The Learning Counsel’s EduJedi Report Presents:
In this episode of the EduJedi Report, host interviews Tyce Miller, CEO of MobileMind, and Sarah Porisch, Director of Technology for Brainerd Public Schools. They explore how professional development for teachers is evolving rapidly from occasional, full-day workshop models into ongoing, on-demand, and deeply personalized learning experiences supported by modern educational technology. The conversation highlights a practical example from Minnesota where district leadership and classroom teachers worked together to make technology use a routine, effective part of instruction rather than an add-on or occasional experiment.
Traditional professional development often meant intensive, scheduled sessions—single-day or several-day trainings where teachers sat through presentations and left with materials but limited follow-up. Miller and Porisch describe a shift toward embedded, job-embedded learning: training that is available when teachers need it, tailored to their classroom context, and linked directly to student learning goals. This approach uses tools and platforms to provide immediate, actionable guidance, coaching, and feedback so teachers can adopt strategies at a sustainable pace and measure their impact over time.
Porisch shares how Brainerd Public Schools moved many educators from reluctance to confidence with technology by creating structures that make professional learning relevant and continuous. She reflects on the changes she’s witnessed and the role of real-world urgency in accelerating adoption. “A couple of (our teachers) actually even said, ‘I always said, it’d take an act of God to do this!’ Now they’re like, ‘Here it is!’” she says, referring to the pandemic as the catalyst that pushed many educators to embrace digital instruction. Porisch emphasizes that the aim was never to force change for its own sake: instead, the district focused on why these tools matter for learners and how they support successful outcomes in the world outside the classroom.
A key point in the discussion is the difference between one-off workshops and integrated, scalable professional development. “Especially with a program like MobileMind, it’s not just a sit-and-get and now I’m going to go back to my classroom and maybe I’ll use a piece of it, maybe I won’t. It’s something built into everything we do,” Porisch explains. This highlights how systems that combine content, coaching, and classroom application ensure that new practices are adopted widely and sustained over time. MobileMind and similar platforms aim to make training practical, measurable, and connected to the daily work of teaching.
Throughout the conversation, Miller and Porisch address how to bring reluctant teacher-learners on board, how district leaders can design meaningful professional learning pathways, and how technology can enable personalized coaching rather than replace human support. They also discuss the cultural and logistical changes required to make technology integration a norm: leadership alignment, clear expectations, time for collaboration, and resources that remove friction for classroom teachers.
For school leaders and instructional coaches focused on professional development, the episode offers practical insight into building PD models that scale. It emphasizes designing learning experiences that are learner-centered, tied to instructional practice, and supported by data and coaching. These elements help ensure that investments in edtech translate into improved teaching and stronger student outcomes rather than remaining underused tools.
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