Mark Gerl

#TodaysMomentOfAwesome Showed Design Thinking class the Space Mountain episode of "Behind The Attraction". It's fascinating to see the design process of 1 concept 6 different ways.

It's also encouraging to see some eyes light up when they see their futures. 🤩

#EduSky #FutureImagineers #DisneyEdu

#TodaysMomentOfAwesome
"We solved the fish problem!" 5th graders running into the lab ahead of class to brag on their code. Finding the right blocks, putting them in the right order, realizing when to run parallel, they got it all working.

This is why Project Based Learning works.

#EduSky #PBL

#TodaysMomentOfAwesome Game Design class has students working in everything from Rust to Scratch. Hearing their excitement of "I got a green dot on the screen!" (Rust) & "Our unicorn moves!" (Scratch) reminds me of the power of making games as well as playing games.

#EduSky #YasminKafai

And there it is!

#TodaysMomentOfAwesome

Trying to teach students how to save in a platform that doesn't autosave. It was a completely foreign concept to them. Not that they couldn't but it didn't register that they should.

Watching them grapple with "I can lose my work" was rough. 😧

#EduSky #SaveEarlySaveOften

Before I can teach it, I have to learn it. 🤔

#TodaysMomentOfAwesome

*Next year's classes I want to teach written on my dry erase wall*

S:"What is all that?"

Me:*explains 13 different classes over 4 terms*

S:"You really teach that much?"

Me:"Yeah"

S:"You really should learn to relax"

If only, kid....if only I could.

#EduSky #Courses

#TodaysMomentOfAwesome Val from OptimaXR.ai came to introduce Engage VR to 7th Gd.

They're now making new worlds where anything is possible. It all begins with the "What if..." of speculative fiction then become worlds to explore.

Thank you Val, for being an amazing expert.

#EduSky #VRAREdu

I had to explain why you needed hundreds of thousands of machines to do a decent ddos. They're now wondering if you could do it with arduinos.

#TodaysMomentOfAwesome Some students discovered ping & traceroute. Python class became an impromptu Networking & Security class.

S:"Why don't you teach a hacking class?"

Me:"It's the one thing I'd teach you that I don't want you to use, that you would actually use "

#EduSky #HackerClass?

a group of avengers assemble in a circle with their hands together ALT: a group of avengers assemble in a circle with their hands together

#TodaysMomentOfAwesome For whatever reason, I am acutely aware of the power of interdependence in education. Connecting with other teachers, sharing insights with students, letting parents know their students are incredible people, learning from others what I don't know.

#EduSky #SocialEnergy

#TodausMomentOfAwesome 2017 I taught Python chat bot scripts & a student made a chatbot of 7 southern states.

2026 new students have taken that example, boosted the data to include all 50 states.

I love seeing the way students inspire each other, even if they never meet.

#EduSky @python.org

#TodaysMomentOfAwesome 5th graders are working on their VR book reports. It's fascinating to see them collaborate to represent one scene from a book. They are doing such great work bringing literature to life & exploring design software.

#EduSky #TechLiterature #CreatorsNotConsumers

#TodaysMomentOfAwesome MidPoint check ins Immersive Worlds.

"What if everything in the world was made of chocolate?"

"What if Climate Change caused us to live underwater?"

"What if human tribes were associated with elements?"

I cannot wait to go explore these worlds!

#EduSky @delightex.com

#TodaysMomentOfAwesome 6th Grade Design Studio interviewed clients, the Athletic Department regarding chocolate design. Possible use cases are for awards banquets, volunteer appreciation, athlete signing days.

They were sharp, professional & I'm immensely proud of them

#EduSky #ChocolateDesign

I long for the day we get to do a Polaris style symposium for Education, just another thing Schools can learn from the Game Design Industry.

Time for a cup of coffee and a good read.

#EduSky #TackleTheBigProblems

#TodaysMomentOfAwesome A colleague sent me notes about Hardware Architecture, I had these students 4 years ago. The pool of talent is amazing!

His list of projects & concepts will give them a challenge but I am confident they will rise to them 😁

#EduSky #LegacyOfAwesomeness #TheGallowaySchool

#TodaysMomentOfAwesome
S:"Can I show the flow chart for my game?"

Me:"Sure, of course!"

S:*unfurls 3 pages taped together to make long in-depth flowchart*. "so it starts up here with the main character..."

This is why I teach... so students get to flex their creativity

#EduSky #FlowchartsRock

#TodaysMomentOfAwesome Immersive World class is a blend of Literature, AI, and UX psychology so students can create worlds then walk around in them in VR.

Student said "What if the world is made entirely from building bricks?" 🤔

One of the Gemini generated images is below.

#EduSky

Psychgeist Where science, video games, and pop culture meet. Hosted by Dr. Rachel Kowert, a psychologist and game researcher, this channel breaks down the science behind your favorite games, shows, and fandom...

Teach #gamestudies?
Study #videogames?

There is a repository of over 200 videos on the Psychgeist YouTube channel!

www.youtube.com/psychgeist

Tech frees us from the paradigm that every kid needs to be doing the same thing at the same time.

#edtech #TeacherTech #EduSky

YouTube video by BW John Legend - True Colors

It's been a struggle today. No real #TodayMomentOfAwesome though there is much to be grateful for.

My habit when I'm somber like this is to soak in music. In particular John Legend's cover of "True Colors".

Enjoy

youtu.be/tEx4iA5-7Xc?...

#TodaysMomentOfAwesome Had a parent tell me their 3rd grader is already excited to take my tech classes. I teach 5-8.

Mom:"Thank you for classes that have my kid counting the years until she's in your class".

#EduSky #ImNotCryingYoureCrying

#TodaysMomentOfAwesome 1st day back after Break. Student said "I signed up for Game Design. I don't know anything about games but we all love your class so we signed up anyway."

I'm proud that I have that kind of reputation but man it makes planning difficult.

#EduSky #DifferentiationProblems

Quote this with what you have accomplished in 2025 no matter how small.
🔥Lead a Workshop on Game Design for Education @sxswedu.com
🔥Presented on AI Deep Dive at ISTE with @nancyeblairblack.bsky.social
🔥Wrote & taught 3 courses for CompSci certification
🔥PAEMST Finalist (2023 but official in 2025)

#TodaysMomentOfAwesome

Winter Break Quotes Edition

"The correct analogy of the human mind is not a vessel to be filled but a fire to be kindled, the sparking of which produces an impulse toward original thinking & an ardent desire for the Truth "
--Plutarch "On listening to lectures"

#EduSky #🔥🧠

Because even on Hogswatch, education is the best gift you can give.

Normalize giving young girls swords ⚔️

#EduSky #VeryImportantLessons #ShesNotBossySheHasLeadershipSkills

#TodaysMomentOfAwesome

Winter Break Quotes Edition

“The child gives us a beautiful lesson – that in order to form and maintain our intelligence, we must use our hands. ” -- Maria Montessori "The 1946 London Lectures"

#EduSky #Constructionism #MakerEdu

#TodaysMomentOfAwesome

Winter Break Educational Quotes while we're not in class

"The one thing every student is capable of is surprising you with what they are capable of"
--Dr. Gary Stager @garystager.bsky.social

#EduSky #StudentsAreHumansNotDataPoints

#TodaysMomentOfAeesome

Since we're on break, I'll be posting education quotes

"Progressive teachers knew very well how to use the computer for their own ends as an instrument of change; School knew very well how to nip this subversion in the bud."-Seymour Papert "The Children's Machine"

#EduSky