of Pedagogy in Technology Integration20:36 Community and Collaboration in Learning26:31 AI and Equity in Education30:06 Innovative Pedagogy and Student Engagement34:41 Empowering Student Voices in Decision-Making39:09 Navigating Tech Chauvinism in Education43:51 Enhancing Human Connection through AISponsor ShoutoutThank you to our sponsors: Book Creator, Eduaide.AI, and Peel Back Education for supporting My EdTech Life.Get 3 Months of Book Creator Premium Access Free!Use Code: MyEdTechLifeStay Techie ✌️Peel Back Education exists to uncover, share, and amplify powerful, authentic stories from inside classrooms and beyond, helping educators, learners, and the wider community connect meaningfully with the people and ideas shaping education today. Authentic engagement, inclusion, and learning across the curriculum for ALL your students. Teachers love Book Creator.Support the show

In this episode, Kat sits down with Emily Gill (founder at Levra and recognised as one of the Top 50 Women in Tech) for a real conversation about modern busyness, perfectionism, and the habits that protect human performance. They unpack why we've become human doings, how tiny “basic” habits (sleep, breathing, movement) create outsized impact, and why human skills like empathy, connection and communication are becoming even more valuable in the age of AI.What you'll hear in this episodeWhy life feels like we're being pulled in “50,000 directions” - and how to decide what deserves your energy todayThe perfectionism trap: “Sometimes good enough is enough”Kat's take: we've shifted from human beings → human doings (and what constant consumption is doing to our brains)The habit most people ignore: the wind-down routine (and why we treat kids better than ourselves at bedtime!)Why we don't do the basics… even when we know they workHow Kat creates change in teams: pattern disruption + questions that help people see it for themselvesThe power of shared experience: real behaviour change happens when people realise they're not aloneEmily's insight: human connection is what “fills up our soul” — and why loneliness is a real performance problemWhy discomfort is part of growth (and why in-person connection is coming back)Phones, attention, and the impact on family connection (the restaurant moment that hit hard)Emily on AI: automation will rise - so human skills (empathy, conflict management, reading the room, asking better questions) become the differentiatorA brilliant reframe: kids wear an Elsa outfit with full confidence… what would change if adults did life with that energy?ABOUT THE GUESTEmily Gill is the Co-Founder of LEVRA, an award-winning EdTech company solving Human Skills gaps for businesses by using psychometrics, and AI to measure and develop Human Skills, such as communication, teamwork and EQ. A former Finance Lawyer at Clifford Chance, she completed her MBA at the University of Oxford and has been recognised as one of the Top 50 UK Women in Tech. Emily is a Certified Coach (CPCC) and serves as Chair of School Governors at Harris Clapham.LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilygilllevra/ABOUT HOST KATKat started her career as a teacher, before moving into Tech where she worked in different executive roles within teaching and consulting working across the globe, both in the public and private sector. Despite appearing 'successful' on the outside, she paid a heavy ‘life' price. In 2016, her whole world collapsed. The reason? The compound effect of years of unhealthy and toxic habits that destroyed her health, relationship, and career. She rebuilt herself by changing just one small habit and built a series of positive habits which has transformed her professional and personal performance, resulting in becoming the healthiest and happiest version of herself. She is a positive habits international keynote speaker and teacher, giving talks and delivering high impact programmes to organisations across the globe.https://www.linkedin.com/in/katthorne https://www.instagram.com/the_morning_gamechanger

In this episode, I'm joined by Nasser Jones, founder of the nonprofit Bending the AI Curve, for a powerful conversation about equitable innovation and what AI ethics looks like in practice for education and beyond. You'll also hear how bias, access, policy decisions, and tool overload shape who benefits from AI—and how schools and communities can take a more proactive, inclusive approach. If you want to help students and educators engage with AI thoughtfully, responsibly, and with equity at the center, this episode has you covered! Show notes: https://classtechtips.com/2026/02/20/ai-ethics-bonus/ Sponsored by Jotform: http://jotform.com/education/ Follow Nasser Jones on social: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nasserkjones/ Follow Monica on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/classtechtips/  Take your pick of free EdTech resources: https://classtechtips.com/free-stuff-favorites/   

We kick off this episode with Neelam Parmar, who shares her insights on digital transformation and the integration of AI within global education systems. Neelam highlights how different regions are leading technological innovation, from online safety standards in the UK and AI-driven healthcare efficiency in China, to groundbreaking tech testbeds in the Middle East. Next, we turn to Derek Devine from Clever, who shares his unique career journey transitioning from a wedding planner to the world of EdTech. Derek explains how the Clever platform is alleviating the burden on schools worldwide by providing accessible, free technology for educators and students. Rounding out the conversation, Kat Couchie from NetSupport joins us to discuss the strong sense of community at Bett this year, including the fantastic energy at the Women in EdTech events. Kat also emphasizes the crucial renewed focus on inclusion and support for SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities), reminding us that any use of technology in the classroom must always be driven by strong pedagogical reasons to truly support student development and needs. Although Bett UK 2026 has come to a close, innovation in education never stops. Visit https://uk.bettshow.com/ to explore the event's highlights and stay connected with the global education community. This episode is proudly sponsored by Edmentum—visit them at https://www.edmentum.com/—and fully supported by the Bett team.

El EdTech Congress Barcelona 2026 ha marcado un cambio de enfoque en la tecnología educativa: menos entusiasmo acrítico y más reflexión ética. En este episodio analizo las principales conclusiones del evento, que ha reunido a miles de profesionales para debatir sobre el impacto real de la inteligencia artificial en las aulas.La conversación ya no gira en torno a dispositivos o plataformas, sino a cómo integrar la tecnología de forma responsable, inclusiva y pedagógicamente coherente. Evaluación inteligente, personalización del aprendizaje y pensamiento crítico frente al determinismo tecnológico emergen como ejes centrales.El futuro de la educación no será más digital por defecto, sino más consciente. La clave estará en decidir cuándo la tecnología suma… y cuándo conviene apartarla.Conviértete en un supporter de este podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tecnoap21--4507454/support.Puedes contactar conmigo para enviarme tus opiniones y comentarios, así como sugerencias y peticiones a: contacto@tecnoap21.comTambién puedes seguir a TecnoAp21 a través de las redes sociales:- X- Threads- Mastodon- BlueSky- LinkedIn- Post.News- Facebook- Instagram

Few issues have tested public trust in medicine as deeply as vaccines, and few individuals have influenced that dialogue more than Dr. Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and a longtime member of the FDA's Vaccine Advisory Committee. In this timely and candid interview with Raise the Line host Lindsey Smith, Dr. Offit points to this year's severe flu season and a resurgence of measles as alarming proof points of how a changing federal perspective on vaccine policy is having a real impact on public health. “You'd like to think you can educate about the importance of vaccines, but I fear at this point the viruses themselves are doing the educating.” In this wide ranging discussion, Dr. Offit also addresses: The rigorous and painstaking process of developing vaccines, based on his experience co-inventing the rotavirus vaccine. Shifting levels of public trust in scientific organizations. Promising innovations in vaccine development. Don't miss this deeply-informed perspective on the interplay of science, policy, and public education, and his encouraging message to young clinicians about managing the current challenges in public health.  Mentioned in this episode: Vaccine Education Center at Children's Hospital of PhiladelphiaPerelman School of Medicine If you like this podcast, please share it on your social channels. You can also subscribe to the series and check out all of our episodes at www.osmosis.org/podcast

In this episode, Dustin chats with Michelle Craig, Director of Marketing at AppsAnywhere, about how institutions can better support today's digitally fluent, mobile-first students. They explore the critical need for flexibility in how students access learning tools and why digital equity isn't just a nice-to-have — it's a must. From device agnosticism to smarter infrastructure investments, this conversation gives IT leaders and enrollment pros alike actionable ways to align tech strategy with student realities.Guest Name: Michelle Craig - Director of Marketing at AppsAnywhereGuest Social: LinkedInGuest Bio: Michelle Craig is the Senior Director of Marketing and Commercial Operations at AppsAnywhere. With a focus on innovative go-to-market strategies and cross-functional leadership, she brings a results-oriented approach to connecting AppsAnywhere's solutions which help universities simplify software access for over three million students across 300 institutions worldwide. She brings two decades of EdTech experience from senior roles at Blackboard, QS Unisolution, JobTeaser, and Solutionpath. - - - -Connect With Our Host:Dustin Ramsdellhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/dustinramsdell/About The Enrollify Podcast Network:The Higher Ed Geek is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you'll like other Enrollify shows too!Enrollify is made possible by Element451 — The AI Workforce Platform for Higher Ed. Learn more at element451.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Send a textPriyank Chodisetti is the Co-founder and CEO of Workback.ai, an AI-powered platform helping edtech organizations achieve accessibility compliance faster and at scale. A repeat founder and former engineering leader at Coursera, Priyank brings firsthand experience navigating the complexity of WCAG standards and ADA requirements.

Every hero has an origin story! In this episode, we sit down with Kimberly Elementary's Adam Johnson, who traded a 20-year career in professional graphic design for the "multiverse" of the 5th-grade classroom. Adam shares how he uses his design superpowers to teach students to master tools like Canva, Google Sites, and Minecraft Education. From building sleek digital portfolios to tackling diabolical coding challenges, tune in to learn how Adam prepares his students for middle school and beyond by emphasizing professional presentation, balance, and real-world digital skills.

AI is everywhere in education. The government says it will transform teacher workload. EdTech companies say it will revolutionise learning. But what does the evidence actually say? Tim and a panel of experts ask the uncomfortable questions: does AI improve learning, or are we solving teacher problems by creating student ones?

In this episode, I chat with Samantha Shane, CTE teacher and author of The Secondary Educators CTE Toolkit, about how career technical education has evolved into pathways for business, biotech, and modern careers beyond traditional shop classes. You'll hear actionable strategies for making any subject career-connected and helping students discover what they actually want to pursue through authentic, real-world projects. If you want to prepare students for future careers no matter what subject you teach, this episode has you covered! Show notes: https://classtechtips.com/2026/02/17/career-technical-education-358/ Sponsored by my Easy EdTech Club: https://EasyEdTechClub.com Follow Samantha Shane on social: https://x.com/ShaneLearning Follow Monica on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/classtechtips/  Take your pick of free EdTech resources: https://classtechtips.com/free-stuff-favorites/     

Prashant Pathak is the Co-Founder and Director of Publishers Without Borders, a global and non-commercial community supporting publishing professionals through collaboration and knowledge-sharing. With 20 years of experience across publishing, licensing, printing, EdTech, and gaming, Prashant brings a cross-sector perspective to building content, partnerships, and global markets.Prashant joined us on the Booksmarts Podcast to discuss how the London Book Fair has evolved—from 2010's concerns regarding ebooks to today's focus on AI and new technology. He also shares practical advice on turning a busy three days into real outcomes, and explains how Publishers Without Borders fosters genuine human connection beyond the show floor. To learn more about Publishers Without Borders, click here. You can find Prashant Pathak on most social networking platforms, including LinkedIn.

BONUS: When AI Decisions Go Wrong at Scale—And How to Prevent It We've spent years asking what AI can do. But the next frontier isn't more capability—it's something far less glamorous and far more dangerous if we get it wrong. In this episode, Ran Aroussi shares why observability, transparency, and governance may be the difference between AI that empowers humans and AI that quietly drifts out of alignment. The Gap Between Demos and Deployable Systems "I've noticed that I watched well-designed agents make perfectly reasonable decisions based on their training, but in a context where the decision was catastrophically wrong. And there was really no way of knowing what had happened until the damage was already there."   Ran's journey from building algorithmic trading systems to creating MUXI, an open framework for production-ready AI agents, revealed a fundamental truth: the skills needed to build impressive AI demos are completely different from those needed to deploy reliable systems at scale. Coming from the EdTech space where he handled billions of ad impressions daily and over a million concurrent users, Ran brings a perspective shaped by real-world production demands.  The moment of realization came when he saw that the non-deterministic nature of AI meant that traditional software engineering approaches simply don't apply. While traditional bugs are reproducible, AI systems can produce different results from identical inputs—and that changes everything about how we need to approach deployment. Why Leaders Misunderstand Production AI "When you chat with ChatGPT, you go there and it pretty much works all the time for you. But when you deploy a system in production, you have users with unimaginable different use cases, different problems, and different ways of phrasing themselves."   The biggest misconception leaders have is assuming that because AI works well in their personal testing, it will work equally well at scale. When you test AI with your own biases and limited imagination for scenarios, you're essentially seeing a curated experience.  Real users bring infinite variation: non-native English speakers constructing sentences differently, unexpected use cases, and edge cases no one anticipated. The input space for AI systems is practically infinite because it's language-based, making comprehensive testing impossible. Multi-Layered Protection for Production AI "You have to put in deterministic filters between the AI and what you get back to the user."   Ran outlines a comprehensive approach to protecting AI systems in production:   Model version locking: Just as you wouldn't randomly upgrade Python versions without testing, lock your AI model versions to ensure consistent behavior Guardrails in prompts: Set clear boundaries about what the AI should never do or share Deterministic filters: Language firewalls that catch personal information, harmful content, or unexpected outputs before they reach users Comprehensive logging: Detailed traces of every decision, tool call, and data flow for debugging and pattern detection   The key insight is that these layers must work together—no single approach provides sufficient protection for production systems. Observability in Agentic Workflows "With agentic AI, you have decision-making, task decomposition, tools that it decided to call, and what data to pass to them. So there's a lot of things that you should at least be able to trace back."   Observability for agentic systems is fundamentally different from traditional LLM observability. When a user asks "What do I have to do today?", the system must determine who is asking, which tools are relevant to their role, what their preferences are, and how to format the response.  Each user triggers a completely different dynamic workflow. Ran emphasizes the need for multi-layered access to observability data: engineers need full debugging access with appropriate security clearances, while managers need topic-level views without personal information. The goal is building a knowledge graph of interactions that allows pattern detection and continuous improvement. Governance as Human-AI Partnership "Governance isn't about control—it's about keeping people in the loop so AI amplifies, not replaces, human judgment."   The most powerful reframing in this conversation is viewing governance not as red tape but as a partnership model. Some actions—like answering support tickets—can be fully automated with occasional human review. Others—like approving million-dollar financial transfers—require human confirmation before execution. The key is designing systems where AI can do the preparation work while humans retain decision authority at critical checkpoints. This mirrors how we build trust with human colleagues: through repeated successful interactions over time, gradually expanding autonomy as confidence grows. Building Trust Through Incremental Autonomy "Working with AI is like working with a new colleague that will back you up during your vacation. You probably don't know this person for a month. You probably know them for years. The first time you went on vacation, they had 10 calls with you, and then slowly it got to 'I'm only gonna call you if it's really urgent.'"   The path to trusting AI systems mirrors how we build trust with human colleagues. You don't immediately hand over complete control—you start with frequent check-ins, observe performance, and gradually expand autonomy as confidence builds. This means starting with heavy human-in-the-loop interaction and systematically reducing oversight as the system proves reliable. The goal is reaching a state where you can confidently say "you don't have to ask permission before you do X, but I still want to approve every Y."   In this episode, we refer to Thinking in Systems by Donella Meadows, Designing Machine Learning Systems by Chip Huyen, and Build a Large Language Model (From Scratch) by Sebastian Raschka.   About Ran Aroussi Ran Aroussi is the founder of MUXI, an open framework for production-ready AI agents. He is also the co-creator of yfinance (with 10 million downloads monthly) and founder of Tradologics and Automaze. Ran is the author of the forthcoming book Production-Grade Agentic AI: From Brittle Workflows to Deployable Autonomous Systems, also available at productionaibook.com.   You can connect with Ran Aroussi on LinkedIn.

Neuroscience expert Dr. Mark Hobson reveals why educators MUST understand how AI works—and why your brain learns exactly like AI does.What You'll Learn:The shocking AI gap between business and educationHow your brain processes information (90% through emotions—AI can't)Why banning AI fails studentsPractical ChatGPT strategies for classroomsThe 4 Rs: Read, Recite, Repeat, RememberHow AI mimics your neural networksWhy "intentional screen time" beats screen time limitsKey Quote: "Our learners need to know more about AI and how it works—and so do our faculty." - Dr. Mark HobsonDr. Hobson studied at Johns Hopkins & Northeastern, specializing in mind, brain, and teaching. He breaks down neuroscience into actionable ed strategies.Chapters00:00 Introduction and Guest Background04:59 The Impact of AI on Education09:53 Neuroscience and AI: A Learning Link14:55 The Role of Emotion in Learning19:43 AI's Influence on Student Learning24:44 Shared Learning Principles: AI and the Brain29:41 The Future of AI in Education34:19 Final Thoughts and ReflectionsSponsor ShoutoutThank you to our sponsors: Book Creator, Eduaide.AI, and Peel Back Education for supporting My EdTech Life.Get 3 Months of Book Creator Premium Access Free!Use Code: MyEdTechLifeStay Techie ✌️Peel Back Education exists to uncover, share, and amplify powerful, authentic stories from inside classrooms and beyond, helping educators, learners, and the wider community connect meaningfully with the people and ideas shaping education today. Authentic engagement, inclusion, and learning across the curriculum for ALL your students. Teachers love Book Creator.Support the show

Send a textDr. Kathy Weston is one of the leading national experts on parenting, family life and parental engagement in children's lives. In 2018, she established Tooled Up Education, a holistic bank of evidence-based resources for whole-school communities. Tooled Up supports 166 schools in 8 countries, delivering bespoke CPD for educators as well as 'on tap' resource support for parents.

Send a textJoin hosts Alex Sarlin and Ben Kornell as they unpack a fast-moving week in education. From AI-native curriculum battles and literacy leadership shifts to voucher surges and national AI pilots reshaping special education. ✨ Episode Highlights:[00:01:48] ASU+GSV preview and the expanding global EdTech ecosystem[00:06:25] The 2026 EdTech AI Map launches with 240+ companies[00:07:14] Brisk introduces AI-powered curriculum integration[00:09:04] The race to own the AI layer in schools[00:13:10] Data ownership becomes the key AI battleground[00:16:59] Kira 2.0 expands into a full AI-native LMS[00:21:16] Texas ESA applications surge past 61,000[00:30:20] UK launches $23M AI pilot for special needs[00:33:40] Microsoft invests in AI teacher training[00:34:59] Google expands Gemini in education[00:35:57] UX emerges as EdTech's new advantage[00:36:43] The AI grad profile prioritizes human skills Plus, special guests:[00:38:33] Karl Rectanus, CEO of Really Great Reading, on literacy outcomes, science of reading implementation, and scaling impact [01:02:22] Dan Meyer, VP of User Growth of Amplify on AI skepticism, social AI in math classrooms, and keeping learning human-centered

In this episode, I'm joined by Richard Colosi, Instructional Technology Specialist and founder of EdTech Hustle, to explore low- or no-cost ways technology can save teachers time. You'll also hear how thoughtful automation, organization, and accessibility features can reduce daily friction and free up mental space for what matters most. If you want to work more efficiently while staying focused on students, this episode has you covered! Show notes: https://classtechtips.com/2026/02/13/save-teachers-time-bonus/ Sponsored by Jotform: http://jotform.com/education/ Follow Richard Colosi on social: https://x.com/RichardColosi Follow Monica on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/classtechtips/  Take your pick of free EdTech resources: https://classtechtips.com/free-stuff-favorites/   

Robert Martellacci is known for a simple mantra: "Keep the learning curve steep." In this episode, he sits down with Jamie and Jerri to break down how curiosity, humility, and a commitment to continuous learning have shaped his work across countries, cultures, and classrooms.From building global edtech communities to connecting educators and innovators worldwide, Robert reminds us that learning isn't a phase: it's a lifelong posture. Together, we dig into his belief that passion has no expiration date and that meaningful impact comes from relationships, not geography. A must-listen for leaders who want to stay curious, stay relevant, and keep evolving.---ABOUT OUR GUESTRobert Martellacci, widely recognized as the Godfather of EdTech in Canada, is a pioneering leader in education technology with over 25 years of experience. He is the Founder, President, and Publisher of MindShare Learning, a premier media and consulting firm dedicated to bridging the gap between education and technology. As Founder and CEO of MindShare Workspace, Canada's first mall-located coworking space, and Co-Founder & CEO of C21 Canada, he champions modern learning models and future-ready education policies. When he's not in the office, he enjoys spending time with his cherished family, playing faculty hockey at York University, or sailing on Georgian Bay. His signature sign-off captures his mission: “Until next time, keep the digital learning curve steep!”---SUBSCRIBE TO THE SERIES: ⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠YouTube Music⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠Overcast⁠⁠⁠FOLLOW US: ⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠POWERED BY CLASSLINK: ClassLink provides one-click single sign-on into web and Windows applications, and instant access to files at school and in the cloud. Accessible from any computer, tablet, or smartphone, ClassLink is ideal for 1to1 and Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) initiatives. Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠classlink.com⁠⁠⁠.

“I do not believe we should be testing to test. We have to know, is this test going to change management and is it going to make a difference,” says pediatric allergist-immunologist Dr. Zachary Rubin. His knack for providing that sort of straightforward guidance explains why Dr. Rubin has become a trusted voice on allergies, asthma, and vaccines for his millions of followers on social media platforms. It's also why we couldn't ask for a better guide for our discussion on the rise in allergies, asthma, and immune-related conditions in children, and how families can navigate the quickly evolving science and rampant misinformation in the space. On this episode of Raise the Line, we also preview Dr. Rubin's new book, All About Allergies, in which he breaks down dozens of conditions and diseases, offering clear explanations and practical treatment options for families. Join host Lindsey Smith for this super informative conversation in which Dr. Rubin shares his thoughts on a wide range of topics including: What's behind the rise in allergic and immune-related conditions.Tips for managing misinformation, myths and misunderstandings. How digital platforms can be leveraged to strengthen public health.How to build back public trust in medicine.Mentioned in this episode:All About Allergies bookBench to Bedside PodcastInstagramTikTokYouTube Channel If you like this podcast, please share it on your social channels. You can also subscribe to the series and check out all of our episodes at www.osmosis.org/podcast

In this episode of the School Leadership Show, I had the pleasure of interviewing Amanda Bickerstaff, co-founder of AI for Education. We delved into Amanda's rich background in education and her pioneering work with AI. Amanda shared her journey from teaching high school biology in New York City to founding AI for Education, a platform dedicated to promoting AI literacy among educators and students. This conversation was recorded in partnership with NYSCOSS, as Amanda is a featured speaker at their pre-institute session before the Winter Institute conference in Albany. We discussed her upcoming pre-conference workshop at the NYSCOSS Winter Institute, focusing on the crucial roles of AI literacy, effective change management, and ensuring equitable access to AI tools in the education sector. For more information about the NYSCOSS Winter Institute and the pre-institute session, visit: https://na.eventscloud.com/website/91519/education/ If you have questions, feedback, or suggestions for future episodes, including great non-education books with lessons for school leaders you can email me at Dr.mike.doughty@gmail.com. I would really appreciate it if you could leave a rating and review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. It helps a lot. And if you found this episode helpful, please share it with your colleagues. If you are interested in sponsoring the podcast, feel free to contact me directly at Dr.mike.doughty@gmail.com. Stay connected with me here: Official Website: theschoolleadershipshow.org YouTube: youtube.com/@theschoolleadershipshow Facebook: facebook.com/theschoolleadershipshow Instagram: instagram.com/theschoolleadershipshow Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 00:46 Amanda Bickerstaff's Background and Journey 03:15 Founding AI for Education 06:19 Early Work and Evolution 10:01 Challenges and Best Practices in AI Adoption 18:02 Equity and Access in AI 25:05 Future of EdTech and Practical Tips 32:14 Pre-conference workshop

HETMA hosted two simultaneous booths at #ISE2026 and the #EdTech2026 Congress in Barcelona. Joe and crew stream and record between the shows. Watch and listen to what will be one of the most entertaining shows yet!

“Be curious, not judgmental.” In this episode, Nick speaks with Patrick Boylan about the importance of curiosity in understanding others and navigating judgment. They discuss how asking questions can lead to empathy and a broader perspective, allowing for a more nuanced view of people’s beliefs and actions, all while highlighting the balance between judgment and understanding, advocating for a thoughtful approach to interpersonal relationships. What to listen for: Curiosity leads to empathy and understanding How we learn and understand is different from each other People's beliefs aren't inherently wrong; they're different. Asking questions helps us bridge the gap between our understanding and their beliefs. Life can be painful and confusing; let's not add to the chaos “At the end of the day, it’s curiosity. Why do you think that? That’s the biggest question that anybody can ask.” Being open to external information only allows us to consider it When we're curious, we're seeking to understand Intention is a major part of curiosity to better understand others and our surroundings “We need to come together as a species and tackle our world’s issues together.” We aren't meant to do life alone. Community is a huge part of this journey we're on There's hope in this that we, as a race, can come together for a common goal, our overall health and survival Community is more important than we realize About Patrick Boylan Patrick Boylan is a skilled multi-instrumentalist and co-founder of MuseFlow, a groundbreaking music EdTech platform often called “The Duolingo of Music Education.” Frustrated by the limitations of traditional music education, Patrick began exploring self-directed practice, which reignited his passion for music and led him to focus on sight reading as an engaging learning tool. MuseFlow teaches bite-sized skills through sight reading, allowing students to master new concepts efficiently and enjoyably by focusing on reading and playing music at first sight, then applying those skills to songs that get unlocked. Patrick loves to share his insights on learning and EdTech, inspiring parents, teachers, and self-learners to help students and themselves achieve flow state through MuseFlow's unique approach. https://museflow.ai – Use promo code **”MINDSET50″** to get 50% off any subscription you’d like, FOR LIFE! https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-boylan-6b133248/ https://www.instagram.com/museflow.ai/ Resources: Check out other episodes about curiosity The Magical Journey of Discipline and Curiosity With Wayne Faulkner Trauma, Curiosity, Core Beliefs And Conscious Recovery With TJ Woodward Interested in starting your own podcast or need help with one you already have? Send Nick an email or schedule a time to discuss your podcast today! nick@themindsetandselfmasteryshow.com Thank you for listening! Please subscribe on iTunes and give us a 5-Star review! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-mindset-and-self-mastery-show/id1604262089 Watch Clips and highlights: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk1tCM7KTe3hrq_-UAa6GHA Guest Inquiries right here: podcasts@themindsetandselfmasteryshow.com Your Friends at “The Mindset & Self-Mastery Show” Click Here To View The Episode Transcript 00:00The one thing in my opinion that would turn the tides of humanity and make people more empathetic and connected to every person on this earth, that we need to come together as a species and tackle our world’s issues together. 00:23Hello and welcome to the Mindset and Self-Mastery Show. I’m your host, Nick McGowan. Today on the show we have Patrick Boylan. Patrick, how you doing, man? Doing great. How you doing, man? I’m good. I’m excited you’re here. I think I say that a lot in the intros of shows because I’m having conversation with somebody and there are certain times where like lead time to get onto the show can be maybe a month, maybe two months. Then there are people like you, my friend, who… 00:48I joked earlier and was like, well, when you first sent your stuff in in 2009. Yeah, but it’s kind of what it felt like though, honestly. But some of those are the best. And truthfully, I’ve had two of you this week. I had one guy a couple of days ago who does drum circles and so much music. And he just disappeared at one point like two years ago and then came back. And I was like, yes, I was hoping you’d come back. So I’m glad that you’re here too. I want us to be able to touch on music, obviously, because of the business that you have and the thing that you’re doing. 01:18but I want us to be able to get into really how all of it has worked for you over the course of life and how it’s all shaped you to lead you to where you’re at today. Before we get there though, why don’t you get us started? Tell us what you do for a living and what’s one thing most people don’t know about you that’s maybe a little odd or bizarre? I’m the co-founder of a music education app called Museflow. We teach piano in a very different way. We’re expanding to all common instruments in the next couple of years. So it’s growing, people are loving it. 01:47and I’m super stoked about it. Something that’s weird or that most people don’t know about me, I have two tattoos. I’ve got one on my butt, on my left butt cheek, it’s called, it’s just a family emblem that my dad drew on all of our napkins for lunches and uh Christmas cards and stuff like that. It’s four bunnies on two hills overlooking a sunset, and it’s our family. It’s me and my dad and my mom and my sister. 02:14and our cats and our dogs and all that stuff. It’s a really cute little tableau thing, right? The other one is on my upper hip and I got it in college. I got it when I just decided that truth and honesty are going to be the most important things in my life, okay? And so I got a whistleblower. I got a guy blowing a whistle. Didn’t realize how phallic that was when I got it on my upper thigh, you know? 02:43So it’s a little weird, but like I didn’t recognize that at the moment. What I was going for was like truth and honesty, right? And then I just, got it. And then I started doing, just being blunt, being like kind of mean about it. And like, wasn’t thinking about tact and I wasn’t thinking about like what my friends would be hurt by or if they, I didn’t care. I was just like, truth and honesty. This is just so important to my life. And like, I was being brutal about it. 03:12And so one of my friends pulls me aside one day and he says, Pat, you got to stop this. You’re just being a jerk. You’re being an asshole about this. Like, yes, truth and honesty is important. Okay. But you got to blend it with everything else. All right. Sometimes tact and holding your tongue is the right call. Cause I got to tell you, you’re ruining friendships right now. I know a couple of people that have talked about this already and they’re saying you’re just being an asshole and they don’t want to be friends with you anymore. So you got to fix yourself or 03:42you’re going to start losing friends. And I really trusted his opinion. He was one of my best friends. And so I listened to him and I pulled it back a bit. I pulled it back. I find it really interesting how your friend will lovingly say a thing to you, but also that you trust your friend. You know, like they’re the people that, um, they feel like they trust somebody out of, uh, I guess, systemic approach. Well, my family system tells me I should trust my parents. 04:09or I should trust my brother and sister, or I should take whatever they say, kind of as gospel in a sense. People obviously like shit upon people with their dreams or whatever else, but it’s sometimes in those small things where it’s like, that person is upset that you’re being an asshole about a thing, but for you to be aware of you were being an asshole about it. Like if you didn’t feel you were, you probably wouldn’t have accepted it. You’d have been like, what do you mean? No, I’m just being a little bit of a boast or a little bit of this, but there was a hint of you back there was probably like, 04:38The power feels good. You know, you’re like, yes, this is wonderful. Two things there, right? Number one, this is a historical relationship. This guy has been one of my good friends for, you know, years. And I’ve been working with him in very close contact throughout many different creative projects. He was a, he’s a director and I’m an actor. And so we worked on like seven or eight shows up until that point. And so I’ve worked with him. 05:07deeply and very closely and I really appreciate his judgment and his kind of pulse on people. Yeah, you know and so both of those things like I trust the guy with my life and I’ll I’ll I’ll do whatever he wants when it comes to a show I know he has my best interest at heart and and that’s the biggest thing, you know number two I’ve always tried my best to take criticism with as much humility as possible and 05:37regardless of if it’s accurate or wrong or true to myself or untrue, it doesn’t matter. That’s still your opinion. And your opinion weighed against mine. It just depends on our relationship, but it also depends on how much I trust you and all of that stuff. But like, I will take any and all criticism and I will implement it or not implement it based on the weight that I give it. And if I believe, and I do weigh it against myself, but that being said, it’s one of those things that I… 06:06pride myself on. I pride myself on my ability to say, well, what do you think to everybody and anybody? And I don’t, doesn’t mean that I have to take it. That’s critical though. You’re two different entities, you know, and even within yourself to be able to say, well, I’m going to take that and you will accept that level of information because of the context. Like context is so important in everything. Everything. But also you can still get things from people like, uh, even if somebody 06:36walking down the street, they was like, Hey, stop being an asshole. You’re like, well, maybe I can take something from that. Am I being an asshole right now or am I not being an asshole right now? And you get to do something with it. There are, think a lot of times where we as people, and this is where the mindset and self mastery stuff comes into play, where we will take things like, Oh, who’s this random fucking person across the street yelling at me? Why are they yelling at me? And this reminds me of when I was a little kid getting yelled at and these things and that. 07:05If you take the approach of I wanna take on information and have it my little bucket and go, I don’t want this, I don’t want that, this is kinda cool. And like, okay, you get to do something with it. That’s a level of self-awareness that comes from being healthier, maybe just in that sect of your being. Because you’re like, this is what I’ve dedicated myself to. We also have gotten a little farther away from you have principles in place of trust and truth and. 07:33honesty and these things that are critical to your being where honestly man kind of makes sense where you’re like I’m putting my foot so far in the fucking ground it’s anchored in there and I think sometimes people will go through that almost like the people how they become evangelical about things like it can be easy to think about uh people getting a multi-level marketing company say drink the kool-aid and go ham somebody who just got into religion god forbid you talk to somebody who was vegan and or in CrossFit 08:02And all of that, you know what I mean? And it’s like, whoa, it’s like a stage that you can go through where you’re testing it out. You’re trying it out. There is still a little bit of that. I’m sure the power felt great because you’re like, man, I’ve been wanting to say these things for a few years and one more motherfucking thing. Yeah, it was free. It was a sense of freedom for sure. Like I don’t have to I don’t have to abide by any cultural norms of tact. You know, like it felt really great. But. 08:29Yeah, but then I just realized like, no, sorry, I was just being an asshole about it. was taking it to the nth degree and everything needs to be in balance with other things. You can say truth and honesty are your biggest tenants of life and you can strive for the absolute excellence of that, 100%. But you also have to keep all of these other things aligned as well while you’re doing that. Anything farther on the far ends of any sort of spectrum, whether that’s… 08:57on the left side or the far, know, whatever it may be, everything is a spectrum. And if you take it way too far and out of context in isolation, it can become toxic. It really can. One of the things I try to do on the show is have these conversations where we break up these big, big pieces, turn them much larger. Like we just explode them, but then also pull them back to smaller pieces without being like, here’s two or three things for you to take away for the week and just chill out these. 09:24But in all reality, there are certain pieces of that that even in the balance can be really difficult if there are other things that are off balance. If you are triggered by certain things that happened, you can then sometimes get stuck in those triggers. I joke with people on the show pretty fucking often at this point. The more self-aware you become, the more fucking self-aware you become. And the more crazy making it can be while you go through the healing of that stuff because you can’t not see those things. 09:53And think about what you deal with as an entrepreneur, as a business owner, somebody managing other people, managing yourself. You said you’re married. I don’t know if you have any children, but there’s like all these things. And sometimes people can say, but you don’t understand because boom, boom, boom, boom, boom. They make this major list. Other people will use that and say, yes, it’s because of these things that I have to do these other things. And therefore others will still go, 10:23but I then get to and it’s all our perspective with doing it. So your perspective came from something that happened years and years and years ago. That’s why you put your foot so far into the ground and almost into people’s asses about just truth and honesty. But when we sit back and think about that a little bit, let’s break that down. Like what, what is it about what you’ve gone through and what you’ve seen? Like, why do you actually care what other people think to be able to then put it your own context? It’s curiosity. 10:53For me, at the end of the day, it’s curiosity. Why do you think that? That’s the biggest question that anybody can ask. Cool, you believe that about me? Great, what about me makes you believe that? And it’s just curiosity over, and you say that you’re judgmental, like don’t get me wrong, I’m judgmental too. But a lot of my judgment comes from this place of like, well, okay, why would they believe something like that? 11:23And then it allows me to still empathize with them while still being judgmental and being like, well, you can still be wrong regardless of your history, you know, or you could be cruel or not thinking about something else when you probably should be thinking about something else. And you’re like in the weeds of something here. And you’re really thinking about the reason why the thing should be this is because of all of these other things. But then see, you forgot perspective, see the forest through the trees. And so if I can understand from where you’re where you’re coming from. 11:53If I get it, if I can get into that, be curious, not judgmental, right? That is something I always try to remind myself. And it is a motto that I like to live by, be curious, not judgmental. I try my best, granted judgment still comes, you know? Well, it’s also a fine line and judgment can have a negative connotation to it, where even judging something, you’re just judging it based on what you know, the information you have, et cetera. It’s what you then do with it. 12:21you know, if we can get real shitty with it. I know there are times where I get shitty, like it’s easy for me to talk about people driving on the road, because there are certain times you’re like, I don’t even know if you have a license. I don’t know. Are you driving from the passenger seat? Like what the fuck are you doing? But part of me is judging of like, is it safe for me to get past your dumb ass? Is it safe for me to do whatever? And I think there are things that happen within us that are almost mechanical that we’re unaware of. 12:50Even breathing. Like everybody knows that you’re breathing and then when you actually concentrate on your breathing, you’re like, oh, I’m concentrating on it. We don’t have to think about that. There are other things that happen that we don’t think about because subconscious is there just to keep us fucking safe. And something happened back in the day or back when we were a little kid or something like that. So for you growing up, were there experiences that you had where you were like, man, this is one of those experiences that like rocked my world and changed me. Like that was one of them where your friend was like, 13:19You’re being an asshole, other people are gonna leave you and stop. Somebody could have taken that, been like, yeah, my buddy Jimmy told me not to be a dick anymore and then everything was cool. And you took that as a critical moment where you’re like, oh, I should do something with it. Were there any others that really stand out? I think my dad was really, really great at teaching us these kind of like critical thinking skills kind of thing, or just understanding context or being creative. 13:47But there’s two in particular that I’d love to share. And I’m curious what you think about them. Because I think you’d love them. Number one, um when we were like maybe, God, I was like maybe eight or something like that, eight or nine, I was bored. It was like summer break or something, and I was bored. And I was like, Dad, I’m bored. What can I do? uh And he’s like, oh, OK, great. One second. Hold on. Give me a second. And he leaves. And then he comes back with a mop and a bucket. 14:16And he says, do you know what would be really, really fun? If you mopped the kitchen floor. You know it’s something to do, it’s effective. is, you know, what do you think? Like, do you want to mop the floor? That’s what I got for you. If you want to do that, go for it, please. Otherwise, find something to do. And I was like, that’s actually, that’s great. know, like, touche. You want me to mop the floor? I’m not gonna mop the floor. 14:41But I will find a way to entertain myself. And ever since then, I don’t think I’ve ever been bored. I’ve always been able to entertain myself. And the other kind of critical, that was such a great thing that he did when we were younger, we did this kind of series of dinners where we did caveman dinners, which were, just made a 15:11big, big thing of pasta, okay? Pasta and some meat sauce or something like that. And he had a big old butcher block table that we always ate dinner around. So he put a big old tarp, plastic tarp down on the table and onto the floor, kind of drooping down onto the floor. And he got us into our underwear, me and my sister, and we were very young, and he just slopped this big old pot of pasta on the butcher block table in the tarp and he said, 15:41Go to town. You’re gonna eat with your hands. You’re gonna get dirty and it’s gonna be a lot of fun. We’re calling this caveman dinner, okay? Go wild. And we had a great time. Now the next night, he put us in our fanciest clothes and we sat down for a nine course meal. And he gave us all of the directions on all the silverware, right? And all the different plates and how we do it. And we had to sit there and be proper. 16:09and have our napkins in our lap and our combed hair and use the silverware properly, right? And so I think it’s one of those things of like balance and context, balance and context, right? You can have the caveman dinner, great, but understand the context of when you need to actually sit straight and have a towel on your lap and eat with the proper silverware. Like you gotta know both those contexts and everything in between to live a happy and healthy life in our society, in my opinion. And so, 16:38That was one of those things that he was really good at, giving us context and freedom and play, through play and freedom. While still also controlling the situation. Yes, In a beautiful way. Yeah. And educating. Think about what you do now. You have a music education company where you’re teaching people how to play music in a fun way. I wonder who in your life would have led you to do any of that. 17:07It’s true. 100 % my father. Yeah. And well, think about like, even as you talk about, you know, I’m bored. I remember saying to my dad, dad, I’m bored. He was like, get the fuck outside, go do something. Go do this, go do that. And he would make up all these things that were really exciting to him. And I am not the mechanical engineer type or the one who wants to go out and lift heavy things and like remove shit from people’s backyards or whatever. 17:35I wanted to go play music or create art or something like that. And there was a disconnect there. There were times where my mom or my stepmom or even my dad at times would go, well, why don’t you go draw or something? I’d be like, yeah, cool, why not? I could have thought of that, but whatever. Like, they gave me a good idea. I’d go do it as a little kid. Or like finger pain or something. But being able to understand context, understanding how people best learn, understanding about those people does come from curiosity, I appreciate that you look at it and go, well, why do you think that way? 18:05Or why do you look at it that way? I think there’s also much deeper levels that we can get to with that. Like you’re not just curious. I’m assuming this, but I’m also, think we’re of the same elk. Where it’s not just basic curiosity to be curious. There’s a reason. Like we want to understand, like, why do you think like that? How did you get there? Who led this thing to you? How does that make sense in my head? Why does that not make sense in my head? Like what is, the fuck did we do with this information? 18:33It’s not just the curiosity of it. I mean, it’s really just like, it’s curiosity. I think it’s just, one of those people that is just a student of humanity. I’ve always been curious about human behavior and the motivations behind it. And it’s because I grew up as an actor. was what the thing that I did after college for seven years and… 18:56and now I’ve pivoted into a career that I really, really love, the co-founder of this music education app that’s basically built on the way that I’ve taught myself how to play piano. And now I’m a professional pianist and I’m doing the app during the day. And you’re like, oh, what a weird life. But I still think that my curiosity comes from being a student of humanity because I was an actor. And you have to get really deep into people’s motivations. 19:24when you are trying to replicate them in a realistic way. And it’s for outside in and inside out. It’s what are the institutions around them that make them feel and think that way? And do those themes tie into whatever piece that you’re performing in? But it’s also inside out. It is what about their childhood? What about their life? What about their perspective that has really made them behave this way? And so it’s always just been a fascination of mine. Why do people act the way that they act? 19:53I love that your level of curiosity is at, let’s say a 10 and other people may just be slightly curious. But even if we all just take that a little bit and say, well, how can I be a little bit more curious, little less judgmental, but understand why I’m curious about this thing. Somebody says anything and I go, well, what is it? It’s not just the curiosity or even the answer back. It’s, oh, I really want to know because of whatever it is for each person. So for those people that are 20:21on their path towards self mastery and along with curiosity, just everything else you’ve been through, what’s your advice for those people? The one thing in my opinion that would turn the tides of humanity and make people more empathetic and connected to every person on this earth, because we’re going to kill ourselves otherwise, that we need to come together as a species and tackle our world’s issues together. Climate change, economic justice, like so many things are global these days. 20:51And it’s because there are almost 10 billion people on this earth. are so just, and we are a part of the earth. We need to shepherd it to the correct place and we need to be in service of the earth to really let our species just grow and evolve the way it probably should, you know? So with that comes a deep amount of empathy that we need to have for every human on this earth, regardless of culture, race, religion. It is one of those things I need to feel connected. 21:21to somebody that lives on literally the other side of the earth. And how are we going to do that? It’s through curiosity. What makes you you? Describe it to me, show me. Show me your world. I’m so curious. so, be curious, not judgmental. Granted, judgment does inevitably come. I look, I judge people all fucking day. But it’s also one of those things of like, well, if I really want to know and care, 21:51Get to the heart of who they are and their behavior and you’ll allow connection to just flourish. And for people that are naturally sort of judgmental or really hyper curious, I think the judgment comes from the bias or a situation that happened to us or just a deep, I don’t understand why you’re doing such a thing. Like I’ve joked to people before, I’ve said, I don’t understand why they’re doing it. I believe myself to be an intellectual and I thought a different way. So why the fuck are you doing it that way? 22:20And some of it just has a little bit more air of a judgment to it, where it’s like a deeper curiosity. It’s a spectrum, as you put it. Everything’s a spectrum. Understanding ourselves and what we’re looking at, what we want, what we’re trying to do, and the reasons why we do those things, it’s also part of the balance, and we have to take it bit by bit. So man, I appreciate you being on today. It’s been great talking with you. I’m sure this is not the last time we’re gonna talk. 22:48ah And before I let you go, where can people find you and where can they connect with you? Yeah, just go to my website musflow.ai. If you want to learn how to play piano in a different way, maybe traditional lessons didn’t work for you. We teach with sight reading first. It’s the act of reading music at first sight. We teach the fundamentals through that, through that skill, through that lens, let you master it without any repetition. 23:14It’s always new music that is being generated for you at a very specific level and then you beat that level and then songs get unlocked after that. So we’re incorporating technology in and flow state and sight reading and gamification. We’re really bringing it all together into this one new methodology of teaching an instrument and eh it’s fundamentally different and it engages you in a much more holistic sort of way. So if you’re interested in that go to museflow.ai 23:41Shoot me an email, info at museflow.ai and don’t put that in the show notes, just like, know, it’s for the people who are listening. Yeah, like we would love to hear what you think. I’d love to give your audience a coupon code if they want it. Let’s call it mindset, mindset 50. Anybody who uses it 50 % off for life. Look, we’re still growing. We’re still adding new features as we go. We’re not finished at all. We’re still expanding. 24:09our accessibility. We’ve got iPad, we’ve got Android tablet, but we’re building it out for phones and any desktop app. so we’re slowly but surely growing this. We’re adding new instruments, uh adding new parts of the app. And if you want to get in that kind of on the ground floor, we just hit a really great marker. are now being able, we can pair overhead with subscriptions. And so the engine is going and it’s rolling and people aren’t churning. It’s like, 24:38It’s actually doing it and we’re getting incredible feedback from our users. so that being said, we’re still very new. So I’d love to give your audience 50 % off for life if they want it. So it’s mindset 50. It’s great for anybody who is also just, if you’re really, really good, but maybe your sight reading is terrible. There’s a lot of professional pianists that are very good at just like the songs that they know. They have 700 songs and they’re really good at them. A lot of classical musicians are out there that do that, but they’re not. 25:07good at sight reading. And so they use our app to get better at sight reading. So yeah, it’s good for everybody. It’s good for young people. It’s good for old people. It’s good for new people. It’s good for people that have been doing this for years. Awesome, man. I appreciate that. And I appreciate you being on. Thank you so much for your time today. Vice versa. Thank you,

Kendell Hunter is a former special education teacher and reading specialist with a master's degree in education and more than a decade of experience across K–12 schools and edtech. She is the Director of Marketing at Otus, where she has spent nearly seven years helping districts turn assessment and student data into meaningful, actionable insights.Kendell and I discuss how and she moved from teaching to ed tech, and how that's lead to her having an impact nationally. She also gets into her transition into marketing and what it takes to find a new job in ed tech today.For all links and resources mentioned in this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.educatorforever.com/episode172.

Drew Perkins talks with Brian Lamb, founder of Swivl, about the "Paradox of Edtech" and how modern digital interfaces are changing the way we learn. They discuss the shift from being "data-driven" to "data-informed," the importance of "decentering" for perspective-taking, and how AI can serve as a reflective thought partner for teachers rather than a replacement for human-led instruction. Links & Resources Mentioned In This Episode  Have some feedback you'd like to share? You can email me at drew@thoughtstretchers.org. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it and please leave a review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you're listening. Episode Overview: Brian Lamb and Drew Perkins explore why traditional edtech often creates a "gamified" version of reality that limits student growth. Brian explains how Swivl is pivoting toward tools that prioritize human reflection over screen time. They dive into the necessity of "decentering"—the cognitive ability to step outside one's own perspective—and how AI can be used to develop "uncomputable intelligence." The conversation also addresses the challenges of teacher preparation and how AI-supported feedback can help early-career teachers navigate the "messy reality" of the classroom. Timestamped Episode Timeline: [00:04:15] Brian's Background and the Founding of Swivl. [00:10:32] The Paradox of Edtech: Why more tech doesn't always equal more learning. [00:18:45] Gamification vs. Reality: The danger of reducing learning to "winning" a game. [00:25:12] Decentering: Why perspective-taking is a prerequisite for enlightenment. [00:32:50] Data-Driven vs. Data-Informed: Moving past rigid metrics in education. [00:41:05] Uncomputable Intelligence: The human skills AI cannot replicate. [00:52:18] Scaling Reflection: How Swivl's M2 tool supports teacher development. [00:58:40] Final Thoughts: The future of teacher-led, inquiry-based instruction.

This is the story of two educators who never planned to become educators, and ended up building an edtech nonprofit that's served 50+ schools in Puerto Rico. Robby Cobbs and Kyle Sumrow break down the “international teaching cheat code,” the masks they wear as leaders, and how they turned frustration into a system that helps schools build real tech plans (not PDFs that die in a Google Drive). Listen and apply these takeaways to your school tomorrow:Why “dignity” matters more than “respect”, and how that mindset changes your classroom and your leadershipFairness vs. equality (the glasses example) + why “kindness all the time” isn't soft, it's strategicThe power of community when you're far from home: international schools, brotherhood, and what “family” can mean when it's built (not forced)How TechMySchool was born in Puerto Rico, no libraries, not enough books, and one question that sparked a movement(0:00) Class in session + meet Robby Cobbs and Kyle Sumrow(0:30) Robby's origin story: from “no teacher dreams” to finding home in schools(5:30) Teaching in inner-city schools + the travel bug that changed everything(7:00) International teaching explained (housing, flights, medical, taxes)(13:35) Kyle's journey: music school → bus driver → subbing → “this is what I want to do”(18:50) Teaching as the ultimate learning hack (bio → CS → film → audio → auto)(30:10) “Family” in international schools—when community builds itself(35:40) The “mask” exercise: what you show vs. what you carry as a leader(38:00) Kyle's mask: dignity, fairness, growth and the unseen leadership habits(41:30) Robby's mask: confident leader, service, empathy and the hidden frustration behind nonprofit work(52:20) TechMySchool origin story: Puerto Rico schools, no libraries, and scaling from 1 school to 50+(55:15) “Week Without Walls” + bringing students to other places for perspective shifts(1:09:50) How to support + the Caribbean edtech conference (April 10–11)(1:11:10) TechPlanGenie: AI-powered tech planning + accountability + end-of-year reportConnect with Robby Cobbs + Kyle Sumrow / TechMySchool:Website: techmyschool.orgInstagram/Facebook: Tech My SchoolCaribbean EdTech Conference: April 10–11Join/Contribute to our Young Men's Conference: https://everforwardclub.orgJoin our Skool Community: https://www.skool.com/efc-young-mens-advocates-2345Submit Questions, Reflections, or Episode IdeasEmail us: totmpod100@gmail.comCreate your mask anonymously: https://millionmask.org/Connect with Ashanti BranchInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/branchspeaks/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BranchSpeaksX: https://x.com/BranchSpeaksLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashantibranch/Website: https://www.branchspeaks.com/Support the Podcast & Ever Forward ClubHelp us continue creating spaces for young men to be seen, heard, and supported:https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/branch-speaks/supportConnect with Ever Forward ClubInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/everforwardclubFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/everforwardclubX: https://x.com/everforwardclubLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ever-forward-club/#unmaskingwithmaleeducators #millionmaskmovement #takingoffthemask #totm #doace

Why one expert argues that computers and other technology in the classroom are doing more harm than good for our students' education (at 13:54) --- Getting a cancer diagnosis is a life-changing event, but current and accurate information can make it less daunting... And that's where the National Comprehensive Cancer Network comes in (at 25:00) --- Former Ohio State football coach and current Lieutenant Governor Jim Tressel recently brought his statewide Fitness Challenge to Donnell Middle School... When the initiative launched this past summer, he joined us to explain what it's all about (at 46:17)

In this episode, I share creative ways to incorporate tech-powered Earth Day activities into your lessons while exploring real-world environmental topics. You'll also hear about digital tools that boost student engagement, critical thinking, and hands-on learning. If you're looking for fresh ideas to make Earth Day more interactive and meaningful, this episode has you covered! Show notes: https://classtechtips.com/2026/02/10/Earth-Day-Activities-357/ Sponsored by my Easy EdTech Club:  https://EasyEdTechClub.com Follow Monica on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/classtechtips/  Take your pick of free EdTech resources: https://classtechtips.com/free-stuff-favorites/   

In this weeks' Scale Your Sales Podcast episode, my guest is Orrin Thomas.   His career has spanned three separate pillars starting out as a political researched after graduating from university, He then worked in higher education and the EdTech space mainly being a recruiter for universities where he was responsible for attracting students to study in the UK, and most recently having had senior sales positions at Gartner for sales leaders helping countless companies make successful changes in their GTM models.   In today's episode of Scale Your Sales podcast, he shares why critical questioning, active listening, and process-driven discipline have become essential capabilities for today's top sales performers. He explores the shift toward introverted, insight-led sellers, the strong link between listening and deal success, and why diagnostic, candidate-led interviews are replacing traditional competency-based hiring. Orrin also offers practical guidance on mapping the customer buying journey, strengthening onboarding, and hiring for curiosity and continuous learning in an AI-driven sales environment.   Welcome to Scale Your Sales Podcast, Orrin Thomas.     Timestamps: 05:57 Listening Beats Talking in Sales 09:21 Rethinking Sales Interviews Strategy 12:40 Prioritizing Candidate Fit 14:15 Data-Driven Hiring Insights 18:36 Introverts Excel in Sales Success 21:51 Ineffective Hiring Methods Analysis 25:29 Sales Training and Sustainability Crisis 28:12 Tools, Learning, and Innovation 32:28 Scale Your Sales Insights   https://www.linkedin.com/in/orrin-thomas/     Janice B Gordon is the award-winning Customer Growth Expert and Scale Your Sales Framework founder. She is by LinkedIn Sales 15 Innovating Sales Influencers to Follow 2021, the Top 50 Global Thought Leaders and Influencers on Customer Experience Nov 2020 and 150 Women B2B Thought Leaders You Should Follow in 2021. Janice helps companies worldwide to reimagine revenue growth thought customer experience and sales.   Book Janice to speak virtually at your next event: https://janicebgordon.com   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/janice-b-gordon/   Twitter: https://twitter.com/JaniceBGordon   Scale Your Sales Podcast: https://scaleyoursales.co.uk/podcast   More on the blog: https://scaleyoursales.co.uk/blog   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janicebgordon   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ScaleYourSales   And more! Visit our podcast website https://scaleyoursales.co.uk/podcast/ to watch or listen.

Dr. Jill Brown, Director of Professional Learning at CoSN, joins the hosts to discuss her transition from an independent school leader to a national association executive. The conversation highlights common challenges across public and private school sectors, including staffing pipelines, cybersecurity, and practical strategies for managing the rapid integration of AI in the classroom.CoSN, professional association for K-12 EdTech leadersATLIS Pillar Awards, recognizing technology leaders in independent schools for their significant, long-term contributions, innovation, and dedication to the professionCasa Brown House Concert Venue“Cruise” by Florida Georgia Line

In today's episode, we'll explore online resources that you can access to stay current with educational technology trends, tools, and integration strategies. Visit AVID Open Access to learn more.

Is Big Tech actually helping our kids learn, or is it a trap? Dr. Michael and Dr. Marjorie expose how social media addiction and AI tools are fundamentally changing student brain development.In Episode 65 of the Parents and Professors Podcast, we dive into the massive lawsuits against Meta, ByteDance, and Google. While families fight for accountability, these same platforms are being pushed into our classrooms. We discuss the "Big Tech education trap" and why research suggests that over-reliance on AI is making you dumber by short-circuiting critical thinking. From the "Blue Book" solution to the reality of social media destroying students' attention spans, this episode is a wake-up call for parents and educators to stop wasting time on ineffective tech and return to socially situated learning.

Send us a textAs CEO of ISTE+ASCD, Richard Culatta focuses on shaping innovative learning leaders. He previously served as Rhode Island's Chief Innovation Officer and was appointed by President Obama to lead the US Department of Education's Office of Educational Technology. His book, Digital for Good, helps create conditions for healthy tech use.

A conversation on the state of edtech in 2026, hosted on MindShareTV by Robert Martellacci, the CEO of Mindshare Learning, with guest Lisa Schmucki, the founder and CEO of edWeb.net MindShareTV spotlights the innovators, connectors, and storytellers shaping the future of learning. This conversation takes a Canada–U.S. lens on EdTech as we look ahead to 2026—what's changing, what's converging, and what education leaders need to pay attention to now. Robert Martellacci interviewed Lisa Schmucki, the founder of edWeb.net, and a fellow education media publisher who has had a front-row seat to the evolution of #EdTech for more than a decade.Learn more about viewing live edWeb presentations and on-demand recordings, earning CE certificates, and using accessibility features.

In this episode, I welcome back Naomi Church, founder of Growing Minds Consulting, to discuss how on demand professional development can simplify and strengthen professional learning using flexible, on-demand tools. You'll also hear practical strategies for moving beyond one-size-fits-all PD by building professional learning ecosystems that support educators when the need is real. If you want to design professional learning that's accessible, actionable, and actually leads to changes in practice, this episode has you covered! Show notes: https://classtechtips.com/2026/02/06/on-demand-professional-development-bonus/ Sponsored by Jotform: https://jotform.com/enterprise/education/ Follow Naomi Church on social: https://www.instagram.com/growingmindsconsulting/ Follow Monica on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/classtechtips/  Take your pick of free EdTech resources: https://classtechtips.com/free-stuff-favorites/   

If you like this podcast, please share it on your social channels. You can also subscribe to the series and check out all of our episodes at www.osmosis.org/podcast

The president of the Qatar Science and Technology Park (QSTP), discusses her unique vision for innovation in the Arab world, emphasizing the crucial need to tie technological advancement to our roots, culture, heritage, and fundamental needs. Rama Chakaki shares insights from her career, which is defined by bridging the gap between impact and financial return, and explains QSTP's role as a platform for global innovation, nurturing deep-tech companies in sectors like AI, robotics, and biotech, with a focus on impact. The discussion delves into the pervasive "brain drain" phenomenon, with Chakaki observing a "reverse brain drain" as Arabs return to Doha and the region due to safety, resource availability, and a culture of belonging. She champions a bottom-up approach to innovation and addresses common misconceptions about Arab women in tech, highlighting their high representation in tech degrees and leadership roles. Finally, Chakaki challenges the Silicon Valley "unicorn" model, advocating for a community-built "elephant" model that prioritizes the double or triple bottom line—caring for people, the environment, and financial returns.Explore Qatar Science and Technology Park

Lynda Ulrich and her daughter Liesl Ulrich-Verderber are the mother-daughter team behind the Goodness Exchange, a global positive-news platform founded in 2014 to help people cut through today's negative nose with research-backed, solutions-focused storytelling. On this Blue Sky episode, they describe how they came to their optimistic outlooks at different stages of their lives and have managed to work together to create a remarkable platform for hopeful and uplifting stories.    Chapters: 00:00 Are Optimists Born or Made?  Bill Burke introduces the mother-daughter team, Dr. Linda Ulrich and Liesl Ulrich-Verderber, co-founders of The Goodness Exchange. Linda shares how a childhood tragedy, coupled with her parents' optimistic worldview, led her to choose to see the good in the world from a young age.  04:22 From Jaded to Optimist  Liesl describes her journey from a 'jaded Harvard student' to an optimist, influenced by working with her mother on The Goodness Exchange's positive content. Linda discusses how she encouraged her children to 'change their state' and choose their perspective when facing adversity, modeling this through their family's extensive global travels.  08:05 The Power of Travel  Linda and Liesl reflect on how their extensive world travels, even to uncomfortable places, broadened their perspectives and fueled their optimism. Liesl emphasizes seeing both the vast differences and similarities in how people live globally, fostering connections across cultures and expanding comfort zones.  12:30 The Digital Divide and Disinformation  Linda explains her transition from dentistry to founding The Goodness Exchange, motivated by patients' increasing fear and negativity towards the future post-2010, linking it to negative news and social media. Liesl attributes this shift to the early, unregulated development of social media by young creators and a general lack of digital literacy, but notes a growing trend among younger generations to disengage from platforms that negatively impact them.  17:42 Battling Digital Overload  Bill and Linda discuss the unhealthy constant consumption of negative information through smartphones and social media, highlighting how clicks on alarming content inadvertently 'vote' for more of it.   22:30 Unplugging and Community Liesl, specializing in EdTech, advocates for removing phones from classrooms to foster community and better learning, viewing technology as a tool for connection rather than a constant distraction.   30:01 The Goodness Exchange's Evolution  Linda recounts starting The Goodness Exchange (originally Ever Widening Circles) as a blog to counter the world's negativity she observed in her dental practice, writing daily articles about positive stories. Liesl, upon graduating from Harvard, decided to join, seeing it as a way to transition her mother's passion into a sustainable and impactful publishing and media company focused on rigorously sourced positive content.  33:05 Rats to the Rescue!  The Goodness Exchange primarily publishes positive news articles, a bi-weekly newsletter, and the 'Conspiracy of Goodness' podcast, focusing on engaging content formats as people skim rather than read.   41:02 AI in Education: Educated Bravery  Liesl expresses excitement about AI in education, particularly tools like Khanmigo and Magic School AI, which move beyond cheating fears to empower teachers and students.   48:13 Bridging Generational Gaps  Linda shares an analogy about intergenerational collaboration, where her long life provides a broad 'back of the Earth' perspective, while Liesl, standing on the 'edge,' sees what's coming in the future.

In this episode, I share over a dozen creative and practical ways to use my new Purposeful EdTech Tips QuickWins! Strategy Cards for lesson planning and professional learning. You'll also hear how these bite-sized tips can help spark collaboration, streamline lesson planning, and energize your teaching throughout the school year. If you want to integrate EdTech with intention and find fresh inspiration without overwhelm, this episode has you covered! Show notes: https://classtechtips.com/2026/02/03/streamline-lesson-planning-356/ Sponsored by my Easy EdTech Club: https://www.EasyEdTechClub.com Follow Monica on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/classtechtips/  Take your pick of free EdTech resources: https://classtechtips.com/free-stuff-favorites/