This week I built an AI system to help me be a better CIO — and there are lessons here for how we approach technology in our districts.

Topics Covered:

• Setting up automated daily research briefings
• COPPA compliance deadline: April 22, 2026
• Shadow IT in education and approved tool strategy
• Matching AI tools to tasks (cost optimization)
• Agentic AI trends in K-12
• Leadership filter: Does it help teachers teach or kids learn?

Key Dates:

• April 22, 2026 — COPPA compliance deadline
• March 9-12, 2026 — SXSWedu, Austin TX
• April 13-15, 2026 — CoSN, Chicago IL

In this special preview episode, we’re giving you a behind-the-scenes look at what’s in store for attendees at the Propellus Tech Summit 2025! Recorded for registered participants, this episode walks you through the session formats, keynote highlights, featured partner sessions, and all the high-energy moments waiting for you at Wichita State University on May 28–29.

Hear what makes this event different—from Seesaw-sponsored poster sessions and deep dive workshops to optional lunchtime activities like the Mystery Box Challenge and Teacher Trivia Showdown. You’ll also get tips for maximizing your experience, earning graduate credit, and building your personalized schedule in Sched.

Whether you’re a classroom teacher, instructional coach, or tech-loving administrator, this episode will help you hit the ground running.

🔗 Learn more at: https://propellus2025.sched.com

Welcome to the forefront of educational transformation, where technologymeets tradition, and innovation creates inspiration. You're tuned into What the EdTech?, the go-to podcast for educators, tech enthusiasts, and change-makers. Today, we're thrilled to introduce a special guest, a visionary in the realm of educational technology. He's not just a coordinator; he's a catalyst for change in the classrooms of San Diego. Please welcome Chris Garcia, M.Ed., from the Innovation Division at the San Diego County Office of Education.

Podcast Highlights

• Chris and Rob discussed the San Diego County Office of Education's Innovation Center and its impact on students. The center focuses on connecting students' strengths, interests, and values through a theory known as the riasec.
  • Chris and Rob introduced two special guests, Clint Dayhuff and Chris Garcia, to discuss their roles in esports and edtech.
  • Chris discussed the impact of the future ready hub, which includes gaming computers and opportunities for esports, podcasting, video creation, video editing, and graphic design.
• Chris and Rob discussed esports and its potential in education. Chris explained how the Future Ready Lab provides coaching clinics for teachers and students, and how esports can be used to boost attendance, influence positive behavior, and help with social emotional standards.
  • Chris explains the inception of the esports lab, which was brought by their tech director, Doctor Alicia Gallegos, Butters. The lab is also called the Future Ready Lab.
  • Chris discussed the benefits of esports in boosting attendance, influencing positive behavior, and improving social emotional standards. He also mentioned training teachers and building an esports club at Monarch School.
  • Rob discussed the success of esports in Wichita, highlighting the positive impact on attendance rates and student interest in STEM careers. He mentioned the presence of paid coaches in high schools, labs in secondary schools, and partnerships with local universities.
  • Chris discussed the importance of failing forward in esports and how it helps students iterate correctly. He shared his experience of playing Rocket League with his club members and how they communicated and reflected on their roles and mistakes.
  • Chris discussed the importance of building confidence after failing in video games and how this trait can be harnessed and transferred to other areas.
• Chris and Rob discussed the impact of AI on education and how to set the culture for AI in schools. They emphasized the importance of exploring AI tools while putting guardrails in place to protect students. They also discussed the need to align AI with social emotional standards and to create policies that evolve over time.
  • Chris and Rob discussed the arrival of generative AI technology in education and the need for policy-making and professional learning around it. Chris shared his approach of setting up meeting spaces with interested parties to discuss the use of AI in everyday life and common concerns.
  • Rob and Chris discussed the importance of setting the culture for AI in schools and aligning it with the castle standards.
  • Chris and Rob discussed the impact of arrival technologies and the importance of adapting to them. They emphasized the need to utilize social emotional standards and create safe spaces while protecting privacy and data.
  • Rob and Chris expressed gratitude towards each other for the opportunity to communicate and explore each other's centers.