My EdTech Life
My EdTech Life is where education meets innovation with clarity, caution, and purpose. Hosted by Alfonso "Fonz" Mendoza Jr., this podcast features real conversations with educators, founders, researchers, and thought leaders who are shaping the future of learning.
From classroom-tested tools to emerging AI trends, we cut through the noise to spotlight what truly works in K–12 and higher education. As a leading voice in responsible AI adoption, Fonz challenges the hype and elevates voices that often go unheard, bringing practical, ethical, and future-forward insights to every episode.
Whether you're a teacher, instructional coach, policymaker, or edtech creator, this is your space to connect, question, and grow.
Episodes
367 episodes
Why AI Won't Save a Classroom Without Curiosity ft. Olivia Odileke | My EdTech Life 364
What if the missing ingredient in your classroom isn't a new tool, a new curriculum, or another PD session, but curiosity itself?In this episode, I sit down with Olivia Odileke, founder of Spark Curiosity EDU, Education Week contributor...
What AI Can't Replace in Instructional Design ft. Jonathan De La Cruz | My EdTech Life 363
AI can write your design doc. It can build your storyboard. It can draft your script, your rubric, your assessment, your video outline, and half of your e-learning module before lunch. So what's left for the instructional designer?Accor...
The Human Edge: Smarter Decisions in the Age of AI ft. Cheryl Strauss Einhorn | My EdTech Life 362
What happens to your judgment when AI starts answering before you finish the question?In this episode, Dr. Fonz sits down with Cheryl Strauss Einhorn, founder of Decisive, ...
If You Live on Earth, You've Been Opted Into AI ft. Valerie Brock | My EdTech Life 361
There's no opt-out button for AI. That's the reality Valerie Brock, Curriculum Lead at Day of AI, brings to this conversation, and it changes how we think about AI literacy in K-12.In this episode, Dr. Fonz sits down with Valerie to unpa...
The #1 AI Governance Mistake Schools Are Making ft. Betsy Cooper | My EdTech Life 360
Episode 360: The #1 AI Governance Mistake Schools Are Making ft. Betsy CooperWhat's the biggest mistake schools are making with AI right now? According to
No CS Background. Below Poverty Line. Now Learning Quantum ft. A.M. Bhatt | My EdTech Life 359
What happens when you take public high school students with zero computer science background — 87% of whom are below the federal poverty line — and put them in one of only two quantum computing programs for high schoolers in the entire nation?<...
How Two 19-Year-Olds Are Fixing Reading & Writing with AI ft. Almar & Max | My EdTech Life 358
They’re Only 19… And Already Rethinking EducationWhat happens when two 19-year-olds look at education and say… this isn’t working?In this episode, I sit down with A...
Giving Student Voice a Stage ft. Tim Belmont | My EdTech Life 357
Student voice is one of the most powerful forces in education — but only when it has a real stage. In this episode, Dr. Fonz welcomes back returning guest Tim Belmont, Language Arts teacher and Technology Coordinator at Lyndhurst High School in...
Safe AI for Kids: How Chatperone Protects Your Child ft. Caleb Hurd | My EdTech Life 356
In this episode, Dr. Alfonso sits down with Caleb Hurd, founder of Chatperone, an AI chat platform built specifically to keep kids safe online. As a fat...
Podcasting in 2026: Grow Your Show with AI & Descript ft. Aaron Makelky | My EdTech Life 355
Dr. Alfonso sits down with Aaron Makelky of Descript to unpack the real future of podcasting beyond vanity metrics, beyond over-po...
Ready to Lead With AI ft. Dr. Kip Glazer | My EdTech Life 354
Four years after ChatGPT changed everything, schools are still treading water.In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Kip Glazer, principal of Mountain View High School, home o...
What Neuroscience Reveals About AI in Education ft. Dr. Mark Hobson | My EdTech Life 353
Neuroscience expert Dr. Mark Hobson reveals why educators MUST understand how AI works—and why your brain learns exactly like AI does.What You'll Learn:The s...
Bonus TCEA Episode: Simplifying EdTech for Teachers & Amplifying Learning for Students
Simplifying EdTech for Teachers & Amplifying Learning for Students Bonus episode recorded live at TCEARecorded live at TCEA, this bonus episode of...
Why Coraltalk Conversational Learning Beats AI Cheating ft. Melissa Morgan | My EdTech Life 352
Is critical thinking becoming a lost skill in the age of AI?In Episode 352 of My EdTech Life, Dr. Alfonso Mendoza sits down with Melissa Morgan, Founder of
Why EdTech Usage Doesn’t Equal Impact ft. Dr. Paula Cushanick | My EdTech Life 351
Why EdTech Usage Doesn’t Equal Impact ft. Dr. Paula Cushanick In this episode of My EdTech Life, I sit down with Dr. Paula Cushanick, known as Dr. C on TikTok, to unpack one of the ...
AI Literacy Isn’t “One More Thing” ft. Lindy Hockenbary | My EdTech Life 350
In Episode 350 of My EdTech Life, Dr. Alfonso “Fonz” Mendoza sits down with Lindy Hockenbary (LindyHoc), a K–12 EdTech advisor, strategist, and professional learning leader known for helping teachers make...
How Mega Minds Brings Real-World CTE to Classrooms ft. Eric Tao & Austin Levinson | My EdTech Life 349
How Mega Minds Brings Real-World CTE to Classrooms ft. Eric Tao & Austin Levinson | My EdTech Life 349In Episode 349 of My EdTech Life, Dr. Alfonso “Fonz” Mendoza sits down with
The Framework Every CTE Teacher Needs ft. Tisha Richmond | My EdTech Life 348
Career and Technical Education is often overlooked, misunderstood, or siloed. In this episode of My EdTech Life, Dr. Alfonso Mendoza sits down with
The Mission Behind Day of AI ft. Jeff Riley | My EdTech Life 347
In this episode of My EdTech Life, Jeff Riley breaks down the mission behind Day of AI and the work of MIT RAISE to help schools, districts, families, and students understand artificial intelligence safely, ethically, and with purpose.Jeff ...
How Relief Roster Fixes Substitute Chaos ft. Kyle Sumrow | My EdTech Life 346
Today on My EdTech Life, I sit down with Kyle Sumrow, educator, developer, and Director of Outreach and Development at Tech My School, to break down
Inside the UK’s Big Adobe Express Movement ft. Sean McLaughlin | My EdTech Life 345
Inside the UK’s Big Adobe Express Movement ft. Sean McLaughlin | My EdTech Life 345In this conversation, I sit down with Sean McLaughlin, Adobe for Education’s UK Communi...
How CTE Really Works for Students ft. Dr. Joey Mendoza | My EdTech Life 344
How CTE Really Works for Students ft. Dr. Joey Mendoza | My EdTech Life 344CTE is changing fast. Certifications, digital skills, pathways, tutoring, attendance, career pipelines—there’s a lot happening behind the scenes. In this e...
How AiDigiCards Help Kids Learn AI Safely ft. Amber Ivey | My EdTech Life Ep.343
How AiDigiCards Help Kids Learn AI Safely ft. Amber Ivey | My EdTech Life 343 In Episode 343 of My EdTech Life, I sit down with