I recently had the great pleasure of attending the Texas Computer Education Association convention in Austin, Texas. I met so many inspirational teachers who are using technology in their classrooms in innovative ways.

The Istation booth at the event attracted a lot of attention as we recorded several video podcasts. Istation’s Sabrina Jones was a teacher for fifteen years before joining our team. She landed a great interview with a man whose real-life story is now on the big screen. Fredi Lajvardi’s life as a science teacher is the basis for the movie “Spare Parts.”

I recently came across this page on the Calvert K. Collins Web site again and wanted to share it. The foundation has been an important force of philanthropy for decades and has made an impact on so many programs. Since 1994, the Calvert K. Collins Family Foundation has supported educational programs and historical preservation activities.

I interviewed Deborah Menefee, the director of technology for Willis ISD in Willis, Texas. She coordinates the district’s information learning specialists and helped redefine the role of librarians in schools to better utilize technology. In our talk, she defines the ‘new librarian’ and the importance of adapting libraries to actively support teachers and students.

I recently interviewed Warren Dale and Lynell Burmark for my podcast. Warren Dale is a former technology facilitator in the Los Angeles Unified School District. Lynell Burmark is the winner of the Stanford University’s Walter J. Gores Award for Excellence in Teaching. They created “Campfires in Cyberspace” and help classrooms in student-led virtual fieldtrips. We talk about digital sharing and telling stories through technology.

This is the first podcast that is a video, so watch my interview with these great educators!

I had the honor to interview an innovative educator, Todd Nesloney, from Waller, Texas. We spoke about how he flipped his classroom, what it means to be a connected educator, and the importance of Twitter for teachers. Todd was named one of the “20 to Watch” by the National School Board Association and he is passionate about working with his students in the classroom. Todd describes his uses of technology in an effective way to excite his students daily, and he shares his experiences with his students and colleagues. You can hear my interview with Todd on my EdTech Works Podcast. Enjoy!

Paul Wagner, campus instructional technology specialist from Rosenberg, Texas, spoke with me about student blogging. Paul previously worked in the classroom for 7 years, teaching 3rd and 4th grade. He is the voice behind the great Teach thru Technology blog. We chat about the purpose of blogging in the classroom, many tips to get started, and the important benefits of publishing student work. Enjoy this episode of the EdTech Works Podcast with Paul Wagner!

Recently I had the occasion to speak with Vicki Davis, a teacher and IT director in Camilla, Georgia. I interviewed Vicki about her passion for the “flattened” classroom and global collaboration in education. Vicki is the creator of the Cool Cat Teacher Blog and has won numerous awards for her work as an innovative educator. She discussed giving students a one-of-a-kind experience in the classroom, mystery Skype, and global projects. Listen to my interview with Vicki on my EdTech Works Podcast!

I had the opportunity to sit down with two Istation employees from the Philippines to talk about their connections to the Typhoon Yolanda disaster. Cecil Lopez from the math curriculum department and Gerrylin Lasangre from the quality assurance department both have family in the Philippines. They talk to me about their time in the Philippines, their history in the business, and how the typhoon has affected the people and places they know well.

If you would like to give to this important cause, please visit the Red Cross to donate.

I recently interviewed Jessica Johnson, a great elementary principal in Juneau, Wisconsin. Jessica is the co-moderator of the #EduCoach Twitter chat, and she filled me in on hashtags, twitter chats, and the impact Twitter has made on professional development. Her blog has been listed by Edudemic as one of the “Top 20 Education Administration Blogs,” and she leads her school with a coaching hat on. Jessica told me how connecting with other educators has helped her be an effective principal and how anyone can become part of the #EduCoach chat. You can listen to my interview with Jessica on the EdTech Works Podcast!