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The meaning in life is to find your gift, and the purpose in
life is to give it away. Hello everyone.
And welcome to another fantastic episode of Ed up.
Ed Tech. You are going to be so excited.
When you hear about the guests that I have on today, we have
Mary Beth harder Schultz. He is the school Partnerships
manager at edpuzzle Marybeth. Welcome to the show.
Thanks so much for having me holly.
It's great to be here. I'm really excited to get into
all the things that you're doing a Ted puzzle.
I love that puzzle. I love using it.
I my sister uses it at her school, I use it with my grad
students, but before we jump into all the things edpuzzle,
tell us a little bit about yourself and your journey into
the Ed Tech space. Sure.
I grew up in Cleveland, Ohio, I have over 23 years in the field
of Education. I started my career as a
classroom teacher with Rocky, River City Schools, which is on
a Lakeside Community. In Ohio.
I did a variety of leadership roles reading and literacy was
really my passion and still really is to this day and from
those roles I went on to become an assistant principal People
and principle in the Ohio area, and then my husband took a job
in Orlando, Florida. So I transition there and have
held various positions leadership positions in Florida.
And then the pandemic hit. As we know, I started my
doctorate degree which was also sort of on my bucket list of
things to do. And during that time, I really
needed some time to do some action research as part of my
Doctorate and I dove right into edtech, as kind of my
dissertation action, research of how to keep teachers in the
classroom and in the profession overall and decided.
I really wanted to experience the Ed Tech side of things
because I had really been looking for a product that I had
used and that I was familiar with and decided to work.
There was an opportunity to work.
With an amazing team at edpuzzle right in Orlando in the Florida
area and I jumped on board. So I have been with edpuzzle for
the most part of a year right now and I'm really enjoying the
journey and using my expertise, both as a school administrator,
and as a teacher to really work with those schools and districts
that edpuzzle serves. So, I love your story.
We have a lot in common and I think it's great that you found
edtech through your dissertation.
I know what, what was your? Let me just ask a question.
What was your dissertation on and what kind of research?
What did you find out? Well actually I'm looking into
the teacher retention issue and what we found is a lot of
younger teachers that join the profession.
Leave within the first five years.
They are overwhelmed because even Even though they have a lot
of background in educational, strategies and classroom
instruction, they really lack some of the communication
skills. Soft skills.
They just those haven't been developed, they're looking for a
streamlined process and when they get in the classroom in
front of a whole group of students, it becomes really
overwhelming because they have a tool for grade books.
They have a tool for lesson planning, they Tool for
communicating with parents and all of these tools don't work
together and then the human resource side of it, they're
still doing things. A lot of the times in some
schools, not all with paper and they're not.
They haven't moved forward into the electronic space.
So I feel like there was a disconnect and what we found in
our research is there was a disconnect between what they
were expecting students to do, or what we're expecting, our
students to achieve. And the teachers were still
using, you know, paper and pencil.
And and there obviously is never a replacement for the teacher.
The teacher is always the most important person in the
classroom, but I think with technology we've evolved and we
can use things to work, smarter not harder and we can really get
these tools that are streamlined now.
It's like there's so many things out there.
Schools need to be strategic and what they choose for their
students and for their communities.
What is the best fit? And so I think a lot of my
research has really looked at how can we make a platform or a
menu of different tools that really get people talking
amongst each other and working together and collaborating in a
more convenient space and instead of having these teachers
be so overwhelmed with anything and everything.
After they've worked the entire day, you know, face-to-face.
Face with students. Yeah, that's a lot to take in,
for sure. I can't wait to read your
research and I love it that you're doing own a very, very
prominent topic right now that teacher retention that's going
on is, you know, some people say it's not happening.
Teachers aren't leaving the classroom, some people are like,
yes, it's happening. It's a big deal but I want to
know what is truly going on. So Mary Beth in your journey.
Do you have any particular education?
In quotes that or any other quotes that you've you've
referenced back to along the way.
Of course, my mom was a second grade teacher.
She also taught sixth grade. So my mom is still a big part of
my inspiration and from my early years of just being around
classrooms and being on the school calendar, I think she is.
Also, my biggest cheerleader, of course, both of my parents are
but my mom My dad is in the medical profession and my mom
was in the education space. So one of the big things was I
think and it's one. I've always shared with my
students and even my staff that I've been fortunate enough to
lead the meaning in life, is to find your gift.
And the purpose in life is to give it away.
And I think education is always one of those tools where the key
is really to unlocked each student's gift.
Because every student you meet And I've been in this, you know,
23 years of everyone I've met is completely different and
completely unique and so different people have their
strengths. They have their weaknesses or
challenges, and it's how can you help them along the way?
What can you do to inspire them? And to lead them to be their
best self and it sounds sort of cliche?
But I really do believe it's sad.
I love it. It's not cliche, it's not
cliches too. Many people say that I love
this. It's not clear.
It's awesome. And I think that quote
originally it's been said by other people that I think it was
definitely from Pablo Picasso, who was an artist and, and I do
believe that teaching is as much an art as it is a science.
I mean, every teacher has a different approach to the
curriculum, a different approach to how they run their classroom.
And I think that's what makes it special.
And that's when you think back to like your favorite teacher or
your favorite grade in school or your favorite project, There are
those key memories and moments that make up your journey and
that have really, you know, changed you or transformed you
in some way. And and each teacher has made,
they're made their impact on you.
So I think that's what's really special to me.
Absolutely. I love it.
And I do love that quote as well, so and I know that res
that one definitely resonates with a lot of educators.
You're doing research in the Ed Tech space and now you've jumped
into the Ed Tech space with edpuzzle.
How would you personally? Define educational technology?
I think with edtech, I mean, just like I said before, these
are tools, these are resources. There's a lot of great ones out
there and I think it really is used to supplement the
curriculum. You know as a tool or resource
the teacher is always Weighs one hundred percent going to be the
most important individual in the room.
Technology doesn't replace teaching, doesn't replace
anything, but I think it just enhances it with edpuzzle.
It's a video platform. So when you're using video in
the classroom, it can just be used as that accountability
piece and how students process things and how you can
personalize The Learning Experience and Taylor.
Each individual so I think like just like with anything attack
is always evolving there are always new things to learn a new
things to add and I think that's why it's so exciting because it
does give the education space just to refresh and it gives it
a new chapter, a new platform in which to communicate and like
increase the rigor for all. All students to get that great
educational experience that we want, for all of our students
and all of our kids. Absolutely.
And I love, I mean, Ed Tech, pretty much changed my life when
I was a teacher way back in the day.
And I remember using a tool to my students took, it was a
Clickers. They took a test.
Absolutely. Yeah, they took, they had the
paper test with them. They took the test in the
clickers and by the time, the Bell from periods, Three the
five minutes that they had, I had it all synced in my grade
book ready to go which is awesome.
And that's so like life-changing when everything integrates so
well, like a puzzle integrates with all platforms and Google
canvas. Schoology.
And because it does those things sink right into their Gradebook.
So it eliminates a lot of the extra steps that teachers are so
used to doing right? Well, let's get into it for the
people who've been living. Being under a rock tell us about
add puzzle and the product and the services that you offer and
how you help institutions in education.
Well, sure, edpuzzle has been around, almost 10 years, believe
it or not. It was founded in 2013, actually
create it. And a lot of people don't know
this. So this is a fun fact for
today's episode. It was founded by a teacher,
keeps a Bria. A classroom teacher and he
needed a way many of us students.
I believe I have the story. Correct, many of his students
missed class often and he needed a way he felt that despite them
missing class. I mean, of course, he wanted
them to be there, but if they were going to miss what is a way
that they could still get the instruction and keep the
learning process moving forward. And so, he decided he would talk
to some of Of his friends who were in The Tech space and said,
what tool can I use in my classroom where I can present a
lesson, a video Lesson and upload it somewhere?
Where if this student misses class he or she can still see
the instruction and the lesson and the curriculum right then
and there they don't need to just use a book or a worksheet.
They can actually see and feel like they're part of the class
and and that's how edpuzzle was. It the Mantra of edpuzzle is
every learner is just one click away from an excellent
education. I believe, you know, edpuzzle
was really used a lot when remote learning and the whole
world shut down and was affected by the global pandemic.
But I'm just butley obviously was big but that like that's
when people started to really get introduced to it, they knew
about it in certain places but now at puzzle isn't 190
countries, it's available in several languages and more
coming. It's impacted 2.6 million.
Teachers, there's 30 plus million video lessons for
million hours of videos, watched monthly and basically almost 10
years of helping students, and, and Ed puzzles, that tool where
you can easily input. Embed a video and a like embed.
Some It's can be multiple choice.
Can be open-ended and the students cannot skip through the
video all the way to the end. They have to watch the entire
thing. So it's increasing the
engagement in the accountability.
We have a fabulous new partnership that's exclusive
with YouTube. So there's a Google Chrome
extension. Drop the video right in.
So there's ad free and we really have upped our game with all of
the safety compliance. With FERPA and Coppa we have all
of the designations because we have like a student privacy
pledge in terms of the data that we're sharing and and just it is
a phenomenal tool for teachers and students.
I mean they can even do a live mode lesson, where teachers are
able to see whose watch the video, how long they've watched
it, what skills need to be reinforced what?
Skills need to be reviewed. It can be personalized.
So students can you know work in stations it can be a flipped
classroom model where you know the teacher could be working
with a small group of students while another group is working
on an edge puzzle assignment. And the greatest part about it
is if the video can be edited anywhere so you can take out
some of the middle, you can take out some of the beginning, you
can take out some in the end. So if you have a video that's a
10 or 15 minutes, As long, but you really only want the
students to watch maybe five minutes of it.
One day, five minutes the next day you can edit it any way you
like, and there's so many different features that they're
continuing to add every day. Some of them including the ADA
compliance. So they've included closed
captioning audio responses, and I just think so much of that the
teachers can give audio feedback.
I mean, how great is That I laugh.
We've also included edpuzzle Originals which are basically a
library of Standards aligned lessons, ready-made, ready to go
set up to your standards by state that has content from
kindergarten, and they're working their way, all the way
up through 12th grade. So some of these modules that
students are needing financial literacy or digital citizenship,
those are modules that are Ready made ready to go with Ed puzzle?
And I think the great part 2 now they've added the admin panel,
so an administrator can go in and see what exactly is being
shown. What teachers are using their
tool regularly. And so they know it's, you know,
nowadays when we're looking at a budget and we're trying to
figure out what tools are being used and we can we have the data
to analyze and see the Excellent level of our students and our
schools. And I think that's really
important to see both sides of the coin.
Both from the teachers perspective, the administrator
and the student I've been in enough classrooms to, to see the
engagement in the excitement, by students who have used it,
because they can re-watch something, they can do it again.
If a teacher feels they need to, you know, they didn't take their
time or they didn't prepare. Like maybe they were supposed to
read a chapter. Before then they watch this
video, they can do it again and they get a second chance or a
third chance if they need it. And I think that tailored
personalized approach to education as what we've needed
all along. So yes.
Oh my gosh. I didn't know about some of
these things and I feel like I have a good grasp of what's
happening. I love it.
Yes. I love it so much so I was going
to ask you. Do you know coming into the Ed
Tech space and knowing you know a lot about how to use
technology in the classroom. What is your favorite feature of
edpuzzle? Oh gosh, there are no put you on
the spot, they're putting you know, there are so many.
I think, my favorite is definitely the fact that you can
take any video and make it your own.
So even if you find a video on YouTube, which there are so many
things out there that you can watch, but you can take one from
any Source National Geographic, where, you know, you could go on
Discovery, Ed, you can go on different places.
Take a video. Leo and create a virtual field
trip. You can do all kinds of things
and because you can edit it, it's giving you the ability to
make it your own, you can embed questions.
And in the question space, if you want to upload some type of
resource or give them a link to go somewhere else, it provides
that roadmap. So the video is a man.
We know that a lot of people really are the visual learner
and they actually We are trying to just watch something yet,
it's so much more than that. Yes, there watching, but that's
increasing the engagement and the accountability.
So, I think it's kind of that One-Stop platform where has so
many great tools and features. You don't need to go out and use
all these resources because everything is right there.
And I think that's what I found both as a teacher and as an
administrator, it was so comprehensive that you could Do
so many things with it and I've seen so many great lessons from
our community that have taken something and made it their own
and and that alone where we can share amongst each other is
terrific. Not only just within a school
but see what other edpuzzle have been created somewhere else.
Oh my gosh and shared internationally to apps every
where everywhere everywhere that's the I can even I'm doing
a Duolingo with French right now so I can get in get into a jam
with some French videos that are edpuzzle.
Designed that interns. Yeah, love it.
So you described a lot of different things that edpuzzle
does wonderful features. Building an ADA compliance.
Is there anything you can share with the audience about what is
coming up on the road map for this next year, of course,
without violating any NDA agreements.
Can you share some of your goals and things with us so we get
excited about what's next? Sure, sure.
Well, Ed puzzle is obviously reaching many corners of the
globe and so we're continuing to expand.
I think The great thing is, we're continuing to grow the
company and hiring so many, Fantastic people.
I have a region. I'm part of region for, which is
led by my manager, Jordan Savitt.
And I have so many amazing colleagues on my team that have
helped me because they come from different.
A lot of them come from education with that puzzle, but
they also come with sales background or Tech background.
Or, you know, background in marketing or public relations.
So we really work together as a team and collaborate to
problem-solve and strategize. So I think we're really
continuing to expand into different schools, Charter
Schools, private schools, public schools virtual schools but also
looking at other organizations and how can we if they have some
training to deliver or some professional development to
deliver? How can we Using videos in
modules and things like that, you know, synchronize that
training streamline that process for them.
And I think that's been really important, they continue to
evolve as a company. And I like the fact that if
there's a suggestion if we learn something along the way, we can
take those suggestions to our managers and upper level
management and have they have something called the research
Roundtable which is, Wonderful space.
Anyone can join, they have regular curriculum calls to
share like upcoming curriculum things that they're working on
because believe it or not, a video actually takes so many
hours of work by so many different talented people about
just making it just so making it just right and go through so
many edits and seeing the beginning initial stage all the
way to the end. So I think it is allowed all of
the employees to Really feel empowered and I think that's a
one thing. I noticed it allows many voices
at the table and many opinions to be shared and then we try to
figure out the best path forward together.
And I think gosh how how amazing is that to take all these brains
and work together and and problem-solve and look for new
Solutions and oh if you didn't if you tried something and it
didn't work, what can we do different next time?
To make it more successful. So it's ok to fall down.
It's okay to make mistakes. And that's what we say to our
kids. The reason you're in school is
because you don't know everything and and really, I
think that edpuzzle is great because it's all about being a
lifelong learner. I mean, we don't pretend to know
it all we don't pretend to know everything.
We feel like we are better when we're learning new things and
we're doing it together and I think that's the amazing thing.
And the culture that they've created their Oh my gosh, it
sounds like a great place to be it.
Absolute culturally, it sounds, wonderful.
And definitely I'm going to put a link in the show.
Notes to all the jobs. You have internationally, you
know, domestic and internationally.
There's a lot. There's a variety of roles that
people really need to check out for sure.
Absolutely. That would be great.
Yeah, yeah, I'm putting it. I, I highlight edpuzzle quite a
bit in my job, postings on LinkedIn.
But I'm definitely gonna put this in the show notes to so
people can access it there. Awesome.
So we are coming up on the end of the episode and I have to
really three final questions for you Mary Beth.
All right? I want to know if there's
anything else you'd like to share.
Did we miss anything? And then I want you to put your
fortune teller hat on. And I want you to tell us what
the future of Ed Tech looks like, oh gosh, that's a tall
order. Yeah, I've think I've shared
some of the biggest features of that puzzle right now.
Now, in terms of, you know, the admin panel, the introduction of
edpuzzle Originals. We also have, you know, a big
push on ADA compliance and really increasing the Safety and
Security of our platform. That's always been the highest
priority to us of making sure that we have the Safety and
Security things in place for all schools and students and
teachers and everything like that.
I think the biggest thing. Thing about Ed puzzle is that
like I said, they're continuing to expand so as we grow and as
we expand, we take the feedback, very seriously, from our
teachers and our students about what do they want to see next?
So, some of these suggestions and features that you're seeing
are basically, it was basically someone saying, hey, we really
think closed captioning should be on, or we really think that
audio responses. It would be great for our
youngest Learners, who aren't maybe so great at keyboard.
And yet to be able to just speak into their device and give an
answer because they know the answer.
They just have a hard time typing it.
And so those are the things that we are really responding to what
you know that it's almost like the tool is getting created, you
know, and involving as needs are being met.
And that's I think the exciting part about it, if I were to put
my fortune teller hat on and I Don't know.
You know, I there's so many things that who knows, you know?
Yeah, every that this point with all the stuff coming everywhere.
Exactly. But I think that the future of
Ed Tech is really bright that everybody's talking about Ai and
chat GPT and how that's going to enter into it.
So that's something that, I guess, keep an eye on because
there's so much chatter about it, I think that it's going to
be important for technology, and even for schools, there's going
to be so many. Many things out there.
So you really have to be the consumer and somewhat of a
researcher where, yes, there's a lot of tools out there but it's
like a menu when you're going to a restaurant and there's
different categories, you may prefer one thing like a soup or
a salad over something else. So it just like that.
If there's a whole bunch of apps out there, there's a whole bunch
of tools out there. You pick the tool that works
best for you. And so I think it's funny.
Is going back to education. We're always talking about
adding tools to our toolbox and I can tell you that in over 23
years of education. I'm always adding more and more
tools because you'll always come upon a situation or circumstance
or even a student of somebody needs something that you didn't
have exposure with yet or experience with.
So, you need to find that tool that works for that particular
group of students or Learners. And so I think just like
everything if the human Resource.
You know, we're we're recruiting teachers and new people to the
profession, we need to grow and attract the best of the best.
And in order to grow the students to be the best of the
best in the Future. Leaders of Tomorrow.
We have to find the tools that work best for them.
And so I think it's really about looking at all the tools and
what they're doing and figuring out.
What is the best one for me? What is the best fit for our
school or our district? And I think that's where it's
exciting. Because there's always going to
be calm. There's always going to be new
things on the horizon, but it's how do we make the best
decision? The best information, informed
decision for us at that time and I think tools like anything are
providing more and more data and providing more and more
accountability factors. So you need that tool that
really responds to that and gives you the information that
you need to make that informed decision.
Yes, I was just listening to it, like, finding the best tools and
a common theme throughout this episode especially is that
adaptability and the customizability and the
personalization of education. So I definitely see that
becoming something even grander and more popular as we continue
into the future of Ed Tech. And I think for sure, you know,
the Safety and Security piece is always front and center.
You need to make sure that The tool you're using is safe and in
compliance with everything else. So I mean we want to make sure
that our students are as safe as possible with anything we're
using. Yes, yes.
Well, Mary Beth we're at the end of the episode.
I can't believe it went by so fast.
That always have. I know, I know, I know.
Yes, it always happens when you have a great conversation so I
can't thank you enough for coming on the show and talking
about your journey into the Ed Tech space.
But also sharing all the wonderful things that you and
your team are doing at edpuzzle. So thank you so much.
Thank you so much for the opportunity to share more about
a puzzle and about my journey. I really appreciate it coming on
your show. It's really exciting for me.
It's my first podcast to no way. I would have never known that.
I was like she's an old pro at this.
Well, thank you so much. You've just experienced an
another amazing episode of Ed up.
Ed Tech. Be sure to visit our website at
Ed up, edtech.com to get all the updates on the latest edtech
happening. See you next time.