Hey folks, John here!
Just a little less than a month ago, I had the awesome opportunity to sneak away from the wintry weather here in Washington, DC and make the trip down to Orlando, Florida for the annual Future of Education Technology Conference. If you’re not familiar, the Future of Education Technology Conference (or “FETC” for short) is one of the biggest gatherings of educators and edtech enthusiasts in the world. Each year, it’s a place where thousands of teachers, administrators, and innovators come together to talk about what’s next in teaching and learning. And this year, I had the incredible privilege of leading not one, not two, not three, but FOUR different breakout sessions, diving deep into all sorts of stuff to help today’s teachers keep playing with purpose as we work so hard to stay ahead of the ever-rising tide of Artificial Intelligence in our classrooms.
Real talk (and stop me if you’ve heard this one before), but I know conference sessions can be hit or miss. Trust me, I’ve been there.
Sometimes, you walk into a session and hear big, inspiring ideas that sound awe inspiring in theory—but when it’s over, you’re left wondering how to actually apply them in your classroom the next day. And other times, you end up trapped sitting through what feels like little more than a glorified infomercial with a high-pressure sales pitch that makes you feel like you’re at a bad timeshare presentation.
Let me be clear: we don’t do that at EMC² Learning.
Our goal has always been to equip real, living, breathing educators with strategies they can use right now—no gimmicks, no fluff, just high-energy, hands-on learning that works. Even if you’re not in a place right now where you’re looking for longer-term PD solutions by becoming a member of our incredible community of Engagement Engineers around the world. Our philosophy is pretty simple: teachers are strapped for time and money the way it is. If someone took the time out of their busy lives to drop into one of our sessions, the least we can do is give them a killer presentation and as much playful, practical pedagogy as we can pack into whatever time we’ve been allotted in the schedule. No hidden fees. No high-pressure upsell. And no strings attached.
So, How’d It Go?
We had hundreds of educators join us across four sessions over the course of the week: A.I. Classroom Survivor: Teacher Tools to Outwit, Outplan, and Outlast the A.I. Blindside, That’s What ChatGPT Said: Preparing Our Classrooms for The Office of Tomorrow, Game Changer: Authentic Engagement in an Age of Artificial Intelligence, and Beat The Bot: Alternative Assessments That Rock & Roll. And the feedback? Winner winner, chicken dinner! Here’s what folks had to say:
By the Numbers
100% of respondents from A.I. Classroom Survivor said the session met or exceeded their expectation.
92% of respondents found the content highly relevant to their professional interests.
100% of respondents from Game Changer said they would recommend the session to a colleague.
100% of respondents rated me as knowledgeable and engaging across all four workshop sessions.
100% of respondents from A.I. Classroom Survivor and Game Changer said they left with new ideas and innovative strategies.
Attendee comments included: “Best AI speaker at FETC,” “Very engaging presentation. Loved his style and wit,” and “Outstanding and relevant. Stellar presentation.”
No Sales Pitches—Just Play with Purpose
One of the things I’m most proud of? We kept it real. No sales pressure. No gimmicks. Just real strategies for real teachers. Because at the end of the day, that’s what EMC² Learning is all about—helping educators around the world tap into the power of play and create meaningful, engaging learning experiences for their students.
One playful lesson at a time.
The world of AI in education is evolving at lightning speed, and there’s never been a more exciting (or challenging) time to be in the classroom. But you don’t have to navigate it alone. And here at EMC² Learning, we wholeheartedly believe that the future of education isn’t about artificial intelligence or fancy pants technology. It’s about fostering authentic human relationships in our classrooms using good, old-fashioned teaching techniques (with a playful spin, of course).
Whether you’re looking for more hands-on training, fresh classroom resources, or just a community of like-minded educators who believe in playing with purpose, we’ve got you covered.
FETC 2025 may be in the books, but our journey towards spreading the joy of playing with purpose in every facet of our lifelong learning adventure is just getting started. Can’t wait to keep learning and growing alongside all of you. See you at the next big event!