Learning Through Technology

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Technology has revolutionized nearly every aspect of our lives, and education is no exception. The integration of technology in classrooms has brought about significant changes, offering new opportunities and challenges for both students and educators.

In this episode of the Learning Through Technology podcast, Alex and Bob welcome Bart Epstein, CEO of Brains and Motion Education (BAM!), a leading provider of STEM, Arts, and Sports programs for students grades K-8 nationwide. Bart is also the Founder of EdTech Evidence Exchange, a company that helps educators make better-informed decisions about education technology. The genesis of EdTech Evidence Exchange stems from building national consensus on how to measure school implementation environments, building a platform to collect edtech product feedback from tens of thousands of educators, and creating a system to use philanthropy dollars to pay cash stipends to participating educators.

Here are the key touchpoints from the discussion:

• EdTech Efficacy
• Giving teachers a sense of agency in program selection
• How medical research is a model to drive EdTech efficacy 
• Bart's journey into education and entrepreneurship
• Introduction to the Ed Tech Evidence Exchange
• Fixing the system for funding research and data collection
• Overview of Brains in Motion Education
• Importance of student motivation and agency in effective education technology
• Importance of being interested in school and accessing resources

Bart Epstein is a respected educator and entrepreneur with decades of experience in the field. He has impacted over twenty million students through his leadership at companies including Tutor.com, the Jefferson Education Accelerator, and The Princeton Review. He served as the General Manager of a Department of Defense education program that supports U.S. military families. 

As a professor at the University of Virginia, Bart founded and ran a national nonprofit that teaches schools how to implement complex STEM programs effectively. He writes frequently about the need for investment in education R&D, has presented his work at the White House, and recently published an op-ed with a member of Congress.

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Episode Resources:

• Bart Epstein on LinkedIn
• Brains & Motion Education Website
• ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education)
• The Journal of Educational Technology & Society 
• The Journal of Technology and Teacher Education JTATE
• Bart's a big fan of the Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education
• For AI, Bart recommends following EdSurge's article series about AI in education as well as ISTE's webinars on the topic. Everything is moving so quickly.
• Bart’s Charity Gifts for the Homeless
• Alex Inman on LinkedIn
• Robert Cireddu on LinkedIn
• Educational Collaborators on LinkedIn
• STS Education Group  Website
• STS Education Group on LinkedIn
• EduTech Group Website

Learning Through Technology Podcast is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

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Technology has revolutionized nearly every aspect of our lives, and education is no exception. The integration of technology in classrooms has brought about significant changes, offering new opportunities and challenges for both students and educators.

In this episode of the Learning Through Technology podcast, Alex and Bob welcome Kyle Berger, CTO at Grapevine-Colleyville ISD. Join them as they delve into the fascinating world of integrating technology into education and the transformative power of technology in bridging the gap between students' lives and their learning experiences. Integrating technology in education can take many forms. Kyle explains how Grapevine Colleyville ISD embraced esports as a way to raise student engagement while providing a career pathway into the industry. 

They also touch upon the issues of cybersecurity in education and the importance of collaboration, resourcefulness, and taking risks in the field of education. Kyle encourages educators to seek out resources, collaborate with others, and experiment with different esports options to identify the best fit for their schools.

Here are the key touchpoints from the discussion:

• Kyle’s journey and his passion for transforming education through technology
• How Kyle implemented esports at Grapevine Colleyville ISD with the support of parents
• Positive impact of esports on students
• How student hackers can help strengthen the network security at schools 
• Implementing virtual schooling and protecting data
• Curriculum resources for esports programs
• Importance of collaboration, resourcefulness, and taking risks in education

Kyle’s career as a CTO in education spans over 23 years and is spread across districts of various sizes and demographics. He has received multiple awards, including the EdTech Digest 2024 School Leader Trendsetter Award, Technology Director of the Year for Texas, the 2020 National Edtech Leadership winner, and the Institutional Leadership award for interoperability. In 2022, Kyle was named as one of the Top 100 Influencers in Edtech by Edtechdigest. His work is featured in several educational technology magazines, industry case studies as well as other published books on Educational Technology. Kyle is known as a transformer of educational technology. 

Big thank you to Lenovo for sponsoring this episode. To Check out their Lenovo Legion esports line, visit lenovo.com/esports

We’d love to hear from you! Send us questions or comments at [email protected].

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Technology has revolutionized nearly every aspect of our lives, and education is no exception. The integration of technology in classrooms has brought about significant changes, offering new opportunities and challenges for both students and educators.

In this episode of the Learning Through Technology podcast, your co-host, Bob Cireddu, slips into the guest chair as we listen to his journey from a race car engineer to an Edtech leader and Founder and CTO of the Edutech Group, a collaborative IT organization dedicated to providing schools with exceptional IT support and leadership.

Join us as we delve into the world of educational technology and Bob’s journey as the founder of the EduTech Group. From passions that include race car engineering to collecting watches, Bob's eclectic background adds a unique perspective to his role in K-12 operational IT. 

Discover the challenges faced by Bob's team and how they built a successful business through talent, growth, and a commitment to continuous learning. Gain insights into the importance of building strong client relationships and fostering a supportive team dynamic in a remote working environment.

Some of the talking points of the episode include:

• Bob’s background as a chemical engineering major and race car engineer
• The challenges and growth of Bob's team led to the formation of the EduTech Group
• A commitment to the personal and professional growth of talented employees
• The importance of building and nurturing relationships with clients
• The need for continuous learning and adaptation in Edtech
• Strategies used by EduTech Group to build a strong remote organizational culture
• Bob's favorite teacher and the importance of personalized learning 

Bob and his team have taken decades' worth of experience in network and project management in the K-12 space and created a pragmatic system to serve both the school and the students. Every project they execute is managed down to the last detail to execute the work efficiently and cost-effectively. 

The shared services model he created for IT support is ingenious in that it leverages a team of elite, experienced professionals to service a broad customer base. This results in a pointed and streamlined approach, ultimately driving down costs for districts by sharing talented support staff members.

To download our FREE Cybersecurity Essentials Checklist, go to: bit.ly/STSCyberChecklist

We’d love to hear from you! Send us questions or comments at [email protected].

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review it on:

•  Apple Podcasts
•  Spotify 
•  YouTube

Instructions on how to do this are here.

Learning Through Technology Podcast is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Technology has revolutionized nearly every aspect of our lives, and education is no exception. The integration of technology in classrooms has brought about significant changes, offering new opportunities and challenges for both students and educators. However, resistance to this change has been a common hurdle in implementing technology in education.

In this episode of the Learning Through Technology podcast, our special guest is Jon M Corippo, the Co-founder at EduProtocols. This Edtech company provides instructional lesson frames designed to engage students in learning through critical thinking, collaboration, communication, and creativity.

Join Alex, Bob, and Jon as they discuss the importance of embracing innovation and creativity in the classroom. Jon, a renowned figure in educational technology, shares his journey from being a disgruntled student to becoming a passionate advocate for student-centered learning. Discover Jon's revolutionary EduProtocols that empower teachers and enhance student engagement and academic achievement.

Some of the talking points of the episode include:

• Jon’s journey in education. 
• Failures in the current education system. 
• Embracing innovation and creativity in the classroom. 
• Introduction to EduProtocols. 
• The “Cyber Sandwich Protocol”.
• Importance of challenging traditional teaching methods.

Jon wears three hats simultaneously, that of an educator, an author, and a keynote speaker. He shares, speaks, and leads professional educational learning for educators internationally. Jon has been named a County Teacher of the Year, a 2019 Top 100 Educational Influencer, an NBSA 20 to Watch Educator, an Apple Distinguished Educator, and a Google Certified Innovator. Jon is the co-author of The Eduprotocol Field Guide and The Eduprotocol Field Guide Book 2, both Amazon #1 best-sellers. He has also contributed to the EduProtocols Math Edition, another #1 Amazon best-seller.

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Learning Through Technology Podcast is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Welcome to Learning Through Technology, a K 12 ed Tech podcast brought to you by STS Education. We strive to be the bridge that connects communities of educators so that they can fulfill the promise of learning through technology. Join us every other week as we connect with education leaders who share their deep experiences with the education and technology topics you are grappling with in your own schools and districts. Each interview is designed to bring you tangible ideas you can start using tomorrow.

This special episode has your hosts, Alex and Bob, getting philosophical and riffing on whether it’s possible to have a revolution in education and, if so, what that revolution would look like. Some of the talking points we cover include:

• The importance of data in education
• Revolutionizing education with technology
• Technology’s role in teaching
• The cultural revolution in education
• The need to reward high-quality educators

Alex has worn multiple hats during his career in education, from teacher to technology director and founder of Educational Collaborators. He founded Educational Collaborators as a way to bring the most relevant EdTech Consulting and Professional Development available to schools across the globe. That vision was expanded when he combined forces with Pacific OneSource.

Bob and his team are revolutionizing how we think about technology services within the American K-12 education system. The shared services model he created for IT support is ingenious in that it leverages a team of elite, experienced professionals to service a broad customer base. This results in a pointed and streamlined approach, ultimately driving down costs for districts by sharing talented support staff members. Further, Bob brings years of experience as an IT Director to the table, resulting in expertise in industry trends. 

We’d like to give a huge shout-out to STS Education for sponsoring our podcast. Check out their Fixed Cost Chromebook Repair Program at stsed.com/break-fix.

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We'd like to thank Rise Vision for sponsoring this episode and making the podcast possible!

Welcome to this very special crossover episode of the Learning Through Technology podcast, where we are teaming up with the amazing hosts of the Talking Technology With ATLIS Podcast for a joint episode where you hear from not two, not three, but five amazing hosts! Joining Alex and Bob are Christina Lewellen, Executive Director of ATLIS, William Stites Director of Technology at Montclair Kimberley Academy, and Hiram Cuevas, Director of Information Systems and Academic Technology at St. Christopher's School.  

Together, they share their experiences in podcasting and the drive to build a vibrant community. Discover their motivations for starting their podcasting journey and the positive feedback they receive from listeners. They share the valuable lessons they've learned and explore the importance of community in education and the challenges of podcasting. Get ready for an exciting discussion on the upcoming ATLIS conference and the warm connections it fosters. Trust us, you won't want to miss this episode!

Some of the talking points of the episode include:

• The experience of building communities with podcasts
• The joy of getting positive feedback from listeners
• How building communities impacts education
• A deep dive into the upcoming ATLIS conference
• The purpose of a crossover episode

Episode Resources:

• ATLIS Website
• Talking Technology with ATLIS Podcast
• ATLIS Annual Conference (April 7-10, 2024 in Reno, NV)
• Bill’s EdTech Blog
• Educational Collaborators
• STS Education Website
• STS Education on LinkedIn

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• Spotify 
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Instructions on how to do this are here.

Learning Through Technology Podcast is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

We'd like to give a huge thank you to ViewSonic for sponsoring this episode and helping to make the podcast possible!

As technology revolutionizes industries worldwide, education is no exception. Integrating technology in classrooms has brought about significant changes, offering new opportunities and challenges for students and educators. However, the lack of women in tech leadership often creates hurdles unique to implementing technology in education.

In this special episode of the Learning Through Technology podcast, we are joined by Christine Feenstra, Executive Director at CUE, a national education association serving thousands of educators. Join us as Alex and Bob think back to their years as tech directors and discuss the power of conferences to amplify personal and professional growth. They delve into the benefits of attending conferences and emphasize the value of finding community and learning from your peers. They share their insights on how to get the most out of the conference experience. They also provide practical tips for mentoring new team members to ensure they make the most of the investment made in sending them to conferences.

Some of the talking points of the episode include:

• The history and mission of CUE
• Christine’s commitment to enhancing the professional development of teachers
• How to Build a professional community at conferences
• The state of educational technology in schools
• The importance of integrating mentorship and inclusivity in teaching
• Successful strategies and examples of integrating technology into education
• Bob and Alex’s tips for getting you out of your comfort zone

Christine stands at the forefront of education technology as the executive director of CUE, where she spearheads initiatives that foster a community for educators who want to integrate technology intentionally into the classroom. Her journey in this field is marked by a profound commitment to enhancing learning experiences and teacher professional development. Before her tenure at CUE, Christine's career spanned various influential roles across a variety of sectors, including education, healthcare, and child development. 

Episode Resources:

• Christine Feenstra on LinkedIn
• CUE Website
• CUE Booms
• STS Education Website
• STS Education on LinkedIn

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Learning Through Technology Podcast is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

We'd like to give a huge thank you to Hewlett -Packard Enterprise for sponsoring this episode and helping to make the podcast possible!

As technology revolutionizes industries worldwide, education is no exception. The integration of technology in classrooms has brought about significant changes, offering new opportunities and challenges for both students and educators. However, the lack of women in tech leadership often creates hurdles unique to implementing technology in education.

In this special episode of the Learning Through Technology podcast, we are joined by Denise Musselwhite, Founder, Leadership and Executive Coach and Consultant at Tech & Thrive, a company focused on leadership and coaching across diverse industries with a specific focus on women in Tech. Join us as we connect with Denise, a trailblazing Latina in the technology industry. Denise shares her personal journey and offers advice on how women can advance to leadership positions. Learn about the importance of diversity and inclusion in tech and how you can forge your own path to leadership by articulating your value to managers.   

Some of the talking points of the episode include:

• The importance of creating opportunities for women in leadership positions
• Advice for recruiting and retaining women in technology
• The need for diversity and inclusion in the tech industry
• Boosting yourself up by articulating your value to your managers and potential employers

Denise is the Founder of Tech & Thrive and describes herself as a proud daughter of Dominican and Puerto Rican parents who immigrated to the U.S. and started a small family business, Hi-Tech Tune Up, a service station and mechanic’s shop in Orlando. Over a 25+ year career in technology leadership, she has made technology her superpower. She started Tech & Thrive to make a lasting impact as a consultant and coach who can lend a unique viewpoint in an industry whose future depends on diversity.  Denise uses her company as a platform to share solutions to the common struggles of finding a seat at the executive table. 

Episode Resources:

• Denise Musselwhite on LinkedIn
• Tech & Thrive Website
• STS Education Website
• STS Education on LinkedIn
• T.H.R.I.V.E. Quiz exclusive to your podcast listeners   
• Tech & Thrive - 10 Steps to Empower Your Tech Leadership 

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Learning Through Technology Podcast is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

We'd like to give a huge thank you to Promethean for sponsoring this episode and helping to make the podcast possible!

Technology has revolutionized nearly every aspect of our lives, and education is no exception. The integration of technology in classrooms has brought about significant changes, offering new opportunities and challenges for both students and educators. However, resistance to this change has been a common hurdle in implementing technology in education.

In this special episode of the Learning Through Technology podcast, we are joined by Phillip J Caposey, Superintendent of Schools, Meridian CUSD 223. Join us as we discuss the crucial topics of teacher engagement, technology in education, and parent involvement. Phillip shares the importance of measuring performance and the challenges schools face in evaluating and selecting EdTech solutions. He emphasizes the need for transparency and support for teachers while highlighting the consolidation happening in the EdTech industry.

Some of the talking points of the episode include:

• The need for schools to provide support and growth opportunities to teachers
• The need for schools to adopt and measure the effectiveness of EdTech solutions
• Importance and impact of parental inputs
• How teachers can impact and influence a student's learning process

Phillip’s journey in education began in the heart of Chicago, where he established himself as an award-winning teacher. He is passionately committed to leveraging technology to enhance learning experiences. His rapid ascent in educational leadership saw him become one of the youngest principals at age 28, and he soon took on the role of superintendent at Meridian CUSD 223. 

Beyond his administrative accomplishments, Phillip is also a prolific author with several books to his name, addressing various facets of educational leadership and technology integration. His expertise and insights have graced the pages of The Washington Post, NPR, and CBS this morning. He is also a highly sought-after speaker and consultant.

Episode Resources:

• Phillip J Caposey on LinkedIn
• For help evaluating your school’s edtech, visit www.educollaborators.com/edtech-audit
• Meridian CUSD 223 website 
• STS Education Website
• STS Education on LinkedIn

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review it on:

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Learning Through Technology Podcast is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Technology has revolutionized nearly every aspect of our lives, and education is no exception. The integration of technology in classrooms has brought about significant changes, offering new opportunities and challenges for both students and educators. However, resistance to this change has been a common hurdle in implementing technology in education.

In this special episode of the Learning Through Technology podcast, I put my co-host, Alex Inman, in the guest chair and pick his brains on the role of technology in education and the pace of its adoption. Alex is the Chief Academic Officer at Pacific OneSource, the Founder of Educational Collaborators, and a dear friend. Join us as we discuss the importance of Educational Collaborators in bridging the gap between technology and schools, partnerships with major companies, and the growth of their network.

Some of the talking points of the episode include:

• Alex’s journey from a teacher to a technology director and an entrepreneur
• Collaborating in education with large school districts and small private schools
• Resistance and the slow pace of technology adoption in education
• The impact of one-on-one technology initiatives

Alex has worn multiple hats during his career in education, from teacher to technology director and founder of Educational Collaborators. Alex was raised by a teacher and has spent his entire career supporting education. He founded Educational Collaborators as a way to bring the most relevant EdTech Consulting and Professional Development available to schools across the globe. That vision was expanded when he combined forces with Pacific OneSource.

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review it on:

• Apple Podcasts
•  Spotify 
•  Google Podcasts. 

Instructions on how to do this are here.

Learning Through Technology Podcast is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so