Focus on EDU: EdTech and The Education Experience

Gamification, game-based learning, and competitive gaming are all popular in education right now. Today, I talk with Glen Irvin Flores about his experiences with game-based learning and how it can be so powerful in the classroom. As an instructional technology coach and former teacher, Glen has experienced the hands-on approach of applying game-based learning in the classroom, but also the coaching of folks for its inclusion.

Thanks for joining us today on Focus on K-12, EdTech and The Education Experience. If you enjoyed the show, please subscribe. If you have any ideas for future guests or you’d like to contact us about the show, please reach out to me on Twitter @dkonopelko. Thanks for tuning in and we will see you next time, as we Focus on K-12.

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Video Podcast 🔴 https://youtube.com/channel/focusonk12

As students, educators, and leaders across the country work together to reshape education, standard district practices like hiring, promotion, and growth continue. Today, I talk with Dr. Natasha Rachell of Atlanta Public Schools about being a new instructional technology director at such a pivotal time. We address what folks are focusing on, the stigma around learning loss, and much more!

Thanks for joining us today on Focus on K-12, EdTech and The Education Experience. If you enjoyed the show, please subscribe. If you have any ideas for future guests or you’d like to contact us about the show, please reach out to me on Twitter @dkonopelko. Thanks for tuning in and we will see you next time, as we Focus on K-12.

Links to Resources from the Show:

Video Podcast 🔴 https://youtube.com/channel/focusonk12

It's no secret that silos exist in education. While they may materialize in individual departments, between schools, within districts, and among states, Vriti Saraf is ready to bring the world's educators together to truly learn, grow, and collaborate together. We discuss examples of amazing schools and programs from around the world, the value of no-code tools, why it's important to bring folks together, and what one path forward might be!

Thanks for joining us today on Focus on K-12, EdTech and The Education Experience. If you enjoyed the show, please subscribe. If you have any ideas for future guests or you’d like to contact us about the show, please reach out to me on Twitter @dkonopelko. Thanks for tuning in and we will see you next time, as we Focus on K-12.

Links to Resources from the Show:

Video Podcast 🔴 https://youtube.com/channel/focusonk12

While many edtech tools were integrated into school and district digital learning ecosystems in the last year, many are now being re-evaluated. Today, I talk with Joe Marquez, Director of Academic Innovation for CUE, about why it's important to sort our education tools as game changers or life savers!

Thanks for joining us today on Focus on K-12, EdTech and The Education Experience. If you enjoyed the show, please subscribe. If you have any ideas for future guests or you’d like to contact us about the show, please reach out to me on Twitter @dkonopelko. Thanks for tuning in and we will see you next time, as we Focus on K-12.

Links to Resources from the Show:

Video Podcast 🔴 https://youtube.com/channel/focusonk12

Over the last decade, connectivity has gone from a "nice to have" to a "need to have". This is especially true as our schools and the families they support navigate a third school year impacted by a pandemic. Join me in a conversation with the CIO of the Georgia Department of Education, Dr. Keith Osburn, and the CIO of Fulton County Schools in Georgia, Dr. Emily Bell. Learn about the challenges and the solutions we are seeing from both a district, or LEA (Local Education Agency), and from the state level at the Department of Education, an SEA (State Education Agency).

Thanks for joining us today on Focus on K-12, EdTech and The Education Experience. If you enjoyed the show, please subscribe. If you have any ideas for future guests or you’d like to contact us about the show, please reach out to me on Twitter @dkonopelko. Thanks for tuning in and we will see you next time, as we Focus on K-12.

Links to Resources from the Show:

Video Podcast 🔴 https://youtube.com/channel/focusonk12

When you're one of the leaders that sets the vision for one of the nation's largest school districts, it has to be clear and it has to scale. For Miami-Dade County Public Schools, this means over 400 schools and more than 350,000 students. Marie Izquierdo started as a student in the district and has worked her way up to being the Chief Strategy Officer. Marie and I talked about the vision for education in MDCPS, their recognition by the Council of Great City Schools, and the ingredients in their secret sauce for success.

Thanks for joining us today on Focus on K-12, EdTech and The Education Experience. If you enjoyed the show, please subscribe. If you have any ideas for future guests or you’d like to contact us about the show, please reach out to me on Twitter @dkonopelko. Thanks for tuning in and we will see you next time, as we Focus on K-12.

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As esports continues to grow in the K-12 space, district leaders like Bradford Harris from Texas, continue to lead the way and blaze a trail for others looking to build their program. Join us for this conversations where we cover the idea that not all successful esports programs will look the same, where knowledge of games falls in order of importance, and a few other things you need to know if you are starting a program.

Thanks for joining us today on Focus on K-12, EdTech and The Education Experience. If you enjoyed the show, please subscribe. If you have any ideas for future guests or you’d like to contact us about the show, please reach out to me on Twitter @dkonopelko. Thanks for tuning in and we will see you next time, as we Focus on K-12.

Links to Resources from the Show:

Video Podcast 🔴 https://youtube.com/channel/focusonk12

There are so many incredible leaders in education today and Dr. Ashley Kennedy, the Director of Instruction and Innovative Practice for Cobb County Schools in Georgia, is a people leader on the rise! In this episode of Focus on K-12, we discuss leading with a student-centered vision by staying close to the classroom, using research-based practices for learning and engagement, and generational changes in students and leaders.

Thanks for joining us today on Focus on K-12, EdTech and The Education Experience. If you enjoyed the show, please subscribe. If you have any ideas for future guests or you’d like to contact us about the show, please reach out to me on Twitter @dkonopelko. Thanks for tuning in and we will see you next time, as we Focus on K-12.

Links to Resources from the Show:

Video Podcast 🔴 https://youtube.com/channel/focusonk12

Today on Focus on K-12, I talk to the Chief Information Officer for Fulton County Schools, Dr. Emily Bell, about how we've been moving "from bricks to clicks" in education. When making the move to digital instruction and digital resources, in addition to pedagogical shifts, we've got to make sure we keeping an eye on security and where our data is headed. We tackle the balances between 1) cybersecurity and convenience and 2) standardization and choice.

Thanks for joining us today on Focus on K-12, EdTech and The Education Experience. If you enjoyed the show, please subscribe. If you have any ideas for future guests or you’d like to contact us about the show, please reach out to me on Twitter @dkonopelko. Thanks for tuning in and we will see you next time, as we Focus on K-12.

Links to Resources from the Show:

Video Podcast 🔴 https://youtube.com/channel/focusonk12

Instructional coaching has become more and prevalent in school districts around the country as district and school leaders look to reflect on and improve their pedagogical practices, technology integration, and invest in the growth of their staff for the benefit of the students. Today, I talk to STEM/Instructional Coach and one of EdTech's 30 K-12 Influencers of 2021, Victoria Thompson. She takes us through a bit of the evolution of instructional coaching through the past few years, some of the changes that happened as a result of the pandemic, and what practices they are looking to keep moving forward.

Thanks for joining us today on Focus on K-12, EdTech and The Education Experience. If you enjoyed the show, please subscribe. If you have any ideas for future guests or you’d like to contact us about the show, please reach out to me on Twitter @dkonopelko. Thanks for tuning in and we will see you next time, as we Focus on K-12.

Links to Resources from the Show:

Video Podcast 🔴 https://youtube.com/channel/focusonk12