Episode Summary: It’s a brand-new school year! Jeremy and David share practical tips, tech integration strategies, and fun activities to help teachers start strong. Whether you’re establishing routines, planning icebreakers, or looking for ways to engage students, this episode is packed with takeaways you can implement right away.

What You'll Learn in This Episode:

• Simple strategies to set routines and expectations in the first two weeks
• Easy tech integration ideas for any subject area
• Fun icebreaker and “get to know you” activities that build community
• Why teacher joy and connection are crucial for student success

Resource Links:

• Eric Curts's Blog on When I Grow Up: https://www.controlaltachieve.com/2025/09/when-i-grow-up.html
• Back-to-School Boost Activities: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1i3HpOqjUhDVC--A6VCfZjYy5R8K2JYUBZj2EdwIXU4U/edit?usp=sharing

In this episode of Integrate This!, Jeremy and David sit down with Brett Vogelsinger, English teacher and author of Artful AI in Writing Instruction. Brett shares how he helps students write with confidence, read voraciously, and stay creative in an era where AI is reshaping classrooms.

We dive into:

• The inspiration behind Brett’s new book Artful AI in Writing Instruction
• Practical ways teachers can integrate AI without losing student voice
• The balance between technology, artistry, and authentic learning
• How educators can prepare students to be thoughtful, ethical writers in a digital age

🔗 Brett’s Website

🔗 Brett on X/Twitter - Brett on LinkedIn

🔗 Artful AI in Writing Instruction on Amazon

In this episode of Integrate This!, we sit down with Becky Keene, author of AI Optimism. Becky shares how artificial intelligence is reshaping classrooms and how the SAMR model provides a framework for meaningful integration. From privacy and prompting to equity and innovation, she explains why educators can approach AI with confidence, creativity, and optimism.

In this episode of Integrate This!, Jeremy and David sit down with Liz Voci, Instructional Technology Specialist at Dartmouth Public Schools in Massachusetts. Liz shares the story of her Perfect Book Project, where students co-created books that reflected their interests, passions, and imaginations — with the help of AI.

The conversation highlights how projects like this empower student voice, agency, and creativity, while also building critical AI literacy skills. Liz shares the design process, the challenges and surprises along the way, and the powerful outcomes she witnessed as students not only became readers, but also creators of their own “perfect books.”

Whether you’re an educator curious about AI integration or looking for authentic ways to engage students, this episode offers insights and inspiration.

🔗 Link to Perfect Book Project site: https://sites.google.com/dartmouthschools.org/perfectbooks/home 🔗 Referenced resources / GEM templates: https://sites.google.com/edtechnologyspecialists.com/gems

In this episode, we’re taking you inside two powerhouse events in the EdTech world — the Lake ECMECC Conference and EDTECH Connect 2025.

Jeremy shares his experience at Lake ECMECC, including keynote speaker takeaways, standout sessions, and the high-energy Demo Slam where presenters rapid-fire shared their favorite tools.

David walks through EDTECH Connect 2025, from the inspiring keynote to sessions we presented separately and other must-see talks from the week.

We wrap with our AI Literacy session — why it’s vital for educators right now and how it can transform classroom practice.

If you’re looking for fresh ideas, tools, and inspiration for teaching and learning, this recap has you covered.

What You’ll Hear:

• Why these conferences are so impactful for educators
• Highlights from both keynote speakers
• The best sessions and tools we discovered
• A breakdown of the Demo Slam format and featured tech
• Insights from our AI Literacy session together

Register for IT2 2025: https://www.swwc.org/Page/2286

In this episode of Integrate This! EdTech Podcast, we sit down with Kevin Smith—associate professor at Dakota State University, veteran instructional designer, and author-illustrator of the children’s book Yucky! 🖍️📚—to unpack the art and science of slide design and clear communication. Kevin takes us from his start as a high-school math teacher to instructional-tech expert and visual-design aficionado, sharing practical tips you can apply right away.

In this interview, you’ll learn how to…

• Balance creativity with clarity in every slide ✨
• Spot and avoid the most common presentation pitfalls 🚫✏️
• Build engaging visuals—charts, images, and multimedia—without overloading text
• Use tools like Canva, Keynote, and more for polished, professional decks 🎨
• Integrate AI into your design workflow for faster mock-ups and prototyping
• Get started in visual design, even if you’re not “techy,” with Kevin’s go-to resources

Resources & Links:

• Kevin’s Website → https://www.kevindsmith.org/
• Yucky! on Amazon → https://www.amazon.com/Yucky-Kevin-D-Smith/dp/1955026599
• Kevin’s DSU Profile → https://dsu.edu/directory/smith-kevin.html
• Watch the Video on YouTube → https://youtu.be/8yneR5bHE3E

Stay Connected:

• Subscribe on YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbzZSb_VjliYiMaSUwpQSIg
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Integrate This! EdTech Podcast: AI as an Enhancement, Not a Replacement – Featuring Thomas Hummel of Eduaide.ai

Join us for a dynamic summer episode of the Integrate This! EdTech podcast as hosts Jeremy and David sit down with Thomas Hummel, co-founder of Eduaide.ai! Thomas, a middle school science teacher first and foremost, shares his journey from the classroom to co-founding an AI-powered platform designed to support educators.

In this engaging conversation, we dive deep into how AI can genuinely complement effective teaching practices, rather than overshadowing the invaluable role of the teacher. Thomas emphasizes that Eduaide.ai's primary mission is to save teachers time and help them create higher-quality, more engaging lessons. Discover how this innovative tool empowers teachers to differentiate instruction, generate diverse assessment types, and adapt content to meet the unique needs of their students, all while maintaining their professional judgment.

You'll hear about the challenges educators face, the importance of teacher-led innovation, and why Eduaide.ai remains teacher-facing, prioritizing student data privacy and ethical AI use in education. Thomas shares compelling insights on the critical need for schools to embrace AI to avoid widening the digital divide, and how Eduaide.ai is committed to providing accessible, high-quality tools that truly make a difference in the classroom.

Key Takeaways from this Episode:

• AI should be a tool that enhances effective teaching, providing high-quality content and saving teachers time, not replacing their professional judgment or the crucial human element in the classroom.
• Teachers, as professionals, are best positioned to leverage AI tools to create engaging and differentiated learning experiences tailored to their students' unique needs.
• The EdTech landscape often prioritizes profit over quality and teacher support, highlighting the importance of mission-driven companies like Eduaide.ai.
• Student data privacy and the ethical use of AI models are paramount, especially given the probabilistic nature of AI and the potential for misinformation.
• There's a critical need for school leaders to embrace AI and provide training to avoid a deepening digital divide and to prepare students for an AI-integrated world.

Listen now to learn how AI can truly empower teachers!

• Visit their website: https://www.eduaide.ai
• Join their Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/eduaideeducators

Welcome to another exciting episode of Integrate This! This week, we're joined by Jon Laven, co-founder of Snorkl (snorkl.app), an innovative EdTech tool designed to capture and provide AI-powered feedback on student thinking. Jon, a former high school math teacher and instructional coach, shares his journey from the classroom to building a platform that’s changing how educators approach formative assessment.

In this conversation, Jon elaborates on:

• The Genesis of Snorkl: Discover how the need to understand student thinking during distance learning sparked the idea for Snorkl, evolving from a "social Khan Academy" to its current AI-driven model.
• The Power of Multimodal Expression: Learn why allowing students to express their knowledge both visually and verbally is crucial, especially in subjects like math, and how it creates greater accessibility for diverse learners, including English Language Learners.
• AI for Productive Struggle: Jon highlights how Snorkl's AI system provides immediate, personalized feedback that guides students through their learning process without simply giving away the answer, fostering valuable "productive struggle."
• Teacher Empowerment: Explore how Snorkl provides teachers with powerful insights into class-wide trends and individual student needs, supporting differentiated instruction and allowing educators to align AI feedback with their specific teaching criteria.
• The ISTE Experience and Beyond: Hear about Snorkl's exciting presence at ISTE and what's on the horizon for the platform, including upcoming events and enhanced data insights for teachers and school leaders.

Join us as Jon shares how Snorkl is helping to center student thinking and elevate learning experiences in classrooms across subjects.

Links and Resources:

Snorkl Website: https://snorkl.app/

World Snorkl Day, July 30, 2025: https://streamyard.com/watch/abrdpKv9yRZr

Check out the video of our Conversation on our YouTube Channel to see the content Jon shared: www.youtube.com/@Integr8This