Integrate This! Ed Tech Podcast

David Berner and Jeremy Mikla

5.0 (5)
Education

Integrate This! is the podcast where education and innovation meet real conversation. Join Jeremy Mikla and David Berner as they dive into thought-provoking discussions and interviews with inspiring voices across the EdTech and education world. From classroom insights to big-picture ideas, each episode brings fresh perspectives and honest dialogue about the future of learning.

1d ago

PBL That Works: Keeping Projects Real, Rigorous, and Student-Centered with Jenny Pieratt

In this episode of Integrate This!, Jeremy Mikla and David Berner sit down with Dr. Jenny Pieratt, PBL expert, author, curriculum designer, and founder of Crafted Curriculum, to talk about project-based learning that is real, rigorous, and student-centered. Jenny shares her journey into PBL through High Tech High, explains the difference between doing a project and designing true project-based learning, and offers practical advice for teachers working across grade levels and subject areas. The conversation covers real-world learning, interdisciplinary collaboration, assessment, rubrics, durable skills, student agency, and how educators can start small with “PBL light.” The episode also explores how AI can support teachers in the PBL design process by helping with brainstorming, rubric creation, project planning, and reflection. Jenny emphasizes that AI can make PBL more manageable, but only when paired with strong instructional design and teacher expertise. Jeremy and David also challenge Jenny with a fun round of “Project or Not a Project?” featuring classic classroom activities like volcanoes, state reports, school gardens, AI-generated slideshows, lunch waste challenges, choice boards, and playground design. Resources shared by Jenny: AI Tools for Lesson Planning with PBL: https://craftedcurriculum.com/ai-tools-for-lesson-planning-with-pbl/ PBL + AI Certification Course: https://www.coursesbycrafted.com/pbl-ai-certification-course Instructional Leader Course: https://www.coursesbycrafted.com/offers/o2EVgD2T/checkout
Jul 16

Portrait of a Graduate & Personalized Learning: Aman Sahota (Factors Education)

Aman Sahota, co-founder of Factors Education, joins David Berner and Jeremy Mikla to talk about building an AI platform that personalizes learning around a district's Portrait of a Graduate. He shares his path from studying sustainability to founding Factors Education, the mentor who pushed him into K-12, and how the platform uses student learner profiles to personalize resources by Lexile level, language, and interests while staying aligned with district priorities. The conversation digs into AI bias in education, why reflection-based data collection beats once-a-year surveys, and how Factors is building an open-source benchmark for equitable AI modeling with the University of Toronto. Aman also talks through the Portrait of a Graduate movement, New York's 2029 legislative mandate, using esports to teach durable skills, and the unglamorous reality of building an ed-tech startup on the road. Stick around for the lightning round, including his walk-up song and go-to vegetarian spots across the country.
Jul 15

Conversations from ISTE Live with Stephanie Howell

Stephanie Howell, Education Strategist at School AI, joins the podcast at ISTE to talk through her packed conference schedule, including a poster session exploring Ethan Mollick's framework for AI as tutor, coach, and learning support, and hands-on sessions covering visible learning, poetry and storytelling, and student research and creation with Adobe. She also shares how she ran an asynchronous, community-driven book study with Thomas Riddle, and what her day-to-day looks like helping districts across the country build AI implementation plans that fit their own curriculum and culture.
Jul 14

Conversations from ISTE Live with Rick Ballew

In this short conversation from ISTE, Jeremy sits down with Rick Ballew, a Minnesota educator, computer science teacher, ISTE certification facilitator, and self-described badge collector. Rick shares his perspective on the ISTE/ASCD certification process, including the differences between the edtech leader, instructional leader, and edtech teacher certifications. He also talks about why the certification process is meaningful, rigorous, and valuable because it is grounded in real educator work, reflection, and feedback from human evaluators. The conversation also explores Rick’s professional learning journey from teaching beginning band across multiple elementary schools to becoming a digital learning leader and middle school computer science teacher. Rick shares how a need for better systems led him into Google tools, certifications, educational technology, and eventually computer science instruction. Jeremy and Rick also talk about teaching middle schoolers, facilitating adult learners, and how the two groups may have more in common than we sometimes admit. Rick also offers practical advice for first-time ISTE attendees: wear comfortable shoes, make a plan, and make time to connect with your edtech “summer camp” community. This episode is part of our Conversations from ISTE series, featuring short interviews with educators, leaders, and innovators from the conference. Connect with Rick Ballew on LinkedIn to learn more about his work. https://www.linkedin.com/in/frederick-ballew-iv/
Jul 14

Conversations from ISTE Live with Brittany Blackwell

Brittany Blackwell, host of the Resilient Teacher Podcast, joins the show at ISTE to talk about teacher burnout, why work-life balance is the wrong goal, and how to build work-life alignment instead. She walks through a simple energy in vs. energy out exercise for spotting what's draining your energy as a teacher, plus how systemizing and automating dreaded tasks, including with AI, can help. Check out Brittany's work here
Jul 13

Conversations from ISTE Live with Lindy Hockenbary

In this short conversation from ISTE, Jeremy sits down with Lindy Hockenbary to talk about what keeps educators coming back to ISTE year after year, how national conferences can re-energize educators, and why building a strong professional network matters so much in edtech. Lindy shares her perspective as a longtime ISTE attendee and presenter, reflecting on the value of hallway conversations, expo hall connections, and finding “your people” in a space filled with educators who are passionate about teaching and learning. The conversation also explores Lindy’s ISTE sessions, including her work around using AI as a learning tool, choosing AI tools that guide rather than simply give answers, and using AI in short, targeted instructional moments. She also shares about her playground sessions focused on vibe coding, game-based learning, friendship bracelets, e-textiles, and wearable technology. Lindy also offers practical advice for anyone attending ISTE or another large national conference: come in with a plan, know your focus, build a schedule, and stay flexible. This episode is part of our Conversations from ISTE series, featuring short interviews with educators, leaders, and innovators from the conference. Learn more about Lindy and her resources at https://www.lindyhoc.com/
Jul 13

Conversations from ISTE Live with IntegratED EDU (Megan Diede and Kara Rigsby)

Megan Diede and Kara Rigsby of Integrated Edu join the podcast at their first ISTE conference to talk about their session, The Engagement Blueprint, and their core philosophy that engagement isn't a strategy, it's the outcome. They break down how they help schools take existing curriculum and layer in movement, auditory, and visual pathways to boost engagement and student growth. They also share what their consulting company does, their summer conference tour, and their newly published book, Elevated Educator. Check out their work here
Jul 10

Conversations from ISTE Live with Leonardo Ortiz Villacorta from the The Pokémon Company International

In this short conversation from ISTE, Jeremy sits down with Leonardo Ortiz Villacorta from The Pokémon Company International to learn more about why Pokémon had such a strong presence at the conference and how the company is supporting schools through play-based learning. Leonardo shares details about Pokémon’s new after-school club program, developed in partnership with ISTE, designed to bring the joy, community, and engagement of Pokémon to students in a safe and nurturing environment. The program focuses on extracurricular learning, not classroom curriculum, and provides schools with free materials so students can participate regardless of whether they already own Pokémon cards. The conversation explores how Pokémon clubs can support student engagement, mentorship, collaboration, strategic thinking, math, reading comprehension, communication, and social-emotional learning. Leonardo also explains how the program lowers barriers for students in rural, urban, and suburban communities while giving educators an easy way to bring structured, non-screen play into after-school spaces. This episode is part of our Conversations from ISTE with... series, featuring short interviews with educators, leaders, and innovators from the conference. Learn more about the Pokémon after-school club program through ISTE: https://iste-ascd.org/pokemon-club Leo on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ortizvillacorta/

5

out of 5

5 Ratings

Integrate This! is the podcast where education and innovation meet real conversation. Join Jeremy Mikla and David Berner as they dive into thought-provoking discussions and interviews with inspiring voices across the EdTech and education world. From classroom insights to big-picture ideas, each episode brings fresh perspectives and honest dialogue about the future of learning.

Creator

David Berner and Jeremy Mikla
Years Active

2025 - 2026
Episodes

80
Rating

Clean
Show Website

Integrate This! Ed Tech Podcast