Episodes

  • The Power of Technology in Music Education: Inspiring Student Engagement with Amir Jones of Painesville City Local Schools

    The Power of Technology in Music Education: Inspiring Student Engagement with Amir Jones of Painesville City Local Schools
    Jul 31 2024
    Technology has revolutionized nearly every aspect of our lives, and education is no exception. Integrating technology in classrooms has brought about significant changes, offering new opportunities and challenges for students and educators. In this Learning Through Technology podcast episode, Alex and Bob connect with Amir Jones, Instrumental Music Teacher at Painesville City Local Schools. Amir is a passionate music teacher who combines his love for music and technology in his career. Join them as they discuss Amir's journey from student to teacher, his transformation of the school's band program, and technology integration in music education. Amir shares his insights on the changing role of technology in education and offers advice to other music teachers. The conversation also touches Amir's side hustle in live streaming and audiovisual services. Overall, this engaging podcast highlights teachers' importance and impact on students, emphasizing hands-on learning and student ownership in education. Don't miss out on this insightful conversation! Like what you’re hearing on the podcasts and want to dive deeper? Subscribe to our Newsletter here: https://stsed.com/podcast/
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    35 mins
  • From Science Lab to Esports Leader: Nick Stahl's Inspiring Journey at Hermon High School Part 2

    From Science Lab to Esports Leader: Nick Stahl's Inspiring Journey at Hermon High School Part 2
    Jul 17 2024
    Technology has revolutionized nearly every aspect of our lives, and education is no exception. Integrating technology in classrooms has brought about significant changes, offering new opportunities and challenges for students and educators. In this episode of the Learning Through Technology podcast, Alex and Bob connect with Nicholas J Stahl for the second part of their discussion. Nick is a science teacher and esports General Manager at Hermon High School. Join us as we discuss the power of student engagement and the impact of esports as a competitive club in education. Nick shares his experience starting an esports program at his high school, highlighting its popularity among students who may not be interested in traditional clubs or other extracurriculars. We delve into the challenges of teaching and engaging students, emphasizing the importance of interesting and practical skills. The conversation also explores the role of electives in building relationships with students and creating a welcoming environment. Don't miss out on this insightful podcast that showcases Nick's passion for crafting innovative learning experiences.
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    28 mins
  • From Science Lab to Esports Leader: Nick Stahl's Inspiring Journey at Hermon High School Part 1

    From Science Lab to Esports Leader: Nick Stahl's Inspiring Journey at Hermon High School Part 1
    Jul 3 2024
    Technology has revolutionized nearly every aspect of our lives, and education is no exception. Integrating technology in classrooms has brought about significant changes, offering new opportunities and challenges for students and educators. In this episode of the Learning Through Technology podcast, Alex and Bob connect with Nicholas J Stahl, a science teacher and esport General Manager at Hermon High School. Discover how Nick transformed the Game Club into a thriving esports team, overcoming funding challenges with the support of the administration and boosters. Learn how Nick incorporates gaming into the classroom, from block coding to game theory. Uncover the untapped opportunities in the gaming industry, including scholarships and careers in game development. Take advantage of this inspiring conversation highlighting the power of support, starting small, and exploring new horizons in education. Join us next fortnight for part 2 of this episode!
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    27 mins
  • Summer Break Tech Mishaps & Behind The Scenes Goofy Stories with Alex and Bob

    Summer Break Tech Mishaps & Behind The Scenes Goofy Stories with Alex and Bob
    Jun 19 2024
    Technology has revolutionized nearly every aspect of our lives, and education is no exception. The integration of technology in classrooms has brought about significant changes, offering new opportunities and challenges for both students and educators. Schools are on summer break, but the technology teams are just getting started with their busy season! In this episode of the Learning Through Technology podcast, Alex and Bob share their experiences as tech directors in schools during the summer break. From funny mishaps to important projects, they discuss the challenges and excitement that come with supporting educational needs. They highlight the importance of leveraging technology in education for successful outcomes.
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    32 mins
  • Rocket League Legends: Top Insights from Nampa High School's Rising Esports Stars

    Rocket League Legends: Top Insights from Nampa High School's Rising Esports Stars
    Jun 5 2024
    To download our FREE Cybersecurity Essentials Checklist, go to: bit.ly/STSCyberChecklist Technology has revolutionized nearly every aspect of our lives, and education is no exception. The integration of technology in classrooms has brought about significant changes, offering new opportunities and challenges for both students and educators. In this special episode of the Learning Through Technology podcast, Alex and Bob welcome three budding esports superstars, Keegan, Alex, and Patrick, from Nampa High School. Fans of Rocket League will be intrigued to hear how these three came to meet and start to find their feet through playing that particular game and through the burgeoning world of esports in general. We’ll discuss how esports has made a positive impact on their lives, impacting their learning and personal relationships, and why esports could be a real pillar for education and educational technology for years to come.
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    37 mins
  • Is Your EdTech Really Effective? Insights with Bart Epstein, CEO of Brains and Motion Education

    Is Your EdTech Really Effective? Insights with Bart Epstein, CEO of Brains and Motion Education
    May 22 2024
    Technology has revolutionized nearly every aspect of our lives, and education is no exception. The integration of technology in classrooms has brought about significant changes, offering new opportunities and challenges for both students and educators. In this episode of the Learning Through Technology podcast, Alex and Bob welcome Bart Epstein, CEO of Brains and Motion Education (BAM!), a leading provider of STEM, Arts, and Sports programs for students grades K-8 nationwide. Bart is also the Founder of EdTech Evidence Exchange, a company that helps educators make better-informed decisions about education technology. The genesis of EdTech Evidence Exchange stems from building national consensus on how to measure school implementation environments, building a platform to collect edtech product feedback from tens of thousands of educators, and creating a system to use philanthropy dollars to pay cash stipends to participating educators. Join us as we discuss the crucial need for evidence-based decision-making in education. Bart shares his frustration with the lack of research in the field. We explore the challenges of gathering data, and Bart proposes solutions such as government regulation and funding, investigative journalism, and company and school pressure. Discover the role of government, companies, and educators in addressing these challenges.
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    46 mins
  • The Rise of Esports in Education: A Holistic Approach to Engaging Students - An Interview with Kyle Berger, CTO of Grapevine-Colleyville ISD

    The Rise of Esports in Education: A Holistic Approach to Engaging Students - An Interview with Kyle Berger, CTO of Grapevine-Colleyville ISD
    May 8 2024
    Technology has revolutionized nearly every aspect of our lives, and education is no exception. The integration of technology in classrooms has brought about significant changes, offering new opportunities and challenges for both students and educators. In this episode of the Learning Through Technology podcast, Alex and Bob welcome Kyle Berger, CTO at Grapevine-Colleyville ISD. Join them as they delve into the fascinating world of integrating technology into education and the transformative power of technology in bridging the gap between students' lives and their learning experiences. Integrating technology in education can take many forms – Kyle explains how Grapevine Colleyville ISD embraced esports as a way to raise student engagement while providing a career pathway into the industry. They also touch upon the issues of cybersecurity in education and the importance of collaboration, resourcefulness, and taking risks in the field of education. Kyle encourages educators to seek out resources, collaborate with others, and experiment with different esports options to identify the best fit for their schools.
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    47 mins
  • From Race Car Engineer to K-12 IT Leader: Bob Cireddu's Journey to Founding EduTech Group

    From Race Car Engineer to K-12 IT Leader: Bob Cireddu's Journey to Founding EduTech Group
    Apr 24 2024
    Technology has revolutionized nearly every aspect of our lives, and education is no exception. The integration of technology in classrooms has brought about significant changes, offering new opportunities and challenges for both students and educators. In this episode of the Learning Through Technology podcast, your co-host, Bob Cireddu, slips into the guest chair as we listen to his journey from a race car engineer to an Edtech leader and Founder and CTO of the EduTech Group, a collaborative IT organization dedicated to providing schools with exceptional IT support and leadership. Join us as we delve into the world of educational technology and Bob’s journey as the founder of the Edutech Group. From passions that include race car engineering to collecting watches, Bob's eclectic background adds a unique perspective to his role in K-12 operational IT. Discover the challenges faced by Bob's team and how they built a successful business through talent, growth, and a commitment to continuous learning. Gain insights into the importance of building strong client relationships and fostering a supportive team dynamic in a remote working environment.
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    37 mins