Teaching with Tech

In this, the last installment of the Teach With Tech Podcast, we invite back three former MLTI Ambassadors for a nostalgic conversation.  Rob Dominick, Tracy Williamson and Joshua Schmidt return to the podcast and share their experiences with creating the podcast and with its evolution.  Along with sharing what they’re up to these days, the three former Ambassadors and current Ambassador, Jeff Ire...

In Episode 28 of the Teaching With Tech Podcast, the Ambassadors will be sharing with listeners a bit about the organization known as ACTEM.  ACTEM’s purpose and role will be discussed along with its fall conference on the 10th and 11th of October.  Along with this discussion will be audio clips sharing brief “elevator speeches” about the presentations being given by both current and former team m...

During our first episode of the 24/25 school year, we will be welcoming our new cadre of MLTI Ambassadors.  Each will share a brief audio clip introducing themselves.  Learning Specialist Jon Graham will interview Kern Kelley about a new concept in PD called CommutePD where educators can earn contact hours while commuting to and from school (or wherever).  Co-Hosts Chris and AJ will share with lis...

The 34th annual Reading Round Up of Children's & Young Adult Literature was held at the Augusta Civic Center in May. More than 350 librarians and educators from around the state came together to learn and network. Recognition awards, book awards and a lifetime achievement award were all given out. Host Jon Graham spoke with a number of librarians at the Conference. If you want to learn mor...

In this episode, Ambassadors Chris Beckwith and AJ Rog talk about how Social Media impacts the classroom and ways educators might address Social Media safety with their students. AJ interviews Tali Horowitz of Common Sense Education. Chris also shares information from a teacher in the field and his experiences with how Social Media can impact daily classroom activities. Finally, our outgoing Ambas...

In this episode, Ambassadors Chris Beckwith and Donna Netzer talk about the upcoming 2024 MLTI Student Conference at the University of Maine on May 23rd.  They interview Jon Graham, Emma Banks and Jonathan Werner to gather some background about the conference as well as some tips and tricks for making the day go smoothly.  Also in the episode are the MLTI Ambassadors sharing a little about their p...

The MLTI Team is excited to announce the release of a new spinoff series, called Capitol Connections. These episodes will examine projects and teams throughout the Maine Department of Education, showcasing how they are transforming learning for students throughout Maine. The goal of Capitol Connections is to shine a light on some of this great work while hearing from the people who make it possibl...

In this episode, we talk about the MLTI Ambassador position and provide information for people who are interested in applying for the next two-year cycle as part of our team as distinguished educators with the Maine Department of Education.  If you wanted to learn more about the position, check out our episode from Season 1 of the Teaching With Tech podcast called “What are MLTI Ambassadors?” http...

Show Notes The Maine State FIRST LEGO League Challenge Championship 2024 was held at the Brewer Community School in February. More than two dozen teams from around the state came together to test their robots on the competition floor, show their innovation projects to judges and try to capture the Champion’s Award (and a chance to go to the national event in Houston). Host Jon Graham spoke with ML...

The MLTI Student Conference has a rich history of creating valuable learning experiences for students all over Maine. And like many events, the Covid-19 pandemic forced an immediate and drastic shift. Starting in May of 2020, the event turned virtual, using innovative strategies to keep the spirit of the conference alive while continuing to provide high-quality and engaging learning experiences fo...

In this episode, the MLTI team continues their conversation on prioritizing wellness. Joshua talks with AJ and Jeff about social media’s effect on student mental health, and they describe two tools that provide immediate resources for teachers to broach that conversation carefully and effectively. Gwyneth and Nicole have an interview with Eric Hanson, assistant superintendent of Old Orchard Beach...

In this episode the Maine Learning Technology Team (MLTI) and Learning Through Technology (LTT) Team discuss the topic of teacher wellness. Because this topic is so wide-ranging, the team split the discussion into five segments. Joshua Schmidt and Chris Beckwith discuss augmented reality and virtual reality and how those tools can impact both physical and mental wellbeing. Nicole Karod and Martha...

In this episode the Maine Learning Technology Team (MLTI) and Learning Through Technology (LTT) Team continue their discussion on artificial intelligence and its place in the classroom. We will hear from the entire ambassador team on tools we have found useful in our professional and personal lives as well as our thoughts on AI in general with some advice for anyone who is just starting out on the...

This month we are returning to the topic of artificial intelligence and its role in the classroom. Last season, we published two episodes with the major goal of defining artificial intelligence - both what it is and what it isn’t. We explored AI as a thought partner for educators, as a tool to save time but also as a way to increase productivity or creativity. This season, we wanted to explore the...

In this episode, MLTI (Maine Learning Technology Initiative) Ambassadors Chris Beckwith, AJ Rog, and Yuhong Sun continue the conversation around computational thinking, and its role in solving real world problems. They each talk about their own classroom experiences, suggestions for teachers to introduce the concept to their students, and why it can be a valuable tool in teaching problem-solving s...

In this episode, MLTI (Maine Learning Technology Initiative) Ambassadors Chris Beckwith, AJ Rog, and Jeff Ireland answer the question, “What is computational thinking?” AJ interviews Sean Wasson, who is the CSTA (Computer Science Teachers Association) President and a computer science teacher at Lyman Moore Middle School in Portland, Maine who helps the Ambassadors demystify computational thinking...

This episode continues our conversation of innovative ways that educational technology is being used in the Arts. Last week focused specifically on Music, and this week we want to expand our scope a bit. We will be hearing about computer science in a music tech class with Tessa McArthur, who teaches at Woodland Jr. Sr. High School in Baileyville, but then we will move to Theatre with Mahaley Lozan...

While educational technology can be a vital tool in all classrooms and schools, this month we wanted to focus on innovative ways it is being used in the Arts. When we talk about the Arts, we are encompassing everything from Music and Visual Art to Dance, Theater and Media Arts. Even though they all fall under the same umbrella of The Arts, each area is unique in content and delivery. In this episo...

Teaching with Tech is back! The Maine Learning Technology Initiative (MLTI) Ambassador Team is excited for season two of the podcast with some new voices and new ideas. In this episode Joshua chats with Donna and Nicole about how their year has started along with hearing from all ten MLTI Ambassadors about what projects they are working on and most excited to explore this year. We close with an in...

School's (nearly) out for the Summer and so are the MLTI Ambassadors. The team will be returning in late August or early September to begin season 2 of the Teaching With Tech podcast. That being said, the MLTI 2.0 team will still be hard at work, and they can be reached at DOE-MLTI2.0@maine.gov with any questions, comments, or technology integration needs. This episode covers some of the Summe...

As artificial intelligence grows in scope, teachers and schools have many different strategies to maximize the benefits and minimize the challenges. This conversation is especially focused on whether schools should ban artificial intelligence like ChatGPT. In this episode, Joshua is joined by Kate and Nicole who share their opinions, ideas, and strategies on using AI in schools and whether banning...

Artificial Intelligence is the hot topic in recent months, including how it can or will affect the classroom. In this episode, the MLTI Ambassadors start by giving their overall views on the AI trend, and then the host, Rob Dominick, interviews fellow Ambassadors Kate Meyer and Nicole Karod to hear a more detailed explanation about what has already emerged with the introduction of AI into schools...

In this episode, Joshua meets with Kern Kelley, technology integrator for Nokomis schools. Kern talks about his school's SLAM (Student Leadership Ambassadors of Maine) club and how the SLAM program from the Maine Department of Education can help schools give student authentic learning opportunities all around Maine. He also discusses the SLAM Showcase events, which provide a full day of techno...

We take a break from the normal program involving tech integration to give a background on the revamping of MLTI to MLTI 2.0. This episode provides listeners with information about the MLTI Ambassador program and the work that we do. All of the current Ambassadors chime in about what their work calendar looks like and some of their favorite interactions and projects while being a part of this prog...

In this episode, MLTI Ambassadors continue their discussion on digital citizenship and its impacts on the classroom. Joshua is joined by Jonathan and Kate, who speak about their professional development series, Left to Their Own Devices, and how this work helps schools and communities teach students to navigate the digital wilderness. Rob is joined by Tali from Common Sense Education to speak abou...