EdTech Unpacked

Unpack technology that equips you to be the legendary teacher that God made you to be. Hosts Desmond Suarez and Aaron Long, inspire and equip educators to create learning experiences that teach and transform the lives of their students through new technology and resources.

EdTech Unpacked is a education podcast hosted by Adventist Learning Community, with 38 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 81.

Adventist Learning Community hosts EdTech Unpacked, a education show with 38 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  Episode #37

  EP 37 Student Filmmaking!

  Sep 21, 20261h 4m

  Want your students making real short films, the kind that win festivals, without a Hollywood budget? In this episode, Desmond walks through the complete equipment stack he uses to run a two-year film program with high school students, the same program that took first place for Best High School Short Film at the 2024 Sonscreen Film Festival. We cover audio, video, lighting, editing, and the whole workflow, plus how the class is actually structured across photography, solo video projects, and team filmmaking. Desmond also shares how he funded almost all of it through two grants totaling $15,000, and why he deliberately bought cheaper cameras so more gear could stay in students' hands. 3:50 Why teachers should try film production (Sonscreen Film Festival) 6:43 What students really learn: troubleshooting, resilience, teamwork 10:53 Unpack the Tech 12:47 How the class is structured: a two-year rotation 13:02 Year 1 Fall: photography, budget cameras, and lens variety 14:37 Year 1 Spring: solo video projects 16:02 Year 2: filmmaking as a team with assigned roles 17:53 Brainstorming, writing, and the two rules for every film 22:53 AUDIO: why audio matters more than video 30:35 How we paid for it: two grants totaling $15,000 32:20 VIDEO: choosing a camera body and why the lens ecosystem matters 34:45 Autofocus vs. manual focus 36:36 Anamorphic lenses 38:19 Building the rig: cages, handles, and gimbals 41:02 External monitors and recorders 45:15 SD cards, ND filters, and UV filters 46:58 LIGHTING: LED panels and soft boxes that are actually easy to assemble 50:01 Three-point lighting and why shadow matters more than light 51:20 EDITING: DaVinci Resolve free vs. paid, and why free is enough 57:36 No budget 1:00:56 Final advice 1:01:32 Coming in Part 2: the live stream setup GEAR MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE Cameras & lenses: - Sony ZV-E10 https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1649504-REG/sony_zv_e10_mirrorless_camera_body.html - Sony FX30 https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1729317-REG/sony_ilme_fx30_fx30_digital_cinema_camera.html - Tamron 17-70mm f/2.8 https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1609642-REG/tamron_afb070s_700_17_70mm_f_2_8_di_iii_a.html - Tamron 18-300mm https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1654621-REG/tamron_b016e_18_300mm_f_3_5_6_3_di_iii_a.html - Venus Optics Laowa Nanomorph S35 Anamorphic Prime 3-Lens Bundle https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1715906-REG/venus_optics_ve273550ses_laowa_nanomorph_s35_prime.html Audio: - Rode Wireless PRO II https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1782756-REG/rode_wipro_wireless_pro_2_person_compact.html - Rode VideoMic GO II https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1805031-REG/rode_vmgoiih_videomic_go_iih_camera_mount.html - Rode NTG3 shotgun mic https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/563798-REG/Rode_NTG_3_NTG_3_Precision_RF_Biased_Shotgun.html - Zoom F3 field recorder https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1686005-REG/zoom_zf3_f3_digital_field_recorder.html - Boom pole https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/406098-REG/K_Tek_KE_110CCR_KE_110CCR_Avalon_Series_Aluminum.html - blimp and windshield https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1056426-REG/rode_blimp_windsheild_rycote_lyre_suspension.html Editing: - DaVinci Resolve: https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/products/davinciresolve/ LINKS & RESOURCES Sonscreen Film Festival (NAD): https://www.sonscreen.com/ B&H through OMNIA Partners (for school purchasing): https://www.omniapartners.com/suppliers/bh-photo Our episode on the award-winning student film: https://youtu.be/ewSrBClAwAQ "Weakness" (2026 Student Film): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MW16Y3zWmXQ "His Blessing" (2024 Sonscreen winner): "The Perfect Leaf" (student-written short): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvTsAAQki-Q Our documentary on Judaism: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOqJq6hAcv4 Made a film with your students? Drop a link in the comments. We want to see it and celebrate with you. CONNECT WITH EDTECH UNPACKED https://edtechunpacked.com Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@EdTechUnpacked Find us wherever you get your podcasts and on social media @EdTechUnpacked #StudentFilmmaking #FilmProduction #EdTech #VideoProduction #TeacherTips #DaVinciResolve #FilmmakingGear #MediaLiteracy #ProjectBasedLearning #Sonscreen

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  Episode #36

  Ep 36 Classkick: See Student Thinking in Real Time

  Aug 18, 202648 min

  What if you could see what every student is thinking while they work, not after the assessment when it's too late to help? In this episode, Classkick coach Savannah Creasman (host of the Mamas in EdTech podcast) gives us a full live demo of Classkick, the free interactive learning platform that lets teachers watch student work in real time, give instant written and audio feedback, and auto-grade along the way. We cover low-tech and high-tech ways to make student thinking visible, from physical whiteboards and small groups to Classkick's real-time View Work screen. Plus, get a first look at Classkick's new AI features (AI Create and Student Helper) rolling out for back to school. Aaron and Desmond even hop in as students so you can see exactly what the teacher and student experience looks like, including an audio spelling test that Savannah made in Classkick. Subscribe so you never miss an episode: https://www.youtube.com/@EdTechUnpacked ⏱️ CHAPTERS 0:00 Welcome + meet Savannah Creasman 3:38 Get-to-know-you: what teachers look forward to most in summer 6:20 What is "visualized thinking" and why it matters 7:30 Low-tech options: small groups & whiteboards everywhere 11:31 Unpack the Tech: what is Classkick? 13:00 Planning lessons in Classkick (start with your standards, not the tool) 14:41 New AI features: AI Create + Student Helper (beta) 16:16 Creating assignments: Google Drive import, PDFs & the assignment library 22:12 Grading, Google Sheets export & syncing with Google Classroom, Clever, ClassLink 23:48 Live demo: Aaron & Desmond become students 33:56 Giving feedback: text, audio recordings, stickers & GIFs 36:42 The self-paced audio spelling test (Savannah's favorite feature) 40:30 Who is Classkick right for? Elementary vs. secondary 42:53 Co-teaching: special ed, ELL & resource teachers giving live feedback 44:01 Where to find Savannah + Mamas in EdTech LINKS & RESOURCES Classkick: https://classkick.com Classkick assignment library & app: https://app.classkick.com Classkick Community Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/classkick Savannah on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/savyedtechmamas Mamas in EdTech podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mamas-in-edtech/id1831864138 ISTE: https://iste.org Our episode on Universal Design for Learning: https://youtu.be/3HvUUgWU1_M ️ CONNECT WITH EDTECH UNPACKED Website: https://edtechunpacked.com Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@EdTechUnpacked Find us wherever you get your podcasts and on social media @EdTechUnpacked There is no substitute for great teaching. It's not about the tools you use, but how you foster meaningful relationships with your students to transform their lives. Be blessed! #Classkick #EdTech #FormativeAssessment #TeacherTips #EducationalTechnology #RealTimeFeedback #AIinEducation #ElementaryTeacher #ISTE

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  Episode #34

  Ep 34 ISTE Live 2026

  Jul 5, 202634 min

  We talked explored the exhibitor floor so that you could hear from: 0:28 LEGO 7:24 Epson 10:27 Sphero 12:40 Google 14:35 Canva 19:51 ClassVR 23:49 IPEVO 30:55 BrainPOP

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  Episode #33

  Ep. 33 Drone Piloting Careers Take Off at Space Camp | Rocket Drones Competition

  Jun 24, 202628 min

  What if learning to fly a drone could launch a high school senior straight into a high-demand career? In this episode, we travel to Space Camp at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, AL to join Rocket Drones and the U.S. Space Force for the first-ever on-site drone competition — and to dig into what drone piloting really means for today's students. We sit down with Brandon Turk and Chris Tonn of Rocket Drones, the competition's hosts, to explore the fast-growing world of drone piloting and the industry opportunities it opens up for graduating seniors. From the action on the competition floor to the career pathways behind it, this one's packed. If you're a teacher, administrator, or school leader looking for new ways to support your students and prepare them for emerging career opportunities, this episode is for you. Resources & links: - Space Camp / U.S. Space & Rocket Center: https://www.rocketcenter.com/SpaceCamp - Rocket Drones: https://rocketdrones.com - U.S. Space Force: https://www.spaceforce.mil Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe and turn on notifications so you never miss what's next. #Drones #STEMeducation #DronePilot #SpaceCamp #CareerReadiness

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  Episode #32

  Ep. 32- Using AI as Teacher Personal Assistant

  May 10, 202655 minS0

  <p>🎙️ The EdTech Unpacked Podcast | Featuring Dr. Maria Andersen of Socrait</p> <p> Join us for an insightful conversation with Dr. Maria Andersen, Co-Founder & CEO of Socrait—a company reimagining how technology can support teachers right where it matters most: in the classroom. </p> <p>Socrait is tackling one of the biggest challenges educators face today—cognitive overload—with a voice-enabled, AI-powered classroom assistant that transforms what teachers already say and do into meaningful data and actionable insights. </p> <p>In this episode, we explore: </p> <p>✨ The growing demands placed on teachers </p> <p>✨ How AI can reduce workload and prevent bur...

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