Hello, my name is Holly Owens and welcome to Ed up edtech the podcast that keeps you. In the know about all the latest edtech happenings. We interview guests from around the globe to give you deeper insights into the Ed tech industry, the field of instructional design, and more, we're proudly a part of America's leading podcast Network the Ed up, experience. It's time to sit back and enjoy. Enjoy the latest episode of Ed up attack. Here's what's coming up on this episode.
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.