Erik Ellefsen

Digical Education

Conversations with Innovative Educator-Leaders

Author

Erik Ellefsen

Category

Education

Podcast website

epellefsen.podbean.com

Latest episode

May 11, 2026

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Episodes

Building Resilient Students: Post-webinar Q&A with Dr. Taryn Morgan 11.05.2026

Dr. Taryn Morgan is Vice President of Athletic and Personal Development at IMG Academy, and she moderated a group of panelists for an EdWeek Webinar titled Building Resilient Students ( recording here ). Like most webinars, we ran out of time for deeper Q&A, so we chose to record a podcast conversation where I could ask for her expertise and dig deeper into some of the ideas presented in the w...

Faith-Driven Perspectives from Silicon Valley's AI Frontier: Conversation with Ben Bajarin 23.02.2026

I am hosting a panel at the Baylor Institute for Faith and Learning's "AI and Ethics" event this week. My friend, Ben Bajarin, who helped me put this panel together, cannot join us, so I thought I'd get his thoughts to spur on the panel conversation. Enjoy!!!

AI, the Teacher, and the Process: Conversation with Buzz Rubenstein of Revision History 20.02.2026

Buzz is the Co-founder and CEO of Revision History , and in this podcast he shares his desire to help teachers walk alongside students in the writing and learning process through his company's work.

AI, Higher Ed, and Leading Innovation: Conversation with Gary Carini 11.02.2026

Gary Carini is Vice Provost for AI and Institutional Research and a professor of entrepreneurship and corporate innovation at Baylor University. Gary and I have a conversation as we prepare to host a group of educational innovators and thinkers at Baylor University to talk about AI and the Future of Learning.

Belonging in School and Life Outcomes: Conversation with Hannah Kapitaniuk 21.01.2026

Hannah Kapitaniuk is a PhD student and Graduate Assistant at Baylor University and is a lead researcher in the Center for School Leadership. Hannah is also a former middle school math teacher in private and public schools. Hannah recently published an article in the International Journal of Wellbeing with Jon Eckert, Lynn Swaner, and Alber Cheng titled School belonging and adult outcomes: Explorin...

3 Years of AI Conversations with Ben Bajarin 11.12.2025

In 2022, I had dinner with my friend Ben Bajarin (CEO and Principal Analyst of Creative Strategies), and he introduced me to ChatGPT. Since then, we've had an annual conversation about AI and how we lean into the new realities and opportunities it presents to us.

AI as an Intellectual Practice Squad (Conversation with Scott Kern) 18.11.2025

Scott Kern is a teacher, instructional coach, and curriculum specialist. I read a LinkedIn post Scott wrote about AI + Writing = Improved AP Scores, which led to a conversation with loads of questions on student learning, feedback, and improved outcomes that is the basis for this podcast conversation. Follow Scott on LinkedIn as he has written a number of other posts about his thoughts and ongoing...

Away Game: Conversation with Brian Smith and Ed Uczynski 03.11.2025

Brian Smith and Ed Uczynski are the authors of "Away Game: A Christian Parent's Guide to Navigating Sports Culture." In this conversation, we discuss youth sports, Discipleship, Character Formation, and the opportunity to make a difference from "our corner of the bleachers."

Lessons and Encouragements from Arkansas School Choice Research: Conversation with Patrick Wolf 27.10.2025

I had the opportunity to talk Ed Policy with one of my favorite researchers, Dr. Patrick Wolf of the University of Arkansas. Patrick has been a great encourager to me in my career, but also someone who has honed and broadened my thinking about School Choice Policies. In this conversation, he shares some reflections from his research on the early implementation of Arkansas' program.

Learning, the Brain, and AI: Conversation with Allison Posey 13.10.2025

Allison Posey has become a good friend and encourager in this work. I think you'll like this episode as she talks about shared laughter, learning together as the essential human process of developing critical thinking, and being intentional as we implement AI into the learning process. Check her out on LinkedIn . Enjoy!

Transforming College Admissions with AI: Conversation with Senan Khawaja 29.08.2025

Senan Khawaja is Co-founder and CEO of Kollegio.ai , which seeks to use AI ethically to create accessibility and opportunity for millions of students globally to a transformative college education.

Leaders, TechEd, AI, and Future of Learning: Conversation with Matt Kirchner 21.07.2025

"Leadership is about caring" is the starting point of this conversation with Matt Kirchner, as we discuss TechEd, Innovation in Education, and how AI might impact our work. Matt is the President of ATS, Lab Midwest, and Mission Learning Systems. He is also the host of the TechEd podcast .

Rebranding Teaching: Conversation with Brendan Hoyle 11.07.2025

Brendan Hoyle is the Director of Arts and Innovation at Norfolk Collegiate, and he recently wrote a great article,  "Rebranding Teaching,"  which serves as a guide for our conversation.

Resilient Souls: Conversation with Stewart Bogle 30.06.2025

I met Stewart recently and read his book Learning to Dance in the Darkness about what seems to be a relentless journey through 20 years of tragedy and challenges. In this conversation, we talk about his discoveries about growing resilience, remaining hopeful, and how to invite others (even children and our students) into the journey with us. Check out his website and podcast at Resilient Souls .

Leadership and Change: Conversation with Ben Wellbourn 13.06.2025

Ben Wellbourn is the CEO of Schola , an organization that supports the growth of schools. Ben is an innovator in education and someone I love learning from.

History, AI George Washington & Humy: Conversation with Stas Shakirov 30.05.2025

I had the opportunity to converse with AI George Washington through Humy , an AI-powered platform that allows students and teachers to interact with nearly 2,000 historical characters. This is a conversation with Stas Shakirov who is co-founder and CEO.

Post-AI Show: Conversation with Jacob Kantor 09.05.2025

Jacob Kantor, the DODO of JK K12, cohosted a conversation with me prior to The AI Show at ASU-GSV, which included Fran Rosenberg and Michel Faliski. So we thought we'd discuss what we are discovering about AI, EdTech, and growth in this space as we seek better outcomes for students.

AI, Innovation, & Pedagogy: Conversation with Jaime Bissa 25.04.2025

Jaime Bissa is the Director of the Center for Learning and Innovative Pedagogy at Baptist Health Sciences University in Memphis and a founding member of the Human Intelligence Movement . In this conversation we discuss AI, innovation, and pedagogy as we rethink together what learning could look like.

Innovation and Leadership in Medicine: Conversation with Dr. Nina Shah 11.04.2025

I met Dr. Nina Shah on an MMRF trek through Iceland with myeloma patients, caregivers, doctors, and researchers. She shortly after became my doctor while I did an experimental CarT trial and through the process became a friend. She is currently Global Head of Multiple Myeloma Clinical Development and Strategy at Astrazeneca where she seeks better treatments and ultimately a cure for myeloma patien...

The AI Show "What to Know": Conversation with Fran Rosenberg and Michel Faliski 30.03.2025

The AI Show at ASU-GSV is next week, and I had the opportunity to talk with the co-founder, Fran Rosenberg, and the assistant VP of the AI Show Program, Michel Faliski, about the event's genesis and how to make the most of it. Jacob Kantor, my friend and friend to everyone, joined in for this conversation! Hope to see you in San Diego on April 5-7.  

March Madness & The Spirit of the Game: Conversation with Paul Putz 20.03.2025

As March Madness kicks off today, I thought I would post a podcast conversation with my friend Paul Putz. Paul is the author of "Spirit of the Game: American Christianity and Big Time Sports" and is the Director of the Faith and Sports Institute at Baylor University. In this podcast, we talk about Paul's high school coach, leadership lessons from the book, and make some picks for both Final Fours.

Creativity and Cultural Architecture: Conversation with Alistair Bullen 14.03.2025

Alistair Bullen is an interior designer who is the founder of AB Culture, is a Heartstyles facilitator, and an Executive Coach. In this conversation we talk about Alistair's description of himself as a "cultural architect" and how creative played a role in his professional journey, but also how creativity impacts leadership.

Build your Life Team: Conversation with Caitlin Sienkiewicz 28.02.2025

Caitlin Sienkiewicz is the founder of Condie Consulting , and our conversation is about her new book " Building Your Team in your 20s ."

Entrepreneurship & AI in Schools: Conversation with Cale McLellan 14.02.2025

Cale McLellan founded In-Houz Consulting , an entrepreneur, a former student, and a thought partner in using AI in learning.

"A Fine Line:" A conversation with Tim DeRoche 31.01.2025

This is a conversation with Tim DeRoche of Available to All on his book " A Fine Line " and the impact of redlining on public schools and high-quality education for each student.

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