This week I built an AI system to help me be a better CIO — and there are lessons here for how we approach technology in our districts.

Topics Covered:

• Setting up automated daily research briefings
• COPPA compliance deadline: April 22, 2026
• Shadow IT in education and approved tool strategy
• Matching AI tools to tasks (cost optimization)
• Agentic AI trends in K-12
• Leadership filter: Does it help teachers teach or kids learn?

Key Dates:

• April 22, 2026 — COPPA compliance deadline
• March 9-12, 2026 — SXSWedu, Austin TX
• April 13-15, 2026 — CoSN, Chicago IL

In this special preview episode, we’re giving you a behind-the-scenes look at what’s in store for attendees at the Propellus Tech Summit 2025! Recorded for registered participants, this episode walks you through the session formats, keynote highlights, featured partner sessions, and all the high-energy moments waiting for you at Wichita State University on May 28–29.

Hear what makes this event different—from Seesaw-sponsored poster sessions and deep dive workshops to optional lunchtime activities like the Mystery Box Challenge and Teacher Trivia Showdown. You’ll also get tips for maximizing your experience, earning graduate credit, and building your personalized schedule in Sched.

Whether you’re a classroom teacher, instructional coach, or tech-loving administrator, this episode will help you hit the ground running.

🔗 Learn more at: https://propellus2025.sched.com

Welcome to the forefront of educational transformation, where technologymeets tradition, and innovation creates inspiration. You're tuned into What the EdTech?, the go-to podcast for educators, tech enthusiasts, and change-makers. Today, we're thrilled to introduce a special guest, a visionary in the realm of educational technology. He's not just a coordinator; he's a catalyst for change in the classrooms of San Diego. Please welcome Chris Garcia, M.Ed., from the Innovation Division at the San Diego County Office of Education.

Podcast Highlights

• Chris and Rob discussed the San Diego County Office of Education's Innovation Center and its impact on students. The center focuses on connecting students' strengths, interests, and values through a theory known as the riasec.
  • Chris and Rob introduced two special guests, Clint Dayhuff and Chris Garcia, to discuss their roles in esports and edtech.
  • Chris discussed the impact of the future ready hub, which includes gaming computers and opportunities for esports, podcasting, video creation, video editing, and graphic design.
• Chris and Rob discussed esports and its potential in education. Chris explained how the Future Ready Lab provides coaching clinics for teachers and students, and how esports can be used to boost attendance, influence positive behavior, and help with social emotional standards.
  • Chris explains the inception of the esports lab, which was brought by their tech director, Doctor Alicia Gallegos, Butters. The lab is also called the Future Ready Lab.
  • Chris discussed the benefits of esports in boosting attendance, influencing positive behavior, and improving social emotional standards. He also mentioned training teachers and building an esports club at Monarch School.
  • Rob discussed the success of esports in Wichita, highlighting the positive impact on attendance rates and student interest in STEM careers. He mentioned the presence of paid coaches in high schools, labs in secondary schools, and partnerships with local universities.
  • Chris discussed the importance of failing forward in esports and how it helps students iterate correctly. He shared his experience of playing Rocket League with his club members and how they communicated and reflected on their roles and mistakes.
  • Chris discussed the importance of building confidence after failing in video games and how this trait can be harnessed and transferred to other areas.
• Chris and Rob discussed the impact of AI on education and how to set the culture for AI in schools. They emphasized the importance of exploring AI tools while putting guardrails in place to protect students. They also discussed the need to align AI with social emotional standards and to create policies that evolve over time.
  • Chris and Rob discussed the arrival of generative AI technology in education and the need for policy-making and professional learning around it. Chris shared his approach of setting up meeting spaces with interested parties to discuss the use of AI in everyday life and common concerns.
  • Rob and Chris discussed the importance of setting the culture for AI in schools and aligning it with the castle standards.
  • Chris and Rob discussed the impact of arrival technologies and the importance of adapting to them. They emphasized the need to utilize social emotional standards and create safe spaces while protecting privacy and data.
  • Rob and Chris expressed gratitude towards each other for the opportunity to communicate and explore each other's centers.

What's the most powerful tool in today's classrooms? The answer might surprise you. Welcome to a captivating episode where we explore the transformative power of Artificial Intelligence in education with our distinguished guest, Serena Sax Mandel from Microsoft. Serena's riveting journey from corporate IT to ed-tech sets the scene as we delve into how AI is revolutionizing the education landscape, and enhancing student learning experiences.

Venture with us as we traverse the AI landscape in education, sharing firsthand experiences of how this powerful tool is shaping pedagogy and feedback systems. Uncover how AI is helping students combat anxiety, encouraging metacognition, and even facilitating mastery and competency-based grading. Embark on a global journey from Malaysia to Taiwan and India, and learn how AI is transforming education on a global scale, helping students discover their unique talents, and bridging the digital divide.

Our enlightening conversation with Serena wouldn't be complete without a deep dive into Microsoft's role in this technological revolution. We illuminate the perks of using Microsoft's technology in education, specifically their innovative co-pilot feature. As we wrap up our discussion, we express our gratitude to Serena for her insights and her trust in Microsoft's technologies. Tune in to discover how AI is not just shaping the education of today, but preparing our learners for the workforce of tomorrow.

In this episode, Rob is joined by two guests: Katelyn Schoenhofer, a technology coach and an eSports enthusiast, and Snow White, a leader of education sales strategy at Intel. We discuss the following topics:

• How eSports can benefit students in terms of academic, social, emotional, and career development. We share their personal experiences and stories of how eSports has transformed the lives of many students who were previously disengaged or disconnected from school.
• How AI can enhance learning by simplifying the daily tasks, freeing up cognitive space, and providing personalized feedback and support. We also talk about the ethical and technical challenges of AI in education, and how to prepare students for a future that is constantly changing and evolving.
• How eSports and AI are related and can complement each other. We mention some examples of how AI can help eSports players improve their skills, strategies, and communication, and how eSports can provide a platform for students to learn and apply AI concepts and tools.

Welcome, listeners, to another exciting episode of "What the EdTech". Today, we're diving into a topic that's not only close to my heart but also incredibly promising for the future of work in technology and education. We'll be exploring the inspiring worlds of Girls Who Code and Girls Who Game, two remarkable initiatives that are reshaping the landscape of both technology and public education here at Wichita Public Schools. 

In a time when the digital age is transforming our society at a breathtaking pace, it's crucial to foster innovation and inclusion in the tech industry. And what better way to achieve this than by empowering young minds, especially girls, to unlock their potential as coders and gamers? In this episode, we'll delve into the stories of these young trailblazers, our guest Olivia Sumner who guides them, and the powerful impact they're making on our ever-evolving tech-driven world.

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to What the Edtech podcast - the show that explores the ever-evolving landscape of technology in education. I'm your host, Rob Dickson, and as always, I'm joined by my co-host, Dyane Smokorowski.

Today, we're thrilled to welcome a special guest, Shannon Davenport, who is the Director of Professional Learning at the Northwest Council for Computer Education (NCCE). Shannon is an expert in educational technology and has been working with educators across the Pacific Northwest to integrate technology into their classrooms.

In this episode, we'll be discussing the latest trends and innovations in edtech, and exploring how technology is transforming the way we teach and learn. So sit back, relax, and get ready to dive into the world of edtech with us and our guest, Shannon Davenport.

Welcome to the What the EdTech podcast, where we delve into the world of learning and explore innovative approaches to education. Today, we're honored to be joined by Tonya Witherspoon from Wichita State University and Tiffany Bonfiglio from Wichita Public Schools to discuss the exciting applied learning opportunities available to students in the district. We have formed a unique partnership that provides students with hands-on, real-world experiences and prepares them for successful careers in a variety of industries. We'll hear from experts on how this partnership is making a positive impact and how it's helping students to not only gain valuable knowledge, but also the skills and confidence they need to succeed in the workforce. So sit back, relax, and join us for a conversation about the importance of applied learning in education.

Info on Freedom Forge: https://www.amazon.com/Freedoms-Forge-American-Business-Produced/dp/0812982045

This episode we dive into esports and its implementation in Wichita Public Schools.  Our super friends today are Clint Dayhuff (district esports representative), Kyle Schoenhofer (Computer Science Teacher & Coach at Education Imagine Academy), and Ramsey Jamoul (CEO of Unified Esports Association). 

This podcast highlights the Verizon Innovative Learning Program.  We currently have 12 Middle Schools involved in the comprehensive program as well as 6 secondary schools in the hotspot program.  On the podcast is Sara Crawford, Deputy Director of Professional Learning, Verizon Innovative Learning Schools. Also on the podcast is our very own Catherine Arellano, Verizon Innovative Learning Coach at Coleman Middle School, and Tiffany Bonfiglio, Production Control Supervisor in our IST Department.

To learn more about Verizon Innovative Learning visit: https://verizon.digitalpromise.org/