AI can write your design doc. It can build your storyboard. It can draft your script, your rubric, your assessment, your video outline, and half of your e-learning module before lunch. So what's left for the instructional designer? According to Jonathan De La Cruz, everything that actually matters.

What happens to your judgment when AI starts answering before you finish the question? In this episode, Dr. Fonz sits down with Cheryl Strauss Einhorn, founder of Decisive, decision-sciences educator at Cornell and the University of Miami, and author of the new book The Human Edge: Smarter Decision…

There's no opt-out button for AI. That's the reality Valerie Brock, Curriculum Lead at Day of AI, brings to this conversation, and it changes how we think about AI literacy in K-12. In this episode, Dr. Fonz sits down with Valerie to unpack what AI literacy actually means (hint: it's not prompt eng…

Episode 360: The #1 AI Governance Mistake Schools Are Making ft. Dr. Betsy Cooper What's the biggest mistake schools are making with AI right now? According to Betsy Cooper, it's not taking it seriously from day one. In this episode, Dr.Alfonso sits down with Betsy Cooper, Founder and Executive Dir…

What happens when you take public high school students with zero computer science background — 87% of whom are below the federal poverty line — and put them in one of only two quantum computing programs for high schoolers in the entire nation?

What happens when two 19-year-olds look at education and say… this isn’t working? In this episode, I sit down with Almar Tishenko and Max Litvinenka, two young founders building Reading Rooms, a platform designed to rethink how students read, write, and receive feedback in the age of AI. This isn’t…

Student voice is one of the most powerful forces in education — but only when it has a real stage. In this episode, Dr. Fonz welcomes back returning guest Tim Belmont, Language Arts teacher and Technology Coordinator at Lyndhurst High School in New Jersey, for a rich conversation on what it actuall…

As a father of two and a 20-year tech industry veteran, Caleb built Chatperone not for investors or school district contracts, but for his own children first.

Dr. Alfonso sits down with Aaron Makelky of Descript to unpack the real future of podcasting beyond vanity metrics, beyond over-polished edits, and beyond the AI hype.

Four years after ChatGPT changed everything, schools are still treading water. In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Kip Glazer, principal of Mountain View High School, home of Google, and author of Ready to Lead With AI: A Practical Guide for School Leaders. Dr. Kip has been in this conversation si…

Neuroscience expert Dr. Mark Hobson reveals why educators MUST understand how AI works—and why your brain learns exactly like AI does.

Recorded live at TCEA, this bonus episode of My EdTech Life cuts through the EdTech noise to focus on what actually works in classrooms. Joined by Elaina Kloecker and Spencer Wright, Dr. Fonz unpacks why ease of use, strong pedagogy, and teacher agency matter more than shiny tools and usage minutes.

Is critical thinking becoming a lost skill in the age of AI? In Episode 352 of My EdTech Life, Dr. Alfonso Mendoza sits down with Melissa Morgan, Founder of Coraltalk , to explore why conversation, not content consumption, is the key to real learning. This episode dives deep into why oral assessmen…

Why EdTech Usage Doesn’t Equal Impact ft. Dr. Paula Cushanick In this episode of My EdTech Life, I sit down with Dr. Paula Cushanick, known as Dr. C on TikTok , to unpack one of the most misunderstood ideas in education techn...

In Episode 350 of My EdTech Life, Dr. Alfonso “Fonz” Mendoza sits down with Lindy Hockenbary (LindyHoc) , a K–12 EdTech advisor, strategist, and professional learning leader known for helping teachers make technology work for...

How Mega Minds Brings Real-World CTE to Classrooms ft. Eric Tao & Austin Levinson | My EdTech Life 349 In Episode 349 of My EdTech Life, Dr. Alfonso “Fonz” Mendoza sits down with Eric Tao , Founder & CEO of Mega Minds , and A...

Career and Technical Education is often overlooked, misunderstood, or siloed. In this episode of My EdTech Life, Dr. Alfonso Mendoza sits down with Tisha Richmond , veteran CTE educator and author of The Magical CTE Classroom...

In this episode of My EdTech Life, Jeff Riley breaks down the mission behind Day of AI and the work of MIT RAISE to help schools, districts, families, and students understand artificial intelligence safely, ethically, and wit...

Today on My EdTech Life, I sit down with Kyle Sumrow , educator, developer, and Director of Outreach and Development at Tech My School, to break down Relief Roster , a powerful substitute management and volunteer coordination...

Inside the UK’s Big Adobe Express Movement ft. Sean McLaughlin | My EdTech Life 345 In this conversation, I sit down with Sean McLaughlin, Adobe for Education’s UK Community & Partnerships Lead, to explore how Adobe Express, guided creativity, and purposeful AI are reshaping teaching and learni…

How CTE Really Works for Students ft. Dr. Joey Mendoza | My EdTech Life 344 CTE is changing fast. Certifications, digital skills, pathways, tutoring, attendance, career pipelines—there’s a lot happening behind the scenes. In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Joey Mendoza, a South Texas educator and…

How AiDigiCards Help Kids Learn AI Safely ft. Amber Ivey | My EdTech Life 343 In Episode 343 of My EdTech Life , I sit down with Amber Ivey to explore AiDigiCards , a new screen-free way to introduce kids to AI literacy, curi...

How AI Is Transforming School Technology Planning ft. Robbie Cobbs | My EdTech Life Ep.342 In this episode of My EdTech Life, I sit down with Robbie Cobbs, the founder of Tech My School and creator of Tech Plan Genie, a groundbreaking platform built by tech directors for tech directors. We talk abo…

Teaching in an AI World ft. David L. Jackson | My EdTech Life Ep. 341 In this episode of My EdTech Life, Dr. Fonz Mendoza sits down with David L. Jackson of Digital Promise to talk about how educators can slow down, refocus, ...