My EdTech Life

Research First Approach to AI Tools with Short Answer In this episode of My EdTech Life [https://www.myedtech.life/], I sit down with Adam [https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-sparks-15652299/] and Alexa Sparks [https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-sparks-15652299/], the husband-and-wife founders of Short Answer [https://myshortanswer.com/], a writing platform built to strengthen peer-to-peer learning and classroom dialogue. We dive into their journey from classrooms and Stanford labs to building an edtech startup that puts pedagogy first. Adam shares how a tough reception at a ResearchED conference burst the EdTech bubble and reshaped their vision for AI in schools. Alexa explains why her research left her more skeptical of AI than when she started, and how that skepticism helps keep Short Answer grounded in solid pedagogy. Together, they open up about: * Why EdTech needs more dialectical thinking * How Short Answer blends AI feedback with student discourse * Their new partnership with EduProtocols and what it means for teachers * The tension between tool-driven conferences and pedagogy-first practices * What’s next on the roadmap for Short Answer [https://myshortanswer.com/] This conversation is for every educator, leader, or EdTech enthusiast who wants to see technology serve teachers and students—not replace them. ⏱️ Time Stamps 0:00 – Welcome and sponsor shoutouts 2:00 – Adam and Alexa’s journey into EdTech 7:00 – Why EdTech needs dialectical thinking 10:00 – ResearchED pushback and bursting the EdTech bubble 15:00 – From hype to caution: AI in writing feedback 20:00 – Short Answer’s approach to peer-to-peer learning 27:00 – Tool-first vs pedagogy-first conferences 31:00 – Partnering with EduProtocols 37:00 – New features: Quick Write and Pen Pals 43:00 – What’s next for Short Answer 45:00 – Edu Kryptonite: time and the EdTech bubble 49:00 – Billboard messages and who they’d trade places with 50:00 – Closing thoughts and final shoutouts  🔗 Adam's Substack Article: EdTech Needs More Dialectical Thinking [https://substack.com/@adamsparks4/note/p-162729568?utm_source=notes-share-action&r=ym4zh] 🎧 Listen to more episodes: https://www.myedtech.life [https://www.myedtech.life/] Big thanks to our amazing sponsors Book Creator [https://bookcreator.com/?utm_campaign=4566333-H1%202025%20Be%20an%20Author%20Month&utm_source=myedtechlife&utm_medium=podcast], Eduaide.AI [https://www.eduaide.ai/], and Yellowdig [https://yellowdig.co/] for powering these conversations that matter.   As always, my friends… Stay Techie! Authentic engagement, inclusion, and learning across the curriculum for ALL your students. Teachers love Book Creator. [https://bookcreator.com/?utm_campaign=4566333-H1%202025%20Be%20an%20Author%20Month&utm_source=myedtechlife&utm_medium=podcast] Yellowdig is transforming higher education by building online communities that drive engagement and collaboration. My EdTech Life  [https://www.myedtech.life/]is proud to partner with Yellowdig to amplify its mission. See how Yellowdig can revolutionize your campus—visit Yellowdig.co [https://www.yellowdig.co/]today! Support the show [https://www.buymeacoffee.com/myedtechlife]

AI in Schools: Strategy Over Shiny Tools with Kyler Cheatham When it comes to AI in school districts, rushing in without a clear why can cost millions, crush teacher buy-in, and derail your entire tech strategy. In this episode of My EdTech Life, I sit down with Kyler Cheatham [https://theconfluencial.com], a system architecture expert in AI and predictive analytics, to break down what districts are getting wrong and how to get it right. Kyler [https://theconfluencial.com] shares hard truths about AI adoption in K-12 and higher ed: * Why CTOs must own their “I don’t knows” * How to avoid the “move fast and break things” trap * The real cost of chasing buzzwords without solving actual problems * Why 50% of your implementation team should be end users * How to keep vendors honest and ensure they meet your district’s needs Whether you’re a district leader, tech director, or educator navigating AI, this conversation will give you the questions, strategies, and fail-safes you need before signing that next contract.  00:00 – Welcome and introduction  02:17 – Kyler’s [https://theconfluencial.com] background in AI and education technology 04:26 – The toughest challenges districts face with AI adoption 07:00 – Teachers as “speedboats, tugboats, and anchors” 09:14 – Advice for CTOs feeling overwhelmed 12:32 – The dangers of rushing into AI for the sake of hype 15:43 – Why vendor partnerships can make or break implementation 20:00 – Building a core team with 50% end users 22:58 – “Phase Zero” and defining your why before selecting tools 32:21 – The AI sticker joke—and why labels aren’t strategy 35:15 – Two wins and two losses Kyler [https://theconfluencial.com]sees in AI adoption 40:42 – Final advice for districts, CTOs, and vendors 46:25 – Closing thoughts and how to connect with Kyler  [https://theconfluencial.com] Big thanks to our sponsors for supporting these important conversations:  📚 Book Creator [https://bookcreator.com/?utm_campaign=4566333-H1%202025%20Be%20an%20Author%20Month&utm_source=myedtechlife&utm_medium=podcast] 🧠 Eduaide.ai [https://www.eduaide.ai/] 🗣️ Yellowdig [https://yellowdig.co/] Listen in, take notes, and as always…Stay Techie! Authentic engagement, inclusion, and learning across the curriculum for ALL your students. Teachers love Book Creator. [https://bookcreator.com/?utm_campaign=4566333-H1%202025%20Be%20an%20Author%20Month&utm_source=myedtechlife&utm_medium=podcast] Yellowdig is transforming higher education by building online communities that drive engagement and collaboration. My EdTech Life  [https://www.myedtech.life/]is proud to partner with Yellowdig to amplify its mission. See how Yellowdig can revolutionize your campus—visit Yellowdig.co [https://www.yellowdig.co/]today! Support the show [https://www.buymeacoffee.com/myedtechlife]

AI Optimism with Becky Keene In this episode of My EdTech Life, I sat down with author, educator, and thought leader Becky Keene [https://beckykeene.com/] to unpack her new book AI Optimism [https://amzn.to/4mzsCOn]. We tackled everything from AI literacy and data privacy to the SAMR model, edtech skepticism, and what it really takes to shift classroom practice forward, not with hype, but with intention. Becky shares her “AI Optimism” [https://amzn.to/4mzsCOn] framework, talks candidly about the realities of edtech implementation, and reminds us all that if AI can do your job, maybe it’s time to teach differently. Whether you're a classroom teacher, district leader, or edtech developer, this conversation is for you. Dive in and walk away with clarity, strategy, and a renewed sense of agency. Timestamps 00:00 – Intro & Becky’s background 03:10 – Why she wrote AI Optimism 07:00 – The SAMR model & AI’s role 11:30 – From substitution to redefinition 15:00 – Empowering student agency with AI 17:30 – Rethinking PD for meaningful AI use 23:30 – Higher ed vs. K–12 AI needs 28:30 – Data privacy concerns 31:30 – Equity, access & the freemium problem 35:45 – Can AI replace teachers? 40:00 – Encouraging teacher reflection 42:00 – Final questions & takeaways  📚 Grab Becky’s book AI Optimism + free study guide: 🌐 https://beckykeene.com [https://beckykeene.com/] 🎉 Shoutout to our amazing sponsors: 📘 Book Creator [https://bookcreator.com/?utm_campaign=4566333-H1%202025%20Be%20an%20Author%20Month&utm_source=myedtechlife&utm_medium=podcast] – Create, read, and publish student work with ease 🤖 Eduaide [https://www.eduaide.ai/] – AI tools designed to empower teachers, not replace them 🟠 Yellowdig [https://yellowdig.co/] – Social learning built for real engagement Visit our site for more great episodes! 🔗 Website: https://www.myedtech.life [https://www.myedtech.life/] 💛 Support the show: Become a Podcast Partner [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2395968/support] 👇 Like, comment, and share this episode with your network. Let's keep growing together.  🎤 And as always... Stay Techie! Authentic engagement, inclusion, and learning across the curriculum for ALL your students. Teachers love Book Creator. [https://bookcreator.com/?utm_campaign=4566333-H1%202025%20Be%20an%20Author%20Month&utm_source=myedtechlife&utm_medium=podcast] Yellowdig is transforming higher education by building online communities that drive engagement and collaboration. My EdTech Life  [https://www.myedtech.life/]is proud to partner with Yellowdig to amplify its mission. See how Yellowdig can revolutionize your campus—visit Yellowdig.co [https://www.yellowdig.co/]today! Support the show [https://www.buymeacoffee.com/myedtechlife]

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 [https://www.tiktok.com/@erikthephdad], 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 keeps students locked out of agency. Erik shares how improvisational theatre, playground culture, and student discourse can reshape how we think about learning and how the classroom should feel more like a community than a factory. We also break down the risks of cognitive offload when students rely on AI to do the thinking for them. Are these tools helping or harming? What does it really mean to teach with students, not to them? Whether you’re a K-12 teacher, higher ed faculty, or policy maker, this episode challenges you to stop, think, and ask yourself: Are we preparing learners or performers?  00:00 – Welcome Back, Erik Parsons: The PhDad Returns  02:45 – The Story Behind "The PhDad" and TikTok Content  06:00 – Behaviorism vs. Developmentalism Explained  12:30 – The Power of Play, Agency, and Classroom Discourse  18:00 – What Developmentalism Looks Like in a Tech-Rich Classroom  24:00 – Are We Managing Students or Empowering Them?  30:00 – When Tech Becomes a Distraction Instead of a Tool  35:15 – Rethinking the Teacher's Role in EdTech  38:30 – Improvisation in Learning: From Theater to Classroom  43:00 – Personalized Learning or Programmed Learning?  48:20 – What Happens When Students Only Care About the Grade  51:00 – The “Banking Model” of Education and Why It Fails  55:00 – The Real Dangers of AI: Cognitive Offload and Student Dependency  01:01:00 – Supporting Neurodivergent Students with Ethical AI  01:05:00 – Final Thoughts: From Performers to Learners  🔔 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share if this sparks your thinking. A huge shoutout to our sponsors who make this work possible:  📚 Book Creator [https://bookcreator.com/?utm_campaign=4566333-H1%202025%20Be%20an%20Author%20Month&utm_source=myedtechlife&utm_medium=podcast] 🎓 Eduaide.ai [https://www.eduaide.ai/] 🗣️ Yellowdig [https://yellowdig.co/] Stay Techie! Authentic engagement, inclusion, and learning across the curriculum for ALL your students. Teachers love Book Creator. [https://bookcreator.com/?utm_campaign=4566333-H1%202025%20Be%20an%20Author%20Month&utm_source=myedtechlife&utm_medium=podcast] Yellowdig is transforming higher education by building online communities that drive engagement and collaboration. My EdTech Life  [https://www.myedtech.life/]is proud to partner with Yellowdig to amplify its mission. See how Yellowdig can revolutionize your campus—visit Yellowdig.co [https://www.yellowdig.co/]today! Support the show [https://www.buymeacoffee.com/myedtechlife]

Digital Portfolios, Feedback Culture, and Rethinking Readiness with Tisha Poncio and Rick Butterworth In Episode 330 of My EdTech Life, I sit down with Tisha Poncio [https://www.linkedin.com/in/tishaponcio/] and Rick Butterworth [https://www.linkedin.com/in/rickbutterworth11/], authors of Today’s Learners, Tomorrow’s Leaders [https://amzn.to/4eZ1Axa]. This conversation is all about transforming classrooms by prioritizing neurodiversity, digital portfolios, and building real-world readiness through entrepreneurial thinking. We dig into what it really means to shift from compliance-based learning to authentic student voice, how educators can reframe feedback, and why every learner deserves space to reflect, create, and grow. Timestamps: 00:00 – Welcome and intros  03:10 – Tisha and Rick’s origin story  06:35 – The real message behind Today’s Learners, Tomorrow’s Leaders 10:45 – What digital portfolios can unlock in the classroom 14:20 – Why feedback culture needs to change 19:00 – Classroom examples of student voice in action 25:10 – Rick’s take on workplace readiness and how schools miss the mark 29:40 – Branding, identity, and giving students ownership 35:15 – Practical steps to empower neurodivergent learners 42:50 – Why educators should embrace their inner entrepreneur 50:00 – The question: “What’s your EduKryptonite?” 58:00 – Closing thoughts and reflection 🛠️ Learn more about Today’s Learners, Tomorrow’s Leaders: Inspire Your Students to Succeed in School and Beyond.  [https://amzn.to/4eZ1Axa] 🙏 Big thanks to our sponsors for supporting meaningful conversations in education:  Book Creator [https://bookcreator.com/?utm_campaign=4566333-H1%202025%20Be%20an%20Author%20Month&utm_source=myedtechlife&utm_medium=podcast], Eduaide.ai [https://www.eduaide.ai/], and Yellowdig [https://www.yellowdig.co/] 🎧 Listen to more episodes at: https://www.myedtech.life/ [https://www.myedtech.life/] Authentic engagement, inclusion, and learning across the curriculum for ALL your students. Teachers love Book Creator. [https://bookcreator.com/?utm_campaign=4566333-H1%202025%20Be%20an%20Author%20Month&utm_source=myedtechlife&utm_medium=podcast] Yellowdig is transforming higher education by building online communities that drive engagement and collaboration. My EdTech Life  [https://www.myedtech.life/]is proud to partner with Yellowdig to amplify its mission. See how Yellowdig can revolutionize your campus—visit Yellowdig.co [https://www.yellowdig.co/]today! Support the show [https://www.buymeacoffee.com/myedtechlife]