Inside the UK’s Big Adobe Express Movement ft. Sean McLaughlin | My EdTech Life 345

Dr. Alfonso Mendoza: 0:11

Hello, everybody, and welcome to another great episode of My Ed Tech Life. Thank you so much for joining us on this wonderful day. And wherever it is that you're joining us from around the world, thank you as always for all of your support. We appreciate all the likes, the shares, the follows. Thank you so much for engaging and sharing our content and for the amazing feedback. We really appreciate it. As you know, we do what we do for you, but we wouldn't be able to do this if it weren't for our amazing sponsors. So I definitely want to give them a big shout out. So want to give a big shout out to Book Creator, Eduate, Yellow Dig, and Peelback Education. Thank you so much for believing in our mission to bring these amazing conversations into our space so we can continue to grow together professionally and personally as educators. And today I am really excited because I have a distant friend that is joining us today. And by distant, we mean oh, just a little hop and a skip over a little pond. But I would love to welcome to the show Sean McLaughlin. Sean, how are you doing today?

Sean McLauglin: 1:20

Yeah, hi, how uh Fonz and well, yeah, I'm across the pond. Have you ever had anyone on from the UK?

Dr. Alfonso Mendoza: 1:27

Yeah, I've had actually, I think I've had uh a couple of people. I'm sure you're familiar with Avid. I'm sure maybe uh Darren also and Darren and Ben, they've been on the show too as well. Yeah, and John and uh John Neal also, he's been on the show. So yeah. Oh, yes.

Sean McLauglin: 1:46

Some awesome ed tank people there, yeah, and some real real leaders.

Dr. Alfonso Mendoza: 1:50

Hey, but today I get the honor and privilege of finally connecting with you. I mean, I know you and I uh on LinkedIn have followed each other for a very, very long time. And I know that our at least our podcasting paths have not crossed, but thank you so much for reaching out, and I'm excited that we can make this conversation and schedule it, you know. And so I'm excited to dive in and talk about all the great work that you are doing in the UK and all the great work that you're doing with the Adobe for Education team as well. So let's go ahead and dive in. But Sean, before we get into that, for our audience members that are hearing this episode and have not connected with you yet or are not familiar with your work just yet, can you give us a little introduction and what your context is within the education space?

Sean McLauglin: 2:39

Yeah, so I'm currently at Adobe for Express education in the UK, and I'm leading on the UK community and partnerships. So, and yes, I'm I'm out there connecting with schools, creating content to engage their learners, but also yeah, trying to draw in aligned brand partners. You you align with the great work we're already doing. Uh, and yeah, so yeah, I'm I'm I'm here, I'm here for it, and and I'm absolutely loving it. Excellent.

Dr. Alfonso Mendoza: 3:10

Well, I'm excited about that. And so let's talk about a little bit about this. You know, now I know here uh you know, a lot of educators, we are huge fans of course Adobe Express and uh anything that is Adobe for education. And so I want to ask you, you know, how recent has the you know your work there in the UK, is this something that just came up recently? Is this something that you know has been going on for a while and now you know we've got a team and now you're ready to hit the ground and you're go you know visiting schools and bringing that creativity to the classroom?

Sean McLauglin: 3:43

No, to be honest, I mean I've only been in this role since September. I've been studying um studying a degree in education actually, and and yeah, I wanted to give you a big shout out for your recent studies and your doctorate, you you achieved amazing, and you've been such an inspiration, and yeah, and all the different tools you were using as well. But yeah, no, I I connected with Adobe back in the Spark days, and that's probably where I see you and Claudio and other folk like that, and um, and also the globe, sort of the global team, really, and and a lot of the global team from say Flipgrid and other places, and and and yeah, we've got some great people now in the global team, like Anne and then Joey, haven't we? And yeah, so in the UK, it's just been ticking along, really. We're huge in some of our other nations, so Wales, Ireland, and Scotland. So people like Meredith, you know, Meredith in Wales and um Dom Trainer, he's kind of like a mean. So yeah, we've just been kind of like ticking over, really. And just recently, um, yeah, Jen reached out to a few of us in in the UK, a few of us who lead in the ed tech space, and we've just gone, Adobe is an amazing tool. Adobe Express is an amazing tool, it's scaffolded, it guides learners, it brings creativity in your classroom. The community is just an awe-inspiring space. Everyone's a leader, you know, it doesn't matter who you are, you're a leader, and yeah, so we've just gone wild. And and Jen, Jennifer King, our lead the other day, said one of the feedbacks she got at a conference the other day was, your team, you're everywhere. What's what's going on? And and that was our goal. Um, yeah, to put us family back on the map. And I've done that really in part with the help of the global team, because I was thinking back to the days of when you know we were on flip, flip calls, and you know, this screenshot with all the faces, and I thought that you know, in those days, people showed up, you know, they showed up and they were part of, and and yeah, I've really tried to replicate that in in in a bit in here in the UK, and it seems to be seems to be working. So the goal is parachute, all that positivity on the UK, and it and it's yeah, it's fixing.

Dr. Alfonso Mendoza: 6:03

That's great, and you know, that's so great to hear because you know, it I think that uh Adobe and what they have created with Adobe Express, and as far back as I knew when it was like Spark, and then just kind of like building up and building up this great platform, has done such an amazing job at really putting together something that is can really be your one-stop shop creative tool for the classroom, for students, for teachers. And I mean, you can really find a little bit of everything in there that can be done. And that I think is something that is very important. And I'm sure that now in the UK, obviously the work that you're doing along with your team and like you said, really being everywhere, I think, and bringing that awareness, I think that that is huge because oftentimes it's you don't know what you don't know, and then until somebody puts it in front of you, and then you see, like, oh my gosh, is it really that easy? And I have always been of the mindset that it when I go and train educators, I want them to be, you know, I say, like, I want you to express your own creativity. Like, I want you to be the student and go through this and enjoy it and you know, take ownership of this first because the way that you feel when you are creating something, we want the students to feel that way and that impact of being able to bring something from nothing or at least from a thought and bring it on onto a digital uh canvas that can be edited in many ways. And I think for educators, I think that's something that is huge. So tell me a little bit more. Like, I know you're located, you said in the south of the UK. So I want to know, like, right now, where is it that you are currently doing the work and that you're expanding and you know, making sure that Adobe Express is something that it people are being aware or made aware of?

Sean McLauglin: 8:37

Yeah, so we've really uh grown the I mean, just we just got in the UK now 26 ACE innovators, so yeah, all yeah, nearly signed up, and we've got um photon case studies in schools, and yeah, we're we're presenting those case studies. We're started to show up at events like we're at the Schools and Academy show the other day. Uh Shelley McConville was at over actually. It was really awesome to connect with her and and do some exciting stuff at the show. Um, where else am I showing up? Um, we did an amazing event the other week at um Manchester United Football Club for their outreach team. And all football clubs in the UK have like an outreach team and they go into schools under privileged schools. So we took like 300 year six, and I'm not sure what that's saying in the UK, year six to seven, digital school leader get females, gals through this uh through the guided activity of design your own um what is it design your own um like trainer? So yeah, and so yeah, we actually were doing tables of six at a time, and and even in a crowded room, that the fact that that was so scaffolded and guided, we were just taking them all through it, and and then yeah, that that was incredible. And then I'm trying to bring in say partnerships. So I'm trying to work with uh the BBC, I've been connecting with them because they they host um live lessons. I've been connecting with Tess. Some of the folk in the UK might have heard text, it was times higher education, and then it became Tess, and it was huge in the UK, and then also trying to bring in just all different voices, like I'm working with UK Motorsport, and they have a diversity program in STEM, and they're trying to get more women and divide divide diverse voices into UK Motorsport and Premier League. Yeah, it's huge, it's just so many exciting things going on, and yeah, and even more insight exciting is there's a real connectivity with the global team around this as well, really sort of chatting within sort of internal channels about what's working, and and a lot of our team are going over to San Jose in a few weeks. I was due, but they've slimmed slimmed the team down. Wow, yeah. Yeah, so it's just incredible, really exciting time to be part of. And I think tracking back on what you were saying around getting out of there and and and evangelism, I mean, that's a fab thing. I I love ed tech, but when someone said to me, I think it was Alyssa from Book Creator, yeah, Our Friend Forbes, and she goes, You've got a free tool for you can evangelize, and and that is great, isn't it? Adobe Express is free for education, so I can just shout out about how good it is. And then another thing is it's just with all the AI and the AI, I feel like it's a bit of a bubble. And it's like, what's the purpose? You know, what's the meaning behind all this? And so yeah, I really see that within those guided activities and the and the anime character, you know, AI with purpose, using it for purpose to give students voice and choice.

Dr. Alfonso Mendoza: 11:46

So you know, one of the things that you hit on right there is I I absolutely love what you said there, at least using the newest technology that is out there, obviously talking about generative AI, but using it thoughtfully and using it in a way that is very useful uh and purposeful, I think that that is something that is great because oftentimes that we know that there are so many platforms that are out there that are offering, you know, at least some sort of either a bot or offering some sort of um just a generative process. But sometimes it just kind of feels a little disconnected from what it is that you're doing at that given time. But I think with building with purpose is something that is great, and that's something that for sure I have seen Adobe do through Adobe Express. Now, I just wanted to kind of go back a little bit when you went uh through the outreach team and you were doing that activity, and you mentioned something that I really like, you know, even with through the learning activity that the guided learning, it is still scaffolded. So I want to ask you, you know, for those teachers that are listening and teachers that are listening in the UK, you know, and you gave that example, can you go a little bit more in detail as far as the learning activity, maybe what you saw as far as I because I can imagine going in there and you have people at all different levels, at least either with technology or even just with design, but to be able to do something like this and then come up with a product, how exciting was that? And then just to be able to see kind of like those light bulb moments. So tell me a little bit about how that was.

Sean McLauglin: 13:25

Yeah, and and and and actually, it was just so easy. So, you know, like with ed tech and even sort of with the the AI, I mean, like there's all these great tools, but in my experience as a coach, as a trainer, just getting teachers to use all of ed tech alone, sort of stuff, you know, is it's a it's a challenge and and it definitely takes coaching. But so yeah, all these years, you know, these school girls got down and just quite simply opened up Adobe Express, and on the side of the guiding activity is some video instructions with some words as well. And then, you know, it once they got warmed up, some of them were just flying, you know, creating things, really going with the ideas. Some of them just needed some hints from their they had their their football coaches with them and myself, and just giving them a bit of encouragement, and then and then they were just going through it. And some of them were you know, just creating things, just going elsewhere and starting to use the gen AI and and different things. So yeah, so it was just amazing to see and and yeah, really enforced how just simple, you know, as a teacher, if you you know, if you want to use some ed tech and you you want just your student, just give it to your students, and and and so this sort of ties into the scaffolding and and child play. Because I used to be a forest school teacher, and so we used to just say, give the students um, you know, knives to whi whittle away at a piece of wood. You know, that's pretty, you know, pretty uh could be a tricky sort of thing to do, but we used to scaffold them, say, right, you know, make sure you do it away from your body. And I already see that within the you know that that guided activity. It's just got a few that the prompts that's already there, they just adjust it a little bit, watch the videos, and you know, they've really got that scaffold, but then their creativity can shine, their imagination can can shine. And yeah, it's really wonderful to see, actually.

Dr. Alfonso Mendoza: 15:21

Yeah, yeah, and you know, I think that that's also uh just a great tool, even just for the teacher themselves, Sean. And I don't know, you would agree. I mean, you being in the classroom and and working with teachers alongside them, I think oftentimes they just feel very overwhelmed, obviously, with the amount of platforms that are out there that maybe they they are already using because some of them may be using us content-specific platforms for math, for their reading, for you know, science, social studies. And then sometimes they may feel like, oh great. Another thing, but I think that one of the things that I know I loved is you know, when we had our uh ace, um our ACE conference here in our district. We actually we we uh had some people come in from our district, and then Adobe sponsored the event, and it was just fantastic. Was the fact that teachers were able to use those guided activities also as well to learn the process. And I think that's something that's fantastic that I think is maybe sometimes overlooked and maybe underutilized, but that is such a great tool for a teacher or somebody that might not feel comfortable to look at, and the videos aren't that long. And so what I like is that after you're done looking at that and watching it and then creating your own thing, you build that confidence, and now you're able to present it to the students confidently because you've already gone through it. And it kind of reminds me of when I was in the classroom, and obviously we didn't have an awesome platform like that. But you know, the the my first class of the morning, we would kind of go through our lesson, and then my students would say, Oh, check this out. Look at what I found here, Mr. Mendoza. And then in my second class, I'd say, Well, okay, guys, let me show you a little something here. And then by the end of the day, I felt like the expert, but it was because I learned all from my students. So, you know, but it built up that confidence not only in myself, but also in sharing the tools with the students. And I think that's something that is great, that you can go in there, not maybe not saying, Hey, I'm not a digital designer. I am no way, shape or form, have any kind of graphics uh design uh, you know, studies at all, but you can go in there and in a matter of minutes you can create something. And I think that that's something that is huge, especially being able to implement that into the curriculum.

Sean McLauglin: 18:27

Yeah, 100%. I mean, the the platform's currently set up like that, isn't it? I mean, you you've got it slightly different in in the US. You've got create, teach, edit. I think we're just create and edit at the moment, but both of those are just little tiles, no experience needed, just click on create or click on, you know, edit, and without any design skills or experience, you can just go get going. And yeah, I that you're talking about the learn tab and or even the learned and the guiding activity. Yeah, 100%. If I've ever got a demo for demo, we have some in there practice, you know, having a couple of days of the guided activities, and also I can remember with my onboarding, I went through the learn tab to become an ace leader, and yeah, it was literally just one video with one of the parable managers, and and you the next thing you know, I'm in the Doby Ace Leader community. Now, in the UK, and me and Nicole, my colleague, have been talking about sort of the word lead, they're like, Am I a leader? But yeah, we just want people to sort of say, Yeah, you are, you're you've you're getting involved, you it doesn't there's no prerequisites, you're a leader, you're you're creating in your classrooms, and yeah, once you sort of then get into that community, you start learning and sharing and and growing really. So, yeah.

Dr. Alfonso Mendoza: 19:42

So let's talk a little bit about that because I think that that is a huge component too, as well, which is community, and community by far, you know, is a great way for educators as well to not only feel like they're part of something, but also that they feel heard, they are around like-minded individuals. And I think that Adobe has one of the best learning communities that is out there, too, as well. And and again, I I may sound biased, but it is my experience. This is me just telling you and being honest that this has probably been one of the best communities that I have been able to be a part of because, like Sean mentioned, you really do feel like a leader. Yes, there, I mean, everybody feels like a leader. There, nobody feels like, oh man, I can't do that, or I can't do that. Honestly, like everybody feels like you're empowered that you can do it, and everybody comes at it through a different lens. And I think one of the things that Adobe has done very well is obviously to listen to the educators, especially the innovators that are out there sharing, you know, the teachers that are out there in the classrooms and being able to take that feedback and be able to see how this product has changed and it will continue to change to adapt to the needs. But let's talk about that as far as community, because I know that this is something through you, through partnerships that you're building, but you know, this is something that is growing also in the UK. So, what are some of the things? Uh, you know, you know, I know you mentioned some of the events, but what other things might you all be doing to continue to grow the community there in the UK?

Sean McLauglin: 21:19

Yeah, so I mean, firstly, like Fonz. I know you're you're a big fan of the community, and I've staying you on the socials and different things, and yeah, and um and and also folks, funds is is been in the the ed techs all the circles. So yeah, hearing you sort of reflect on how you honestly feel about sort of that the Adobe community is is is wonderful to hear. And yeah, I definitely feel the same. And yeah, we're kind of we want to kind of replicate a bit what some of the US so in the US currently it seems like they go out a lot to events, host events for US teachers. Now, in in the UK, teachers are still happy to show up just virtually, you know, at the end of the school day, kids running around, just sort of yeah, get involved. But we always know, you know, shout them up, shout them out, pray praise them, lift them up, encourage them, mentor them even, you know, on the side we're mentoring people, just building them up. And and that kind of comes from say some of our experiences of being in the ed tech world and just you know being really drawn by say companies say, but yeah, we we're now on the other side, and we're like, yeah, we want to mentor and help people and support them. And then, yeah, we're also planning some in-person events. So I know Don and my colleague Ruth were up in in Edinburgh, and they put on a huge event the other day, and they had all the teachers in and just giving them loads of food and getting and and swag and just yeah, hearing from them and learning from them. And the same, we had an event partner with Apple the other day at Battersea, where Apple's headquarter headquarters. So, yeah, just we're just doing all the things and and trying to yeah, really just build on community, and and then we're also thinking of having some in person in Adobe uh uh Old Street, London. Now that is an awesome office. We did our Q4 on site, it was my first time there, and yeah, it was a really, really such an encouraging place to be. So, yeah, we've got all the plans, but it's all around community, uh community first. I think when I signed up for this, one of the things I was discussing with um the team, you know, that I would definitely I'm I'm not the hero of the story, that the you know, the people I'm gonna be supporting are the heroes, and yeah, I really want to shout them out and praise them. So yeah, that's kind of how we're rolling.

Dr. Alfonso Mendoza: 23:40

Oh, I love it. I love it, and that's great that just to be out there. Now, I want to ask you, because I know you said, you know, this is kind of something that is gaining traction and gaining, you know, a lot of steam with educators out there. Uh just out of curiosity, what what has been maybe I guess the either a misconception or a misunderstanding that has been overcome once we've been able to put in or put Adobe Express in front of them, you know, did they have just just, I don't know, uh maybe what was their thoughts about Adobe prior? I know when I first would hear Adobe, I would always just focus. Well, that's Photoshop, and that's that's really, you know, uh that's very difficult to do. So maybe I'm just thinking as somebody that maybe is using it for the first time and maybe a little hesitant, well, is that something that you know was was overcome, you know, once you put Adobe Express in front of them and they saw how easy it was?

Sean McLauglin: 24:39

Yeah, well, basically, I don't think so. Currently, we have got millions of accounts being created in Adobe Express, and I think probably Adobe Spark, and um, yes, and so in England itself. So my role's been sort of like, yes, saying, Look, you've already you've already kind of signed up, and I think the sign up at the time was sort of top down, so you needed the IT guy to do it probably during lockdown. He was really like, you know, and I said, Yeah, so it's top down and he spread it all out. And then what happened in my experience in in schools was once once no one needed to use these tools anymore back in school, they're like, Oh, what's the Dave Express or what you know, whatever tool? And so, yeah, my experience has been, yeah, people are like, Oh, yeah, Dave Express, and I had some meetings with partners who were down, they were like, Oh, Dave Express, I know Adobe, but yeah, so it's been a sort of uh just raising awareness again, really, of yeah, the Adobe Express and all that that it can be done, and and just and me and my colleague Kevin, who's sort of the the other half of me, he concentrates on sort of the technical side, which is still technical, getting the schools on boarded, the whole school all safely. Um and um, yes, and we're we're talking about doing something called the art of possible, so to really sort of directing teachers what's impossible in Adobe Express, and also we want, and this is more Kevin and she's channeled to Kevin, he was saying, I want students to say, sir, or myth, you know, we want to use Adobe Express because we use it to do this, we use it to create this, and yeah, so that that's kind of where where we're heading, and um yeah, let me just pause a second because I had a thought on well thought on that on the art across and the the top-down. Um yeah, and also a really fab thing the other day. Now, have you come across the live lessons with Don and Meredith?

Dr. Alfonso Mendoza: 26:40

Oh my gosh, you know, the live lessons are fantastic. That's something like that I look forward to when I can get to them because they they do a fantastic job during doing those.

Sean McLauglin: 26:51

Yeah, and I I was actually in a class when a live lesson happened. So me, Jennifer King, is our lead, um, a couple of really the big sort of VIPs from the the US were over, Therese and um I want to say Katie were over, and we were in this class, and it I've got to admit it was a pretty privileged school. It was called St. Pirons, it's a really nice school, but very privileged. We all had one-to-one devices, they all have like a MacBook studio. But we're in this um live lesson, and and Dom and Meredith had come on, and and it was amazing to watch the these years, you know, six digital leaders, all gals, just sort of getting involved with this lesson. It was a it was to do with Guy Forks, and they're finding the way, and then I thought what was great was Dom kind of done his bit on the um the the browser, and then it just then gave him time while Meredith done the the part on the Apple or the um yeah, the iPad device, and just watched them catch up, but then yeah, same as before. You got them some of them deviating a bit, and instead of just using a uh background image, they're using the AI to create one. Yeah, it was really fabulous. And then the the hot total highlight was um Jet and he's got on YouTube and said to Dom and Merri to give St. Pyrons out and it did, it came up on the screen, you know, shout out to St. Pyrons. It was really wonderful, and so yeah, we've got some really purposeful. I mean, if you're a teacher and and live lessons as they'll be like, you know, you haven't got a plan, or you just get you know, go to a live lesson, it's so exciting. You know, the kids really gonna engage the kids, and then also within that, they've also created um a few ebooks, and they they are they are nation-focused. We've got an Scotland one, an Ireland one, a an England one, and 45 lessons. You know, so I think those parts for me have been absolutely awesome.

Dr. Alfonso Mendoza: 28:56

Yeah, and you know, I think that that is something that going back to that community, and but it's just the the thoughtfulness of really thinking, you know what, if teachers cannot be where I'm at, let me go and meet teachers where they are. And I think that the live lessons are fantastic. And like you said, listen, like this is something that maybe you might make a little bit of time during your day, you know, because it would be worth it. To me, it's more, and I want to let teachers know, again, this is just from from my observation, my own experience, investing that bit of time in a live lesson can definitely save you a lot more time throughout the year, throughout your semester, throughout your quarter, because what the students will learn during that time, hands-on, can easily, easily be implemented within not only your subject matter, but other subjects as well. So it's definitely something that is worth signing up for, getting your students right in front of a wonderful expert, you know, and the Adobe team is fantastic. And not only will they learn, but I promise you, you as a teacher are gonna get those nuggets that you can sprinkle onto what you are already doing. Great. So Sean is definitely spot on uh as far as the life lessons are concerned, because they will definitely be a game changer. But again, I would suggest, like Sean said, if you don't have a plan for that day, or at least plan for that little time, I promise you it's worth the investment or the return on instruction is definitely going to be high for sure.

Sean McLauglin: 30:34

Yeah, and do please I reiterate that, do reach out to me because I was even in a the School of Academy show the other day, and and there's a math teacher, an English teacher, and they were saying how you know they use a debut across curriculums. So yeah, please do reach out for me. And I'm I'm sure I actually might share some case studies with you, uh funds to share with the yeah, share with the participants.

Dr. Alfonso Mendoza: 30:58

Yeah, that'd be fantastic. Anything that you can share, we'll definitely link it in the show notes, Sean, with your info and everything. That way, if any of our awesome UK listeners, and we do get a lot of UK listeners that are listening to the pod and want to connect with you, they can definitely do so and connect. So, Sean, as as We we go on here through our conversation. I want to ask you, you know, I know that uh obviously, you know, we've got our our winter break that is coming, we've got some winter activities. Anything that you can share that Adobe is doing as far as you know, maybe uh like uh 12 days of Christmas or little events or any creativity thing that's happening there in the UK. Anything that y'all got planned?

Sean McLauglin: 31:37

Oh Hung Sam, well, can I just say it's really dark here? It's like is we're from only 3 30 p.m. in the UK, but it's just really dark cold, and yeah. So we're starting the 12 days of creativity, and I had a really fun and also with our partners, medical school, and I had really fun uh medical AI, sorry, really fun last night with Ember, Ember Trout from their community team, and we're we're doing a sort of a few different demos, and um, yeah, and and my bandwidth was dying, you know, each round the demo. And I've clicked on the the snowman image in someone's dock, and it opened up the ugly sweater if it's a dog, and I was like, right, I was planning to do a talking snowman, I'm just gonna have to go with the talking dog now. And boy, did it come out like an ugly sweater, you know. And I just used the anime character, I used the right within, I generated the image, and right within the image I just clicked audio, and then you can clicked anime character, and I just put some uh transparent background on and some lips on it, and uh yeah, and it had a talking dog, but yes, so then no, it's official. The 12 days of creativity was launched on the 24th of November, so it's already started. But obviously, I know over there in the US a lot of you on Thanksgiving this week. Um fall on Thursday, yeah. Um, so yeah, I did a really thoughtful post and I tried to sort of thank some folk in it because I may be um Thanksgiving, but I also wanted to try and sort of make it more inclusive and just say, you know, whatever you're doing, you know, ha happy Christmas. I hope you have a great new year, really. And yeah, so that's been really exciting and my first time actually doing it. And I did hear last year, it was you know, it's just really, really successful and really fun, and and yeah, and tons of people got involved. And within there, and this I know me and you have been around in the ed tech scene for a while, Fons. And do you remember the one word with all the and yeah, we used to create the one word? Well, did we used to was it in within a day but you created it, and then you stuck it. I'm way clear, I can't quite remember, but just remember that one word or flip even.

Dr. Alfonso Mendoza: 33:53

Yeah, and yeah, yeah, I I would I would like I would always use do my one word back in the day, like it was like Spark, and then of course, once uh you know uh Adobe Express came out, I would just do my one word there, and then obviously we would upload it. I know many people had various platforms that you can upload, and I think that that's something that is great too. That you know, as far as going back to community, just just amplifying creativity and finding tools where even us as adults can create. And like I said, going back to like that that inner child, I guess, where maybe I I was never good at drawing, but Adobe Express gives me an opportunity to at least bring my creation to life. And and yes, maybe I didn't hand draw it, but it was it's something that came from my thought process, and I think that that's one thing that I love. But anyway, going back to the one word and doing those things, um, I think that that's something that's huge, you know, with community that people will always participate. And I love that uh the team also will always showcase and share and retweet and reshare and everything, and they're just so full of gratitude because they are really teacher focused, and I think that's something that is fantastic that I love, and you know, just connecting with other like-minded educators to be able to do those things, so it's I love it, it's wonderful.

Sean McLauglin: 35:15

Yeah, a hundred percent, and and yeah, definitely global. I mean, I can think of some amazing people over there, Tania, Tanya Gonzalez and Claudia, and some just really incredible Nikki, Nikki, oh Nikki. Oh, I can't believe I can't remember the second name now. You've you've definitely interviewed Nikki over there in the US, but yeah, that oh.

Dr. Alfonso Mendoza: 35:43

I can't yeah, I'm trying to think, Nikki. I I know it sounds familiar, and I was like, it's on the tip of my tongue, but I can't remember the last name.

Sean McLauglin: 35:50

But yeah, it's a writ and Mel, you know, Mel over in um Oh, yes, Mel. Yeah, she's incredible. Yeah, I connected with her again, and she's like, When are you coming to Africa? Yeah, so yeah. We've sort of got a leader in Europe now, and so yeah, who knows where that goes. Yeah, we're hoping a bit bit more, bring draw people in, but yeah, tons of things going on, yeah, and tons of ways to get involved, and I think for me, again, just getting back with those partners. So I did a a Wake Clear webinar and that shared community. It was fab. I'd put on my old Wake Lear uh um ambassador t-shirt, my ace badge, and just you know, sharing my tool within their tool was just so excited. And I've also done with Book Book Creator, that was really fun with bought Faber Forbes and and and we were creating live, you know, live on the on the fly in the show, creating a book based on um Alyssa coming to the UK. She had like a retreat at Book Create Book Creator here in Bristol. And I met uh her and her colleague Johnny at the National Portrait Gallery in in London in Trafalgar Square. And we were going, what are we gonna do for this webinar? And I started telling them about this book, uh Katie Goes to London, and by James Mayhew, and uh James Mayhew, I think, don't quite too much. And um, yeah, the lions in Trafalgar Square. Can you picture those? The lions in Trafog Square, the huge lion statues. Yes, and yeah, one of the stories is she just jumps on this lion and they they go on an adventure. So you're like, right, that's it. We just went on a live adventure in Book Creator and a baby just during the session, and look course, those two are so exciting, you know. They're real global collaborators, they're real, got a half students. I mean, that that Yeeha with Alyssa or his friends is, you know, and there's so many of us out there, isn't there, that you know, have this heart for just wanting to not only encourage teachers but also give to them, and Alyssa always says this, and I'm gonna quote her a bit. She always says, I love it, Sean, because you'll you'll sort of enable teachers to give students a yeah, but I think, yeah, I think that's my mission, yeah. Because it used to be just to get teachers to use tech, but actually in my experience, that you know, that can be difficult at times. But if I could just have uh the odd breakthrough that then will give the students a yeah, I'm not even sort of those creative moments, there's moments where their imagination shines, where they share their voice. Yeah, that's I'm all I'm here for that, that's for sure.

Dr. Alfonso Mendoza: 38:37

I love it, I love it. But you know what, Sean? Also, you're not just creating Yeeha moments for educators, but I mean, through your work and partnerships, I mean, take for example, the team, you know, sitting there and they're building their trainers or creating their trainers, those are Yiha moments there too, as well. And so not only are you able to work, you know, with teachers and students within the classrooms doing that, but also outside the classrooms and still amplifying creativity. So that is something that I love that you get to do. You're you're in both worlds and you're just creating amazing moments and amplifying, you know, people's creativity in every way, shape, or form. So that's fantastic, Sean. So thank you for for the work that you're doing, my friend. I really appreciate it. And uh, you know, again, being able to grow the team and being here on the show too as well, and finally connecting and having a great conversation and just hearing the excitement in your voice and and hearing all about the great and wonderful things that you're doing in the UK is something fantastic. So for our UK audience that's listening, please make sure you connect with Sean because high energy, he will make sure and connect with you, he will make sure that you get to use Adobe Express and that you can continue to have those farmer fob yeehaw moments for sure.

Sean McLauglin: 39:57

Yeah, hashtag family with always, yeah. Perfect.

Dr. Alfonso Mendoza: 40:01

Now, Sean, how might our listeners, and I know we're gonna link that in the show notes, but what would be the easiest way for our listeners that are in your area to be able to connect with you and maybe, you know, just yeah, uh say, like, hey, maybe we might be interested in in an event or you know, or or where might there be some events that maybe they might be able to attend? So uh how would they be able to connect with you?

Sean McLauglin: 40:26

Yeah, we have a UK Express link, so it's got all the things on there, the live lessons, the how to become an ace leader, um how as our resources, the ebooks, the U cable. So but definitely sharing that. Um personally, I think the quickest place to connect with me would be on LinkedIn. I'm I'm pretty active on there, and yeah, just connect with me and message me out. And I'm and one of my strengths is just sort of connecting and getting really back quickly with people. So yeah, that that you'll find me easily there. And yeah, but I'd definitely be sharing all the resources. And yeah, we'd love you to if you know if you if you want to get to know at every space or particularly if you're using, we'd just love to get you in to the community and and see what you're doing and and help you grow and help others grow. Yeah, we'd love that.

Dr. Alfonso Mendoza: 41:20

Excellent. Well, Sean, we will definitely make sure to link all that info. So please make sure you send me any links and uh you know at all that we can share, and then that way our wonderful UK community can connect with you and get those resources too as well. But thank you so much, Sean, for being here with me today on this wonderful morning for me and a very dark and cold afternoon for you in the UK. But thank you so much for uh just connecting and again, just really uh hearing about your hearing your energy, your excitement, and all the wonderful things that are happening. I wish you and the rest of the team the best. And of course, as we go into the holiday season, in uh, you know, I wish you a happy holidays, you and your family and yours. And thank you all. And for our listeners here, thank you so much as always. Oh, oh, but wait, wait, wait, I forgot. And Sean, I forgot to send you those last three questions. Uh, however, you know, it's a little speed round question. So I don't know if you do watch the show, but here we go. So I'm gonna put you on the spot here because I forgot to send those in, but here we go. So as we know, every superhero has a pain point and a weakness. So for Superman, that kryptonite was something that weakened him and was a pain point. So I want to ask you, Sean, maybe in the current state of education, what would you say would be your current edu kryptonite?

Sean McLauglin: 42:57

Education is really a difficult place at the moment, I think. And um, and just seeing all you know the pressures you know teachers are under in the UK, and and I'd studied out during my studies, and uh and it's really economy driven. And I think so. My pain point is there's so many people out there with such good intentions to you know want to just shape education for the bet, for the students to change the system. But yeah, I think it's a real kryptonite, you know, it's just so you know, it's such the norm. It's just gonna be so hard to even chip a little bit off it. So I think it's a it's a a really um uh you know on the on the huge on the big bigger scale, I think for me, that that you know, change in education and and I think so yeah, that for me. There you go.

Dr. Alfonso Mendoza: 43:50

Good answer, good answer. All right, question number two if you could have a billboard with anything on it, what would it be and why?

Sean McLauglin: 44:00

Billboard, oh my goodness Well, I'm just gonna go for I'm the father, and the reason being, only reason being is because I just thought of my five six year old, now six-year-old no girl the other day, uh, and and I've for Father's Day she bought me the Darveda t shirt that we've only just heard of that. To give my family, and yeah, thanks for sort of wishing us a happy holidays, but just to give my wonderful family, my wife and my daughter a shout out. I think yeah, I just get when I haven't got a t-shirt and I'm the father, I just yeah, have my kill my family, I'm the father.

Dr. Alfonso Mendoza: 44:49

I love it, I love it. Great, great answer. All right, and the last question is if you could trade places with one person for a day, who would that be and why?

Sean McLauglin: 45:01

Oh crumbs. I think I'm gonna say you fons, and I'm gonna say, yeah, like I I yeah, your I mean your experience and all the things you've seen and and your knowledge, and yeah, you yeah, it'd be a bit of a busman's holiday, I think, because I think we've got we're kindled spirits, but yeah, you've definitely all the conversations you had, all you know, I know you base your doctorate on all the different conversations that I think you, and I think I'd like to carry yeah, it'd be a busman's holiday because we've got the same similar spirit, but yeah, I'll just get to hand more knowledge, say. There you go. Well, thank you so much. Yeah, no, just on that, yeah, I wanted to mention that, yeah. And I think because my research was qualitative as well when I was doing research on AI, and I just it was just so so helpful just having these conversations and learning from others through conversations. So, yeah.

Dr. Alfonso Mendoza: 46:00

Yeah, and and I think that that's something that's great that I feel that you and I have in the sense that we just love storytelling and we just love to listen to other people. And I think that's why, you know, I've done this show for the longest time because there's just something so great to be able to listen to somebody's experience, and and it just went naturally with my research on the qualitative study aspect of it, you know, to be able to do the dissertation on that. So yeah, you know, but I think that that's why I think we you and I get along would get along so well and we would have countless hours of conversation that would be nonstop. I so hopefully one day, my dear friend, we get to meet in real life and we can definitely have those conversations too, as well. And uh that way we can just share some great stories and great experiences with one another. So, Sean, thank you so much again for being an amazing guest, uh just an amazing person. And you know, again, continued success on the amazing work that you're doing in the UK with the rest of the team. I wish you all the best. And again, to our audience members, thank you as always for all of your support. As you know, and if you notice here, I mean, this is just genuine conversation that we would just love to always bring out week in and week out to every single one of you so you can get to know these amazing and wonderful educators that are out there, that are helping, that want what's best for teachers, want what's best for students, and overall have a great heart, just like Sean and the rest of all our episodes that we've had. So please make sure you visit our website at myedtech.life where you can check out this amazing episode and the other 345 episodes that I promise you you'll find some little knowledge nuggets there that you can take from and sprinkle to what you are already doing great. And again, all of this wouldn't be possible without our sponsors. So a big shout out to Book Creator, Edu8, Yellow Dig, and Peelback Education. Thank you so much for all of your support. And until next time, my friends, don't forget, stay techie!