The TechEd Clubhouse

We’ve spent the last few episodes unpacking engagement—what it is, why it matters, and how it shows up in classrooms. This episode is the next step in that conversation. Because while engagement matters, it’s not the finish line. In this episode, Dan explores a tension many educators feel but struggle to name: What happens when students are engaged… but the learning doesn’t stick? Students can be...

We talk about engagement like it’s something we can flip on — a switch, an app, a strategy. “What’s your engagement strategy?” But after decades in the classroom, one truth keeps showing up: Engagement isn’t something we create. It’s something that emerges. Students don’t engage because lessons are flashy or entertaining. They engage when the work matters , when they have ownership , and when thei...

We say we want more student engagement—but what does that actually mean? In this episode, I unpack why engagement has become one of the most overused and misunderstood goals in education. Drawing on current research, classroom experience, and insights from Building Thinking Classrooms , I make the case that engagement is often treated as a stand-in for learning—even though it’s easy to fake and ha...

EpisodeSummary I return after a six-week break to recap MASSCUE and NYSCATE—two conferences that, despite being totally different, revealed the same message from educators everywhere:   Teachers want learning that is joyful, simple, hands-on, and usable tomorrow.   This episode highlights inside-session moments, hallway conversations, and even late-night trivia and Family Feud that turned into pow...

In this episode of The TechEd Clubhouse Podcast, I sit down with the one and only Farmer Faubs — educator, content creator, and all-around EdTech firecracker — to talk about how creativity and community are redefining teaching. From her viral “Farmer Faubs” persona to her work with Book Creator, Kami, and the EduGuardians, Faubs brings practical strategies, a big heart, and a whole lot of “Yeehaw...

In this episode of The Tech Ed Clubhouse , Dan Thomas sits down with Laura Williams , founder of the Authentic Learning Alliance , to explore what authentic learning really looks like in schools. From chicken tractors to drone-powered science, Laura shares how schools can connect students to meaningful, future-ready work. We dig into why traditional approaches fail too many students, how agile pra...

In this episode of The Tech Ed Clubhouse Podcast , I sit down with Kyle Niemis , Head of Community at Wayground (formerly Quizziz). We dig into the bold decision to rebrand, the story behind the new name, and how Wayground is helping teachers balance student joy with academic rigor . Kyle shares: Why Quizziz rebranded as Wayground How Wayground hits the sweet spot between fun gamification and seri...

In this episode of The Tech Ed Clubhouse Podcast , I sit down with Leena Salah from Canva to explore how this powerful platform is transforming classrooms. From Magic Activities that generate higher-order thinking tasks to Canva Code that lets teachers and students build custom widgets without writing a line of code, Canva is redefining creativity, engagement, and authentic learning. Here’s what w...

Episode Overview In this episode of the TechEd Clubhouse, Dan Thomas sits down with Todd Bloomer , veteran school leader, author of The Blueprint: Survive and Thrive as a School Administrator , and now Director of School Leadership for the Archdiocese of San Antonio. Todd shares his no-nonsense approach to school leadership: why being visible matters more than being stuck in the office, how cultur...

In this episode, I sit down with Jon Laven , co-founder of Snorkl.app , an AI-powered tool designed to capture and analyze student thinking. A former high school math teacher, Jon shares how Snorkl helps students explain their thought processes, gives teachers richer insights, and shifts classrooms toward authentic learning and student agency. We dig into the balance between AI and the human eleme...

Back-to-school season is overwhelming—lesson plans, grading, differentiation, and those endless Sunday night prep sessions. Teachers are stretched to the breaking point. But what if an AI tool actually cut through the chaos and gave you back your time? In this episode, I sit down with Thomas Thompson and Thomas Hummel , co-founders of EduaideAI —a platform designed to help teachers plan faster, di...

It’s back-to-school season, and AI is everywhere. But how can teachers actually use it to save time and reduce stress right now ? In this episode of The Tech Ed Clubhouse , I chat with Amber Trout, Senior Community Manager at Magic School AI , about practical ways educators can bring AI into their classrooms without the overwhelm. Whether you’re an AI skeptic or already experimenting, this episode...

In this episode of The TechEd Clubhouse Podcast, I sit down with James Myklebust-Hampshire, a global educator, learning designer, and founder of X Focus — a platform built to help students take ownership of their learning, lead projects, and develop real-world skills. James has taught in wildly different educational settings — from UK pupil referral units to International Baccalaureate (IB) Primar...

Welcome back to the TechEd Clubhouse Podcast, where we smash the status quo of traditional teaching and bring real talk to real classrooms. In this episode, I sit down with Marlena Hebern—former teacher, co-creator of EduProtocols, and all-around EdTech disruptor. We break down: What an EduProtocol is (spoiler: it’s not another worksheet in disguise) Why most “tech integration” misses the point Ho...

Let’s cut the fluff—death-by-slideshow is not the way to start your school year. In this solo episode, Dan breaks down why you should ditch the rules-and-procedures lecture and how to launch your year with a small, high-impact Project-Based Learning (PBL) activity that sets the tone for real engagement. Forget the “All About Me” coloring sheets. Instead, empower your students to fix a real problem...

In this episode of The TechEd Clubhouse , I sit down with Rae Hughart—teacher, speaker, author, and founder of the Teachers Deserve It movement—to get brutally honest about professional development, time-saving hacks, and what teachers really need to thrive in today’s classrooms. Rae isn’t sugarcoating anything. She’s talking about howeducators are overworked, under-supported, and often stuck with...

In this episode of The TechEd Clubhouse Podcast, I sit down with two powerhouses in human-centered education: Dr. Michelle Ament, Chief Academic Officer at ProSolve and Executive Director of the Human Intelligence Movement, and Arvin Ross, Co-Founder and Chief Culture Architect at ProSolve. Together, they break down what’s broken in traditional education and why now—more than ever—we must prioriti...

In this pre-show kickoff to The Summer Rebuild: Brick by Brick series, I get honest about a rough round of golf—and an even rougher attitude. After toe-hooking his irons and turning into a cranky playing partner, he realized something that hit way closer to the classroom than expected…When things fall apart—whether on the course or in your classroom—it’s not always about trying something new. Some...

In this episode of The Tech Ed Clubhouse Podcast, I sit down with the always brilliant Rachelle Dene Poth—Spanish and STEAM teacher, attorney, author, and one of the leading voices in AI and future-ready education. We talk about what’s real and what’s noise when it comes to AI in schools. Rachelle shares how she’s using AI with students to boost creativity, support language learning, and build con...

This episode dives into the real-world impact of AI in classrooms. Becky Keene joins Dan to share how AI tools are reshaping teacher workflows, PD, and student learning—without replacing the human side of teaching. We talk about creativity, cheating myths, assessment shifts, and how “systemic disruption” might be exactly what education needs right now. Becky breaks down how to coach reluctant teac...

In this powerful episode of The Tech Ed Clubhouse , I sit down with two visionary educators who are reshaping what learning can look like—Thom Markham, the godfather of PBL, and Phil Alcock, a dynamic force exploring the intersection of AI and education. Together, they're launching PBLFuture Labs, a movement to blend project-based learning with the power of artificial intelligence. We get into...

This episode picks up right where we left off last week with Mark Covelle, diving even deeper into what real technical education looks like. I sat down with John Stephens , a veteran shop teacher and CTE curriculum developer from Prince Edward Island. John’s on a mission to reclaim the word “shop” and challenge outdated mindsets about what happens in our labs, woodshops, and maker spaces. We talk...

In this powerhouse episode,  sit down with Dr. Mark Covell—CTE advocate, educational leader, and Director of MBIT—to dig into the past, present, and future of Career & Technical Education (CTE). Together, we unpack the post-COVID surge in CTE interest, the erosion of outdated stigmas, and whyhands-on, real-world learning is not only relevant—it's essential. 🧠 What You'll Learn Why CTE...

Episode Summary : In this jam-packed episode, Dan sits down with blended learning expert, author, and teacher advocate Dr. Catlin Tucker to unpack the shift from teacher-led to student-led classrooms. They explore what this really looks like in practice, how to reimagine classroom workflows to avoid burnout, and how AI—when used wisely—can be a teacher’s best co-designer. They also dig into feedba...

In this episode, I sit down with veteran educator and STEM advocate Chris Woods . You might know him from DailySTEM.com or The STEM Everyday Podcast — and if you don't yet, you're going to love the practical ideas he shares. Chris and I talk about how STEM is everywhere if you know where to look and how we can help all teachers (not just STEM teachers) build student confidence, curiosity,...