Tag Archive for: Jason

734 – Frameworks, Leaves & Llamas

WELSTech meets edtech meets ministry this week as we talk tech integration steps for learning and building the infrastructure to support it. We also include details on upcoming classes and webinars of interest, AI image generation, and a surprise new DIY podcast method that gives AI a voice!

The discussion

Framing it with SAMR – We welcome back to WELSTech Director of Academic Computing for Martin Luther College Professor Rachel Feld and Director of Technology for Oshkosh (WI) Area School District Jason Schmidt. This season our episodes with Jason and Rachel will include references to the technology integration framework SAMR, which stands for Substitution, Augmentation, Modification, and Redefinition. After a bit of a SAMR crash course, we learn more about how the basics of tech infrastructure in a school affect the implementation of SAMR.

Ministry resource

  • Coming Soon from MLC
    • Enhancing Ministry with Technology taught by Martin Spriggs – Spring 2025
    • Open Learning webinar presented by Dr. James Carlovsky – AI Power Hour: Boost Your Productivity with Creative Tools – November 4 at 7 pm Central
  • There’s still time to nominate for the WELSTech AI Summit

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Next time

WELSTech will be back in a few weeks, and we’ll all be surprised by the discussion topic!

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724 – Getting Started with AI

On this episode of WELSTech we finish our book discussion of The AI Classroom with a focus on school leadership’s role in shaping AI policy, curriculum, and usage. Along with edtech gurus Rachel and Jason, we share oodles of AI tools, events, and news, plus some non-AI tech topics including cybersecurity, end of school-year activities, and iPads.

The discussion

Leading School AI – We wrap up this season’s WELSTech book discussion of The AI Classroom: The Ultimate Guide to Artificial Intelligence in Education, looking at Part 4 of the book – The AI Horizon. Rachel Feld and Jason Schmidt join the conversation and agree on way more than normal!

Ministry resource

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Recent AI in Education headlines

Next time

We’ll celebrate Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary Assignment Day with Senior Seminarian Silas Dose discussing his thesis topic – Here Be Dragons: Fantasy, Escapism, and a Christian Response.

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721 – AI, and More AI

Tune in to this episode of WELSTech for a discussion of ways Artificial Intelligence (AI) can assist teachers with Universal Design for Learning (UDL) plans. We also talk about AI policy for schools and evaluating AI tools. The Newline C series is an affordable new interactive flat panel with no operating system on board. And Northwestern Publishing House (NPH) announced a new Christian Authors Live series.

The discussion

UDL + Tools – This season’s WELSTech book discussion of The AI Classroom: The Ultimate Guide to Artificial Intelligence in Education by Daniel Fitzpatrick, Amanda Fox, and Brad Weinstein continues. Martin and Sallie are joined by edtech extraordinaries, Rachel Feld and Jason Schmidt, and we talk about AI’s sweet spot with Universal Design for Learning (UDL) as well as tips for wading through the myriad AI tools available for teachers and students.

Ministry resource

Rachel put together an AI Tool Repository with links, tutorials, and Terms of Use for the AI tools mentioned in Chapter 9 of The AI Classroom

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Community feedback & events

  • Newline C series interactive flat panel with no operating system
  • Christian Authors Live event featuring Dr. Michael Berg – April 25

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Future proof your tech

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717 – Promptcraft

AI in education and church makes for an interesting WELSTech episode! Tune in for special guest hosts Rachel and Jason and help with crafting and refining useful AI prompts to assist with everything from report card comments to church graphics.

The discussion

PREP and EDIT – Martin and Sallie are joined by edtech gurus Rachel Feld and Jason Schmidt to continue the discussion of The AI Classroom: The Ultimate Guide to Artificial Intelligence in Education by Daniel Fitzpatrick, Amanda Fox, and Brad Weinstein. Chapters 6 & 7 are all about the prompts we give AI and what we do with the results.

Ministry resource

Posts on AI for Church from Church Tech Today

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Community feedback & events

  • ChatGPT for Teachers course from Blueprint Schools

Next time

Women’s Ministry webinars with Rachel Halldorson

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713 – Enough With The Boxes!

Wonderful … Creative … Verbose? This episode of WELSTech features a talent boost that’s sure to entertain while it educates! We’re sharing what we’ve learned about AI during our book discussion with our special guest edtech correspondents. There’s also a special Advent treat, picks to improve your productivity and video production, plus a couple of cool videos explaining multi-grade classrooms.

The discussion

Ped-AI-gogy – Martin and Sallie, along with our well-spoken education technology correspondents Rachel Feld and Jason Schmidt, return to this season’s book discussion of The AI Classroom: The Ultimate Guide to Artificial Intelligence in Education by Daniel Fitzpatrick, Amanda Fox, and Brad Weinstein. Chapters 4 & 5 are centered around pedagogy and make for an interesting, albeit boxy, look at the continuum of adoption of the current disruptive tool, Artificial Intelligence (AI), in education.

Ministry resource

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WELSTech celebrates Christmas with an interview of Dan Nommensen

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702 – Jack Jack Meets AI…Meets The Classroom

WELSTech is back! They may be a bit rusty, but Martin and Sallie are happy to be back at the podcasting desk and happy to be joined by edtech guest hosts, Rachel and Jason. The discussion focus is the currently “hot” tech topic, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and its effect on education. They share details on a free summer online conference from Martin Luther College (MLC) which includes that same topic, as well as watches and notes and streaming from Sweden to enjoy.

The discussion

Incredible AI – We welcome our semi-regular classroom technology correspondents, Prof. Rachel Feld, Director of Academic Computing and Online Learning from Martin Luther College (MLC), and Jason Schmidt, Executive Director of Wisconsin Virtual School to the show for a wrap up of our The Incredibles of EdTech series. This week we focus on the versatile, powerful, and somewhat scary character of baby Incredible, Jack Jack, and compare him to Artificial Intelligence (AI). From email to quizzes to images (Jack Jack in a Spiderman suit), and much more, an assortment of AI tools stand ready to generate whatever content a user desires. We discuss the challenges and blessings AI presents for education.

Ministry resource

Register now for Open Learning @MLC

  • June 13-14, 2023
  • This free online conference will feature Day 1 presentations focused on AI in Education
  • Day 2 includes discussions on replacing Saxon Math and assisting parents with spiritual leadership

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699 – An Invisible Superpower

Things are lively on this week’s WELSTech as we return to our Incredibles of EdTech series. Tech infrastructure is the focus, and we learn about challenges and strategies for managing this invisible force. Outreach, working genius, chair wheels, and grammar are just a few of the other topics which fill to overflowing this episode. Enjoy!

 

The discussion

Invisible Infrastructure – The podcast table has 5 seats this week as we welcome our semi-regular classroom technology correspondents, Prof. Rachel Feld, Director of Academic Computing and Online Learning from Martin Luther College (MLC), and Jason Schmidt, Executive Director of Wisconsin Virtual School, along with special guest Bob Martens, Director of Information Technology at MLC.

We continue with the third installment of our school year series – The Incredibles of EdTech. Like Violet, the oldest Incredible child, whose superpower is invisibility, tech infrastructure is an invisible, yet incredibly important, component of educational technology. Bob is freshly off teaching a new MLC Graduate Studies course on the topic and shares details about what’s involved, determining expectations, and partnering with local experts to support ever-changing infrastructure needs.

Ministry resource

Everyone Outreach

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From the WELSTech Google Group

Next time

Join us for a very special episode as WELSTech turns 700! We’ll take a look at tech in ministry, then and now.

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690 – The Incredible PICRAT

It’s a happy day on WELSTech when we welcome back Rachel Feld and Jason Schmidt for a new school year season of edtech-focused discussion! We have an incredible theme for the year, and we kick it off with a discussion of instructional design frameworks. Rachel has a site which makes instructional videos easy, Jason is impressed with easy photo cleanup, and WELS Technology wants to hire you!

 

The discussion

Instructional Design – While Martin is away, Sallie is joined by Prof. Rachel Feld from Martin Luther College and Jason Schmidt, Executive Director of Wisconsin Virtual School, as we kick off a new school year series – The Incredibles of EdTech. This week the discussion focus is on foundational (and “Mr. Incredible-like” strong and durable) frameworks for describing the impact of tech-enhanced teaching, including the PICRAT and Triple-E models.

Ministry resource

Bible Lesson Media Resources

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From the WELSTech Google Group

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681 – Multi-Age Teaching

You’re in for a treat – a WELSTech like no other! Martin and Sallie are joined by Jason Schmidt for a mashup discussion of open learning, project management, WiFi access, and summer enrichment. And, for the first time, we close the show with an interview of Dr. Cindy Whaley, icing on the cake of our season-long look at the WELS Education Conference 2022 lineup.

The discussion

Jason Schmidt joins Martin and Sallie to wrap up our school year series of edtech podcasts. (We missed you, Rachel Feld! Safe travels!!)

Ministry Resource

OpenLearning@MLC free virtual conference under the theme Ministering in an Age of Diversity

  • June 14-15 + recordings for a limited time
  • Register now
  • Clock hours available

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The interview

The icing on the cake – Dr. Cindy Whaley from Martin Luther College joins the conversation to share details from her upcoming presentation at the WELS Education Conference. Her topic is Multi-age Teaching and Learning: What it is, how it is different, and why it matters!. The conference will take place June 20-22, 2022, at the Ingleside Hotel in Pewaukee, WI.

  • Conference details and registration – Registration closes June 1

Coming up next on WELSTech

We kick off WELSTech’s summer focus – Enhancing Ministry with Technology

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677 – On a Desert Island with Rachel & Jason

Not quite a three-hour tour, but Rachel Feld and Jason Schmidt have us thinking of desert islands on today’s WELSTech. Rachel shares details on her upcoming WELS Education Conference presentation, plus there’s a fair share of Google goodness, tools for mass communication, and a real book, complete with that new book smell. Join the conversation!

The discussion

Higher Order Thinking – Rachel Feld and Jason Schmidt join Martin and Sallie to preview this summer’s WELS Education Conference. Rachel shares details of what participants can expect in the session she’s presenting – Using Technology to Spark Creativity and Higher Order Thinking Skills. The conference will take place June 20-22, 2022 at the Ingleside Hotel in Pewaukee, WI.

  • Top 10 Skills of 2025 [Infographic]
  • Conference details and registration – Early bird pricing ends May 1

Ministry Resource

Let’s Go evangelism video Bible study

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Coming up next on WELSTech

Web excellence with Tim Sinclair.

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Image by Charlie Jones from Pixabay