Shows / The Higher EdTech Podcast
The Higher EdTech Podcast
Instructional Technologist Tim VanNorman and Professor Brent Warner work through the ins and outs of technology integration in Higher Education. The show focuses on best classroom practices for instructors in face-to-face, hybrid, and online courses. You'll hear about tools and tips that help you gain a broader understanding of the tech your students are using and expecting, and you'll hear interviews with peers and colleagues that are implementing educational technology in innovative and…
Episodes
- The Higher EdTech Podcast
S8E06 - District Enterprise Systems and the CCC Digital Center w Gerlie Jeltema pt 1
Tim & Brent sit down with Gerlie Jeltema, Director of IT Enterprise Systems at South Orange County Community College District to talk about how the district…
- The Higher EdTech Podcast
S8E05 - What Do We Do About Meta Glasses on Campus?
Wearables glasses that can watch and listen to you without your consent at any time are here, and the biggest of them is Meta's glasses. The implications are…
- The Higher EdTech Podcast
S8E04 - A Look at Claude
Tim and Brent discuss Claude and why it's become so popular with academics and coders. While all AI tools compete with each other, each has its own unique…
- The Higher EdTech Podcast
S8E03 - Google Search vs Gemini vs Gems vs Notebook
Google has so many AI tools it's hard to know which to use for what. If you've been looking for a little clarity on best use cases for each of the major tools…
- The Higher EdTech Podcast
S8E02 - What's New with Zoom - Fall 2026
Zoom made a ton of updates over the summer and it's hard to keep up with all of them. Tim and Brent share out some of the major functional changes that affect…
- The Higher EdTech Podcast
S8E01 - The Chancellor's Innovators Program
We're back in the new school year and to kick things off Brent and Tim are discussing how community college faculty, staff, and admin are building macro-level…
- The Higher EdTech Podcast
S7E20 - Summer 26 Predictions and Plans
Times are changing fast! Some things are only bits we can guess at, and others are things we can plan for. We're looking at some future predictions and plans…
- The Higher EdTech Podcast
S7E19 - Cyber Attacks!
What happens when there's a cybersecurity breach in your LMS? Is there anything the average faculty or staff can do when it happens? Brent & Tim discuss it all…
- The Higher EdTech Podcast
S7E18 - What is Vibe Coding?
In the last episode we talked about some of the possibilities of gamification in the world of AI, but a lot of people aren't aware that you can build a lot of…
- The Higher EdTech Podcast
S7E17 - Can AI Make Gamification a Reality?
As AI starts to make a lot of complicated coding a lot easier, Tim & Brent look at the possibilities of custom-building fully gamified classrooms and what it…
- The Higher EdTech Podcast
S7E16 - Title II ADA Compliance
You may have heard that you need to be in compliance with Title II ADA regulations by April 24, but it's not as straighforward NOR as overwhelming as it might…
- The Higher EdTech Podcast
S7E15 - Nick Wilkening, Director of Technology Services, Spring 26
Nick Wilkening, Irvine Valley College's Director of Technology Services, returns for his annual updates on what's happening with Technology Services at IVC…
- The Higher EdTech Podcast
S7E14 - Keystroke Showdown: Draftback, Revision History, and Process Feedback
Rather than using unreliable AI Detectors, consider using a tool that helps visualize and review the writing process to help your students understand what's…
- The Higher EdTech Podcast
S7E13 - How to Deal with Fraudulent Enrollments
Fake students are a frustrating problem that a lot of teachers have to deal with, especially in online classes, but don't get a lot of support on how to do so…
- The Higher EdTech Podcast
S7E12 - The Opposite of Cheating with Dr. Tricia Bertram Gallant
Tim and Brent sit down with Tricia Bertram Gallant to talk about ideas around Academic Integrity as it goes through a new round of concerns and frustrations in…
- The Higher EdTech Podcast
S7E11 - Approaching Agentic AI with Rick Miranda, IVC's Vice President of Instruction
To kick of 2026, we sit down with Irvine Valley College's Vice President of Instruction, Rick Miranda to talk about approaching the conversation around Agentic…
- The Higher EdTech Podcast
S7E10 - NotebookLM in Higher Ed
If you've been hearing about NotebookLM, but haven't explored what it has to offer, Tim & Brent discuss what it is, how it's different than other AI Chatbots…
- The Higher EdTech Podcast
S7E09 - 2025 Gift Guide for Techie Teachers
Every year Tim and Brent dig into some possible gifts for the techie teacher in your life. Whether you're looking to treat yourself, or just can't find…
- The Higher EdTech Podcast
S7E08 - What Can Google Do to Protect Education?
Companies like Google, Microsoft, Canvas, and many more have positioned themselves as solutions to education problems, but they're making very few moves to…
- The Higher EdTech Podcast
S7E7 - When the Cloud Crashes: Teaching Through Tech Outages
Millions of people, including teachers and students, were affected by the recent outage of AWS as it took almost all EdTech, including Canvas, out of…
- The Higher EdTech Podcast
S7E6 - What's New in Zoom? (Fall 2025 Edition)
It's been a while since we've looked at Zoom updates, and there have been a LOT recently! If you've gotten into a rut with the ways you use Zoom, listen in to…
- The Higher EdTech Podcast
S7E05 - Browser Bots are Doing the Homework
Agentic AI is coming hard-baked into browsers, and it's absolutely frictionless to have it complete homework. Brent & Tim discuss Google's (NOT paused)…
- The Higher EdTech Podcast
S7E04 - AI Announcements in the California Community Colleges
There are a lot of initiatives happening in California and the California Community Colleges have cannonballed into the pool with summits, initiatives, and…
- The Higher EdTech Podcast
S7E03 - Planning for Transitions
Tim and Brent zoom out a bit to look at some of the things you might consider when making a transition. Tim shares some of his approaches to moving into…
- The Higher EdTech Podcast
S7E02 - Peer Reviews in Canvas and Beyond
Group assignments and peer reviews great, but it's not always clear how to get things going on a digital platform. What are the options to make useful peer…
- The Higher EdTech Podcast
S7E01 - OpenAI Embeds Itself into Canvas
What does it mean for OpenAI to embed their AI right into Canvas? We're discussing the implications and the questions that came up when this announcement…
- The Higher EdTech Podcast
S6E20 - 12 Tools To Explore Over Summer
In the season 6 finale, Brent and Tim provide a rapid-fire tour of 12 tech tools available at IVC that faculty can explore during summer break. This practical…
- The Higher EdTech Podcast
S6E19 - How to Prep for Fall while Wrapping Up Your Spring
In this episode, Brent and Tim share practical strategies for preparing for fall semester while finishing up spring courses. They discuss valuable ideas…
- The Higher EdTech Podcast
S6E18 - A Conversation with Playlab
Tim and Brent sit down with Eric Lavin at Playlab.ai to talk about what Playlab is, how it can help educators, and the value of using AI to customize your…
- The Higher EdTech Podcast
S6E17 - The AI Show Recap
Tim & Brent went down to San Diego to check out the AI Show @ ASU+GSV! Check out just a small portion of what was happening and how the show focused on helping…
- The Higher EdTech Podcast
S6E16 - Group Assignments in Canvas
Group Assignments are great, but there can be a lot of confusion on setting things up in the LMS. We're breaking down the differences between Group…
- The Higher EdTech Podcast
S6E15 - Security and Emergencies with Nick Wilkening
Ever wonder how colleges handle emergencies? IVC's Director of Technology Services Nick Wilkening comes back for a follow-up to the last episode, revealing…
- The Higher EdTech Podcast
S6E14 - Tech Updates with IVC's Director of Technology Services, Nick Wilkening
We brought IVC's Director of Technology Services back on the show to talk about the types of campus-wide tech updates we've been implementing at IVC and how…
- The Higher EdTech Podcast
S6E13 - AI Bots in My Meetings!
AI Bots are popping up into our Zoom meetings, our online classes, and more. This is more than just a classroom issue - many meetings across campuses are…
- The Higher EdTech Podcast
S6E12 - Google Add-Ons to Help Your Workflow
Want to simplify your Google workflow but don't know where to start? We're exploring some Google add-ons that can make your workspace work for you. Show notes…
- The Higher EdTech Podcast
S6E11 - Incorporating AI Without Affecting Your Lessons
There are a lot of teachers out there who like AI for their personal lives, but don't want to bring it into their classroom or to have it touch their pedagogy…
- The Higher EdTech Podcast
S6E10 - 12 Tips of Techmas
You deserve your winter break, so we're keeping it short and sweet with some quick and actionable tips that you might not have known about to help save you…
- The Higher EdTech Podcast
S6E09 - 2024 Gift Guide for Techie Teachers
Are people asking you what gift you want for the holidays, or maybe you're struggling to find the right thing for the nerdy someone in your life? Tim & Brent…
- The Higher EdTech Podcast
S6E08 - What to Think About When Planning for 2025
2025 is upon us, and it's time to start thinking about the new semester. In this episode, Tim and Brent talk about some considerations that you might start…
- The Higher EdTech Podcast
S6E07 - Understanding Open Educational Resources with OER Librarian Rachel Fleming
Open Educational Resources are commonly discussed on college campuses, but what are they and why are they so important? Our OER librarian, Rachel Fleming…
- The Higher EdTech Podcast
S6E06 - Playlab AI in Higher Ed
Custom bots programmed with a specific goal in mind are a great way to focus studies for students. There are a number of ways to do this, but with Playlab AI…
- The Higher EdTech Podcast
S6E05 - How to Build an AI Action Plan
A lot of people want AI on their campus, but don't have a plan in place to make it happen. Tim & Brent talk about what's needed to build a campus-wide action…
- The Higher EdTech Podcast
S6E04 - What Does Your Syllabus Say About AI?
There's a lot of murkiness around how to define policies around AI. In this episode, Tim and Brent break down some of the realities of trying to make rules…
- The Higher EdTech Podcast
S6E03 - Tech Skills Teachers Should Know in 2024
The modern classroom requires teachers to have a diverse set of tech skills to engage students and stay relevant. In this episode, Brent Warner and Tim Van…
- The Higher EdTech Podcast
S6E02 - Canvas Updates For Better or Worse
There are a lot of changes that have happened at Canvas. We talked about them a bit on episode 1, but we're doing a deep dive today! For more information…
The Higher EdTech PodcastS6E01 - Flip is Dead and Google Sucks! What do we do?
We're back for a 6th season!
- The Higher EdTech Podcast
S5E20 - Wrapping Up the Season and Closing Out the Semester
Thanks for tuning in this season. We're wrapping up with a brief overview of some of the season's highlights as well as some advice on how to wrap up your…
- The Higher EdTech Podcast
S5E19 - Canvas New Quizzes - What to Know
Canvas Quizzes is finally getting the attention it's been needing for years. Despite threats of losing access to Classic Quizzes, this part of Canvas has been…
- The Higher EdTech Podcast
S5E18 - Tech Mistakes Teachers Make
It's hard to keep all the things we're supposed to do straight during a busy semester, and sometimes mistakes happen. Tim & Brent discuss what to do when…
- The Higher EdTech Podcast
S5E17 - Goodbye Jamboard, Hello Figjam
Google has let the world know that Jamboard is going to the Google Graveyard, and many teachers are eyeballing alternatives. One of the most popular choices…
- The Higher EdTech Podcast
S5E16 - What Tech Considerations Should We Have for On Campus and Hybrid Events?
Running campus events, from guest speakers to club meetings to commencement and everywhere in between takes more consideration than ever before. Tim & Brent…
- The Higher EdTech Podcast
S5E15 - Taking a Breath - Recognizing and Responding to Problems and Pitfalls with AI
Ever wondered how how to deal with the problems we see around AI? This episode of "The HigherEdTech Podcast" dives deep into the heart of AI's role in…
- The Higher EdTech Podcast
S5E14 - Customizing AI Bots in Discord with Prof. Zhen Zhai
In Part 2 of our talks with teachers about building custom AI for their classes, we sit down with Zhen Zhai, professor of C++ at Irvine Valley College to talk…
- The Higher EdTech Podcast
S5E13 - How Can I Build a Custom Chatbot for My Class? w/ Prof. Ric Epps
Can custom chatbots transform your teaching approach? Discover the how professor Ric Epps is exploring the potential of AI in his classroom with custom…
- The Higher EdTech Podcast
S5E12 - What do we need to consider before bringing AI into our classes?
Are you looking at bringing AI into your classroom but don't know where to start? Tim & Brent dive into the crucial considerations and practical steps…
- The Higher EdTech Podcast
S5E11 - Canvas Updates, January 2024
Lots of useful updates have come in to Canvas recently, so we're covering the most useful. From Gradebooks to Document Displays to Waitlist Enrollments, listen…
- The Higher EdTech Podcast
S5E10 - Brain Food for Winter Break
We highly encourage everybody to take some down time to decompress over the winter break, but that doesn't mean you have to turn your brain off. Tim & Brent…
- The Higher EdTech Podcast
S5E9 - 2023 Gift Guide for Techie Teachers
Are people asking you what gift you want for the holidays, or maybe you're struggling to find the right thing for the nerdy someone in your life? Tim & Brent…
- The Higher EdTech Podcast
S5E8 - What is Needed to Purchase Software on a College Campus
There's a lot of obfuscation around what is needed to get software on a college campus. What may seem easy to a teacher who can get their own subscription in a…
- The Higher EdTech Podcast
S5E7 - OER in Action
Free, open source textbooks and materials, known as OER (Open Educational Resources) are gaining traction across the United States and in California money is…