Building Friction, Autonomy, and Design with AI | Doan WinkelWhat if the best thing AI can do for students is refuse to help them? Matt sits down with entrepreneur and educator Doan Winkel to dig into why "helpful AI" might be the worst thing to happen to learning and what to do instead.In this episode:The philosophy behind AI Friction Labs and why deliberately frustrating students might be the most effective teaching tool yetWhy Doan thinks the "easy button" problem isn't really an AI problemThe ungrading experiment that revealed something startling: students aren't cheating at teachers. Teachers never even cross their minds.How one small prompt change turned a skeptical lawyer into an AI evangelist overnightWhy the most resistant person in the room might be exactly who you need on your AI committeeThe inertia problem: education hasn't fundamentally changed in decades. Will AI finally be the thing that breaks it?Doan's take on student autonomy, and the uncomfortable question he ends with that has no clean answerChapters:0:00 Introduction & Guest Welcome1:04 What Is AI Friction Labs?5:01 The Sparring Partner Concept & Mike Kentz5:43 Student Autonomy vs. the Easy Button7:39 The Ungrading Experiment & AI Cheating Reality14:54 Teacher Risk-Taking & Finding the Opening15:56 AI in Rural Schools & Learning from Others' Mistakes25:08 Designing Learning Experiences with AI31:55 Bandwidth, Training & Building Champions41:02 Curiosities: Breaking the Inertia of Education44:33 Outro & Where to Find DoanFind Doan:LinkedIn Newsletter: How to Teach AI on Substack (free, weekly, practical)Website: doanwinkel.com

In this episode, Dr. Carol Burks, Superintendent of the Allentown School District, and Rebecca Bodnar, Principal of Central Elementary STREAM Academy, share how a partnership with the Da Vinci Science Center has transformed the learning experience for elementary students. By making the Science Center an official secondary campus, students regularly move beyond the classroom to apply their learning through hands-on investigations, engineering challenges, media production, and real-world exploration.The conversation explores how interdisciplinary learning can help more students see themselves in science, why authentic application deepens understanding, and what happens when schools intentionally connect learning to careers, community, and student interests.

Let's Talk Books - The Dip by Seth Godin Conversation with Pete McPherson of PeteMcpherson.comWhat separates successful schools from those that struggle to gain momentum? Sometimes, it's knowing what to keep pursuing—and what to let go.In this episode, Thomas is joined by entrepreneur Pete McPherson to discuss The Dip by Seth Godin and explore how its lessons apply to Catholic school leadership. Together, they unpack the difference between the temporary challenges that lead to growth and the dead-end initiatives that consume valuable time and resources.The conversation explores:How to recognize when perseverance is the right choice—and when it's time to quitWhy defining what your school does best is essential to long-term successThe danger of trying to be everything to everyoneHow leaders can continually reassess priorities and focus on what matters mostPractical ways to build a school culture that is intentional, distinctive, and always improvingWhether you're evaluating a new initiative, refining your school's mission, or deciding where to invest your team's energy, this episode offers practical insights to help you focus on the work that truly moves your school forward.Pete McPherson is an entrepreneur, app builder, podcaster, and content creator who helps people build meaningful businesses and creative projects. A former CPA, Pete left corporate accounting to pursue entrepreneurship and has since launched multiple apps, websites, and podcasts, including the award-winning Do You Even Blog. Today, he focuses on building useful tools, experimenting with new ideas, and helping others think differently about work, creativity, and business.If you want to see how the lessons of this book can influence your school, please schedule a time to talk with us today. https://bit.ly/Build-IT-Better-TogetherThe In Search of Catholic School Excellence Podcast is brought to you by I Love My Tech Team. When technology doesn’t work, Catholic school leaders lose time, trust, and momentum. We partner with schools to restore reliable systems, empower teachers, and create the foundation for innovative learning centered on students.Lead Your School Into What’s Possible with I Love My Tech Team.Restoring What’s Broken. Advancing What’s Possible.Find out more at https://ilovemytechteam.com

This episode is a part of a special series of interviews conducted at the INCH360 Cybersecurity Conference in Spokane, Washington. Visit their website to learn more about INCH360 and their mission. Host Jethro D. Jones interviews Kayne McGladrey, CSO in residence at Hyperproof, about effective risk management and communication in cybersecurity. Kayne shares insights on translating technical risks into business impacts, building strong relationships across leadership teams, and using key risk indicators to drive better decision-making. The conversation highlights the importance of bridging the gap between technical and business perspectives to improve organizational resilience.

This is latest in our series of Thinking Out Loud. In this episode Zach Grosell and I talk about your year in consulting and a plethora of other topics.Links:Just Tell Them: The Power of Explanations and Explicit TeachingMaximizing the Impact of Coaching Cycles