 My Takeaways from FETC 2025: Insights on Education, Technology, & Future-Ready Leadership The Future of Educational Technology Conference 2025 conference offered a wealth of thought-provoking sessions and practical insights, showcasing the dynamic intersection of technology, pedagogy, and leadership in education. From AI-driven tools to transforming classroom culture, here’s a breakdown of my key takeaways and ideas that are shaping the future of education. The Curse of Knowledge: Navigating Communication in Education Tom Murray kicked off the Leadership Summit at FETC conference by addressing the "Curse of Knowledge" — the tendency to assume others share our perspective. Using optical illusions and examples like the "Red Car Effect" and "Old Lady, Young Lady Illusion," Murray emphasized how biases shape both our understanding and communication. He stressed the importance of stepping outside our own lenses to truly connect with students and colleagues. Curating a Skills-Driven Future in Education Mary Hemphill highlighted the role of leaders as curators, creating learning environments that are not only tech-savvy but also foster creativity and innovation. She discussed the shift from knowledge-based to skills-based systems, asking leaders to reflect on where their districts stand on this continuum. Hemphill introduced an “Instructional Walkthrough Checklist" to assess what learning spaces look like, sound like, and feel like, guiding educators in embedding human-centered behaviors.
Jill Siler’s session focused on leadership traits and the role of courage in guiding teams through both successes and failures. She discussed how clear expectations and strong support systems are crucial when helping those who are struggling, echoing the importance of learning from failure. She also recommended the book Deliberate Discomfort by Jason VanCamp to dive deeper into this concept.
insight into how these factors limit growth and how leaders can address them. SanFillipo encouraged leaders to look up, urging them to step out of their usual spaces to see things from different perspectives, and emphasized that a leader’s reaction to setbacks directly shapes the team’s response and attitude moving forward. Highlighting a shift from being reactive to proactive, SanFillipo advocated for being helpful over being a help desk, suggesting that real growth happens when you help others become better, rather than just fixing their immediate problems. He also identified two types of people: those who want to get better and those who want their problems fixed, encouraging leaders to align with the first group. SanFillipo concluded with reflective exercises, prompting participants to ask themselves: “If I want my team to _______________, then I must _________________.” This exercise helped leaders establish clear action steps for moving forward. The session was a dynamic blend of leadership strategies, personal reflection, and practical advice for creating a positive school culture and empowering teams.
Tech Integration and Transformation: Canva and Apple Elisabeth Bostwick and Apple’s Ron Chandler shared their insights on how technology tools are reshaping the classroom experience. Bostwick shared Canva’s new features, including Magic Studio, allow for easy design creation and content transformation (such as turning presentations into poems or generating AI-powered designs). Bostwick also highlighted how Canva supports accessibility features like alt text, translation, and captions — empowering students to create in diverse formats. On the Apple front, Ron Chandler and the Apple Education Team discussed the company's advancements in accessibility, showcasing tools such as eye tracking, live captions, personal voice generation, and mobility aids, ensuring all students have access to educational resources. Apple's holistic integration of accessibility across its products was a key highlight.
AI in Education: A Digital Workforce in the Classroom Sabba Quidwai’s session explored the role of AI in creating a "digital workforce" within schools. She posed the question: What tasks do we want humans to do, and what should be delegated to AI? Quidwai also presented the concept of "AI Teams," where AI becomes a collaborative digital assistant in education, helping to streamline tasks and support both students and educators. She also illuminated the importance of Jensen Huang from Nvidia’s quote that stated "In a lot of ways, the IT department of every company is going to be the HR department of AI agents in the future." The idea of AI being a “digital twin” — acting as a companion to students and teachers — was also discussed using HeyGen, along with tools like Notebook LM that allow students to interact with and analyze their notes. This shift is creating a more team-oriented environment, where digital and human workers collaborate for more efficient and effective learning. The Power of Collaboration: Teamwork in Education A recurring theme throughout the conference was the idea of collaboration. Sabba Quidwai argued that much like chefs, doctors, and CEOs work in teams, educators should also embrace teamwork to tackle the complex challenges of the modern classroom. The sense of community and collaboration was also emphasized at Opportunity Central project in Forney ISD, where students engage in real-world work and internship experiences across different fields, blurring the lines between school, career, and community. This school is extraordinary!
innovations are not just about automating tasks but enhancing the learning experience for both students and teachers. I am always in awe at how much content Eric creates and shares with the community. Find him at https://www.controlaltachieve.com/ and all social media.
AI Literacy for Educators As artificial intelligence becomes more ingrained in education, understanding its implications and practical applications is vital. J. Matt Miller and Holly Clark’s session focused on AI literacy for educators, breaking it into three primary components:
AI Literacy for Educators Dr. Marc Cicchino’s session focused on how AI can be integrated effectively into the classroom while promoting AI literacy across various stakeholders—educators, students, and parents. Cicchino emphasized that AI literacy involves not only understanding the tools themselves but also the ethical dimensions of their use in education.Key themes discussed included:
Key Takeaways:
Looking Forward: A Future-Ready Education System As the conference wrapped up, it became clear that the future of education lies in the intersection of technology, collaboration, and skills-based learning. Tools like AI, accessibility features, and digital design platforms are not just transforming how we teach, but also how we engage with and empower students. Education in 2025 and beyond will be marked by more personalized learning, stronger teamwork, and a greater emphasis on developing skills that prepare students for the future workforce. The FETC 2025 conference reaffirmed the importance of evolving our educational practices to keep pace with technological advancements, ensuring that students are not only consumers of knowledge but creators and collaborators, ready to thrive in a rapidly changing world. The conference also underscored the transformative power of technology in education. From leveraging AI to curating creative learning spaces, the conversations and insights shared at the conference pushed educators to think beyond traditional models of teaching. The future of education is collaborative, adaptable, and driven by technology that enhances human potential. As educators, leaders, and innovators, it’s our responsibility to harness these tools to create inclusive, engaging, and future-ready learning environments for all students. The journey has just begun.  Slide Credit: Adam Bellow
Presentations/Session Materials: Agenda and Links from the Executive Leadership Summit with Tom Murray, Mary Hemphill, Jill Siler and Joe SanFillipo The AI Toolbox from Eric Curts - (Session Notes Doc) Vibing Visuals from Elisabeth Bostwick’s Canva Presentation Matt Miller and Holly Clark’s Presentation on AI Fluent Students: Empowering Students with AI Literacies for the Future Protocols for Effective Data Discussions Resources (Mostly Ai but not All): Reaching All Learners with iPad - iPad is designed with accessibility features built in, enabling all people to learn and create in the ways that work best for them. The Achievery - A free and safe online learning platform created by AT&T to provide K-12 students with engaging and entertaining videos paired with educational activities. HeyGen - Produce studio-quality videos in 175 languages without a camera or crew. Adobe Express - Design (Generate Template, Generate Text Effect), Image (Generate Image, Remove Background), Video (Animate Characters, Caption Video, Remove Video Background) Hotshot - Image Generator, Video Generator Gamma - Presentations, documents, and websites. No design or coding skills required. Plaud - Wearable AI voice recorder (Video) Suno - Make a song about anything Infinity - Infinity is a video foundation model that allows you to craft your characters and then bring them to life. Vurbo.ai - Vurbo.ai turns your voice conversations into smart, multilingual transcriptions that are easy to display, share, and organize. Easily transcribe meetings, lectures, or interviews in real time while translating conversations on the fly. D-iD - This AI-powered animation tool turns static photos and moving videos into dynamic, lifelike Avatars napkin.ai - Napkin turns your text into visuals so sharing your ideas is quick and effective. elevenlabs.io - The ElevenLabs voice generator can deliver high-quality, human-like speech in 32 languages. Perfect for audiobooks, video voice overs, commercials, and more.
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I am super #mineolaproud to have received the Fred Podolski Visionary Award this year at the 2023 LITES Conference. This award is named in memory of Nassau BOCES’ longtime director of Curriculum, Instruction and Technology. Mr. Podolski was a firm believer in the impact technology could have on student learning. He was also the founder of the Long Island Technology and Education Summit. "This award is given to an educational administrator who has demonstrated vision, leadership and support of technology initiatives. The nominee should have a clear record of driving the use of technology, a demonstrated ability to identify future needs and a passion for serving the educational needs of students and teachers within their school district." What an honor! https://www.litechedsummit.org/Page/129  Good Morning! Welcome Members of the Board of Education, Mr. Gaven, administrators, teachers, our senior class advisors, families, and most importantly, the Mineola High School Class of 2022! What a beautiful day to celebrate this incredible class… together again at the Tilles Center!
I can’t tell you how excited I am to be here with you all this morning! Each year, as I look for inspiration when writing my graduation speech, I often find it in the most obscure locations. This year was no different. I was in Mr. Gaven’s office in the beginning of May and could hear faint music in the distance. The upbeat rhythm caught my attention and I opened the window to see where it was coming from. An instant smile came to my face as I saw our youngest learners, the pre-k kids, with their teachers, practicing a dance outside to Shakira’s “Try Anything” from the movie Zootopia. I thought about their innocence… I thought about how they were just beginning their journey… and I thought about what lies ahead for them in our fast moving, and unpredictable world. When I returned home that evening, I dug into the lyrics… "I keep falling down I keep on hitting the ground But I always get up now…. to see what's next Birds don't just fly They fall down and get up Nobody learns without getting it wrong" This couldn’t be a better descriptor of the past 2 ½ years of our lives… A time filled with both tragedy and triumph. I have thought a lot about time lately… a topic that has allowed me to reflect ever since my dad gave me this pocket watch a few years ago. It was my grandfather’s high school graduation gift, passed down to me, and has been symbolic ever since. Time is a funny thing when you think of it. We are constantly hearing about it… living through it, or affected by it. Whether you’ve been told that you are right on time, it’s about time, you better take your time , or you are living through one strange time, time is a part of you. How often do we think about using our time better, and regret that we didn’t spend it wisely? How often do we wish time could slow down when we are on vacation, or doing something we enjoy? And How often do we wish time would speed up when we are forced to do something unpleasant? Although we cannot literally turn the clock back, or speed it up for that matter, according to Actor, Jeremy Irons “We all have our time machines. Some take us back, they’re called memories. Some take us forward, they’re called dreams.” Your time machines have already created amazing memories together, and now as you step forward in time, you can begin to realize your dreams. So, take control of your time, live your own life, and maximize this valuable and limited resource. By doing so, you will never have to wish that you could go back and fix the things you did or didn’t do in the past. So back to Shakira and our Pre K kids… the song got louder… and even more beautiful. "I won't give up No, I won't give in till I reach the end And then I'll start again No, I won't leave I want to try everything I want to try even though I could fail I won't give up No, I won't give in till I reach the end Then I'll start again No, I won't leave I want to try everything I want to try even though I could fail" Try everything my friends! Don’t ever be afraid to fail. Over the past 13 years, you have come so far and accomplished so much. Remember those accomplishments… the ones you have achieved in the classroom… the ones you have demonstrated in service to others, and the successes you have demonstrated on the athletic fields, courts, and stages across our district. These accomplishments have been nothing short of extraordinary. As you move to the next stage of life, I have a few parting words of advice.
And finally, take the precious TIME you have to Enjoy this one last stop… For it is How you spend your time that will help define who you are… and who you will become. Class of 2022! It has been an honor to be your principal. I am so proud of you all… And I can’t wait to see all you go on to accomplish. At this time, it is my distinct honor to welcome Mr. Patrick Talty, Vice President of the Board of Education.
Children are likely to become enthusiastic, lifelong learners as a result of being provided with an engaging curriculum; a safe, caring community in which to discover and create; and a significant degree of choice about what (and how and why) they are learning. ~ Alfie Kohn Where there are challenging times, there are also opportunities. When the NYS Education Department cancelled the Regents exams, I knew there was an opportunity to address the constraints that many teachers feel around preparing students for a predictable, yet anxiety provoking summative assessment that occurs at the end of every June. I challenged them to teach how they always wanted to and to engage students by making learning real, not just relevant... to have fun! Empower students by providing voice and choice... and shift from traditonal to authentic assessments. After Week 9... I sent the faculty the following request:
Below are just several examples of student work, explanations from our amazing teachers, and anecdotes about learning from our incredible students. What you will see is that learning can be deeper, more exciting, and real when we empower our students. Our challenge is to remember what is working and carry that momentum into the next school year. The examples below are a representation of amazing things going on in our "virtual" classrooms and in the homes of our students. Intrinsic motivation increases, when students own their own learning... Our clubs are meeting as well as, as is our student organization and class officers. School buildings may be closed, but we continue to seize the opportunity to making learning real!
Theater & Dance One of the things that I worried about over the past couple of months doing remote learning was how to still be able to take "performance" classes and still keep them exciting. I think the fact that my students are able to be so vulnerable, and that they trust each other, is what allowed our classes to still do similar things on video as opposed to in school. I really wanted them to be comfortable in front of the camera and the trust we built as a class really helped. The students are presenting, acting scenes, doing improv activities, working out, and dancing together! One thing I really wanted to give them was choice. By giving them choices for projects, such as choreographing a dance number, writing a proposal to put on a show, set/costume and lighting design, creating theatre lesson plans (for our future teachers) and writing scripts/monologues, this allowed them to choose what they wanted to focus on and they were excited to create and share with us! It makes me so happy and excited to see their faces and know that their passion for theatre and dance can still be exciting- even through a screen. Can't wait to be back together again! -Ms. Oliveri (@AislinnOliveri) Science
Science Research The Webex (face-to-face) meetings with students have been awesome. The attendance has been great. I am constantly inspired by the students. They are present and willing to share. Of course some are having difficulties but even those students 'show up' for the class meetings. Here are few of my and my students favorite assignments. Please check out the link below. https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/04/scientists-have-turned-structure-coronavirus-music (Links to an external site.) Scientist set the structure of Coronavirus protein to music. Which protein did they use? What aspect of the structure did they use to set to music? Give some details. But why would you set a virus to music? I am looking forward to hear your impressions of music in our next class meeting. Please answer the above three questions either as text or upload your answers in a pdf file. Many students were surprised at how calming the music was. The students were surprised to see that by combining totally different fields (music and science) that scientist could learn about the structure of this protein.
The Crown Education Challenge theme is: Hope during a pandemic. There are three tracks; Art, STEM, and Writing. Your choice! Do not feel obligated to choose STEM. The rapid spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) is affecting millions of lives worldwide. Schools are closing, cities are locking down, and the economy is slowing. During this difficult time, we must remain hopeful. The Crown Education Challenge aims to encourage students to take a stake in this global challenge by responding to the theme of “hope during a pandemic.” The challenge is open for entries until June 15, 2020 at 11:59 PM PST. Please read the challenge rules (Links to an external site.) for more information. If you have any questions, visit the FAQ (Links to an external site.) page or contact us at [email protected]. Assignments 2 and 3 are included because when I introduced these assignments, the students were very excited. Immediately sharing ideas and thinking about working in groups for at-home science (see examples above). For hope during a pandemic, one of the students is planning on creating a dance to the cornoavirus music from the first assignment. I heard the beginnings of rap songs, seen sketches of drawings and comic strips, and heard the beginnings of a story or scene from a play. I cannot wait to see the submissions. In addition I have attached a presentation video that I ask the Advanced Research II students to upload. - Dr. McGlade-McCulloh (@ellenmc2) Chemistry & Physics Physics and Chemistry teachers collaborated to create a group project for students to complete in lieu of a final exam. Students could choose who they would like to work with as well as what they wanted to do and how they were going to demonstrate their understanding. The groups choose a topic that they learned about this year (see project description below). Then they choose ONE of the following media (see project description below) to express the information and concepts from the assigned unit. There is a grading rubric attached as well. -Mr. Musumeci (@Mrmusumeci_MHS) -Mrs. Adamski (@mrsadamski1) Project examples include a children's story, demonstration videos, comic strips, and a song.
English
Below is my Choice Week Project and some of the assignments I received from my student's. I wish I could send them all, it was the most responsive project to date and I was so impressed, and entertained while viewing their submissions! - Ms. Gross (@MsGross_MHS)
The student and teacher work included in this post are a result of good questions, coupled with a lot of creativity, collaboration, communication, and critical thinking... and this is only a sample. It is time to keep the momentum going and continue to seize the opportunity to make learning real. These skills, along with a sense of community, are the ones that students need right now. Finally, I leave you with a quote from Tom Murray (@thomascmurray) and a tweet from Mrs. Erika Meza (@MrsMezaMHS) to remind you that as we continue to push toward modern learning and the important skills our students need, we must always remember that remote or live, teaching and learning is all about relationships...
A picture is worth a thousand words. During these unprecendented times, I started to crowd source images from around my community that not only depict the difficulties and extreme struggles felt by many, but also the amazing way our region has come together and helped each other. There is still a lot of good to see in the world... help me add to this journal with pictures from your community!
Be Safe & Stay Healthy!
#WeAreInThisTogether
In high schools across New York State there is always talk of the Regents Exam. This exam has been the focus of teachers since 1878 when the first high school exams were given. On April 6, 2020, that changed... at least for the time being. Now what? I think we now have the unique opportunity to focus on learning, not the test anymore. While we rely soley on remote learning opportunities... our ability to leverage technology will certainly accelarate our ability to focus on student agency. Some cynics will say that without a Regents Exam, the students will not be motivated anymore, they're going to "check out." I don't think so. Instead, I believe we need to seize this opportunity and engage our students. Remember that first and foremost we teach students, then we teach content... and remember, children are naturally curious, want to make connections, and desire learning things that are relevant to them; things that are real.
Now is the time to leverage creation tools. Whether it is a product to create or a problem to solve, allow students to determine how they demonstrate and share their learning.
Now is the the time to shift the paradigm as we are not going to take high stakes, multiple choice tests! Lets do what we've always wanted to do... make learning fun! Remote learning (also called distance learning) requires increased student agency where students will work on their own and at their own pace. Digital technology gives students the ability to continue learning outside of the classroom as well as opportunities to learn from peers, share thoughts, read, watch videos, and interact virtually. Furthermore, it allows the teacher to take on more of a facilitative role while empowering students through self-paced, self-directed learning.
 On Your Own & Guided Learning Time (Asynchronous) Asynchronous learning will occupy the majority of learning for students. This will occur through Canvas, our Learning Management System. Students will receive lessons, videos, assignments and learning activities through this platform that will be supplemented with the use of Mathspace and Actively Learn. Additionally, teachers may employ the use of the "tools to increase engagement" listed below. Canvas - our Learning Management System (LMS) will house and distribute announcements, content, assignments, discussions, and videos. Watch the video here to learn how to stay organized with remote learning. Actively Learn - subject area reading resources with built in supports and progress monitoring tools for teachers Mathspace - Interactive, standards and topic aligned math work with built in supports Tools to Increase Engagement We are well poised to continue to use the tools that we have become accustomed to that increase student engagement and promote collaboration, communication, creativity, and critical thinking. The Google suite of apps (Docs, Sheets, Slides) that are part of our workspace accounts in addition to the apps below are just some of the ways our students will continue to stay connected and engaged in the learning process. All of our students have access to our KidOYO platform as well. Computer science students will have assignments and all others are welcome to contiue working on their digital portfolios and additional learning pathways. Of course, this is not an inclusive list, rather just some of the ways that learning will continue to be meaningful for students.
Enrichment Resources Visit over 500 art museums & galleries around the world Curb Your Sports Hunger: Top Sports Movies on Netflix Right Now 20 Screen Free Things to do with Your Kids [or yourself] Indoors When School is Closed Art BINGO (created by Bethany Nugent) Visit 12 Famous Museums offering Virtual Tours Yoga with Adriene pParent Letters:
3/17/20 - Remote Learning Letter to Families 3/20/20 - Update 3/27/20 - Update 4/4/20 - Update 4/7/20 - Update 4/9/20 - AP Testing Updates 4/10/20 - Update 4/17/20 - AP Update #2 4/17/20 - Update 4/24/20 - Update 4/30/20 - AP Update #3 (AP Testing Guide / Exam Day Checklist for Students) 5/2/20 - Update 5/9/20 - Update 5/16/20 - Update 5/18/20 - AP Update #4 5/22/20 - Update 
To sum up my time at Ted-Ed, I am always inspired by our students when we give them the opportunity to explore their passions. We must continue to amplify student voice and provide increased opportunities to provide choice in terms of learning. Congratulations to Jennifer Moglia and thank you to Lindsay Audiino, Bette Sloane, and the entire Ted-Ed team for cultivating a rich student centered program that celebrates the power of our youth. As our hosts from Ted-Ed reminded us, “The youth are changing the world... now.”
Below are my notes and takeaways from my learning at EDspaces2019. The conference, held in Milwaukee, WI this year, "the place where technology, space, and pedagogy converge." It was a great opportunity to see learning environments and hear from expert designers, architects, and educators.
Outdoor Learning in an Early Childhood setting Nate Bosch - Landscape architect with GMB
European Forest schools - in Chicago Illinois as well Richard Louv - Pioneer of connecting back to nature academic environments becoming treatment spaces Little Hawks school - Holland, MI
Tips:
21st Century Workplace Competencies: How can design shape student success? Gould Evans
mentoring influences) brought him to several conclusions, among them were that the skills you need to succeed in a competitive academic environment are not related to innovation era. What must we do differently to prepare students for the innovation era?
Next, Wagner identified 5 contradictions in education:
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Whittney Smith, Ed.D.Dr. Smith is the Director of Instructional Technology & Assessment and former Principal of Mineola High School in Garden City Park, NY. He is also an Adjunct Professor at Long Island University. 
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