Journeys of Teaching

This week, we will sit down with Dr. Marcus Mitchell, a former college English and Communications professor, about his decision to step away from higher education.

On this episode, Marcus will describe his journey from entering the higher education field as an instructor and eventually transitioning out of work in higher education.

Dr. Aaron R. Gierhart is an Assistant Professor of Educational Technology at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and previously taught in the Illinois public schools for 11 years. Visit his ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkTree⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to connect with him. 

Thank you to Mitch Furr for the podcast intro/outro music and Adam Gierhart for the logo artwork. 

Transition Music Credit: “⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Radiate Instrumental (GLASS)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠”, Nuisance, Free Music Archive CC BY-NC

This week, we will sit down with Dr. Marcus Lewis, the Associate Dean of General Studies at Fox Valley Technical College in Appleton, Wisconsin. 

On this episode, Marcus will share about his upbringing within the Ho-Chunk Nation and his journey to teaching and higher education and highlight his work as a higher ed leader, driven by student- and equity-centered approaches.

Dr. Aaron R. Gierhart is an Assistant Professor of Educational Technology at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and previously taught in the Illinois public schools for 11 years. Visit his ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkTree⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to connect with him. 

Thank you to Mitch Furr for the podcast intro/outro music and Adam Gierhart for the logo artwork. 

Transition Music Credit: “⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Radiate Instrumental (GLASS)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠”, Nuisance, Free Music Archive CC BY-NC

This week, we will sit down with ⁠Denby Freeland⁠, the Director of ʻĀina Education and Community Impact with the ⁠Hawai’i Land Trust (HILT)⁠.

On this episode, Denby will share about her work as an artist, including kapa, and how kapa artwork can be leveraged to engage learners in Hawaiian history, culture, and plant science. 

Dr. Aaron R. Gierhart is an Assistant Professor of Educational Technology at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and previously taught in the Illinois public schools for 11 years. Visit his ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkTree⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to connect with him. 

Thank you to Mitch Furr for the podcast intro/outro music and Adam Gierhart for the logo artwork. 

Transition Music Credit: “⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Radiate Instrumental (GLASS)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠”, Nuisance, Free Music Archive CC BY-NC

This week, we will sit down with Denby Freeland, the Director of ʻĀina Education and Community Impact with the Hawai’i Land Trust (HILT).

On this episode, Denby will share the educational and community impacts of her work with HILT, particularly with local student groups who visit land refuges for interactive and hands-on engagement.

Dr. Aaron R. Gierhart is an Assistant Professor of Educational Technology at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and previously taught in the Illinois public schools for 11 years. Visit his ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkTree⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to connect with him. 

Thank you to Mitch Furr for the podcast intro/outro music and Adam Gierhart for the logo artwork. 

Transition Music Credit: “⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Radiate Instrumental (GLASS)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠”, Nuisance, Free Music Archive CC BY-NC

This week, we will sit down with Dr. Lauren Weisberg, a former high school fine arts and industrial arts teacher and current Assistant Professor at the University of Texas at Arlington. 

On this episode, Lauren will share about her journey as a classroom teacher, transitioning to higher education, and her approaches to fostering pedagogy and teaching and learning approaches that centralize agency, higher-order thinking, and innovation.

Dr. Aaron R. Gierhart is an Assistant Professor of Educational Technology at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and previously taught in the Illinois public schools for 11 years. Visit his ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkTree⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to connect with him. 

Thank you to Mitch Furr for the podcast intro/outro music and Adam Gierhart for the logo artwork. 

Transition Music Credit: “⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Radiate Instrumental (GLASS)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠”, Nuisance, Free Music Archive CC BY-NC

This week, we will sit down with Mariah Rivera⁠⁠, a Field Biology Associate with the Maui Nui Seabird Recovery Project in Hawaii. 

On this episode, Mariah will share her journey to her current role and discuss how she came into her identities as both a biologist and an educator.

Dr. Aaron R. Gierhart is an Assistant Professor of Educational Technology at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and previously taught in the Illinois public schools for 11 years. Visit his ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkTree⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to connect with him. 

Thank you to Mitch Furr for the podcast intro/outro music and Adam Gierhart for the logo artwork. 

Transition Music Credit: “⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Radiate Instrumental (GLASS)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠”, Nuisance, Free Music Archive CC BY-NC

Hannah Peterson, Eli Minot, Taylor Anderson, Sarah Cobarrubias, Isabel Denil, and Ayla Alderdice are pre-service teaching candidates at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. In this bonus episode of the Journeys of Teaching podcast, they discuss their exploration and critical evaluation of different AI tools during Spring 2026 and the implications of AI for teaching and learning.

Dr. Aaron R. Gierhart is an Assistant Professor of Educational Technology at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and previously taught in the Illinois public schools for 11 years. Visit his ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkTree⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to connect with him. 

Thank you to Adam Gierhart for the logo artwork. 

Stephanie LaMonto, Mary Crumley, Brooklyn Kraegenbrink, Jana Blau, and Gretchen Lynse are pre-service teaching candidates at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. In this bonus episode of the Journeys of Teaching podcast, they discuss their exploration and critical evaluation of different AI tools during Spring 2026 and the implications of AI for teaching and learning.

Dr. Aaron R. Gierhart is an Assistant Professor of Educational Technology at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and previously taught in the Illinois public schools for 11 years. Visit his ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkTree⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to connect with him. 

Thank you to Adam Gierhart for the logo artwork. 

Paige Christianson, Wyatt Dillenburg, Ava Knabenbauer, Aubrey Keeping, and Brooklyn Butzin are pre-service teaching candidates at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. In this bonus episode of the Journeys of Teaching podcast, they discuss their exploration and critical evaluation of different AI tools during Spring 2026 and the implications of AI for teaching and learning.

Dr. Aaron R. Gierhart is an Assistant Professor of Educational Technology at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and previously taught in the Illinois public schools for 11 years. Visit his ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkTree⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to connect with him. 

Thank you to Adam Gierhart for the logo artwork. 

Carli Anderson, Jakob Lemke, Katie Benavides, Sarah McPherson, and Hannah Lebeck are pre-service teaching candidates at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. In this bonus episode of the Journeys of Teaching podcast, they discuss their exploration and critical evaluation of different AI tools during Spring 2026 and the implications of AI for teaching and learning.

Dr. Aaron R. Gierhart is an Assistant Professor of Educational Technology at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and previously taught in the Illinois public schools for 11 years. Visit his ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkTree⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to connect with him. 

Thank you to Adam Gierhart for the logo artwork.