Picture this: you can provide interactive, step-by-step worked examples for just about anything – math problems, ELA sentence structures, science processes, you name it. And here’s the best part: you absolutely do not need to be a coding expert to pull this off.
Week of AI Conference Presentation: Revolutionize Your Data-Driven Decision-Making with AI Tools
On May 13th, 2024, I had the opportunity to present at the #WeekofAI conference. My presentation focused on Data-Driven Decision-Making Using AI Tools to support data-driven decision-making in education in classroom, school, and district contexts. The AI tools utilized in this presentation were GPT4 and Concensus GPT. Google Gemini as well as Claude can performContinue reading "Week of AI Conference Presentation: Revolutionize Your Data-Driven Decision-Making with AI Tools"
Co-Teaching: Equitable and Inclusive Opportunities for Students
Co-teaching is an expanding opportunity across schools to provide equitable and inclusive classrooms for all students. It can be used in many facets and is employed regularly in schools through many different mechanisms and programs. Generally, many think of co-teaching as only to provide students with special needs an opportunity to participate in general educationContinue reading "Co-Teaching: Equitable and Inclusive Opportunities for Students"
Peleton Pedagogy for Asynchronous Instruction
Peleton, the exercise mobile app, excels at offering a gamified, community-centric workout experience. This "Peloton Pedagogy" employs direct modeling and instruction, complemented by uplifting storytelling and consistent positive reinforcement. As students, we value teachers who provide clear, step-by-step guidance. Yet, it's often the educators who blend this direct approach with engaging narratives and prioritize positiveContinue reading "Peleton Pedagogy for Asynchronous Instruction"
Amplifying Multilingual Learners with the Support of AI Tools
Learn more about various AI tools to support teachers in amplifying their instruction for multilingual learners!
Harnessing Generative AI for a Comprehensive WASC Accreditation Visit: A Step-by-Step Methodology
With the emergence of Generative AI, ChatGPT-4 emerges as a powerful ally for the visiting committee, offering innovative solutions to streamline the accreditation process. this blog outlines a step-by-step methodology for future WASC visiting committee members, leveraging ChatGPT-4 to enhance efficiency, accuracy, and depth in their evaluation.
Amplifying Special Education Teachers IEP Workflow with AI Tools
We delve deep into how various EdTech and AI tools can be a game-changer for special education teachers managing IEP workflows as well as providing instruction to students. These tools offer efficiency, accuracy, and time-saving benefits, transforming the way educators develop and implement IEPs with the goal of better outcomes for students and a more sustainable workload for teachers.Â
Amplify Learning: A Global Collaborative – Amplifying Diverse Learning Needs Release
Welcome to the final book in our Amplify Learning: A Global Collaborative series - "Amplifying Diverse Learning Needs." This fourth book of the series is designed as a comprehensive guide for educators striving to cater to the intricate tapestry of student needs across K-20 school settings. With an emphasis on Multilingual Learners, Special Education, andContinue reading "Amplify Learning: A Global Collaborative – Amplifying Diverse Learning Needs Release"
The Modern Instructional Coach
As we transition from the broad challenges of modern education to specific strategies, this blog will first delve into the foundational cognitive science principles essential for instructional coaches. Following this, we'll explore the integration of cutting-edge EdTech tools and AI applications in teaching, culminating in practical approaches for establishing effective classroom routines and behavior management.
Instructional Coaching: Supporting Teachers Integrating Worked Examples and Frontloading to Amplify Instruction
Within classroom instruction, "Worked Examples" and "Frontloading Models" play pivotal roles in enhancing student understanding and reducing cognitive overload when learning content. Let's delve into what these terms mean and how instructional coaches can help teachers implement them within their classroom instruction.
Why Special Educators Should Be One Role Not Two: Case Manager or Teacher (not both)
Special Education Teachers typically do two jobs in one. It's time to consider separating two major components of their job into two jobs done separately: teacher and case manager. Let's dive into each role and then discuss why we need to separate each role.
A Year in Review and the Year 2024 Ahead
This blog post will be a reflective journey through the year 2023, showcasing my key learnings, achievements, and future goals. It will highlight insights from my podcast episodes and blog posts, covering diverse topics in education. The blog will also share my reflections, personal growth, and my 'OneWord2024', which symbolizes my focus and vision for the upcoming year. Join me as I explore the intersections of AI, co-teaching, adult education, and more, laying out a roadmap for what's next in my educational endeavors.
Why We Should Ban Phones in K-12 Schools: A Changed Perspective
Explore our latest article, 'Why We Should Ban Phones in K-12 Schools: A Changed Perspective.' Uncover the reasons behind the growing call for a phone-free learning environment and its impact on student well-being and learning.
The Best AI Tools (so far) to Improve Teacher Planning, Assessment, Instruction, and Feedback
So far I have explored many AI tools in my capacity as an EdTech Trainer, Coach, and Research Chair working with Adult Education ESL, CTE Teachers, High School Diploma, University Teacher Candidates (Primary and Secondary), and Master and Doctoral Students. I've dabbled with over 100 AI tools over the past 10 months to try forContinue reading "The Best AI Tools (so far) to Improve Teacher Planning, Assessment, Instruction, and Feedback"
Help Teachers Cut Out Irrelevant Information in Their Lessons As An Instructional Coach
Delving into the intricacies of how we learn, two components of our cognitive architecture play critical roles with profound implications for educational practices related to teaching and learning: working memory, where we process information, and long-term memory, where this information finds its permanent residence. This is at the heart of Cognitive Load Theory, an essentialContinue reading "Help Teachers Cut Out Irrelevant Information in Their Lessons As An Instructional Coach"
Amplifying Science, Technology, Art, and Mathematics (STEAM) in the World of AI
In today's increasingly digital world, the intersection of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) in our classrooms is a pressing necessity and reality. AI models with research-based instructional strategies can significantly enhance and enrich our teaching practices, preparing our K-20 learners for a technology-infused future. Photo by Google DeepMind onContinue reading "Amplifying Science, Technology, Art, and Mathematics (STEAM) in the World of AI"
#AmpGlobalEdu – Amplifying Student Inquiry in Robotics, Computer Science, and STEAM is Now Here!
🚀 Elevate Robotics, Computer Science, and STEAM into your Classroom with "Amplify Learning: A Global Collaborative" 🌍 Do you ever feel like you're on the precipice of something truly transformative in your classroom, especially when diving into the realms of Robotics, Computer Science, and STEAM? Well, it's time to harness that energy and turn itContinue reading "#AmpGlobalEdu – Amplifying Student Inquiry in Robotics, Computer Science, and STEAM is Now Here!"
10 High-Impact Instructional Strategies Instructional Leaders and Coaches Can Support Teachers With That Make a Huge Difference in Student Learning
As instructional leaders and coaches, we have the incredible opportunity to elevate the effectiveness of teaching and cultivate a culture of continual growth in our schools. Embracing the new school year, review an array of high-impact instructional strategies that can truly ignite learning experiences within our classrooms. Each strategy presented in this post is accompaniedContinue reading "10 High-Impact Instructional Strategies Instructional Leaders and Coaches Can Support Teachers With That Make a Huge Difference in Student Learning"
Data-Driven Decision Making in Classrooms and Schools is Easier Than Ever Before with GPT-4 Code Interpreter
Time and the capacity to use data and understand it is at the essence of making data-driven decisions in classrooms and schools (Rhoads, 2019; Mandinach 2012, U.S Department of Education, 2010). In my research and researchers focusing on data literacy for educators, time has always been the number one issue for educators to use dataContinue reading "Data-Driven Decision Making in Classrooms and Schools is Easier Than Ever Before with GPT-4 Code Interpreter"
A Huge Opportunity for Adult Education: Preparing and Navigating an AI-Driven Future
As generative AI continues to evolve and reshape the way we work, the need for a workforce that can thrive in this new landscape is becoming increasingly apparent. How can we ensure that adult white-collar workers are equipped with the necessary digital, data, and AI literacy skills to meet the needs of businesses and communities?Continue reading "A Huge Opportunity for Adult Education: Preparing and Navigating an AI-Driven Future"
Foundational Skills and Lifelong Learning are Key in a World of AI
How can we prepare our students for a future where artificial intelligence (AI) will play a vital role in solving problems and completing tasks? How can build the skills necessary to easily pivot in an ever-changing world? How can we ensure that they have the foundational skills of reading, writing, and editing that will enableContinue reading "Foundational Skills and Lifelong Learning are Key in a World of AI"
Adult Education Should Not Be the Best Kept Secret in Town: What is Adult Education and Why Every Educator Should Know About It
Want to discover an educational service that is making an impact in our communities that you may not know exists? Adult Education programs may just be that as K-12 and Higher Education dominate the education-related discourse we see. Discover the impact of Adult Education so it is not the best-kept secret in your community asContinue reading "Adult Education Should Not Be the Best Kept Secret in Town: What is Adult Education and Why Every Educator Should Know About It"
Instructional Design is the Foundation of Learning
Designing a lesson plan takes a wide range of strategies that incorporate the elements of engaging students, having students collaborate, assessing students, and then providing feedback. In the world of ever-changing instructional modalities, we have more opportunities than ever before to innovate our instruction. #AmpGlobalEdu In education, teachers provide us with tried and true strategies.Continue reading "Instructional Design is the Foundation of Learning"
Artificial Intelligence Literacy – Understanding AI and Its Implications for Teaching, Learning, and the World
Dr. Matt Rhoads is a Tech and Instructional Leader and Innovator with hands in Adult Ed, K-12, and Higher Education. He is the author of several books and is the host of Navigating Education – The Podcast. By: Matt Rhoads, Ed.D. What is Artificial Intelligence (AI) Literacy? It is comprised of five major components that require us toContinue reading "Artificial Intelligence Literacy – Understanding AI and Its Implications for Teaching, Learning, and the World"
My Why Behind All I Do: An Educator’s WHY
Have you thought about your "why" much? Do you think about the intentionality behind everything you do? Beginning my time in education years ago, our contexts change, and what we do on daily basis changes. It consistently makes me wonder where I am at and what my why is as to the work I amContinue reading "My Why Behind All I Do: An Educator’s WHY"
What’s All the Talk about ChatGPT?Â
Matt Rhoads Ed.D is a Tech Trainer, Innovator, University Professor, Author, Podcaster, and Consultant with hands in Adult Education, K-12, and Higher Education ChatGPT is a new Artificial Intelligence platform by OpenAI that uses machine learning to use text, research, and know-how from the internet to solve problems, improve workflow, and possibly revolutionize the worldContinue reading "What’s All the Talk about ChatGPT? "
New Book Release! Amplify Learning: A Global Collaborative – Amplifying Authentic Learning in Reading, Writing, and Mathematics
On January 4th, 2023, Amplify Learning: A Global Collaborative – Amplifying Learning in Authentic Reading, will be released with EduMatch Publishing! It is a book on research-based strategies integrated with EdTech tools crowdsourced by teachers across the world who are doing these strategies and tech integrations within their classrooms, schools, and districts. This is book two ofContinue reading "New Book Release! Amplify Learning: A Global Collaborative – Amplifying Authentic Learning in Reading, Writing, and Mathematics"
Navigating the Present and Future of Education: 2022 Year Recap
What a year! We've seen much change over this year as well as adjusting to living in our quote-on-quote "new normal" after two years of major upheaval and change. As with every year, the goal of the end-of-the-year blog is to provide some thoughts on the past year and where we are going into theContinue reading "Navigating the Present and Future of Education: 2022 Year Recap"
Reinvigorating the Teaching Profession: The Policies to Consider to Retain and Recruit Teachers
Throughout North America, we are facing an unprecedented teacher and support staff shortage. Several states across the U.S. are facing a deficit of 5000 or more teachers throughout their state. As a result, we see states scrambling to fill positions, which in many cases, caused policymakers to pass laws and policies to erode the neededContinue reading "Reinvigorating the Teaching Profession: The Policies to Consider to Retain and Recruit Teachers"
Crush it from the Start: 50 Tips for New Teachers
Dr. Matt Rhoads is a Tech and Instructional Leader and Innovator with hands in Adult Ed, K-12, and Higher Education. He is the author of several books and is the host of Navigating Education – The Podcast. As we experience our first few years of teaching, they seem to blend together, but also there are moments of theContinue reading "Crush it from the Start: 50 Tips for New Teachers"
Equity Systems Within Classrooms and Schools
By: Matt Rhoads, Ed.D Dr. Matt Rhoads is a Tech and Instructional Leader and Innovator with hands in Adult Ed, K-12, and Higher Education. He is the author of several books and is the host of Navigating Education – The Podcast. Much of my thoughts regarding equity and access has been about evaluating the systems within classrooms andContinue reading "Equity Systems Within Classrooms and Schools"
Creating Coaching Systems – To Build Teacher Efficacy and Capacity
By: Matt Rhoads, Ed.D Dr. Matt Rhoads is a Tech and Instructional Leader and Innovator with hands in Adult Ed, K-12, and Higher Education. He is the author of several books and is the host of Navigating Education - The Podcast. A major part of my role is to provide instructional and EdTech integration coachingContinue reading "Creating Coaching Systems – To Build Teacher Efficacy and Capacity"
Instructional Design is the Foundation of Learning
Dr. Matt Rhoads is a Tech and Instructional Leader and Innovator with hands in Adult Ed, K-12, and Higher Education. He is the author of several books and is the host of Navigating Education - The Podcast. Designing a lesson plan takes a wide range of strategies that incorporate the elements of engaging students, havingContinue reading "Instructional Design is the Foundation of Learning"
Instruction Without Boundaries: Let’s Create Engaging and Effective Classrooms Within Any Setting to Enhance Student Learning
Over the last few years, we have had to teach within online, blended, and fully in-person classroom settings. While great strides have been made leading up to the COVID-19 pandemic, it demonstrated how the future for K-20 education is within classroom settings that no longer are bound to only a physical classroom space. We've learnedContinue reading "Instruction Without Boundaries: Let’s Create Engaging and Effective Classrooms Within Any Setting to Enhance Student Learning"
The Power of Teacher Collaboration through Crowdsourcing #AmpGlobalEdu
By: Matt Rhoads, Ed.D Dr. Matt Rhoads is a Tech and Instructional Leader and Innovator with hands in Adult Ed, K-12, and Higher Education. He is the author of several books and is the host of Navigating Education - The Podcast. Our colleagues in education are our best assets to learn and grow. Whether it'sContinue reading "The Power of Teacher Collaboration through Crowdsourcing #AmpGlobalEdu"
Amplify Learning: A Global Collaborative – Amplifying Instructional Design
On June 13th, 2022, Amplify Learning: A Global Collaborative - Amplifying Instructional Design will be released with EduMatch Publishing! It is a book on research-based strategies integrated with EdTech tools from teachers across the world who are doing these strategies and integrations within their classrooms, schools, and districts. This is book one of the seriesContinue reading "Amplify Learning: A Global Collaborative – Amplifying Instructional Design"
Evaluating Your Instructional Needs and Students’ Needs: The Technology Integration Matrix and the Learner Variability Tool
By: Matt Rhoads, Ed.D Dr. Matt Rhoads is a Tech and Instructional Leader and Innovator with hands in Adult Ed, K-12, and Higher Education. He is the author of several books and is the host of Navigating Education - The Podcast. To see what specific lessons and instructional strategies look like within classrooms, concrete examples,Continue reading "Evaluating Your Instructional Needs and Students’ Needs: The Technology Integration Matrix and the Learner Variability Tool"
End of the Year Activities, Strategies, and Resources from Teachers Across the World
By: Matt Rhoads, Ed.D Dr. Matt Rhoads is a Tech and Instructional Leader and Innovator with hands in Adult Ed, K-12, and Higher Education. He is the author of several books and is the host of Navigating Education - The Podcast. As we near the end of the school year nears, I wanted to shareContinue reading "End of the Year Activities, Strategies, and Resources from Teachers Across the World"
App-Smashing and Embedding EdTech Tools into Canvas to Amplify Student Learning
 By: Matt Rhoads, Ed.D Dr. Matt Rhoads is a Tech and Instructional Leader and Innovator with hands in Adult Ed, K-12, and Higher Education. He is the author of several books and is the host of Navigating Education - The Podcast. In my capacity as an Instructional and Technology Leader and Coach, we haveContinue reading "App-Smashing and Embedding EdTech Tools into Canvas to Amplify Student Learning"
Intro to Tango – Creating Interactive Step by Step Directions for Students and Teachers
By: Matt Rhoads, Ed.D Dr. Matt Rhoads is a Tech and Instructional Leader and Innovator with hands in Adult Ed, K-12, and Higher Education. He is the author of several books and is the host of Navigating Education - The Podcast. Tango is a revolutionary Free Google Chrome Extension that automatically creates a written step-by-stepContinue reading "Intro to Tango – Creating Interactive Step by Step Directions for Students and Teachers"
Build Your Own Personalized Professional Learning Pathway – Individualized Learning and Growth for Educators
By: Matt Rhoads, Ed.D Dr. Matt Rhoads is a Tech and Instructional Leader and Innovator with hands in Adult Ed, K-12, and Higher Education. He is the author of several books and is the host of Navigating Education - The Podcast. Photo by James Wheeler on Pexels.com There are many ways for us to buildContinue reading "Build Your Own Personalized Professional Learning Pathway – Individualized Learning and Growth for Educators"
Instructional Strategies that Can Be Used With and Without Tech
By: Matt Rhoads, Ed.D Dr. Matt Rhoads is a Tech and Instructional Leader and Innovator with hands in Adult Ed, K-12, and Higher Education. He is the author of several books and is the host of Navigating Education - The Podcast. Strategies power everything we do in the classroom. Instructional strategies are the drivers ofContinue reading "Instructional Strategies that Can Be Used With and Without Tech"
Using QR Codes and Integrating them with Strategies to Amplify Learning
By: Matt Rhoads, Ed.D Dr. Matt Rhoads is a Tech and Instructional Leader and Innovator with hands in Adult Ed, K-12, and Higher Education. He is the author of several books and is the host of Navigating Education - The Podcast. QR Codes provide a signature for someone to access the content. Think of itContinue reading "Using QR Codes and Integrating them with Strategies to Amplify Learning"
Instructional Strategies to Integrate with Google Jamboard to Amplify Learning
By: Matt Rhoads, Ed.D Dr. Matt Rhoads is a Tech and Instructional Leader and Innovator with hands in Adult Ed, K-12, and Higher Education. He is the author of several books and is the host of Navigating Education - The Podcast. Google Jamboard, like Google Slides, has many opportunities to integrate various instructional strategies toContinue reading "Instructional Strategies to Integrate with Google Jamboard to Amplify Learning"
Making Special Education Sustainable for Special Education Teachers
After much reflection and thought, I wanted to write a post about how we can make Special Education a much more sustainable position for teachers. My goal is to provide a series of recommendations for educational leaders, policymakers, and teachers to seriously consider to utilize to help attract and retain a group of teachers that make huge differences in the lives of students and families.
Creating Content with EdTech – Similarities with User Interfaces and Toolbars Make it Easy to Create Content as Seen on Canvas, Google, & Microsoft
By: Matt Rhoads, Ed.D Dr. Matt Rhoads is a Tech and Instructional Leader and Innovator with hands in Adult Ed, K-12, and Higher Education. He is the author of several books and is the host of Navigating Education - The Podcast. Creating content on Canvas is very similar to creating content on Word or GoogleContinue reading "Creating Content with EdTech – Similarities with User Interfaces and Toolbars Make it Easy to Create Content as Seen on Canvas, Google, & Microsoft"
MOTE – A Revolutionary Audio Recording Tool for Google Docs, Slides, and Sheets
By: Matt Rhoads, Ed.D Dr. Matt Rhoads is a Tech and Instructional Leader and Innovator with hands in Adult Ed, K-12, and Higher Education. He is the author of several books and is the host of Navigating Education - The Podcast. Introduction to MOTE - A Game-Changing Audio Recording Tool for Google Docs, Slides, andContinue reading "MOTE – A Revolutionary Audio Recording Tool for Google Docs, Slides, and Sheets"
Reflecting on Educations Challenges and Opportunities of 2021 to Help Us Navigate in 2022 and Beyond
By: Matt Rhoads, Ed.D Dr. Matt Rhoads is a Tech and Instructional Leader and Innovator with hands in Adult Ed, K-12, and Higher Education. He is the author of several books and is the host of Navigating Education - The Podcast. As we end 2021 and move into 2022, much has happened in the worldContinue reading "Reflecting on Educations Challenges and Opportunities of 2021 to Help Us Navigate in 2022 and Beyond"
Season 1 Recap 3: Navigating Education – The Podcast
By: Matt Rhoads, Ed.D Dr. Matt Rhoads is a Tech and Instructional Leader and Innovator with hands in Adult Ed, K-12, and Higher Education. He is the author of several books and is the host of Navigating Education - The Podcast. The last and final recap of Season 1 of Navigating Education - The Podcast,Continue reading "Season 1 Recap 3: Navigating Education – The Podcast"
Navigating Education – The Podcast – Season 1 Recap: Part 3
After the first ten interviews of the podcast, interviews began being categorized into series. During Season 1 of the podcast, the Seven Part series on Coaching was produced. This series created an engaging and informational sequence of shows that were geared towards all coaches in the educational realm. Moving into Season 2 of the podcast,Continue reading "Navigating Education – The Podcast – Season 1 Recap: Part 3"
Creating Examples vs. Non Examples Using Nano Banana Pro on Gemini 3 to Amplify Instruction
Learning abstract concepts is difficult because our students are beginners in many cases. This means they primarily understand new ideas in the context of what they already know, which is usually concrete. To build a robust "schema" (a mental structure of organized knowledge), students need more than a definition; they need to see the concept in action through examples vs. non examples. With this said, it is now ever been easier to create examples vs. non examples using Gemini's Nano Banana Pro image generator that is associated with Gemini 3. In this post, you'll see how to do this to support your instruction.
From the Sidelines to the Shoulder: Using Co-Teaching as the Engine for Instructional Coaching
The Gradual Release of Responsibility ("I do, We do, You do") is a powerful framework for instructional coaching, and it can be delivered directly through co-teaching strategies. Instead of a coach modeling and then simply observing, the crucial "We do" phase becomes a hands-on, collaborative partnership. This post explores how to use specific co-teaching models as the bridge from "I do" to "You do." I share a single-session example of supporting a teacher with multilingual learners, moving from my "I do" (model) to our "We do" ("Team Teaching") and finally to their "You do" (with me in a "One Teach, One Support" role), all within a single lesson.
From Digital Consumers to Digital Pedagogues: A Framework for Moving Teachers from Digital Consumers to Tech-Enabled Pedagogues
In my work with teachers, I’ve seen firsthand a significant challenge that has only accelerated in our tech-saturated world: the gap between how pre-service teachers use technology and their capacity to teach with it. This is the Consumer-to-Pedagogue Gap, and it is one of the most critical hurdles we must overcome in modern teacher preparation and on-going professional development and coaching as they progress forward in their careers. This post outlines a framework to bridge this gap, moving teacher candidates from passive digital consumers to active, tech-enabled pedagogues. The central thesis is straightforward: we must replace passive observation with a system of structured, low-stakes rehearsal. This over time will improve instruction as well as the use of technology when integrated together. This system is not built on intuition; it is grounded in established learning science, specifically the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework and Cognitive Load Theory (CLT). These are the foundational lenses I advocate for in all effective instructional design.
AI Agent Advancements: Google Lens (aka Homework Helper) and Comet Browser
As educators, we've navigated the shift from chalkboards to smartboards, from calculators to laptops. But the change barreling towards us now is different. It’s not just a new tool; it’s a new kind of actor in the learning process. I’m talking about AI-powered tools like Google Lens and the emerging class of AI-agent browsers, such as Perplexity's Comet Browser. These technologies are fundamentally reshaping what it means to "do work" and forcing us to confront a critical reality: we can no longer guarantee the authenticity of any work done outside our direct supervision. As a result, what does this mean for asynchronous online learning and completing graded work outside of traditional in-person classes?
Webinar – Innovative Co-Teaching: Strategies and Tools for the Modern Classroom
Last week, my co-author Dr. Karge and I had the opportunity to share ideas from our book Co-Teaching Evolved in an edWebinar with educators from around the world. It was exciting to dive into the 11 research-backed co-teaching strategies, from One Teach, One Support to Team Teaching, and show how they can flex across grade levels and content areas. This is a fantastic webinar that provides an overarching themes of co-teaching and how to implement some of its strategies across classrooms and schools.
Using AI to Support Interleaving & Spaced Practice and Retrieval in Unit Planning
As teachers, we are constantly seeking ways to make learning more durable and meaningful for our students. We want them to not just memorize facts for a test, but to fully understand and retain what they've learned over the long haul. Cognitive science offers a powerful toolkit of strategies to achieve this, and with theContinue reading "Using AI to Support Interleaving & Spaced Practice and Retrieval in Unit Planning"
EdTech Leadership in the Age of AI: What Matters Most When Everything is Changing
My coffee is still warm when the first alert comes in. A teacher cannot access Canvas, and their students are stuck at the login screen. I walk the teacher through the SSO steps, confirm access, and move on. By midmorning, I have visited classrooms, supported teachers with technology integration, and observed lessons to plan follow-up coaching. After that, I sit with our engineers to review system performance, troubleshoot issues, and test several EdTech tools and updates planned for release. At two o’clock, there are three messages on LinkedIn about a new AI tool that promises to transform learning. I scan one, note the potential and the hype, and return to the work I already committed to do. The afternoon goes to email, planning professional learning, and reviewing the week ahead. Sound familiar? For many of us in EdTech and instructional leadership, this mix of strategic and immediate work is the norm. Some hours go to multi-year plans, budgets, and compliance. Others are dedicated to making sure one specific app works for one teacher so students can keep learning. The pace makes it easy to lose focus when the day is packed and many things are going on simultaneously. I return to a single question: how do people learn, and how can instruction and technology work together to support that? If we cannot answer that question, systems, budgets, and tools will have little impact. This post shares how I connect what we know about learning with the daily realities of leading technology and instructional change in schools. I will describe several major themes and then provide a summary of the next steps to help you further reflect upon your leadership and programs.
Creating AI Agent Safeguards (for now) through Pragmatic Instructional Design to Deliver Assignments and Assessments
As you prepare your syllabus for the upcoming semester, a question I’ve explored before looms large. In a previous post, "The Death of the LMS in Higher Ed," I argued that its role as a simple repository for assignments is becoming obsolete. With AI agents now ubiquitous, how do we prevent the LMS from becoming a mere drop-box for bot-generated work from an autonomous AI Agent? The solution isn't to fully abandon the LMS (for now), but to evolve its purpose and create humanizing instructional barriers in the tasks and assessments we deliver to our students. This post presents a few practical strategies (I am implementing this term in my own graduate-level course) to revitalize our courses by shifting the focus from the final product, which AI can generate in seconds, to the learning process, which it cannot. This is going to my attempt to defend against students utilizing AI Agents. While I know this may not be one-hundred percent effective, I do have a hunch it will mitigate AI Agents to a degree, at least for the time being, this semester.
Using AI to Build Powerful Retrieval Practice Activities to Supercharge Student Learning Opportunities
The "testing effect," a term championed by researchers like Roediger and Karpicke, demonstrates that every time a student actively recalls information, they strengthen the neural pathways associated with it. This effortful retrieval tells the brain that the information is important and makes it easier to access in the future. Ultimately, over time, if students are able to actively recall correctly, this means they likelihood of them learning the content, is much higher. Although the challenge for teachers has always been the time it takes to create a rich variety of material, such as flashcards, practice tests, and quizzes, that facilitate this process. With powerful AI tools, we can now create engaging, interactive retrieval practice activities in minutes. Tools like Gemini, Claude, and ChatGPT have built-in "Canvas" features that can generate the code for these resources, and you don't need to be a coding expert to use them.
Instructional Coaches Need to Know How Memory Works – And It’s Not a Muscle
I often hear memory described as a muscle—something that gets stronger the more you "work it out." While the sentiment is well-intentioned, it's a misleading metaphor. Our memory isn't a single entity that we can simply beef up through brute force. It's a complex system, and for instructional coaches, understanding its nuances is a game-changer for helping teachers truly embed new and refined strategies into their practice as well as teach the teachers we are coaching how learning happens.
5 Ways Agentic AI Can Transform Your Teaching Workflow
What if you had a personalized assistant who knew your school’s handbook, understood your instructional philosophy, and could help you design lessons tailored to your students' needs? This isn't a glimpse into a far-off future; it's the reality of what AI agents can offer teachers today.
Thinking Systemically About EdTech Integration in Schools and Districts: A First Look at the VATT Framework
Yesterday, my friend and colleague, Dr. Drew Hinds, shared a newish framework (2023) for evaluating educational technology and integrating technology in schools with me, and it has been percolating around in my head ever since. It’s called the VATT (Value Add of Technology on Teaching) framework, and in a landscape crowded with models and frameworksContinue reading "Thinking Systemically About EdTech Integration in Schools and Districts: A First Look at the VATT Framework"
The Heart of Co-Teaching: Moving From Partner to Partnership
Throughout my years as a special education co-teacher at the high school level, I’ve experienced the full spectrum of partnerships. I recall one year vividly, where my two co-teaching assignments offered a study in contrasts. In one classroom, my partner and I rarely had time to connect. Our roles were undefined, our philosophies felt worldsContinue reading "The Heart of Co-Teaching: Moving From Partner to Partnership"
Scaling Instructional Coaching: Overcoming Key Challenges
While the evidence for instructional coaching's effectiveness is compelling, translating this potential into widespread impact presents significant challenges, particularly when attempting to scale programs across schools or districts. A primary concern, identified by Kraft et al. (2018), is the potential dilution of quality as coaching programs expand. The personalization and strong relationships that underpin effectiveContinue reading "Scaling Instructional Coaching: Overcoming Key Challenges"
Navigating the Present and Future of Education 