Andre FirmeCase study / Education + technology
DESIGNING
BETTER WAYS
TO TEACH
Technology does not transform learning by appearing in a classroom.
It becomes useful when educators understand it, learners can access it, and the experience has been designed around real human needs.The premise
START WITH
PEOPLE.
My instructional-technology practice grew from eleven years inside elementary education—not from fascination with tools alone.
I built this coaching framework during my MS in Instructional Technology, then carried its core principles into district leadership, professional development, curriculum work, and day-to-day support for educators.
The original “EdTech Coaching Terminal” organized resources around the ISTE coaching standards. Seen together, the work documents something broader: a human-centered system for helping adults adopt technology with purpose.
A connected practice
FROM VISION
TO FOLLOW-THROUGH.
Change leadership
Creating a shared vision for technology-rich learning, advocating for equitable access, and helping educators move from tool adoption toward meaningful instructional change.
Learning design
Connecting learning theory, accessible digital environments, learner variability, flipped instruction, and multimedia to practical classroom experiences.
Adult learning
Designing professional development from educator needs, offering multiple entry points, modeling strategies, and following up through individual coaching.
Evidence & iteration
Using needs assessments, feedback surveys, alternative assessment, and qualitative and quantitative evidence to improve learning and professional support.
Collaboration
Building trust with educators, supporting professional learning networks, and using digital tools to connect classrooms with families and wider communities.
Digital citizenship
Helping educators, students, and families develop respectful online habits, respond to cyberbullying, and participate thoughtfully in digital communities.
The coaching loop
LISTEN. DESIGN.
MODEL. REFINE.
Gather educator needs and understand the learning context.
Choose strategies and tools around learners—not novelty.
Model, practice, coach, and make adoption feel achievable.
Collect feedback and evidence, then improve the support.
Selected archive
THE WORK
BEHIND THE WORK.
These artifacts show the range of the original coaching terminal. They are presented as evidence of process and thinking; some reflect the visual conventions and technology landscape of the period in which they were created.
A yearlong technology coaching plan
A sustained model for helping elementary educators create engaging, interactive, and transformative learning experiences—not a one-off workshop.
Teaching With Tech: Unplugged
A facilitation experience that asks educators to evaluate technology by the learning it enables, with active practice and meaningful feedback.
Educational technology needs assessment
A voice-of-educator instrument designed to make professional learning responsive to adult learners' cultural, social-emotional, and instructional needs.
Teaching Within Web-Based Worlds
An exploration of digital learning environments and how they can support active learning, accessibility, and learner variability.
Digital assessment repository
A curated guide to digital assessment approaches, alternative evidence of learning, timely feedback, and student goal-setting.
Digital citizenship resources
Teacher- and family-facing guidance for healthy technology use, respectful online interaction, civic engagement, and cyberbullying prevention.
Visit the original coaching terminal
Explore the complete public archive, including presentations, infographics, plans, surveys, and resource collections.
What carries forward
THE TOOLS CHANGE.
THE HUMAN QUESTIONS
DO NOT.
Who is this for?
What friction are they experiencing?
What would meaningful progress look like?
How will we know it helped?