About Shifting Schools
About
Thoughtful conversations for educators navigating technology, leadership, well-being, and the future of learning.
Education is changing faster than ever. Shifting Schools exists to help educators, leaders, and school communities make sense of those changes and move forward with purpose.
Hosted by Jeff Utecht and Tricia Friedman, the Shifting Schools Podcast explores the intersection of education, technology, leadership, well-being, and the future of learning. Each episode is designed to spark reflection, challenge assumptions, and provide practical ideas educators can use right away.
From Generative AI and digital literacy to student engagement, school culture, media literacy, and leadership, the podcast helps listeners prepare students for their future, not our past.
Whether you are a classroom teacher, instructional coach, school leader, district administrator, or simply someone passionate about the future of education, Shifting Schools offers conversations that are thoughtful, honest, and grounded in the realities of modern learning.
What You Will Hear
The podcast is built for real educators in real systems
- Conversations on Generative AI and emerging technologies
- Interviews with educators, researchers, and thought leaders
- Practical classroom and leadership strategies
- Discussions on media literacy and digital citizenship
- Insights into school culture and educational change
- Reflections on well-being, belonging, and human connection
- Future-focused thinking grounded in educational practice
Every episode is created with one goal in mind: helping educators feel informed, inspired, and equipped to navigate what is next.
Meet the Hosts
Two perspectives, one shared mission
Jeff Utecht
Systems thinking for future-focused schools
Jeff Utecht is an internationally recognized educator, consultant, speaker, and author with more than two decades of experience helping schools navigate change.
A former classroom teacher and instructional coach, Jeff works with schools and organizations around the world on topics including Generative AI, educational leadership, instructional innovation, and future-focused learning. He is the author of Reach: Building Communities and Networks for Professional Learning and is known for helping educators think deeply about how technology reshapes teaching, learning, and leadership.
Jeff brings a systems-level perspective to the podcast, connecting emerging trends to practical realities inside schools and classrooms. His work is grounded in a simple belief:
To prepare students for their future, not our past.
Through keynote presentations, district partnerships, workshops, and the Shifting Schools Podcast, Jeff helps educators build confidence in times of rapid change.
Tricia Friedman
Human-centered leadership in a complex world
Tricia Friedman is an educator, author, coach, and internationally respected voice in digital well-being, media literacy, and thoughtful leadership.
With experience working across international schools and diverse educational communities, Tricia brings a human-centered lens to conversations about technology, communication, belonging, and the emotional realities of modern education.
Her work encourages educators and students alike to slow down, ask better questions, and develop healthier relationships with information, technology, and each other. Tricia’s ability to connect research, storytelling, and practical application makes her a trusted guide for educators navigating complexity and uncertainty.
On the podcast, Tricia brings curiosity, empathy, and sharp insight to conversations that matter most in today’s schools.
Why Shifting Schools?
Because education is not standing still
The skills students need are changing. The tools educators use are evolving. Leadership expectations are shifting. Schools are being asked to prepare learners for a world that looks very different from the one many adults experienced themselves.
Shifting Schools is about embracing that reality thoughtfully, not fearfully. It is about helping educators move from reaction to reflection, from overwhelm to intentional action.
Join the Conversation
Learn, listen, and stay connected
The Shifting Schools Podcast is more than a show. It is a growing community of educators committed to thoughtful innovation and meaningful learning.
Listen to new episodes, subscribe to the newsletter, and join educators from around the world who are exploring what it means to lead and learn in a rapidly changing world.