In the latest episode of EDU Café, I sit down with Dr. Ezekiel Dixon-Román and Dr. Ed Dieterle to unpack one of the most urgent conversations in education today: how data, algorithms, and AI are influencing not just how we measure learning but how we define it.

We explore:
🔹 Why data is socially produced and interpreted, not objective
🔹 How AI is shaping learning and behavior
🔹 The hidden risks of “efficient” technologies in classrooms
🔹 What fairness, ethics, and human-centered design should look like in practice

A key takeaway from this conversation: Before adopting any new technology, we should ask not just, “Does it work?” but “Do we actually need it to do things better, to do better things, or both?”

Also check out: 

• Upcoming book with contributions from Ed and Ezekiel: Learning Under Algorithmic Conditions. https://www.upress.umn.edu/9781517920050/learning-under-algorithmic-conditions/
• Upcoming University of Minnesota Press documentary directed by Valerie Veatch - Ghost in the Machine - that Ezekiel is featured in: https://kinema.com/films/ghost-in-the-machine-pvxg4p

#Education #EdTech #AIinEducation #DataEthics #EquityInEducation #LearningDesign 

What if up to 8% of students in your classroom struggle with math, not because they aren’t trying but because of a neurological difference?

In my conversation with Dr. Sandra Elliott, we unpack the often-overlooked learning difference: dyscalculia.

💡 Key takeaways:

• Dyscalculia impacts number sense, calculation, and mathematical reasoning
• It’s as prevalent as dyslexia but far less understood
• Many students go undiagnosed, often labeled as “just not good at math”
• Early screening and explicit, systematic instruction can make a life-changing difference

Perhaps the most important reminder:

👉 Every classroom likely includes students with dyscalculia, whether we recognize it or not.

As educators, leaders, and advocates, we have an opportunity to shift the narrative around math learning and provide the support students truly need.

🎧 Tune in to learn the signs, support students effectively, and rethink math instruction.

#Education #Dyscalculia #SpecialEducation #MathEducation #MTSS #LearningDifferences #EdLeadership

In this conversation, Liza Garonzik (founder of R.E.A.L. Discussion) sits down with Nora Landon of William Penn Charter School to explore a question many of us are grappling with:

In an AI-driven world, what matters more, not less, about being human?

A few ideas that really stayed with me:

💡 The growing need to explicitly teach human skills, such as listening, disagreement, and thoughtful dialogue

💡 Why discussion isn’t just an academic tool, but a pathway to confidence, connection, and agency

💡 How humanities classrooms can (and should) be humanity-first spaces, even as schools become more AI-forward

💡 The power of “authentic interaction” as the other AI schools should be focusing on. 

Check out the Humanity & Humanities in an AI World Educator Manifesto (https://realdiscussion.org/humanities-and-humanity-in-an-ai-world-an-educators-manifesto/), a grounded, hopeful framework for navigating this moment, not by resisting change, but by anchoring in purpose: 

I was grateful to support this work behind the scenes and to learn from such thoughtful educators pushing this conversation forward in real ways. 

We often hear about the “talent gap.” But what if the real issue isn’t people…?

In this episode, Future Plans Christa Krohn facilitates a discussion with Betsy Franjola of Hocking Hills Garment Center, Josiah Hannah of Coalfield Development, and Stefano Alva of Vitruvian Building who explored a hidden bottleneck:

👉 Ready people + real opportunities still stall when communities lack the infrastructure to support them.

They talk about:
• Why workforce readiness is a systems design challenge
• The “invisible” barriers, including housing, transportation, childcare, utilities, permitting
• The real timeline (and cost) of building skills that didn’t previously exist in a region
• How policy and funding gaps can unintentionally discourage work
• Why “make-it-possible dollars” are essential to move from pilot to scale

🎧 Ready People, Unready Places: The Bottleneck Nobody Sees

#WorkforceDevelopment #CTE #EconomicDevelopment #FutureOfWork #EducationInnovation #CommunityDevelopment

We explored a powerful idea: AI doesn’t just change how we work; it amplifies who we already are.

We dug into the four work styles framework (analytical, driver, expressive, amiable) and what it means for how we lead, collaborate, and make decisions, especially in moments of stress.

A few takeaways:

💡 There is no “best” style; rather, success comes from flexibility.

💡 AI removes some of the natural guardrails we get from working with others, which can push our strengths into overdrive.

💡 What looks like resistance in teams may actually be someone leaning into their strength under stress.

💡 Staying human-centered in AI adoption isn’t optional; it’s essential.

As someone who spends a lot of time thinking about technology adoption in education, this conversation reinforced something important: implementation isn’t just technical → it’s deeply human.

But what if the problem isn’t talent?

What if it’s design?

In the first episode of our Designing Opportunity: From Job Readiness to Future Resilience series, we explored a fundamental question with Letha Pugh, an entrepreneur and workforce development leader, Dan Leffingwell, Vice President of Policy and Advocacy at Future Plans, and Nick Moore, Acting Assistant Secretary, Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education:

Is workforce readiness really a talent problem or a systems problem?

The conversation brought together perspectives from policy, education, and community leadership, and a few powerful themes emerged.

🔹 We are talent rich but exposure poor.
Research shows many students possess the strengths for high-demand careers but simply aren’t exposed to them.

🔹 Systems often work against mobility.
Fragmented programs, benefit cliffs, and siloed policies can trap people in cycles of poverty even when they’re trying to advance.

🔹 Workforce development must address the whole person.
Childcare, transportation, housing stability, and mental health support often determine whether someone can actually stay in a job.

🔹 Opportunity doesn’t happen by accident.
It must be intentionally designed through coordination between education, employers, policy leaders, and communities.

As one panelist put it:

“The talent isn’t missing. Alignment is.”

If we want future resilience, for rural and urban communities alike, we need systems that connect talent, opportunity, and support.

This is just the start of the conversation.

Episode 2 will explore another challenge: “Ready People and Unready Places: The Bottleneck Nobody Sees.”

What does it take to create systemic change for students with disabilities and learning differences?

In the latest episode of EDU Café Podcast, I had the opportunity to host Aurora Dreger of InnovateEDU to discuss the work underway through the Educating All Learners Alliance (EALA) and how cross-organizational collaboration can help drive meaningful change.

We talked about:

🔹 Why education needs a “network of networks” approach

🔹 How EALA connects over 170 organizations to share insights, resources, and solutions

🔹 The Community of Action model, a 36-hour accelerator that turns ideas into funded initiatives

🔹 What school leaders should prioritize when developing AI policies that protect student safety and privacy

If you're a school leader, educator, policymaker, or edtech leader thinking about inclusion, innovation, and responsible AI in education, I hope you'll take a listen.

They discussed:

💡 Creating advocacy groups like the Neurodivergent Student Alliance and Disability Culture Club

💡 Why accessibility needs to be designed intentionally, not added as an afterthought

💡 The power of sharing lived experiences

💡 How online environments can support neurodivergent students in unexpected ways

💡 What schools can learn by listening to students first

One of the most powerful takeaways:

Accessibility is not a niche issue. It benefits entire communities.

The students also share stories about building community, from advocacy petitions to Minecraft servers to flashlight walks at school events.

Their message is clear: meaningful inclusion requires thought, intentionality, effort, and collaboration.

And when students are part of the process, real change can happen.

Justin shares insights from his journey, starting with his work at Michigan Virtual to stepping into a brand-new leadership role focused on helping schools thoughtfully navigate AI’s rapid evolution.

💡 In this episode, we discuss:

• What it means to build a regional AI strategy while honoring local context
• Why the best AI implementation starts with people, not tools
• The importance of metacognition when using AI in classrooms and leadership
• Balancing innovation with equity, ethics, and human-centered values
• Why curiosity, not fear, should guide experimentation

Justin offers a refreshing and grounded perspective: AI should augment, not replace human expertise and relationships. Schools aren’t tech companies; they’re communities built to serve people. The question isn’t how fast we can move, but how thoughtfully we can integrate tools in ways that preserve trust, voice, and purpose.

If you’re an educator, district leader, or education innovator trying to balance urgency with responsibility in the AI conversation, this episode is for you.

🎧 Tune in to hear how one regional leader is building community, modeling curiosity, and helping 250,000+ learners and educators navigate what’s next.

In this powerful episode, we explore how grassroots collaboration, personalized career discovery, and community-driven solutions are transforming lives across rural communities and creating real, sustainable opportunity.

☕ In this episode, you’ll hear about:

• How career exposure and coaching can unlock hope and purpose
• The GRIT (Growing Rural Independence Together) Project and its impact
• Why listening to communities leads to better workforce and education solutions
• Multi-generational transformation through local partnerships
• The role of technology + human connection in scaling opportunity
• What it truly means to move from managing poverty to eradicating it

This is an inspiring, practical conversation for educators, workforce leaders, community partners, and anyone passionate about access, equity, and human potential.

What does it really mean to be a teacher leader?

In our latest episode, Dr. Bryan Zugelder and Justine Juart Lunsford explore teacher leadership not as a role defined by hierarchy or titles, but as influence, partnership, and action.

Together, we reflect on:

 ✨ How teacher leadership strengthens the educator continuum

 ✨ The difference and connection between teacher leadership and administration

 ✨ Why instructional coaching embodies leadership without evaluation

 ✨ How teacher leadership supports both student success and educator retention

Whether leadership shows up in your classroom, through collaboration with colleagues, or in building networks beyond your school, this conversation reminds us that you don’t need a title to make an impact.

🎧 Tune in to hear how teacher leadership fuels growth, passion, and sustainability in education.

#TeacherLeadership #EducatorContinuum #InstructionalCoaching #TeacherRetention #LeadershipWithoutATitle #EducatorVoice

In this conversation, they explore:
 ✨ What they’ve learned from the rapid rise of generative AI
 ✨ How educators and system leaders are navigating real implementation (beyond buzzwords)
 ✨ Where AI is already making a meaningful difference
 ✨ What challenges and opportunities lie ahead as the field matures
 ✨ What a more grounded, responsible, and equity-centered future with AI could look like

This episode is for anyone working to make sense of the shifting landscape, including educators, researchers, edtech partners, and leaders who are thinking strategically about the years ahead.

If you’re ready to move past trends and talk honestly about impact, practice, and possibility, this conversation is a must-listen.

In this episode, Thomas Arnett and Meris Stansbury of the Clayton Christensen Institute dive into what really drives families to seek out new learning environments, drawing from the “Jobs to Be Done” research and real stories from parents navigating school decisions. They explore why understanding these motivations matters so deeply, not just for designing a program but for ensuring it truly meets the needs of the families it serves.

They also talk about:
 ✨ How micro schools can clarify the specific “job” they’re best equipped to fulfill
 ✨ Why trying to serve everyone can dilute impact
 ✨ What makes alternative models appealing, and what still holds families back
 ✨ The innovations that could make micro-schooling more accessible and sustainable in the long run

If you care about family experience, educational design, or the rapidly evolving landscape of learner-centered models, this conversation is worth tuning into.

You’ll hear:
 ✔ Why Title IIA remains a critical funding stream
 ✔ Why tool training still dominates professional learning
 ✔ Where current professional learning systems fall short
 ✔ What leaders should prioritize heading into 2026

Read the guide → https://www.setda.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Improving-Professional-Learning-Systems-to-Better-Support-Todays-Educators-2.pdf

In this EDU Café episode, the last of three in his series on AI’s impact, Ryan Gravette of Idaho Digital Learning explores how educators are adopting AI at different levels:

• Informing – drafting emails, translating parent communications.
• Augmenting – co-creating rubrics, quizzes, and lesson content.
• Replacing – grading assignments with AI tools.

But Ryan offers a caution: replacing too much risks losing the heart of teaching; the relationship between teacher and student. 

💡 He emphasizes that feedback, care, and connection are irreplaceable.

So the challenge becomes:

 👉 How do we empower teachers to use AI for efficiency while protecting the human connections that drive motivation and learning?

This conversation is a timely reminder: AI can support, but it should never replace, the power of a caring educator.

In our EDU Café conversation, the second of three in his series on AI’s impact, Ryan Gravette of Idaho Digital Learning Alliance shares how students are becoming “AI natives” and what that means for learning. He notes that students often skip straight to replacement (using AI to do the work for them) rather than using it to inform or augment their learning.

This poses a critical challenge for educators:

• How do we design assignments that prevent replacement and instead encourage deeper learning?
• Can AI become a tutor that asks questions, offers hints, and supports students as they learn rather than just giving them the answer?
• What opportunities exist for AI to open doors to experiences (like interviewing professionals) that students might not otherwise have access to?

Ryan challenges us to rethink assessments and instruction so AI strengthens rather than shortcutting student learning.

In this EDU Café episode, the first of three in his series on AI’s impact, Ryan Gravette of Idaho Digital Learning Alliance breaks down how AI is transforming jobs across industries. He describes three stages we’re seeing:

1️⃣ Informing – AI helps us make decisions and work faster.
2️⃣ Augmenting – AI co-creates with us, boosting efficiency and reshaping job roles.
3️⃣ Replacing – Some tasks (and even entire roles) are being fully automated.

These shifts raise big questions for leaders and organizations:

• How do we leverage AI to enhance productivity without eroding jobs?
• What new skills, such as collaboration and managerial expertise, will become most valuable in this new environment?
• How do we prepare today’s students for a future where AI is their teammate, not just a tool?

🎧 Listen in to hear Ryan’s insights on navigating these shifts

In this conversation, Dr. Brian Troop, Superintendent of Ephrata Area School District (PA), and Dan Mahlandt dive into the district’s Tools, Targets, and Techniques instructional model, and how it’s helping educators prepare students not just for graduation, but for life.

💡 They explore:

• How Ephrata’s Life Ready Graduate framework reframes success around essential skills and dispositions
• The balance between technology and human connection in modern classrooms
• Lessons for leaders who want to spark meaningful, sustainable change in their districts

#EDUCafé #FutureReady #EducationInnovation #LifeReadyGraduate #InstructionalDesign #EdLeadership #Learning2025 #DigitalPromise #CTE #K12Education

Ed breaks down the five interconnected divides that shape how AI impacts education - from algorithms and data to agency and interpretation. More importantly, he challenges us to ask:

👉 Are we just using AI to do things better (automation, efficiency)?
👉 Or are we leveraging it to do better things, such as strengthening relationships between students, teachers, and curriculum?

This episode is a call to educators, leaders, and innovators to center human agency in the algorithmic age.

In this conversation, Julia Fallon, Executive Director of SETDA, and Dorann Avey, Digital Learning Director at the Nebraska Department of Education, join us to explore insights from SETDA’s newly released 2025 State EdTech Trends Report.

🎙️ They dive into:
 ✨ The biggest challenges and opportunities in advancing digital access
 ✨ Emerging technologies, especially AI, and their impact on teaching and learning
 ✨ The shifting policy and funding landscape for edtech
 ✨ Building educator capacity and professional development
 ✨ Addressing cybersecurity and data privacy concerns
 ✨ Opportunities for collaboration across national, state, and local levels

For the first time, AI has risen to the top as a state edtech priority. But what does “taking action on AI” actually look like in education? Julia and Dorann share what’s happening in states like Nebraska and what’s next for education leaders preparing for the future.

What if every technology purchase your district made could tell a story about sustainability, stewardship, and smarter investments for students?

In this episode of EDU Café, we sit down with Louis McDonald, Project Manager for CoSN and retired CTO from Fauquier County Public Schools in Virginia, to discuss the recently released Sustainable Procurement Guidelines, developed by CoSN in partnership with SETDA and UDT.

Louis shares why sustainability isn’t just about being “green”; it’s about being smart with resources, extending device lifespans, reducing e-waste, and saving districts millions of dollars. He talks about practical strategies, vendor partnerships, and how district leaders can take small, meaningful steps toward big impact.

💡 Key topics:

• Balancing financial, device, and environmental sustainability
• Six focus areas for measurable change
• How procurement language shapes vendor accountability
• Building collaboration across IT, finance, procurement, and facilities

Every purchase tells a story. What story is your district writing?

#Sustainability #EdTech #Procurement #K12 #EDUCafé #CoSN #SETDA #UDT #CTO 

 ✨ Mickey Revenaugh – Co-founder of Connections Academy, author of School’s Out
 ✨ Manisha Snoyer – CEO and Co-Founder of Modulo
 ✨ Shiren Rattigan – Founder of Colossal Academy & Colossal Academy Online

Together, they share how women are reimagining learning through micro-schools, homeschooling platforms, and new models that prioritize connection, relevance, and purpose. 🌱

This episode is a celebration of women leading the charge in education as well as an invitation to rethink what’s possible for learners everywhere.

We’ve reached the final episode of our Promising Practices for Teachers three-part series with Kelly Murphy, exploring the transformative impact of art therapy and active meditation in classrooms.

In this episode, Kelly shares examples, impact, resources, and challenges that come with integrating these practices into real learning environments. It’s an honest and inspiring look at how creativity and mindfulness can support both students and teachers.

If you’ve been following along, this conversation ties it all together. And if you’re just joining, now’s the perfect time to catch the full series.

#EDUCafé #PromisingPractices #TeacherSupport #ArtTherapy #ActiveMeditation #EducationInnovation #TeacherWellbeing

This week, we’re joined by Dr. Mary Rice and Joaquín Argüello De Jesús, who bring their unique journeys as educator and social worker into a powerful conversation about what sustains teachers and students.

They share stories of growing up and working in schools that often overlooked well-being—and how those experiences now shape the way they prepare future teachers. From honoring Indigenous and local literacies in New Mexico to practicing possiblementando (turning possibilities into action), Mary and Joaquín remind us that education at its best is rooted in relationships, care, and community.

💡 If you care about teacher well-being, relational classrooms, and reimagining what literacy means, you’ll want to tune in.

We continue the three-part conversation with Kelly Murphy on bringing art therapy and active meditation into classrooms.

This episode "Art Therapy and Active Meditation in Action" dives deeper into how these practices look when they come alive with students and teachers. From creative expression to mindful movement, Kelly shares real-world ways educators can foster calm, focus, and resilience in their learning spaces.

Stay with us for the final episode in this inspiring series!

#EDUCafé #PromisingPractices #TeacherSupport #ArtTherapy #ActiveMeditation #EducationInnovation

Jeff and Mike talk about why wellness is not a “nice-to-have” for school leaders, but a critical part of sustaining strong, thriving schools. From building personal routines to fostering cultures of wellness in our organizations, this conversation is about leading with clarity, balance, and connection.

If you’re a principal, superintendent, or anyone supporting leaders in education, this episode is for you.

We’re kicking off our Promising Practices for Teachers series with the first of three conversations featuring Kelly Murphy.

Across these conversations, Kelly shares how art therapy and active meditation can be powerful tools for both students and teachers to support wellbeing, foster creativity, and create space for resilience in the classroom.

This first episode dives into defining art therapy and active meditation.

Stay tuned for the next two episodes in this three-part journey with Kelly!

#EDUCafé #PromisingPractices #TeacherSupport #ArtTherapy #ActiveMeditation #EducationInnovation

This episode of EDU Café features Dr. Rebecca Itow's blog post called “Keep a Swing in Your Step and a Song in Your Heart: Music as Self-Care for Educators” which was originally posted on our partner NGLC's blog. Rebecca dives into how music can support educator wellness in practical, joyful ways:

• Using music to transition between classes, tasks, or roles as a reset button
• Simple, doable ways to weave music into busy routines
• The community-building magic of shared playlists in schools

Why it matters 🧵:
Educators give so much of themselves. Music can be more than background noise; it can be a tool for grounding, joy, and connection.

👉 Tune in and let Dr. Itow guide you through practices that may inspire your own soundtrack for teaching and leading.

📖  Read the full post: https://www.nextgenlearning.org/articles/music-as-self-care-for-educators

🎙️ Women in LeadHERship: The Bold Moves We Make

In this conversation, Jodie Buenning of Buenning Strategies talks with Amy Dujon of Community EDU about what it really means for women to lead boldly, and the risks, the resilience, and the relationships that carry us forward.

Grab your favorite cup of coffee or tea and tune in!

#EDUCafé #Podcast #WomenInLeadership #LeadHERship #Education

This episode features a post published on our partner -- Next Generation Learning Challenges -- blog by Dr. Carey Borkoski, Dr. Brianne Roos, Dr. Kenita Williams, MPP, EdD, and Taylor Ann Gonzalez, M.Ed, TI-RYT, CTIWL called "Learning from Discomfort in Education: Balancing Safety and Growth." 

For the blog post version, visit https://www.nextgenlearning.org/articles/intersection-of-discomfort-safety-peace

“Are You an Educator on Fire? AI Can Help You Chill Out” by Vickie Echols, originally published with NGLC at https://www.nextgenlearning.org/articles/are-you-an-educator-on-fire-ai-can-help-you-chill-out

In our latest episode, Dr. Katie Colina, Dr. Dominique Smith, and Sarika Simpson discuss how policy often lags behind what students actually need — and what it takes for educators and leaders to bridge that gap with compassion, creativity, and courage.

From wraparound supports that don’t end at graduation to pathways beyond college, this conversation asks:

➡️ How do we ensure policy truly serves students, not the other way around?

👉 Tune in here:  

#EDUCafé #PolicyAndPedagogy #StudentWellbeing #EducationPolicy #Podcast