Every learner has the potential to be a leader – both inside and outside of the classroom. In this episode of Learning Unleashed, host Carl Hooker engages with Tisha Ponceo and Rick Butterworth, authors of 'Today's Learners, Tomorrow's Leaders.' They discuss the importance of entrepreneurial thinking in education, the impact of personal learning journeys on teaching perspectives, and the need for educators to adapt to an uncertain future. The conversation emphasizes the role of digital portfolios and the significance of feedback and reflection in fostering student growth. The episode concludes with key takeaways for educators to enhance their teaching practices and better prepare students for their futures.

Get the Book: Today’s Learners, Tomorrow’s Leaders.

Tisha Poncio, M.S has served in education for the last 21 years. She has led students in classroom instruction of English, Web Design, Graphic Design, Business Computing, Programming, and Broadcast Journalism. She has also led educators, students, and administrators as a digital learning coach for 12 years. She is a Google Certified Trainer and a Flipgrid, Wakelet, and Buncee Ambassador. Her most significant accomplishment to date has been the creation of a student-led technology leadership group, which enables her to present globally on student voice, empowerment, and the #studentsCANlead movement.

Rick Butterworth is a founder and founding member of multiple startup companies, including Resources, RPB Designs, and Wakelet. At each company, he has been a key designer and developer, driving innovation and creating platforms and meaningful experiences for students and teachers of online applications.

In this episode of Learning Unleashed, Tim Needles, an art educator and author, discusses the evolving relationship between art and technology, particularly the role of AI in creativity and education. They explore how AI can enhance artistic expression, democratize creativity, and the challenges educators face in preparing students for a rapidly changing technological landscape. The conversation highlights the importance of maintaining traditional art forms while embracing new tools that can augment the creative process.

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Tim Needles is an artist, educator, performer, and author of STEAM Power: Infusing Art Into Your STEM Curriculum. He is a TEDx Talk speaker, a technology integration specialist, and teaches art and media at Smithtown School District and Five Towns College. His work has been featured on NPR, in the New York Times, Columbus Museum of Art, Norman Rockwell Museum, Alexandria Museum of Art, Katonah Museum of Art, and Cape Cod Museum of Art. He’s the recipient of ISTE’s Technology in Action Award and Creativity Award, NAEA’s Eastern Region Art Educator Award & ArtEdTech Outstanding Teaching Award, and The Rauschenberg Power of Art Award. He’s also a National Geographic Certified Teacher, PBS Digital Innovator, a NASA Solar System Ambassador, an ISTE Community leader, NAEA ArtEdTech interest Group chair, and an Adobe Creative Educator. He’s active on social media at @timneedles.

We have learned a lot since ChatGPT launched, and teachers turned to plagiarism detectors to thwart students using generative AI to complete assignments on the down low. We revisit the topic of “uncheatable” assessments incorporating what we've discovered.

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Get the Book: Storytelling With Purpose | Hacking GenAI in Education: Conversation Starters

Michael Hernandez is an award-winning educator and speaker who brings more than 20 years of classroom experience to addressing some of the most existential challenges in education today: artificial intelligence, steep declines in student engagement, and the need for authentic learning experiences. The solution: digital storytelling as a framework for learning.

Rather than viewing storytelling as a nice-to-have reward for students after their “real work” has been completed, this book shows educators how to use story projects — from data visualizations to social media posts, to podcasts and video documentaries — as the scaffold upon which to position curricular skills and knowledge. The process helps students make interdisciplinary connections, activates higher-level thinking and critical analysis skills, and provides multimodal learning opportunities.

Rachelle Dene Poth discusses her new book on teaching with AI and integrating emerging technologies in the classroom. She emphasizes the importance of educators being open-minded and creative in incorporating AI into different content areas. The conversation also touches on topics such as AR/VR, the metaverse, and the challenges of funding and access to resources. Rochelle shares her experiences with grant writing and highlights the role of AI as an assistant and enhancer in the process.

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Rachelle Dene Poth is an accomplished edtech consultant, presenter, author, blogger and teacher. She currently teaches Spanish and a course on emerging tech that covers AR/VR, artificial intelligence, coding, gaming, digital citizenship, video animation and more. She presents regularly at conferences on technology and ways to drive student learning. Poth is the president of the ISTE Teacher Education Network and serves on the leadership team for the ISTE Mobile Learning Network. At ISTE19, she received the Making IT Happen Award and a Presidential Gold Award for volunteer service to education. She’s a Buncee Ambassador, Edmodo Certified Trainer, Nearpod Certified Educator and PioNear, Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert and Google Certified Educator Levels I and II. Poth is the author of In Other Words: Quotes That Push Our Thinking, The Future Is Now: Looking Back to Move Ahead and Unconventional Ways to THRIVE in EDU. She’s a contributing author to Education Write Now, Volume 3; several volumes of the Edumatch book Snapshot in Education; and the ISTE book Gamify Literacy. Poth is a regular blogger for Getting Smart and DefinedSTEM.

Today, we discuss the importance of understanding student data privacy laws and how they have evolved. We emphasize the need for educators to have conversations about data privacy and to make informed decisions when using tech tools with students. The conversation also touches on the challenges of navigating legal terms and agreements, the role of IT departments in vetting tools, and the importance of teacher training on data privacy. The guest provides practical tips for teachers, such as checking with their IT department for approved tools and using personal accounts for testing.

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Laurel Aguilar-Kirchhoff (@LucyKirchh), M.S.Ed., is a former history and science educator who now serves as a professional development coordinator and digital learning specialist. Aguilar-Kirchhoff works with educators, administrators and students to successfully integrate educational technology into curriculum for lasting student learning outcomes. Her areas of expertise include digital citizenship, media literacy, blended learning, curriculum instruction and design, and edtech and innovation. She was recognized as the 2018 National History Day California Teacher of the Year, was a top six finalist for the National History Day Teacher of the Year, and was the Inland Area CUE (IACUE) Administrator of the Year in 2022. She’s a Google Certified Trainer, Leading Edge Certified Online Blended Teacher and a member of the iCivics Education Network. Aguilar-Kirchhoff served on the ISTE Digital Citizenship PLN Leadership team and is currently an ISTE Community Leader.

The conversation explores the importance of including students in discussions about AI and digital citizenship. It emphasizes the need to consider the ethical implications of AI and the impact it has on various content areas. Overall, the conversation highlights the need for ongoing conversations and education around AI and digital citizenship and resources to assist in those conversations.

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Resources: Digital Citizenship in Action | Hacking GenAI in Education: Conversation Starters

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Dr. Kristen Mattson is a former middle school English teacher and high school library media specialist who has long supported teachers, leaders and learners with innovative curriculum and instruction. She currently serves as managing partner for Edvolve, which aims to help teachers and leaders transform digital citizenship education. She also teaches graduate courses on media literacy and digital citizenship at the University of Illinois. In addition to Digital Citizenship in Action, she is the author of Ethics in a Digital World (ISTE, 2021). She was named an ISTE Emerging Leader in 2018, and developed one of ISTE U’s first courses, Digital Citizenship in Action.

The conversation explores the role of AI in education and the challenges and opportunities it presents for educators. The guests discuss their book, ‘The Savvy Ed Tech Leader,’ which offers innovative strategies for EdTech leaders to boost their influence and elevate their careers. They emphasize the importance of soft skills, collaboration, and strategic planning in implementing new technologies. The conversation also touches on redefining the perception of AI and its potential to save teachers time and enhance instruction. The guests provide advice for navigating conferences and finding relevant information. The episode concludes with a discussion on the importance of continuous learning and growth in the field of education.

Sheryl Abshire, Ph.D., is a highly respected educator, author and speaker known for her lifelong dedication to advancing education through technology integration. As the chief technology officer for the award-winning Calcasieu Parish Public Schools in Louisiana for over two decades and a recognized teacher, library/media specialist, school principal and university faculty member for 20+ years, she has demonstrated exceptional leadership in incorporating cutting-edge technology into the district’s curriculum and operations. Her published works and sought-after speaking engagements at national and international conferences have solidified her status as a thought leader in the field.

Frankie Jackson is a nationally recognized chief technology officer (CTO) in K-12, leading education technology initiatives for 30+ years at the state and national levels, working in large districts with 25,000 to 118,000 students. Jackson serves on the Consortium for School Networking’s (CoSN) Policy Committee, Advanced Professional Learning Committee, Cybersecurity Advisory and Driving K-12 Innovation Board. She’s the Cybersecurity Coalition for Education project lead, certifying education leaders as cybersecurity evaluators. She’s also an instructional content designer and subject matter expert for the CoSN Certified Education Technology Leader (CETL) project management course for technology school leaders.

Donna Williamson has served as a Consortium for School Networking (CoSN) board member, executive board member and officer; as the chair and founder of CoSN Alabama Leaders; and co-chair of the CoSN conference. She’s a frequent speaker at national and state conferences, presenting on topics such as innovation, edtech leadership, communication and soft skills in edtech, data analytics and more. In 2019, Williamson shifted her focus to consulting and project facilitation in the education technology field as a consultant and project director for the CoSN Early Career K-12 CTO Academy. She has received many awards, including the ISTE Making It Happen Award, the Alabama Education Technology Association Sally Moore Award, the National Withrow CTO Award for Educators Honorable Mention, EdTech Digest’s Trendsetter Award and Alabama’s 2016 Marbury Technology Innovation Award.