Welcome to House of #EdTech - An Introduction and MORE! - HoET001

In this first episode of the House of EdTech podcast, host Christopher Nesi introduces his new show all about how technology is changing education. As a teacher who loves using technology, Nesi wants to have conversations about the latest edtech tools and how they can enhance teaching and learning. 

Throughout the podcast, listeners can expect segments discussing:

- Nesi's current thoughts on hot edtech topics
- Interviews with teachers, admins, and edtech experts
- App and website recommendations
- The "House of EdTech VIP" - someone to connect with who is doing innovative things with edtech

Introducing the Host - Christopher Nesi

A little bit about Christopher Nesi:

- Background teaching middle and high school social studies
- Currently a master's student studying curriculum & instruction
- Married with a young son and dog named Bambi
- Enjoys sports, graphic design, playing with new tech

Nesi is very passionate about leveraging technology to engage students, make lessons more interactive, and tear down the walls of the traditional classroom.

EdTech Thought

Nesi is researching teacher use of technology for his master's thesis. He believes teachers need to feel comfortable with technology before they can effectively integrate it into teaching. Professional development is key to helping educators learn new tech skills and tools.

EdTech Recommendation

Nesi recommends Cel.ly, a free communication tool that lets teachers, coaches, and admins create private networks to send text messages to students and parents. This fosters better communication and parental involvement. Features include:

- Mass texting announcements 
- Curated chats
- Polls and surveys
- Eliminates excuses about missing info
- Keeps parents in the loop

Takeaways

The main takeaways from this debut episode of House of EdTech are:

- Technology has enormous potential to engage students in new ways
- Teacher professional development is essential for edtech integration
- Tools like Cel.ly facilitate better communication and parent partnerships  

Stay tuned for more great edtech conversations and recommendations from Christopher Nesi on future episodes of the House of EdTech podcast!