Get a CUE Podcast

Welcome back to the Get a CUE Podcast! It's been a while, but we're back with MassCUE's brand new Director of Operations Kyra Hunter. We talk about her new role, planning events in venues large and small, the differences between non-profit and for-profit event planning, the importance of a good song as a backing track, and much more. Join us, won't you? This episode was recorded live at the MassCUE Corporate Partner Showcase.

MassCUE 2023 Fall Conference keynote speaker Dr Liza Talusan drops by the podcast to talk about Diversity and Identity work in schools from Pre K through college, how her professional positions and schooling have shaped her, and a preview of her keynote speech that will kick off the conference!

You can find Dr Talusan and her work at lizatalusan.com

A very special double episode for Get a CUE features MassCUE Executive President Chris Gosselin giving us a full preview of the Fall Conference including updates to Gillette Stadium. The second half of the episode features MassCUE Professional Learning and Program Coordinator Jen Thomas talking about Building Capacity through Digital Equity, MassCUE's new customizable professional learning opportunities.

Welcome to season 6 of the Get A CUE Podcast! In the first episode of the new season, Brandon sits down with Pembroke Science Curriculum Coordinator Jonathan Shapiro to talk AI in the EDU space. They discuss ways teachers, students, and administrators can leverage the emerging technology and some potential pitfalls for districts. 

For our Golden 50th Episode Spectacular, Chris Gosselin takes over the podcast to interview Brandon and we talked about the first 50 episodes of the podcast. Special guests Jared Perrine (Narragansett Regional), Colleen Terrill (Seekonk), and Karen Winsper (Norton) join to talk about their favorite memories and great conversations and moments from the beginning of the Get A CUE Podcast. Chris also joins the Five Timers Club with his appearance on this episode!

Brandon connects with Jackie Gantzer, director of the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Office of EdTech and School Support, and boy is this episode chock full of goodness. They talk about the effect of pandemic funding on schools and districts, plus where it's going next; equity work out of DESE's EdTech office; the EdTech Systems Guide; and digital equity research. Don't miss episode 49!

If you want to stay on top of advances in technology, find something you are passionate about in and out of the classroom and make it your hobby. That advice comes from this month’s MassCUE Featured Educator, Kevin Murphy, who is a Computer Science and Digital Literacy teacher at Frontier Regional School in South Deerfield. Kevin and Brandon chat about Kevin's work, his career path, and what he sees next in EdTech.

We got a big one, here folks! Four, count em, four guests make up this episode! Morning Keynote speaker Dr Kandice Sumner spoke about the current revolutionary situation we're in with education, MassCUE Executive Director Savvy Demers spoke about the conference's theme "Equity, what's next?" and MassCUE's work, Triton Director of Technology Greg Kulowiec spoke about meeting the needs of all learners and the role of AI in education, and finally Walpole Digital Learning Coach Jed Stefanowicz spoke about raising every student's voice. Check it out!

Ritamarie Benoit is the Grades 3-5 Curriculum Supervisor for the Duxbury Public Schools, where she is responsible for the oversight and implementation of curriculum, professional development, technology integration and digital learning. She’s also the MassCUE Featured Educator for the month of February! She sits down with Brandon to talk about how tech has changed over the time she's been in Duxbury, the engagement and "cool" factor of edtech, connecting studeents with the world, and the future of teaching and learning. Join us, won't you?

Brandon sits down with Kristina Ishmael of the US Department of Education's Office of EdTech to talk all things teaching and learning! As the leader of the Office of Ed Tech, Ishmael executes the office mission of developing national edtech policy that enables everywhere, all-the-time learning and supports digital equity and opportunity.

Brandon and Kristina talk about funding post-Covid education, equity in schools, and her presentation at the upcoming MassCUE/MASCD Spring Leadership Conference on March 3 at The College of the Holy Cross. 

For Tom Williams, there is no better time than right now to be a teacher. As a history teacher at the Bay Path Regional Vocational Technical High School in Charlton, Williams uses technology to turn lessons from something students HAVE to do, to something they GET to do. Tom and Brandon chat about their shared love for history education, comics, and student engagement. Tom is MassCUE's featured educator for the month of January 2023.

You can find Tom on Twitter @TommyDubsEdTech 

Brandon sits down with fellow #TitanTech comrade Michael Tinker of the Pembroke Public Schools and they talk about the brand new Assistive Technology Special Interest Group through MassCUE, their favorite Google tips and tricks, and some general silliness and high-fives. Join us, won't you!?

In the latest episode of Get a CUE, Brandon welcomes Beth Barra to the program. Beth is a K-5 Innovation Specialist for the Marshfield Public Schools and will be speaking at the Fall Conference on the topics of being an ally and using UDL in the classroom. You can find Beth on Twitter and Instagram at @mrs__Barra

To kick off season 4 of the Get a CUE Podcast, Brandon sits down to talk with Savvy Demers and they talk about her journey as an educator, how an influential moment in her middle school years lead to a job in EdTech, and much more. Oh yeah, and forty episodes before the 40th Fall Conference!

MassCUE board members and colleagues sit down to talk about the impact of  MassCUE Executive Director Shelley Chamberlain, who is retiring after a long and storied career in education. This documentary-style tribute to Shelley features comments from Chris Gosselin, Dr Rayna Freedman, Jared Perrine, Dr Tom Scott, Colleen Terrill, Kim Keith, Julia Colby, and Heidi MacGreggor about their work with Shelley, personal stories about her career, and her impact on MassCUE. 

Friends of the program Karen Winsper and Jenn Judkins stop by the podcast to talk all things Influence and Advocacy, and their work with the Advocacy Fly-Ins with elected officials happening locally here in Massachusetts, as well as a day in Washington DC in the month of May. 

In this episode of the MassCUE Get a CUE Podcast, Brandon sits down and talks to technology innovator Evan Mossier of the Davenport (IA) Schools. Evan and Brandon discuss a variety of topics, including the Ditch Book group, Google Tips and Tricks, his presentation at the MassCUE Virtual Conference, and the NHL STEM program. 

Brandon sits down with Victoria Thompson, a former math educator, current STEM coach, and education in technology consultant with a passion for using technology to innovate teaching, learning, and pedagogy through an anti-racist lens. They talk STEM, social justice in mathematics, and more. Follow her on Twitter @VictoriaTheTech

Brandon is joined by Rick Rogers, a 35 year educator, most recently an interim principal in the Malden Public Schools. They talk about how best to support teachers and administrators, cultivating a culture of collegiality, trust, and reflection, how to best to filter and translate district and state mandates so as not to impact teachers, and how administrators can be fully present and listening. Rick Rogers is also the program facilitator for the Soul of Leadership, a leadership renewal program, and an adjunct professor at Salem State University. 

In the season three premier, Brandon sits down with Dr. Joe Sanfelippo, superintendent of the Fall Creek, Wisconsin School District and 2019 National Superintendent of the Year. They talk about changing the narrative of how we approach school, recognizing teachers for their good work, and sharing that good work with a wide audience using tools like social media. "School perception is often based on the narrative of those who attended years ago. Telling the real story of schools helps create a narrative that builds culture and gives everyone in your community an identity."

Jen Thomas, instructional technology specialist of the Dartmouth Public Schools, joins Brandon to talk all things Google PD in the 30th episode of the Get a CUE Podcast. They discuss the Google Certified Coach program, perks and benefits of joining, as well as the Google Educator Group of New England that Jen co-founded with a group of like minded educators. 

Dr Cathy Collins, a technology teacher at Sharon Middle School, sits down with Brandon to discuss digital news media literacy, how students can best identify misinformation and disinformation, and how Cathy uses her previous positions to benefit the students in Sharon. 

Brandon sits down with fellow MassCUE SCITT special interest group members Colleen Terrill (Seekonk), Jonathan Gallishaw (Dartmouth), and Karen Winsper (Norton) and they discuss the successes and difficulties of being a tech director in the era of Covid.

Brandon sits down with MassCUE President Rayna Freedman and Board Member Heidi MacGregor and they talk about all of the events surrounding the upcoming MassCUE Virtual Conference, to be held from February 9-12. Register online at https://future.swoogo.com/masscue

Given recent events, and the ongoing pandemic, Brandon and Erika talk about mindfulness, staying in the moment, and how to best work on the social emotional health of yourself and your students. Tons of resources and plenty of laughs with GreenScreenGal, too. 

Brandon and Manuel sit down to talk for the second time, this time about Visual Thinking, his process as an artist, and the education social media landscape. They also talk about Manuel's upcoming Featured Speaker slot at the Virtual MassCUE Conference in February.

Brandon sits down to talk to Dr. Henry Turner, principal of Newton North High School, to discuss his upcoming presentation at the MassCUE Virtual Conference on Anti-Racism and Race in Technology. They touch on equity in the era of Covid 19, grading policies, adding seals to transcripts for civic action and social justice, steps to be more anti-racist. You can find Dr. Turner on Twitter @TurnerHJ, Instagram @Turner_HJ, and his website, henryjturner.com 

Brandon sits down with Ela Ben-Ur of Olin College and the Innovators Compass program. The Innovators' Compass is 5 powerful questions that help us get unstuck in any challenge, big or small—in one usable picture to share. It's a simple, powerful way to problem solve and Ela talks about ways to make it fit every situation (including a very difficult mental block that Brandon's golf team has!) Check her out at InnovatorsCompass.org and on Twitter @ElaBenUr

In the Season 2 premier of the Get a CUE Podcast, Brandon sits down with Norton PS Speech and Language Pathologist and MassCUE Board Member Kim Zajac. We talk navigating remote learning with diverse learners and the new look remote MassCUE Fall Conference. First we discuss connecting with students in a remote environment. Later, Kim, as Conference Committee Co-Chair, gives us some insight into what the "new-normal" Fall Conference will look like. 

Brandon sits down with New Bedford English and Research teacher Takeru "TK" Nagayoshi, the 2020 Massachusetts Teacher of the Year. During their conversation, they talk about the process of becoming a teacher of the year candidate, anti-racist and anti-bias in education, recruiting more BIPOC into education and leadership positions, TK's advocacy work, and the upcoming MassCUE/WGBH/MASCD/MSLA Better Together workshop. You can find TK Nagayoshi on Twitter at @TK_Nagayoshi

This summertime episode features two interviews from the annual MassCUE Fall Conference. First, Brandon sits down with MassCUE Executive Director Shelley Chamberlain to talk about the role of MassCUE and the experience at the Fall Conference. In the second half of the episode, Brandon interviews Holliston Superintendent Brad Jackson, the President of the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents (MASS) and they discuss the role of tech in education and some legislation heading to the State House.

Ever heard of an escape room? Well Erin Foley, the digital literacy teacher at Hanover Middle School is going to tell us all about how to create digital escape rooms using some of the same concepts as a physical escape room, but with Google Tools. Erin and Brandon also talk about some of the great PD that's offered during the summer months through MassCUE. 

Laura Cahill of the Worcester Public Schools talks about her revolutionary professional development program using podcasts to create PD. Laura curates podcast episodes to assist teachers in remote professional development, a key strategy for engaging and assisting teachers in the current COVID crisis. We discuss her podcast PD format, our favorite podcasts, and try not to fall into Inception. 

On this episode of Get a CUE, Brandon Hall talks with Quaboag Regional High School teacher John O'Neill and students Liz, Madeline, and Josh. They've redeveloped the library in their high school and turned it into an Innovation Center, staffed by teachers and students, featuring a makerspace, green screen, 3D printer, and more. The students drove the bus on this project, and it shows throughout the episode.

Brandon talks to Jed Stefanowicz, digital learning coach at Old Post Road Elementary School in Walpole about drones and programming, computational thinking, his awesome blog, and of course the 4 C's. 

Catie Nasser of the Middleton Public Schools calls in to talk to Brandon about digital art, project-based learning, and her Artovation class where she and her students solve problems using STEAM principles and build some really cool stuff in the process. There's tiny houses, outdoor art installations, robotics, and more! Check Catie out on Twitter and Instagram at @CatNasser

Kim Keith, the Library Media Specialist from Dennis-Yarmouth, calls in to talk about Coding for Littles, including PBS Scratch JR and Scratch JR. Brandon and Kim talk about the changing landscape of libraries in schools, and upcoming events for MassCUE. They also find out a bit about where Kim went to 6th grade!

On this episode, Brandon Hall and Erika Sandstrom talk all things green screens in education. Erika describes how she has students set up multimedia projects, how mindfulness and social emotional learning fit in with green screens, and how a wrong turn led to a long afternoon at MassCUE.

You can find Erika Sandstrom online @GreenScreenGal on Twitter and @GreenScreenGal44 on Instagram

Check out the first ever LIVE taping of the Get a CUE podcast! Chris Gosselin and Beth Hughes stop by the 2019 MassCUE Fall Conference broadcast booth at Gillette Stadium for an interview about student voice, Flipgrid, and passion blogs. Hilarity ensues. 

Follow Chris Gosselin on Twitter @cjgosselin and Beth Hughes @MsBethHughes

Sheila Slawiak calls in to talk with Brandon about EdPuzzle, teaching computer science and digital literacy, and the development of her TEDTalk on the reason why every school should teach computer science. 

You can find Sheila on Twitter at @WMSTeachingTech

You can find EdPuzzle at www.edpuzzle.com 

Brandon talks to Rayna Freedman, MassCUE President and also a 5th grade teacher at the Jordan/Jackson Elementary School in Mansfield, MA. She has taught grades 3-5 and is an Instructional Technology Specialist. Rayna discusses great ways to engage students in the first few weeks of school and enhance student voice.