Shifting Schools: Conversations for K12 Educators

Hello, Shifting Schools community! Jeff Utecht here, as we wrap up our exciting journey into eSports Tricia and I wanted to share what we have coming up next for you in September. As we start the new school year, we're diving in with a brand new mini-series focused on Social Emotional Learning, or SEL, a topic that we know is front and center in the minds of educators as we start another school ye...

Unravel the complexities of video game ethics as we embark on a dialogue with Dr. Leon Xiao, a distinguished expert at the crossroads of gaming and law. In this episode, we probe into the innovative ways gaming and law intersect, and how they shape the experience of game play. This episode helps us explore more pathways available in the gaming industry and asks us to think more creatively about ho...

In this episode, we have the honor of sitting down with Joanie Kraut , the CEO of Women in Games International (WIGI), a leading organization that empowers women and underrepresented individuals in the gaming and eSports industry. Joanie Kraut has a unique perspective on the role eSports can play in communities and is dedicated to creating more future pathways for young enthusiasts interested in p...

In this episode, we dive into the intersection of education technology and literacy with Dr. Miles Harvey. We explore the innovative teaching strategy of using video games as a powerful tool to enhance literacy skills and engage students in reading. Discover how this approach can transform K-12 education and foster a love for learning.   Meet this week's special guest:   ➡️ Dr. Miles Harvey is a s...

On this episode Dr. Rachel Kowert busts myths about gaming. If you are skeptical about what games can offer us, give this conversation some time. Meet this week's special guest: ➡️ Rachel Kowert, Ph. D is a research psychologist and the Research Director of Take This. She is a world-renowned researcher on the uses and effects of digital games, including their impact on physical, social, and psycho...

How is Minecraft a powerful tool for building community, fostering inclusion, and engaging learners? This week's amazing guest Mashfiq Ahmed has an answer for that question and tons of wisdom to share. Meet this week's special guest: ➡️ Mashfiq Ahmed (he/him) is a high school chemistry teacher at John Dewey High School in Brooklyn, New York. He has been playing video games ever since he was 4-year...

Our summer-long series on esports continues with a great conversation about aligning your curriculum with esports and leveraging esports as a way to build and nurture your school community. Meet this week's special guest: ➡️ Mike Dahle is a Business Teacher at Elkhorn Area HS and President of the Wisconsin HS Esports Association.  He was a second-year teacher when he learned how far PC gaming had...

🏁This is the first in our summer-long series on esports!🏁 Meet this week's special guest: ➡️ Dr. Krista-Lee M. Malone is the Director of both the UW-Madison Game Lab and the game design certificate. Her past research has included MMORPGs massively multiplayer online role-playing games, the making of educational games in Taiwan (where she concurrently worked as a designer and consultant) and usin...

On this episode of the podcast Jeff and Tricia speak with Allie Cornejo who is a High School Librarian/Lead Librarian in Harlingen, TX. She is chair of the TLA Public Relations and Marketing Committee, as well as chair for TASL's Legislative and Advocacy Committee, and co-hosts the Libraries Transform Texas Podcast. She is an enthusiast of YA lIt and graphic novels, and can often be found reading...

Why do book groups need scaffolding? How can we make the facilitation of book clubs just a tiny teeny bit easier? That's what we discuss in this special episode. To get the free guide explored in our conversation: https://shiftingschools.lpages.co/book-group-protocol/ Learn more about our AI offerings: https://www.shiftingschools.com/learn Follow us online and let us know what you are reading this...

On this episode, we talk with Zackary Grady about their award-nominated production Gay Pride and Less Prejudice. Learn all about that show: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt26518740/ Learn more about Zackary: https://www.thackarybinx.com/about Check out the books he recommended: https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/40779647 https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60141378-nikhil-out-loud Take 25 dollars...

On the podcast today is Angeline Aow, one author of the book Becoming A Totally Inclusive School.   This conversation helps us think about what we mean when we use the term 'inclusive.' Would you like a discount on that book? Check out  this special flyer. Learn more about the special guest by exploring her website and services. As mentioned in our conversation: The Seven Is of Advocacy: What It M...

In this episode, we discuss our latest free on-pager to help you reimagine your relationship with social media this summer. Inside that one-pager, we have our B.A.L.A.N.C.E. framework: B - Boundaries: What is ONE new boundary you might set for your use of social media? A - Assign an Intention: Know what you are going online for L - Limit Notifications: Can you try to decrease the number of apps an...

On this episode we hear from Tan and Beth as they talk to us about the incredible new book: Long-Term Success for Experienced Multilinguals " This practical, easy-to-implement, cross-curricular instructional framework includes strategies, implementation prompts, templates, and essential actions that create the conditions for  experienced multilinguals to process content and clearly communicate dis...

How are your conversations about generative AI tools like ChatGPT centering and focusing on equity and inclusion? On this episode, we dig into that and provide listeners an opportunity to go further with our latest free guide! You can download AI LIteracy and LGBTQ+ Inclusion here Did you want to enter to win a seat to the June 3rd Pride and Less Prejudice celebrity panel? Download the guide by 9p...

 We are thrilled to share a free guide that will empower teachers and school leaders to capture meaningful reflections as they wrap up the academic year.  🤔✍️ Reflecting on the school year allows us to celebrate accomplishments, learn from challenges, and make valuable improvements for the future. 🎓💡 🔍 In this episode, you'll discover: 1️⃣ The benefits of end-of-year reflection that amplifies...

Welcome back to Shifting Schools, the podcast where innovative educational approaches meet the ever-evolving landscape of learning. Join host Jeff Utecht as he converses with renowned educator, forward-thinking leader, and author of " The Design Thinking Classroom ," Mr. David Jakes . In this episode, they explore the transformative power of design thinking in the educational sphere. Alongside the...

Ready for an Eggcellent Adventure? Let's explore the Egg Drop Challenge with ChatGPT 🐣🔬 In this egg-ceptionally fun episode for Day of AI, your hosts Jeff and Tricia are breaking a few eggs as they explore the ultimate egg drop competition reimagined with ChatGPT as a learning buddy!  🥚 Episode Highlights: 1️⃣ We explore our Shifting Schools 'PROMPT' framework which helps give clear guidance fo...

Sponsor: This episode is brought to you by Text Blaze . If you're an educator or a student looking for a powerful tool to boost your productivity, Text Blaze is the answer. It offers you snippets of text that you can insert anywhere you type, saving you precious time. Visit Text Blaze to learn how you can streamline your typing tasks. Episode Overview: In this episode of the Shifting Schools Podca...

On this episode, we think about ways to spread appreciation throughout the year.  Might your team benefit from spreading positive gossip about fellow team members?  How might that spark the practice of better noticing the strengths within your community? We explore our latest free guide Positive Gossip that you can download by clicking this link. This episode also explores research about the role...

It is teacher appreciation week and we are thrilled to have the award winning Taylor Mali on the show to shower teachers with stanzas of support and care. Taylor talks about his brand new book "The Teachers I Loved Best," as well as the collaborative process behind that book. Listeners may remember his TED Talk 'What Teachers Make' that has now been viewed over 800,000 times. On this episode we ta...

On this episode, we ask you to consider the ways we might need to rethink traditional career fairs. If your school hosts 'world of work' events, have you thought about ways those events have changed with the needs of learners?   ➡️ You can check out our Future of Work curated playlist by clicking here. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 🔗 Other res...

In this episode of Shifting Schools, Jeff interviews Dan Barak, from Text Blaze, a text-expansion tool that can save users time and make typing more efficient. Dan explains how Text Blaze can be used in education by creating shortcuts for frequently used phrases or words, which can be helpful for students and teachers. He shares examples of how Text Blaze has been used in education, such as provid...

Welcome to this special episode of Shifting Schools, where we dive into the exciting world of AI in education, with a special guest ChatGPT. We discuss the potential benefits and concerns surrounding the use of AI tools like ChatGPT in the classroom and explore how educators can integrate this technology effectively to enhance learning experiences. Throughout the episode, we emphasize the importan...

In today's episode, we have a very special guest, Jennifer LaGarde, aka The Library Girl  @jenniferlagarde , an incredible advocate for information literacy and the co-author of "Developing Digital Detectives" 📱🕵️‍♂️. Get ready for an engaging conversation about the importance of information literacy in the digital age, and how we can empower students to be critical thinkers and responsible digit...