Learning, Agency, and EdTech | Erik Parsons In this episode of My EdTech Life, I reconnect with the brilliant Erik Parsons, better known as The PhDad on TikTok, for a bold conversation on what really matters in education. We dig into behaviorism vs. developmentalism, and how too many classrooms are still operating on compliance over collaboration. From Chromebooks as babysitters to the over-promise of AI-powered personalized learning, we question the transactional mindset that kee...

Ep.329 Building with Purpose with Eduaide In this episode, I welcome back two familiar voices: Thomas Thompson and Thomas Hummel, the powerhouse team behind Eduaide.AI. This isn’t just another conversation about AI. It’s a grounded, honest discussion on what it means to build tech for teachers, by teachers. We talk growth, grit, and grounded design. From their classroom beginnings to becoming one of the most trusted teacher-first platforms, we unpack how they’re putting pedagogy over hype, and...

AI in Schools: Innovation or Illusion? | Ep. 328 with Job Christiansen Is AI making classrooms smarter—or just noisier? In this episode of My EdTech Life, I sit down with Job Christiansen, a fellow cautious advocate, educator, and instructional technology specialist, to ask the hard questions about AI’s role in education. From privacy concerns to the illusion of “safe use,” we unpack what most educators, tech leaders, and decision-makers aren’t being told about the tools flooding our schools....

Episode 327: Learning & Development, Instructional Design, and AI Talk with Holly Owens In this episode, I had the honor of chatting with Holly Owens, host of EdUp EdTech, Director of Growth Marketing at Yellowdig, and all-around L&D powerhouse. We talk about everything from instructional design to AI in learning, what "proficiency" really means, and how educators can pivot into the world of L&D with confidence. If you're an educator, learning designer, or someone navigating the fast-moving wo...

What Does It Mean to Be Digitally Well? | with Teodora Pavkovic In this episode of My EdTech Life, I sit down with Teodora Pavkovic, psychologist, speaker, and digital wellness expert at Linewize, to unpack how technology shapes our emotions, identity, and relationships. From AI companions and algorithmic influence to parenting in the age of chatbots, Teodora offers practical wisdom and actionable strategies for families and schools seeking healthy digital habits. We dive into why digital platf...

Episode 324 – Charlie Meyer: The AI Hype, EdTech Snake Oil & What Teachers Actually Want In this episode of My EdTech Life, I sit down with Charlie Meyer, small business owner and creator of Pickcode, to unpack the growing wave of AI solutionism in education. From being shouted at over not using AI to asking hard questions like, “Would you trust a vibe-coded site with your bank info?”, Charlie brings the heat, the honesty, and the humor. If you’re an educator, policymaker, EdTech builder, or in...

AI Ethics, Overreliance & Honest Talk with Jen Manly In this episode of My EdTech Life, Fonz sits down with returning guest Jen Manly, a computer science educator, TikTok powerhouse, and advocate for ethical tech use, to unpack the complex relationship between AI, teaching, and critical thinking. From data privacy concerns to AI detectors that fail our students, this conversation gets real about what’s hype, what’s helpful, and what needs more scrutiny. Whether you're cautiously curious o...

Episode 322: ¿Instrucciones o experiencias? El nuevo rol del educador en tiempos de IA | Dr. José R. Ferrer ¡Bienvenidos a un nuevo episodio de My EdTech Life! Hoy tengo el honor de conversar con el Dr. José R. Ferrer López sobre su libro Cómo Diseñar Experiencias de Aprendizaje en la Era de la Inteligencia Artificial. Hablamos de pensamiento crítico, diseño centrado en el estudiante, el verdadero rol de la IA en educación, y la importancia de diseñar vivencias reales de aprendizaje. Prepárate...

Episode 321: 2059 and the Future of Education with Micah Shippee What if we stopped reacting to every new tech tool and started preparing with intention? In this bold conversation, I sit down with educator, futurist, and Samsung’s Director of Education Solutions, Micah Shippee, to explore his new book 2059: The Future of Education. We dive deep into what the future could look like across AI, classroom models, access, agency, and everything in between. If you're an educator, leader, or just cu...

Episode 319: AI, Education, and Moving at Human Speed with Rob Nelson In this powerful episode of My EdTech Life, I sit down with educator, writer, and higher ed tech veteran Rob Nelson to explore the real story behind AI in education. Rob challenges the “move fast and break things” mentality and calls for a more human-paced, thoughtful approach to integrating AI in classrooms. We explore what it really means to Tinker Toward Utopia, how large language models are reshaping student learning (w...

Artificial Intelligence, Real Literacy – Evidence-Based Practices in Action Join me on this engaging episode of My EdTech Life as I sit down with Paul Matthews and Jason Gulya to dive into their book titled Artificial Intelligence, Real Literacy: A Practical Guide to Using AI For Evidence-Based Literacy Practices in Education and explore how AI is transforming literacy instruction through evidence-based practices. We discuss everything from integrating AI in the classroom to verifying its output...

Why Transparency Matters Now More Than Ever with Ken Patterson In this hard-hitting episode of My EdTech Life, I sit down with Ken Patterson, a former principal turned AI consultant, who pulls no punches on how AI is really being used in schools. Ken saw firsthand how AI transformed a struggling school into a top performer, but the system pushed back hard instead of celebrating. 💡 Here’s what we dive into: ✅ How AI helped Ken’s school thrive—before the system shut it down. ✅ Why so many EdTech ...

AI Safety, Ethics, and the SHIELD Conference with Angeline Corvaglia The future of AI safety is unfolding fast—and we need to be ready. In this episode of My EdTech Life, I sit down with Angeline Corvaglia, a global leader in online safety, AI ethics, and digital literacy. We dive into some of the most pressing issues in AI today, including: 🛑 AI-powered predators and chatbots—are they automating child grooming? 🔍 The hidden dangers of AI relationships—a shocking story of a 13-year-old's first...

Episode 310: AI, Feedback, and Student Success with Caryn Sever In this episode of My EdTech Life, I sit down with Caryn Sever, a passionate instructional designer with a mission to revolutionize digital learning. Caryn shares her unique journey into instructional design, her experiences in higher education, and how Generative AI is reshaping the way students learn and engage with course materials. 💡 Topics Covered: ✅ Caryn’s journey from student to instructional design leader ✅ The evolving ...

Practical Insights on AI, Equity, and Education with Stacy Kratochvil In this episode of My EdTech Life, I sit down with Stacy Kratochvil to share actionable insights into using AI in education. Stacy discusses her journey from teaching PE and dance to becoming a leader in AI education and how her work is making a direct impact in classrooms. You’ll learn about Stacy’s professional growth through the Krause Center for Innovation and her experience launching an AI fellowship program to help ed...

Episode 308: Jim & Maurie Beasley AI Insights from an Engineer-Educator Duo In this exciting episode of My EdTech Life, we welcome Maurie and Jim Beasley, an incredible husband-and-wife team blazing trails in AI for K-12 education! Maurie, an experienced educator and counselor, and Jim, a former engineer turned CTO, share their journey of integrating AI tools into classrooms, balancing innovation with practicality, and bridging the digital divide for rural schools. 💡 What to Expect in Th...

Episode 307: AI in Education: Disruption, Challenges, and Opportunities In this episode of My EdTech Life, I sit down with Dagan Berenstein, an innovative educator and digital content expert, to discuss the transformative impact of AI on education and how it’s reshaping the learning landscape. Discover how AI tools like ChatGPT are empowering students and educators, the importance of thoughtful integration, and the challenges schools face when navigating this rapidly evolving technology. From...

Episode 306: Unlocking Engagement in Education with Curipod In this episode of My EdTech Life, I sit down with Eirik Berre and Frikk Fossan, co-founders of Curipod, an innovative AI-powered platform transforming classrooms by fostering collaboration, engagement, and 100% participation. Discover how Curipod helps educators create dynamic lessons, spark classroom discussions, and lower participation barriers for all students. From STAAR test prep success to bilingual support and groundbreaking u...

Episode 302: A Practical Roadmap for AI in K-12 Education with Mike Kentz & Nick Potkalitsky, PhD In this episode of My EdTech Life, I had the pleasure of interviewing Mike Kentz and Nick Potkalitsky, PhD, to discuss their new book, AI in Education: The K-12 Roadmap to Teacher-Led Transformation. We dive into the transformative power of AI in education, exploring its potential for personalization, its impact on traditional teaching practices, and the critical need for teacher-driven expe...

Episode 300: Navigating AI and Human Cognition In this special 300th episode of My EdTech Life, I sit down with Benjamin Riley, founder of Cognitive Resonance, to explore the intersection of AI and human cognition in education. We discuss everything from the hype surrounding AI, the challenges of automation in learning, and why understanding human cognition is crucial to navigating new educational technologies. Join us as we question the assumptions about AI’s role in schools, dig into the b...

Episode 299: Guardrails for Growing Minds with Dr. Sonia Tiwari In this episode of My EdTech Life, I had the pleasure of talking with Dr. Sonia Tiwari, an innovative researcher diving deep into the impact of AI and parasocial relationships on children. We discuss her unique career journey from character design in gaming to focusing on AI’s ethical design for young learners. Together, we explore essential guardrails, the concept of parasocial relationships with AI, and the implications of unr...

Welcome to another amazing episode of My EdTech Life! Today, I’m super excited to bring you an insightful conversation with Dan Meyer, a thought leader in the EdTech space. If you’ve ever wondered how Generative AI fits into the classroom or whether it’s all just hype, this episode is for you! Dan has been an influential voice in mathematics education and EdTech for over a decade, and we dive deep into some burning questions: Is Generative AI truly helping teachers and students? How can EdTech ...

Building a Human-Centered Future I’m excited to share this incredible conversation with the dynamic team from the Human Intelligence Movement. In this episode, we discuss their mission of transforming education to prepare students for an AI-driven world while preserving and elevating human-centered learning. Michelle, Brooke, Stacy, and Rachel share insights into the challenges of today's educational system and how we can better equip students with essential human skills like empathy, adaptab...

Episode 291 Reimagining Education's Future with ⁠Anna Shildrick⁠ and ⁠Lucy Hutchinson⁠ Hey everyone, Fonz here from My EdTech Life! In this episode, I sit down with the amazing Anna Sheldrick and Lucy Hutchinson, two passionate educators making connections in the world of AI and education. We dive deep into the teaching and learning landscape, exploring how AI can catalyze positive change. Here's what we cover: ⁠0:00⁠ - Introduction and welcome 2:20 - Anna's background and journey in educatio...