What the EdTech?
What the EdTech?
Propellus Tech Summit 2025 Preview
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In this special preview episode, we’re giving you a behind-the-scenes look at what’s in store for attendees at the Propellus Tech Summit 2025! Recorded for registered participants, this episode walks you through the session formats, keynote highlights, featured partner sessions, and all the high-energy moments waiting for you at Wichita State University on May 28–29.
Hear what makes this event different—from Seesaw-sponsored poster sessions and deep dive workshops to optional lunchtime activities like the Mystery Box Challenge and Teacher Trivia Showdown. You’ll also get tips for maximizing your experience, earning graduate credit, and building your personalized schedule in Sched.
Whether you’re a classroom teacher, instructional coach, or tech-loving administrator, this episode will help you hit the ground running.
🔗 Learn more at: https://propellus2025.sched.com
Welcome to Propelis Tech Summit 2025
Speaker 1Welcome to a special edition of the Deep Dive. Next week is shaping up to be pretty huge for education innovation here in Kansas.
Speaker 2Yeah, the Propelis Tech Summit 2025 is almost here May 28th and 29th.
Speaker 1Right at Wichita State University's Rattigan Student Center. So we've kind of gone through all the info to get you ready, help you figure out how to make the most of it.
Speaker 2Exactly. Think of this as your game plan for next week.
Speaker 1Because it really looks designed to well propel your teaching forward. Right, that's the idea.
Speaker 2Absolutely. We've been looking at what Propelis is offering and it's really clear this isn't your typical sit and get conference.
Speaker 1No passive listening here.
Speaker 2Not much. No, the whole vibe seems to be about getting involved, trying new things, actually leaving with skills you can use like the next day in class.
Speaker 1OK, perfect. So let's help everyone hit the ground running. Let's do it. Let's jump straight into the opportunities then. What first grabbed my attention was this focus on like dynamic personalized learning. It sounds like they've really thought about how different educators actually learn best.
Session Types and Hands-on Learning
Speaker 2I think that's key here the variety. You know the different interactive session formats. They've clearly moved away from that sort of one size fits all model. So, whether you like quick ideas or deeper workshops, exactly, there's something designed for you. But the main thing, the common thread, is that you're meant to gain real practical skills, stuff you take back.
Speaker 1Makes sense, and the formats themselves? They seem quite different. Let's start with the poster sessions. What are those like?
Speaker 2Okay, so these sound pretty cool. They're sponsored by Seesaw, first off, and they mention snacks, which is always a plus.
Speaker 1Ah, always good Right.
Speaker 2But the idea is lively, face-to-face connections. You get to talk directly with educators who are sharing tips, showing off resources that are ready to use.
Speaker 1So like a buzzing marketplace of ideas.
Speaker 2That's a great way to put it A place to just walk around, get inspired, make some new connections quickly.
Speaker 1Perfect for that little jolt of energy or a fresh idea. Okay, then you have the breakout sessions, an hour long and they sound more hands-on.
Speaker 2Yeah, that's really the core focus for these practical skill building. Looking at the agenda, there are some really great examples Like what? Well, things like visual storytelling with Panva, making your workflow smoother with Microsoft Copilot, boosting classroom engagement through gamification.
Speaker 1Gamification, so like using game elements.
Speaker 2Exactly, and also universal design for learning, you know, making learning accessible for everyone. Plus, they're really diving into AI.
Speaker 1Ah, ai, how so.
Speaker 2Using it for lesson planning, differentiating for different student needs, even amplifying student voice. It's pretty practical stuff.
Speaker 1So definitely bring your laptop or tablet for those.
Speaker 2Oh, absolutely, bring your devices, bring your curiosity. They want you involved.
Speaker 1Okay, and for people who want to go even deeper, there are these two-hour deep dive sessions.
Speaker 2Right. And if the summit's theme is doing these deep dives seem like where the real heavy lifting happens.
Speaker 1Meaning.
Speaker 2Meaning they're designed as really immersive hands-on experiences. You'll actually be brainstorming, maybe prototyping an idea, problem solving with others.
Speaker 1So you actually create something.
Speaker 2Yeah, creating classroom-ready resources or plans, things like designing whole units, building out tech workflows, really rethinking how you teach using AI. It's about that deeper thinking and leaving with something tangible.
Speaker 1Gotcha Now. Something else listed is the Innovation Campus Tour. That sounds a bit different.
Speaker 2It does. It sounds like a really unique sort of behind-the-scenes. Look at what WSU is doing.
Speaker 1In terms of tech and research.
Speaker 2Exactly For folks who've already signed up for it. It's an exclusive peek at their research hubs, showcasing the latest innovations in well, industry and education right there in South Central Kansas.
Speaker 1A chance to see the future in action, maybe.
Speaker 2Kind of yeah, See where things are heading.
Keynotes, Panels, and Special Events
Speaker 1Okay, so beyond the sessions you choose, there are also the keynotes and partner sessions. Sounds like a chance to hear from the big names.
Speaker 2Definitely They've pulled together trainers and experts from, well, a lot of the top ed tech platforms Like who, let's see, apple Seesaw, edpuzzle, canva, the design one, canvas, instructure, adobe, diffit, school, ai, common Sense Media too.
Speaker 1Wow, quite a list.
Speaker 2Yeah, and they'll be sharing. You know new features, best practices, actual resources you can grab and use.
Speaker 1And the main keynotes. I saw Jason Wilmot from Canva.
Speaker 2Right, he's talking about empowering student voice with design and creativity tools, and Dr Gary Gillespie from Microsoft Bless her folk. She's exploring how AI can drive equity and efficiency and really empower educators. It sounds powerful.
Speaker 1And there's also a local panel, the Wichita Workforce Industry Panel.
Speaker 2Yes, and this, I think, is a real standout. You get to hear directly from local CEOs and CIOs.
Speaker 1About what skills students actually need.
Speaker 2Exactly what digital skills, what critical thinking skills they're looking for when students enter the workforce. That kind of real world insight is just invaluable for us as educators.
Speaker 1Absolutely Okay. So lots of learning, but it's not all work, is it? There's some lunchtime fun planned too.
Speaker 2Yeah, which is great Optional stuff to kind of recharge and connect. On Wednesday they've got this mystery box challenge.
Speaker 1Intriguing. What is it?
Speaker 2It sounds like a surprise design challenge. They give you materials, you create something. Promises creative chaos and fun. Sounds like a blast.
Speaker 1Definitely different.
Speaker 2And Thursday Thursday is the Teacher Trivia Showdown, a chance to test your knowledge, compete a bit, have some fun.
Speaker 1I like the sound of teacher trivia A good way to connect.
Speaker 2For sure, maybe win some bragging rights.
Speaker 1Okay, and for people interested in maybe getting something more formal out of this, there's graduate credit available.
Speaker 2Yes, that's right, an opportunity to earn one graduate credit hour from Wichita State University. There's a small fee and a short reflection activity involved.
Speaker 1And how do people find out more?
Speaker 2fee and a short reflection activity involved, and how do people find out more? They said there'll be details on site and specifically a Q&A session about it on Wednesday morning at the summit.
Practical Tips for Attendees
Speaker 1Good to know, all right. Shifting to practicalities for attendees heading to Wichita next week. What should they absolutely bring?
Speaker 2OK, essentials, definitely a fully charged device, laptop, tablet, whatever you use, and its charger Crucial for the hands-on sessions.
Speaker 1Makes sense.
Speaker 2Comfortable shoes. You'll probably be doing a fair bit of walking between sessions.
Speaker 1Good call.
Speaker 2A refillable water bottle, stay hydrated and, maybe most importantly, the right mindset.
Speaker 1Meaning.
Speaker 2Curiosity, creative energy and just being open to collaborating and connecting with other educators.
Speaker 1It does sound like they're fostering a really welcoming vibe. They even mentioned a Preservist educator. Hype crew.
Speaker 2Yeah, isn't that great. Wsu Preservist teachers will actually be there helping attendees, bringing energy.
Speaker 1That's a nice touch, really emphasizes community.
Speaker 2It does, and it all points back to that partnership with WSU's College of Applied Studies.
Speaker 1Right, the collaboration that makes it possible.
Speaker 2Yeah, it shows this isn't just a one-off event but part of like a bigger movement trying to push education forward.
Speaker 1Okay, final practical tip the schedule. People need to use Shed right.
Speaker 2Oh, absolutely essential. That's the interactive platform where you can see everything, build your own personalized schedule and, probably, pick backups. Interactive platform where you can see everything build your own personalized schedule and probably pick backups. Yes, definitely have a plan B and maybe even C for sessions, just in case your first choice fills up. It happens.
Speaker 1Good advice. Ok, so we've covered the what. Let's talk a bit about the why. What really makes Pertellis, you know, different? What sets it apart?
Speaker 2Well, I think one major thing is the actual inspiration from the keynotes. It's not just listening.
Speaker 1You mean Wilmot on design thinking and AI for student communication and Gillespie on AI for teacher impact and equity.
Speaker 2Exactly the focus seems to be on sparking ideas you can actually implement, taking action.
Speaker 1And that industry panel feels unique too.
Featured Sessions and Key Takeaways
Speaker 2Definitely Getting that direct line to Wichita business leaders talking about the skills they need AI literacy, critical thinking, digital fluency that's gold.
Speaker 1It's bridging that gap between school and the workforce.
Speaker 2Precisely. It's a chance to hear firsthand what businesses are looking for and how schools, can you know, meet that need.
Speaker 1The whole experience also sounds deliberately different from just sitting in rows.
Speaker 2Right. It's a clear shift away from passive lectures, more towards rolling up your sleeves.
Speaker 1Exploring tech creative challenges.
Speaker 2Yeah, collaboration, even playfulness, making it dynamic and, importantly, directly relevant to your classroom reality.
Speaker 1And they mentioned moments of surprise and delight.
Speaker 2Ah yes, things like the trivia, maybe other unexpected wow moments. It keeps things engaging, memorable, makes it fun.
Speaker 1And just to recap those session formats quickly for everyone Spark.
Speaker 2Those are the quick poster sessions.
Speaker 1Blu's Bloor.
Speaker 2The 60-minute hands-on breakouts.
Speaker 1Transform.
Speaker 2The two-hour deep dives.
Speaker 1And the tour.
Speaker 2And the Innovation Campus tour. Yeah, A good framework to plan your time.
Speaker 1One last big point Accessibility. It's free for a lot of people, isn't it?
Speaker 2It is Free for Wichita public schools, teachers and staff, preservers, teachers, presenters, WSU faculty and students. That's huge.
Speaker 1Really opens it up.
Speaker 2Absolutely shows a real commitment to getting this PD out there. For others there's just a nominal fee.
Speaker 1Okay, so to give people an even clearer taste, maybe we should highlight a few specific sessions from the schedule, just to show the range.
Speaker 2Great idea. Yeah, let's paint a picture. Obviously, jason Wilmot's keynote AI in Classrooms, unlocking Creativity that's a big one.
Speaker 1And keep an eye out for those exciting details coming soon. Breakouts always intriguing.
Speaker 2And for Canvas users, again the LMS, not the design tool. Canvas and AI the future of integrated learning and AI in Canvas tools to support teaching and learning Really important sessions there Definitely to make that Canvas-Canva distinction clear. Then there's a deep dive AI-aware learning, rethink, remix, respond Sounds very hands-on about using AI responsibly.
Speaker 1Anything for literacy folks.
Speaker 2Yep Sessions with watermark books, looking at new titles for secondary and elementary. Always good to see new books.
Speaker 1And for personalized learning.
Speaker 2The Next Frontier, integrating school AI for enhanced learning in K-12. And, of course, the Innovation Campus Tour for those signed up.
Speaker 1Don't forget the teacher trivia during lunch.
Speaker 2Never. And the poster sessions, round one and round two, for those quick sparks, plus that community workforce panel on the future of AI. What about creative tools Plus?
Speaker 1that community workforce panel on the future of AI? What?
Speaker 2about creative tools Beyond boundaries. Teaching reimagined with Adobe Express AI looks great. And for accessibility empowering all learners hands-on learning with accessibility on iPad.
Speaker 1Lots more AI too, like from zero to chatbot hero and I love this title, bot it Like it's hot hole.
Speaker 2Yeah, sounds fun. And for the Canva design tool enthusiasts, spark inspiration and save time with Canva code and.
Speaker 1MagicWrite and ignite your imagination with Canva in the classroom.
Speaker 2MagicWrite, those AI features within Canva, exactly. And for media literacy, a deep dive called Broken Telephone of the Internet, a hands-on simulation for media and AI literacy. That sounds fascinating.
Speaker 1Wow, also seeing unit planning, reimagined design-driven instruction using Canada's AI and specific tool sessions too right, seesaw EdPuzzle.
Speaker 2DiffIt Padlet. Yeah, lots of practical tool-focused sessions, plus the Want College Credit info session, the Mystery Box Challenge at lunch.
Speaker 1And even a happy hour Yep Box Challenge at lunch and even a happy hour Yep Happy hour at Social Tap sponsored by School AI. Good networking opportunity and, rounding it out, things like tech-savvy strategies for reading success and music, language, math, science, history, reading it really shows the breath.
Speaker 2It absolutely does. There really feels like there's something for well for every educator looking to innovate.
Speaker 1It definitely sounds like more than just a conference.
Speaker 2Yeah, the organizers are framing it as a chance to be part of the next wave. You know, join the movement. If you haven't registered, might be worth checking for last minute spots.
Speaker 1For sure, the energy definitely seems to be building for next week.
Speaker 2It promises to be a fantastic couple of days, A real chance to learn, connect and get recharged.
Speaker 1So, as we wrap up this deep dive on Propelis 2025, it's clear there's just a wealth of opportunity waiting for attendees next week.
Speaker 2Yeah, the focus on hands-on, future-focused skills and just making connections, it really stands out.
Speaker 1It's designed to be dynamic, practical, inspiring, something you can really use.
Speaker 2Exactly tangible takeaways.
Speaker 1Okay, so here's a final thought for you listening as you get ready for Propelis, maybe start thinking now what's the one new idea or maybe the one connection you hope to make that could really transform your teaching practice this coming year?
Speaker 2Ooh, good question, something to mull over.
Speaker 1Yeah, think about that going in. It'll be really interesting to see what resonates. And
