AmpED to 11

Amplify and Elevate Innovation

Elevating AI in Education Welcome to AmpED to 11, the podcast where AI, education, and technology collide to reshape the future of learning. Hosted by EdTech experts Brett Roer and Rebecca Bultsma, AmpED to 11 brings you the latest insights, trends, and strategies in AI-powered education. We believe that education should never settle for "good enough." Each episode is packed with cutting-edge news, expert interviews, and actionable insights that will keep you ahead of the curve in the rapidly evolving world of EdTech. Whether you're an educator, administrator, or EdTech professional, AmpED to 11 equips you with the tools to integrate AI into education and drive innovation. What You Can Expect: AI in Education: Stay up-to-date with the latest AI tools and trends that are transforming classrooms and educational technology. Expert Interviews: Brett leads in-depth conversations with top educators, innovators, and policymakers to explore how AI is shaping the future of learning. Tech Updates: Rebecca delivers the latest news and updates in AI and education, providing insights into new developments and practical applications for educators. Actionable Tips: Get real-world strategies and tools that you can immediately apply in your classroom or EdTech business to enhance learning outcomes. Why Listen? In each episode of AmpED to 11, you’ll: Learn how AI is revolutionizing education and how you can stay ahead. Gain practical insights from leaders in education and technology. Discover AI-powered tools and strategies to implement in your classroom or EdTech business. Meet the Hosts: Brett Roer is an EdTech visionary who excels at uncovering powerful stories in education and building connections with innovators. He’s committed to bridging the gap between technology and educators to enhance learning. Rebecca Bultsma is an educator and tech strategist with a talent for breaking down complex ideas into actionable insights. She helps educators integrate the latest technology and AI into their teaching, improving engagement and outcomes. Who Should Listen? AmpED to 11 is perfect for: Educators and administrators looking to integrate AI into their teaching. EdTech professionals seeking the latest industry trends and tools. Tech enthusiasts interested in the role of AI in the future of education. Join Brett and Rebecca as they turn the dial on education and AI, bringing you inspiring conversations and actionable advice to drive innovation in the classroom. Stay informed, stay inspired, and stay ahead of the curve with AmpED to 11.

  1. 1d ago

    Coaching, Time, and the Limits of General-Purpose AI with Paul Bambrick-Santoyo

    AI can help school leaders save time. But saved time is only valuable if leaders know where to spend it. This week on AmpED to 11, Brett is joined by Paul Bambrick-Santoyo, founder and dean of the Leverage Leadership Institute and author of Leverage Leadership 3.0. Paul has spent twenty-five years studying the habits, systems, and leadership moves that help schools improve, and his answer keeps returning to the same place: the moments when leaders are directly helping teachers get better. In this episode, Paul brings a grounded perspective to one of the biggest questions in education right now. If AI can reduce the administrative burden on school leaders, how do we make sure those recovered hours go toward coaching, observation, feedback, and the kind of instructional leadership that actually changes outcomes? The conversation explores what makes teacher development different from evaluation, why excellent practice needs to be seen before it can be replicated, and why AI tools trained on the average of everything may not be enough for schools trying to become exceptional. It is a thoughtful, practical episode for anyone thinking seriously about AI, leadership, and school improvement. Rebecca is away this week, so there is no AI Tip or News segment. Listen to the full episode to hear how AI could help leaders refocus on the work that changes schools.

    Coaching, Time, and the Limits of General-Purpose AI with Paul Bambrick-Santoyo

  2. Jul 6

    What the Canvas Breach Revealed About Student Data Privacy with David Bowman

    Rebecca hosts solo this week for a timely conversation with David Bowman, cybersecurity director for one of Utah’s largest K-12 districts, a member of the State of Utah Cyber Commission, and chair of the Statewide K-12 Cybersecurity Council. David brings a clear, practical view of what student data privacy really means inside schools, beginning with a classroom exercise where he showed students just how much information about them could be gathered, connected, and exposed. From there, the episode moves into the recent Canvas breach, the third-party analytics tools quietly embedded in EdTech platforms, and the difficult questions district leaders need to ask before trusting vendors with student information. At the heart of the conversation is David’s argument that the greatest threat to student data is not always the outside hacker. Often, it is the company already inside the district’s ecosystem, collecting more information than schools or families realise. Rebecca and David discuss how districts can create stronger privacy expectations, build data protection into procurement, communicate more clearly with parents, and hold vendors accountable when their practices do not match the responsibility of serving children. David also explains why privacy cannot sit separately from teaching, leadership, or purchasing decisions, and why schools need the confidence to “vote with your data” as well as with their budgets. Tune in for a grounded, accessible conversation about cybersecurity, student privacy, vendor accountability, and the leadership choices that shape trust in K-12 education.

    What the Canvas Breach Revealed About Student Data Privacy with David Bowman

  3. Jun 15

    How to Adopt AI Without Losing What Makes Education Human with Amy Dujon

    What are today's superintendents actually facing, and why AI alone won't fix it. Brett Roer sits down with Amy Dujon, VP of Education Brands at ARC Network, who sees patterns across hundreds of districts. With 27 years in education, from classroom teacher to principal to district leadership, Amy brings a rare vantage point on the unprecedented challenges school leaders are navigating right now. Key Topics: The simultaneous, interconnected crises superintendents are holding (mental health, teacher retention, chronic absenteeism, AI adoption)Why leaders aren't lacking ideas about AI, they're lacking time, policy cover, and bandwidthThe critical shift: using AI to reduce operational friction so humans have more space for connectionWhat must stay human: relationship building, mental wellness, and the connections only educators can provideHow district leaders can adopt AI thoughtfully without replacing the heart of education If you lead a school, district, or education organization, this conversation reframes the AI debate and offers a clearer path forward. Subscribe for weekly episodes exploring how education leaders solve real problems.

    How to Adopt AI Without Losing What Makes Education Human with Amy Dujon

  4. Jun 1

    29 Schools, 29 Positions on AI: Bill Bass on Managing the Impossible Divide

    What does it mean to prepare students for a world where the tools keep changing? Bill Bass has been wrestling with that question for over two decades. As Innovation Coordinator for Parkway School District, serving 18,000 students across 29 communities, and former president of ISTE, he's seen every wave of edtech come and go. And he's still here, still asking the hard questions. In this episode of AmpED to 11, Bill joins Brett and Rebecca to talk about the very real tension schools are navigating right now: parents who want AI kept out of classrooms, and students who will step into a world where it's everywhere. He pushes back on the idea that removing technology protects kids, challenges the myth that any of this is neutral, and makes the case for letting students make mistakes with AI while the stakes are still low. He also gets honest about what edtech gets wrong about schools, how he manages innovation across 29 communities with 29 different opinions, and why digital literacy isn't a destination, it's a moving target. This is one of the most grounded, clear-eyed conversations we've had on the show. If you work in education or care about where it's heading, this one's for you. Subscribe to AmpED to 11 for conversations that move education forward.

    29 Schools, 29 Positions on AI: Bill Bass on Managing the Impossible Divide

  5. May 18

    Inside the AI Rollercoaster With Briarcliff Manor Schools

    A student called his school's AI policy "consistently inconsistent", different every period, different every classroom. That phrase is the reason this episode exists. Brett Roer travels to Briarcliff Manor, NY for a live in-person crossover with Dr. James Kaishian, Superintendent of Briarcliff Manor Schools and host of Superkast. Around the table: English teacher Karen McCarthy, Computer Science teacher Chris Lo, and seniors Ava Wu and Noah Rinke. One conversation. Two shows. One very honest hour. Brett runs the AI rollercoaster with the students, period by period, rule by rule, then the Spider-Man finger-pointing exercise with everyone in the room. Students point at teachers. Teachers point at the superintendent. The superintendent points in a circle. Nobody points at themselves. That diffusion is the gap. Karen questions whether she's the right person to lead on this. Chris gave up on AI-generated questions because verifying them took longer than writing his own. Ava asks the question the whole policy debate keeps missing. Brett's argument: stop downloading template policies. Get two pizzas, sit with your own community, and record the conversation. The wisdom is already in the room. This episode airs simultaneously on AmpED to 11 and Superkast. Find Dr. Kaishian's show on Spotify and everywhere you listen.

    Inside the AI Rollercoaster With Briarcliff Manor Schools

  6. May 4

    Walking and Talking: The Workflow Hack That Turned Neighborhood Walks Into Books with Rachelle Dene Poth

    What does it look like when an educator refuses to stop growing? For Rachelle Dené Poth, it meant going to law school while teaching full-time, not to escape the classroom, but to understand it more deeply. Today she's a Spanish and STEAM teacher, practicing attorney, author of 10 books, and an AI grant coach guiding 12 schools across the country through one of education's most transformative moments. In this episode of AmpED to 11, Brett and Rebecca sit down with Rachelle to unpack what sustainable, high-impact teaching actually looks like in practice. Rachelle's story challenges the idea that doing more means burning out. Instead, she's built systems, voice-to-text workflows, AI-assisted writing routines, and intentional boundaries, that let her scale her impact without sacrificing her wellbeing. Together they dig into: How law school made Rachelle a sharper, more empathetic classroom teacherThe productivity systems she swears by that actually hold up under pressureWhy student voice has to be at the table when schools build AI policyHer unconventional writing workflow that turns neighbourhood walks into book chaptersHow she supports schools navigating digital citizenship, digital wellness, and ethical AI Whether you're a teacher trying to find your footing in an AI-accelerated world, a leader designing policy for your school, or someone who just needs a reminder that unconventional paths often lead somewhere extraordinary, this conversation is for you. Subscribe to AmpED to 11 for honest, energising conversations about education, technology, and the humans making it all work.

    Walking and Talking: The Workflow Hack That Turned Neighborhood Walks Into Books with Rachelle Dene Poth

  7. Apr 20

    Building Their Own AI: How School Districts Are Going Beyond Vendors with Daniel Friedman and Dr. Patrick Fogarty

    What if school districts stopped buying AI tools and started building them? In this episode, we talk with Daniel Friedman (Director of Technology, Hicksville Public Schools) and Dr. Patrick Fogarty (Assistant Superintendent, Hewlett Woodmere Public Schools & Founder of NYSAIC) about how educators are moving beyond vendor-dependent solutions to create their own local AI infrastructure. They discuss: Building local LLMs for data privacy and student researchCreating custom Regents exam generators through practitioner collaborationHow real AI innovation happens in group chats at 2 AM, not in procurement meetingsThe shift from "What tool should we buy?" to "What can we build ourselves?"Why the New York State Artificial Intelligence Consortium matters for equity and accessSolving hyper-specific district problems through grassroots innovation Daniel and Patrick met 15 years ago during iPad rollouts and have remained colleagues through every technology transition since. Their work proves that the future of AI in education won't be shaped by EdTech companies, it will be shaped by practitioners solving real problems together. Subscribe for more conversations about technology, education, and what's actually possible when educators lead the way.

    Building Their Own AI: How School Districts Are Going Beyond Vendors with Daniel Friedman and Dr. Patrick Fogarty

  8. Apr 6

    The Five Questions Every Parent Should Ask About School AI with Jason B. Allen

    Parents discover their teenagers are using AI in school, but they're learning about it after decisions are already made. Jason B. Allen, National Director of Partnerships at the National Parents Union, isn't interested in fixing a communication gap. He's here to close a partnership gap. Jason brings 21 years in education as a certified teacher, special educator, and former school and district leader. He knows what happens when schools make tech decisions without families at the table. He also knows what it looks like when they do it right, and it changes everything about how students, teachers, and parents experience innovation together. In this conversation, we dig into why 70-84% of students are using generative AI while only 16-20% of parents believe they are. We explore the real tension between technology departments and family engagement departments—and why ego, not resources, is often the barrier. Jason shares NPU's vision for technology fairs where parents and students evaluate EdTech tools before purchase, and he walks through the questions every parent should ask their school board about AI right now. We also play the AI Effect game, a scenario-based exercise that shows how AI can actually support human connection, not replace it. The moment: using AI to prepare for a difficult conversation with a parent. Everyone at the table agreed it works. What You'll Learn: The AI awareness gap - why 70-84% of students are using generative AI while only 16-20% of parents knowFive questions for your school board - what every parent should ask about AI adoption and student dataTechnology fairs - how open partnership can shift schools from closed decisions to shared vettingThe department turf war - why ego between tech and family engagement slows everyone down"We come when we're called" - what NPU's approach means for school districts ready to listen2 million members strong - how NPU and 1,800+ partners are reshaping education policy The AI Effect Game: We use a real scenario to show how generative AI can deepen parent conversations instead of replacing them. Listen for the moment the room shifts. Brett Roer and Rebecca Bultsma guide the conversation, Rebecca as an AI ethics researcher and voice of structural thinking, Brett as the translator between what schools are doing and what families need to understand. Tune in, subscribe, and share if you're ready to turn up the volume on what's possible in education.

    The Five Questions Every Parent Should Ask About School AI with Jason B. Allen
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Ratings & Reviews

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out of 5
8 Ratings

About

Elevating AI in Education Welcome to AmpED to 11, the podcast where AI, education, and technology collide to reshape the future of learning. Hosted by EdTech experts Brett Roer and Rebecca Bultsma, AmpED to 11 brings you the latest insights, trends, and strategies in AI-powered education. We believe that education should never settle for "good enough." Each episode is packed with cutting-edge news, expert interviews, and actionable insights that will keep you ahead of the curve in the rapidly evolving world of EdTech. Whether you're an educator, administrator, or EdTech professional, AmpED to 11 equips you with the tools to integrate AI into education and drive innovation. What You Can Expect: AI in Education: Stay up-to-date with the latest AI tools and trends that are transforming classrooms and educational technology. Expert Interviews: Brett leads in-depth conversations with top educators, innovators, and policymakers to explore how AI is shaping the future of learning. Tech Updates: Rebecca delivers the latest news and updates in AI and education, providing insights into new developments and practical applications for educators. Actionable Tips: Get real-world strategies and tools that you can immediately apply in your classroom or EdTech business to enhance learning outcomes. Why Listen? In each episode of AmpED to 11, you’ll: Learn how AI is revolutionizing education and how you can stay ahead. Gain practical insights from leaders in education and technology. Discover AI-powered tools and strategies to implement in your classroom or EdTech business. Meet the Hosts: Brett Roer is an EdTech visionary who excels at uncovering powerful stories in education and building connections with innovators. He’s committed to bridging the gap between technology and educators to enhance learning. Rebecca Bultsma is an educator and tech strategist with a talent for breaking down complex ideas into actionable insights. She helps educators integrate the latest technology and AI into their teaching, improving engagement and outcomes. Who Should Listen? AmpED to 11 is perfect for: Educators and administrators looking to integrate AI into their teaching. EdTech professionals seeking the latest industry trends and tools. Tech enthusiasts interested in the role of AI in the future of education. Join Brett and Rebecca as they turn the dial on education and AI, bringing you inspiring conversations and actionable advice to drive innovation in the classroom. Stay informed, stay inspired, and stay ahead of the curve with AmpED to 11.

Information

  • Creator
    Amplify and Elevate Innovation
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    42
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    ©2024-2025 Amplify and Elevate Innovation
  • Show Website
    AmpED to 11

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