THRIVEinEDU by Dr. Rachelle Dené Poth @Rdene915

My thoughts about current conversations around AI and technology use in schools. Sharing ideas for preparing educators, students, and families when it comes to technology, based on reflections my work with 12 districts across the U.S. this past year as a Grant Coach for an initiative with ISTE+ASCD and Pinterest.

Also, the upcoming webinar on October 22nd about Delightex Edu: http://tinyurl.com/DelightexWebOct

Google Educator Badges - Earn a badge in 30 minutes on Wednesday, October 28th at 7:00 pm. Register here: October 28th ➡️  click.phygitallabs.com/GE2

About Rachelle

Educator, AI Strategist, Keynote Speaker, Consultant, Attorney, Author, Blogger, and Podcaster

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelledenepoth/

Subscribe to my ⁠newsletter: bit.ly/pothnews1

LinkedIn newsletter https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7098388531961614336

Check out my ⁠ blog www.Rdene915.com

Contact me for speaking & training related to AI, AI & the law, AI and Healthcare, Cybersecurity, STEM, and more! bit.ly/thriveineduPD

Interested in a sponsored podcast or collaboration? Contact me! [email protected]

My thoughts about current conversations around AI in schools and student use. Sharing ideas for developing policies and also reflections from working with 12 districts across the U.S. this past year as a grant coach for an initiative with ISTE+ASCD and Pinterest. I sat with students, worked with task forces, and gathered perspectives from schools across the country. I share some common themes and insights from this work.

Also, upcoming webinar on October 6th about AI: https://tinyurl.com/KirawebOctober6

About Rachelle

Educator, AI Strategist, Keynote Speaker, Consultant, Attorney, Author, Blogger, and Podcaster

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelledenepoth/

Subscribe to my ⁠newsletter: bit.ly/pothnews1

LinkedIn newsletter https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7098388531961614336

Check out my ⁠ blog www.Rdene915.com

Contact me for speaking & training related to AI, AI & the law, AI and Healthcare, Cybersecurity, STEM, and more! bit.ly/thriveineduPD

Interested in a sponsored podcast or collaboration? Contact me! [email protected]

About Jennifer

CraftED founder Dr. Jennifer Pieratt began her career as a classroom teacher. Her insight into the challenges modern teachers face, combined with her years of expertise as a School Development Coach, have led her to be a leading international voice in PBL implementation. Highly familiar with the challenges her fellow teachers faced in successfully adopting best practices of PBL, she set out to offer a different approach to PBL – one that was clear, easy to adopt, and sustainable. You can learn about her approach to PBL in her award-nominated books or her published publications and interviews. Leveraging her own classroom experiences and her experience as a PhD in Education, Jenny developed CraftED Curriculum as a professional service and product suite that would meet every teachers’ needs. Today, CraftED offers nimble, progressive, and action-oriented guidance to make bringing PBL to the classroom an inspiring and CONVENIENT mission for teachers of any grade level, all over the world. To read about her success as a business owner click here.
https://craftedcurriculum.com/project-based-learning-experts/ 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jpieratt/
 [email protected]

About Rachelle

Educator, AI Strategist, Keynote Speaker, Consultant, Attorney, Author, Blogger, and Podcaster

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelledenepoth/

Subscribe to my ⁠newsletter. bit.ly/pothnews1

LinkedIn newsletter https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7098388531961614336

Check out my ⁠ blog www.Rdene915.com

Contact me for speaking & training related to AI, AI & the law, AI and Healthcare, Cybersecurity, STEM, and more! bit.ly/thriveineduPD

Interested in a sponsored podcast or collaboration? Contact me! [email protected]

Akshay Ganesh and Daniel Troshin are rising high school seniors from the Bay Area. After being in the same English class their sophomore year and seeing how their teachers struggled to adapt to the fast-paced evolution of AI, they founded Deskpad to give their teachers a solution. Deskpad now has three arms: Learn, their free software for teachers, Labs, their research arm, and Policy, their policy-shaping arm. All three work together to tackle how to safely and ethically integrate AI into the classroom.

Outside of Deskpad, both Akshay and Daniel are competitive athletes in their respective sports of basketball and swimming, and both love being outside and hanging out with their friends.

Akshay Ganesh: https://www.linkedin.com/in/-akshayganesh/

Daniel Troshin https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-troshin-928aa4342/

Deskpad: https://www.deskpad.ai/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/deskpad-ai/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@deskpadai

My interview on their podcast: Episode 1

About Rachelle

Educator, AI Strategist, Keynote Speaker, Consultant, Attorney, Author, Blogger, and Podcaster

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelledenepoth/

Subscribe to my ⁠newsletter. bit.ly/pothnews1

LinkedIn newsletter https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7098388531961614336

Check out my ⁠ blog www.Rdene915.com

Contact me for speaking & training related to AI, AI & the law, AI and Healthcare, Cybersecurity, STEM, and more! bit.ly/thriveineduPD

Interested in a sponsored podcast or collaboration? Contact me! [email protected]

About David

David Berner is the Technology Integration Program Coordinator at the SWWC Service Cooperative in Marshall, MN. He directs SWWC’s A.I.D.E. (Artificial Intelligence Development in Education) program, coordinates newsletter content, leads AI trainings for school districts, and consults with districts on developing GenAI district guidance. He holds an M.S. in Educational Technology, is an ISTE Certified Educator, and is a CoSN AI Regional Trainer.
David Berner LinkedIn: David Berner | LinkedIn
About Jeremy Mikla
Instructional Technology Specialist - ECMECC (East Central Minnesota Educational Cable Cooperative)

Jeremy Mikla spent over 20 years as a classroom social studies teacher prior to becoming an Instructional Technology Specialist. He has extensive experience supporting PK–12 educators in the effective and ethical integration of emerging technologies. He regularly presents at regional and statewide conferences on topics such as AI in education, instructional design, and digital literacy. Jeremy co-hosts the Integrate This! podcast, which explores practical and innovative approaches to educational technology with diverse voices from the field.

Jeremy LinkedIn: ⁠Jeremy Mikla | LinkedIn

Their podcast

Integrate This LinkedIn: ⁠(2) Integrate This! Podcast: Company Page Admin | LinkedIn⁠Integrate This TikTok: ⁠IntegrateThis! (@integratethispodcast) | TikTok⁠Integrate This YouTube: ⁠Integrate This! - YouTube⁠Integrate This Apple: ⁠Integrate This! Ed Tech Podcast - Podcast - Apple Podcasts⁠Integrate This Spotify: ⁠Integrate This! Ed Tech Podcast | Podcast on Spotify

About Rachelle

Educator, AI Strategist, Keynote Speaker, Consultant, Attorney, Author, Blogger, and Podcaster

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelledenepoth/

Subscribe to my ⁠newsletter. bit.ly/pothnews1

Check out my ⁠ blog www.Rdene915.com

Contact me for speaking & training related to AI, AI & the law, AI and Healthcare, Cybersecurity, STEM, and more! bit.ly/thriveineduPD

Interested in a sponsored podcast or collaboration? Contact me! [email protected]

About Matt 

Matt Jubelirer is General Manager of Education at Microsoft, where he leads the worldwide industry marketing team. He works with schools and institutions as they pursue their mission in a time of profound change, helping leaders harness AI and modern technology to improve teaching, learning, and operations while preparing students for work and life.  

Matt is an advocate for the potential of AI to support students, educators, and administrators by increasing access, personalizing learning, and helping institutions extend their impact. He believes teachers are more important than ever as technology reshapes how students learn and how institutions serve their communities. He works closely with education leaders to explore how innovation can strengthen outcomes while staying grounded in trust, security, and the protection of student data.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattjub

Microsoft AI Tools: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/education/ai-in-education

Microsoft Resources for Educators: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/training/educator-center/topics/ai-for-education

About Rachelle

Educator, AI Strategist, Keynote Speaker, Consultant, Attorney, & Author

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelledenepoth/

Subscribe to my ⁠newsletter. bit.ly/pothnews1

Check out my ⁠ blog www.Rdene915.comwww.Rdene915.com.

Contact me for speaking & training related to AI, AI & the law, AI and Healthcare, Cybersecurity, STEM, and more! bit.ly/thriveineduPD

Interested in a sponsored podcast or collaboration? Contact me! [email protected]

About Adrian

Adrian Martinez is a student, soon to be enrolled at the University of Toronto, where he will study Computer Science with a Focus in Human-Computer Interaction.

Adrian was homeschooled for most of his life, became involved in creating games, and has worked with a variety of companies focused on emerging tech. Adrian has created a math platform called Infinilearn.

Infinilearn is a math game where students explore a fantasy world, battle monsters, and level up by solving math problems. The math IS the game, not a layer on top. It is available for students in grades 6-8. It is free to play and works on any device.

For students:  https://play.infinilearn.com

There is a Facebook group as well

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1821259698739178

Connect with Adrian

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theadrianm

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/shortcutgamez

X: https://x.com/theadrianm_

About Rachelle

Educator, AI Strategist, Keynote Speaker, Consultant, Attorney, & Author

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelledenepoth/

Subscribe to my ⁠newsletter. bit.ly/pothnews1

Check out my ⁠ blog www.Rdene915.com.

Contact me for speaking & training related to AI, AI & the law, AI and Healthcare, Cybersecurity, STEM, and more! bit.ly/thriveineduPD

Interested in a sponsored podcast or collaboration? Contact me! [email protected]

Sharing my experiences from working with districts across the country. Focus on digital citizenship, digital wellness, and AI.

Subscribe to my newsletter on LinkedIn.

Subscribe on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7098388531961614336

I had a great conversation with Dr. Sheldon L. Eakins, Author, Educator, and Founder of the Purposeful Teaching Academy and Host of the Leading Equity Podcast

Sheldon L. Eakins, Ph.D., is an experienced educational leader with over 15 years of experience in K–12 and higher education. He has served as a teacher, special education director, school principal, and adjunct professor. Based in Phoenix, Arizona, Dr. Eakins focuses on creating learning environments where all students feel accepted, supported, and included. He is the author of multiple books, including What Are You Bringing to the Potluck? How School Leaders Set the Table for a Community of Belonging and Meaningful Classroom Management: Adapting Your Teaching to Build Culture and Community. Additionally, Dr. Eakins hosts the "Leading Equity Podcast" and is the founder of the Purposeful Teaching Academy. His work centers on student success, school leadership, and building a strong sense of belonging in schools.

Contact:

[email protected] 

Cell: 318-730-8204

IG: @sheldoneakins 

Twitter: @sheldoneakins

Website: purposeful247.com

About Rachelle

Educator, AI Strategist, Keynote Speaker, Consultant, Attorney, & Author

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelledenepoth/

Subscribe to my ⁠newsletter. bit.ly/pothnews1

Check out my ⁠ blog www.Rdene915.com.

Contact me for speaking & training related to AI, AI & the law, AI and Healthcare, Cybersecurity, STEM, and more! bit.ly/thriveineduPD

Interested in a sponsored podcast or collaboration? Contact me! [email protected]

About Priten

Priten is a part-time Faculty Instructor at College Unbound, a bachelor’s degree-granting institution focused on adult learners, where he teaches courses including Family & Society, Ethics of Ed Tech, Arguing for Truth, AI in My Life, and How We Know What We Know. He also serves on the Faculty Curriculum Committee, which reviews and approves new courses, substantive curricular changes, and revisions to grading policies.

Priten has lectured on topics including educational justice, public speaking, cognitive biases and social change, moral luck and forgiveness, and writing for social change. He has worked with audiences ranging from elementary school students to graduate students to educators in India.

Priten holds a visiting research position as an Associate in the Department of Philosophy at Harvard’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences (September 2025–present), where he focuses on developing philosophically grounded yet practical approaches to teaching critical, ethical reasoning at scale for educators and students.

Priten is the author of AI & The Future of Education: Teaching in the Age of Artificial Intelligence (Wiley, 2023), which has been translated into Arabic, Simplified Chinese, Turkish, and Vietnamese; released as an audiobook (Tantor Media, 2024); received over 150 academic citations; sold over 8,000 copies; and reached #1 in three Amazon bestseller categories. It has been featured in Harvard Magazine, Church Times, University World News, and Ed. Magazine.

Priten's second book, Ethical Ed Tech: How Educators Can Lead on AI & Digital Safety in K-12 (Wiley, 2026), is available now. The book provides a framework organized around philosophy, policy, and practice to help educators develop shared values, build institutional infrastructure for ethical decision-making, and apply these to the concrete dilemmas they face daily. It draws from conversations with educators, technologists, and students facing real ethical challenges, and includes case studies, discussion guides, and practical tools for implementation.

Priten's writing has appeared in Education Week, eSchool Learning, and other publications.

Priten has delivered keynotes and workshops at conferences including the Singapore International Science Teachers’ Conference, the Texas Computer Educators Association, the Virginia DOE Innovative Teaching and Leadership Conference, the World Education Summit, the National Council for the Social Studies, and the Responsible AI Summit, and has appeared on more than 40 podcasts discussing AI and education. (Including two appearances on ThriveinEDU!)

Priten hosts two podcast shows that launched in early 2026: Margin of Thought, featuring interviews with educators and academics conducted for Ethical Ed Tech, and Know. Care. Act., focused on liberal arts education and civic engagement.

Lectures and WorkshopsAcademic PositionsBooksThought Leadership

New book: Ethical Ed Tech: How Educators Can Lead on AI & Digital Safety in K-12 (Wiley, 2026)

Learn more:

Connect with Priten: ethicaledtech.org and priten.org!

About Rachelle

Educator, AI Strategist, Keynote Speaker, Consultant, Attorney, & Author

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelledenepoth/

Subscribe to my ⁠newsletter. bit.ly/pothnews1

Check out my ⁠ blog www.Rdene915.com.

Contact me for speaking & training related to AI, AI & the law, AI and Healthcare, Cybersecurity, STEM, and more! bit.ly/thriveineduPD

Interested in a sponsored podcast or collaboration? Contact me! [email protected]