In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Mark Zeiler, an experienced educator, administrator, and edtech leader, to dig into what it really means to keep education human-centered in an AI-driven world.

We talk about building school culture, navigating compliance-heavy systems, and why connection—not programs—actually drives change in schools.

We also get into AI—where it helps, where it can hurt, and how we can use it to give time back to what matters most: people.

💡 Key Takeaways

• Connection over compliance: Systems matter—but relationships drive impact
• Culture isn’t built once a year: It needs to be visible and ongoing
• Recognition changes schools: Simple systems can shift morale fast
• AI should remove friction—not replace thinking
• Human intelligence still leads the work

🧠 Practical Ideas You Can Use Tomorrow

• Set up a simple weekly recognition system (students + staff)
• Build in daily micro-connections (quick check-ins > big initiatives)
• Use AI to free up time for people, not add more to your plate

🚧 Trade-Off to Consider

If we don’t intentionally design for connection, AI and compliance will take over our time—and school becomes transactional instead of relational.

🤝 Guest Info

Dr. Mark Zeiler

• 20+ years in education (teacher, media specialist, administrator)
• Focus on human-centered systems, leadership, and AI in schools
• Connect with him on LinkedIn

🌍 What We Talk About

• Human Intelligence Movement
• AI in education
• School culture and leadership
• Real-world classroom and admin challenges

🎯 Closing Thought

If AI gives us time back—but we don’t use it to connect—we missed the point.

📢 Connect with Me

Follow: @coachthomastech

Tech Ed Clubhouse Podcast

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When Sean O’Shea surveyed his staff, only 7 out of 25 teachers had used AI.So he didn’t run a training. He rebuilt the culture.

In this episode, we break down what actually worked—how one principal moved teachers from hesitation to experimentation, and why AI only matters if it improves thinking, not replaces it.

This is real school, real constraints, real moves.

In This Episode:

- The permission problem holding teachers back (and how to fix it fast)

- Why most AI PD fails—and what to do instead

- Using AI as a thought partner, not a shortcut

- A simple staff meeting shift that changed adoption

- How Sean used AI to analyze evaluations and uncover real school-wide gaps

- The balance: faster feedback vs. losing human connection

- A practical “Driver’s Ed” model for teaching AI to students

3 Moves You Can Try Tomorrow:

1. Give teachers one safe AI task (quiz or sub plans)—no pressure, just try

2. Use AI to generate reflection questions, not answers

3. Share one real example of AI saving time—make it visible

Key Insight: AI isn’t the change. Teaching people how to think is.

Guest: Sean O’Shea Middle School Principal | Massachusetts

What if the best professional development in your school isn’t a program… but the teacher down the hall?

In this episode, I sit down with digital learning coach Stevie Frank to break down what real growth looks like for educators right now—from conferences and coaching cycles to AI, edtech, and the uncomfortable truth about learning something new.

We cut through the noise on AI hype, challenge the idea of one-size-fits-all PD, and share practical ways teachers can grow—even without leaving their classroom.

This is a grounded conversation about learning, leadership, and why the best educators are still willing to feel uncomfortable.

🧠 What You’ll Learn

• Why the best PD is often the teacher next door
• How to get started presenting at conferences (without overthinking it)
• The real gap between AI conversations online vs. classrooms today
• Why hands-on learning still matters in a tech-heavy world
• How coaching, co-teaching, and relationships drive real change
• A simple mindset shift: you don’t have to fully know it to try it

💡 Quotes Worth Pulling

• “The best professional development is the teacher down the hall.”
• “It’s okay to live in the gray area—you don’t have to know everything to try it.”
• “Sometimes the best tech decision is putting the tech away.”
• “If you’re not paying for the tool—you are the product.”

🔗 Connect with Stevie Frank

• Twitter/X: @StevieFrank23
• LinkedIn: Stevie Frank
• Website: steviefrank.com

⚡ Dan’s Takeaway

Stop waiting for better PD.

The growth you’re looking for is already in your building.

Share this episode with a colleague—and try one new thing this week.

What if the best school you've never heard of is sitting inside a former Sears building in Memphis?

In this episode of The TechEd Clubhouse, I talk with Scott Holcomb — Ed Tech Imagineer at Crosstown High, Space Camp Hall of Famer, and yes, an actual character in the 1985 Space Camp movie — about what happens when a group of teachers finally get to build the school they always wanted.

Crosstown High isn't a school that adopted a new program. It's a school that started from scratch — no bells, no traditional silos, no "we've always done it this way." Built inside a 1.5 million square foot vertical village alongside a YMCA, a hospital, restaurants, and a grocery store, it was designed around one question: what if we actually listened to students and teachers?

Scott's journey to get there — from school counselor to instructional technologist covering an entire Memphis school district to Space Camp Hall of Famer — is as unconventional as the school itself.

IN THIS EPISODE

• Why the same trick that got a resistant teacher interested in technology in 1998 still works with AI today
• What Crosstown High actually looks like day to day — and what makes it different beneath the surface
• The AI conversation schools keep getting wrong, and what student surveys revealed about how kids are actually using it
• Why banning AI is the calculator mistake all over again
• Are we at the start of an educational renaissance? Scott and Dan make the case
• Space Camp: what it is, who it's for, and why it's changed more lives than just astronauts

CROSSTOWN HIGH BY DESIGN

• Project-based — real problems, real community connections, real work
• Intentionally diverse — lottery system built around zip codes, not applications
• Relationship-driven — teachers know their students, leadership knows their teachers
• Always iterating — surveys, sabbaticals, and the belief that the school will never be "finished"

RESOURCES MENTIONED

Crosstown High — crosstownhigh.orgUS Space and Rocket Center / Space Camp — rocketcenter.comMagic School AI — magicschool.aiNotebook LM — notebooklm.google.comXQ Institute — xqsuperschool.org

CONNECT WITH SCOTT

Instagram: @hideotakaminiLinkedIn: Scott Holcomb

CONNECT WITH DAN

Website: coachthomastech.comTwitter/X: @coachthomastech

The TechEd Clubhouse Podcast explores STEM education, project-based learning, creativity, and practical ideas teachers can use tomorrow.

ENJOY THE EPISODE?

If you enjoyed this conversation:Follow the podcastLeave a rating or reviewShare the episode with another educator

It helps more teachers discover the show.

What if the problem in schools isn’t that we have too many meetings… but that we’re having the wrong ones?In this episode of The TechEd Clubhouse, I talk with Kurtis Hewson from Jigsaw Learning about a simple structure that helps schools move from isolated classrooms to real collaboration.Kurtis shares the thinking behind Collaborative Team Meetings (CTMs) — a practical meeting structure that helps teachers share strategies, solve classroom challenges together, and unlock the expertise already inside a school.Instead of another initiative, this approach focuses on leveraging the knowledge teachers already have to improve practice and support students.IN THIS EPISODE• Why teaching has become too complex to do alone

• The difference between real collaboration and “contrived collegiality”
• The four layers of collaboration effective schools use
• How Collaborative Team Meetings help teachers learn from each other
• Why most professional development ignores the expertise already in the building
• How small changes in meetings can reduce teacher burnout and overwhelm

THE FOUR LAYERS OF COLLABORATION

1. Collaborative Planning Teacher teams working together to improve learning for all students.
2. Collaborative Team Meetings (CTM) Structured conversations where teachers bring real classroom challenges and share strategies.
3. School Support Team Teams that coordinate additional supports for students beyond the classroom.
4. Case Consultation Focused meetings that address the needs of one student when deeper support is required.

RESOURCES MENTIONEDJigsaw Learning https://jigsawlearning.caCONNECT WITH DANWebsite https://coachthomastech.comFollow Dan on Twitter/X @coachthomastechThe TechEd Clubhouse Podcast explores STEM education, project-based learning, creativity, and practical ideas teachers can use tomorrow.ENJOY THE EPISODE?If you enjoyed this conversation:Follow the podcast Leave a rating or review Share the episode with another educatorIt helps more teachers discover the show.

We gave kids devices.
We gave them apps.
We gave them AI.

But did we ever teach them what’s under the hood?

In this episode, I sit down with Stewart Brown from Code4Kids to talk about why tech literacy can’t wait until high school — and why this conversation is bigger than “learning to code.”

We dig into:

• Why K–8 is the missing link in digital literacy
• Why computer science should amplify core subjects — not compete with them
• Why engagement doesn’t automatically equal learning
• How understanding algorithms builds smarter, more intentional tech users
• Why banning technology isn’t a long-term solution
• What AI is exposing about our current education system

This isn’t about turning every student into a programmer.

It’s about helping kids move from passive consumers to informed, critical thinkers who understand the systems shaping their lives.

If this episode challenged you, share it with a colleague and let’s keep the conversation going.

Connect with Stewart Brown / Code4Kids

🌐 Website: https://c4k.io
💼 LinkedIn: Stewart Brown (Code for Kids)
📧 Email: stewart@c4k.io

Thanks for listening to the TechEd Clubhouse.

Follow the show so you don’t miss what’s next.

In this episode of the Tech Ed Clubhouse, I’m joined by Stephanie Howell—CEO of Gold EDU, Google Innovator, co-author of Control the Chaos, and Community Coach at SchoolAI.

We talk about the difference between engagement and compliance, why quiet classrooms are often misunderstood, and how small, low-prep moves can immediately shift student thinking. Stephanie shares her personal learning story, a 5-minute classroom strategy teachers can use tomorrow, and how AI—used well—supports feedback, iteration, and real learning without replacing teachers.

We also dig into:

• What real engagement actually looks like

• Managing “controlled chaos” in active classrooms

• How SchoolAI’s Dot and Spaces support teachers and students

• Using AI for feedback, projects, and formative assessment

• Why teachers—not tools—still lead the work

If you want ideas that work inside real classrooms, without new mandates or heavy lift, this episode is for you.

Connect with Stephanie:
📧 stephanie@schoolai.com
🌐 schoolai.com
📱 @MrsHowell24 , LinkedIN

Follow the Tech Ed Clubhouse for practical conversations about teaching, learning, and building classrooms where thinking actually happens.

In this episode, I sit down with Austin Levinson, Director of Learning at Mega Minds and a former educator with over 20 years of classroom experience. We dig into what’s missing in education right now—especially in CTE and career pathways—and why certifications alone aren’t enough.

We talk about critical thinking, adaptability, workforce readiness, and immersive AI simulations that go far beyond videos, worksheets, or “edtech for edtech’s sake.” Austin shares how Mega Minds is using 3D environments and AI characters to give students realistic, high-stakes experiences—from healthcare triage to AI ethics to job interviews—while keeping teachers at the center of the work.

If you care about real learning, transferable skills, and preparing students for a future that keeps shifting, this conversation is for you.

🔑 Key Topics We Cover

• Why critical thinking can’t be taught directly—and what can develop it

• The difference between compliance-based learning and real workforce readiness

• What CTE programs do well—and where they’re still falling short

• Why videos and slide decks aren’t enough for career exploration

• How immersive AI simulations create tension, decision-making, and real learning

• Teaching skills like triage, adaptability, communication, and judgment safely

• AI ethics through lived experience, not lectures

• Why failure, replayability, and reflection matter more than right answers

• Supporting ELL students, neurodivergent learners, and accessibility through AI

• • Keeping humans at the center while using technology intelligently

  
  

  🧠 Big Takeaways

• • Students don’t remember worksheets—they remember experiences

  • Certifications matter, but durable skills matter more

  • Not all screen time is equal

  • Feedback needs to be immediate, human, and actionable

• • Career exploration should help students say “yes,” “not yet,” or “definitely not”
  • AI works best when it supports teachers, not replaces them

• 🔗 Learn More About Austin & Mega Minds

  
  

• • 🌐 Website: https://gomegaminds.com

  • 💼 Connect with Austin on LinkedIn: Austin Levinson

  🎧 Who This Episode Is For

  • CTE teachers and directors

  • STEM, tech ed, and special area educators

  • School and district leaders

  • Anyone questioning whether current systems are truly preparing students

  • Educators looking for real solutions, not shiny tools