Technology Essentials in Education Episode 13:
Organizing Schoolwide Projects

About the Episode

Technology Essentials in Education is your go-to podcast for practical insights on using technology to simplify your school week. Hosted by author and educator Monica Burns, Ed.D., in partnership with Jotform, this series is designed for K-12 educators, administrators, and leaders looking to make a meaningful impact. In this episode, Monica welcomes Kim Marie Kefalas, a New Jersey technology teacher who manages over 500 students across two schools. Together, they dive into the power of school-wide projects—from student-led elementary podcasts to interactive door-decorating contests—and how these initiatives break down classroom silos to build a true sense of community and equity. They discuss strategies for introducing collaborative tools like Canva and Book Creator to young learners, the importance of fostering "student experts" to encourage independence, and how teachers can find inspiration by duplicating and tweaking successful projects from social media. Kim also shares her "tell three before me" approach to ensure students become confident, independent problem-solvers in the digital age.