EMC² Learning (John & Michael)
Game Changing Student Engagement
Audience Feedback
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Attendees Find Valuable
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Talks Given
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Speaks on:
Learning Development
Motivation
Teacher Leadership
AI for Business
Accessibility
AI
Speaks to:
K-12 Education
Formats:
Breakout
Keynote
Training
Workshop
Audience members say
Key Audience Outcomes
Participants gained actionable strategies to immediately implement in their classrooms, fostering a more engaging and interactive learning environment.
Educators felt inspired and motivated to incorporate gamification techniques, transforming their classrooms into dynamic and energizing spaces.
Attendees acquired a variety of creative and practical ideas applicable across different subjects and age groups, enhancing student engagement and cognitive development.
Teachers discovered innovative methods to integrate AI in education, preparing students for the future while maintaining a student-centered approach.
Participants felt empowered to move beyond traditional teaching methods, embracing new mindsets and tools to create a more exciting and effective learning experience.
EMC² Learning's Bio
John Meehan and Michael Matera are educators, authors, and co-founders of EMC² Learning, a professional learning community built to help teachers design classrooms where engagement is intentional, inclusive, and sustainable. Together, they bring decades of classroom experience as teachers, instructional designers, and coaches—work that remains deeply rooted in daily practice. They have co-authored four books exploring the research, design, and science behind meaningful student engagement, including eXPlore Like a Pirate, and EDrenaline Rush, ranked by Book Authority among the “100 Best Teaching Books of All Time.” Their work challenges the limitations of one-shot workshops and static resources, emphasizing instead the power of sustained learning, playful pedagogy, and thoughtful design. Founded in 2021, EMC² Learning provides educators with a living library of classroom-ready strategies grounded in Universal Design for Learning, gamification, and real-world application.
EMC² Learning Offers the Following Talks
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The Heist
Identify high-impact instructional moves worth “stealing” and adapt them for their own classroom context rather than copying them wholesale
Analyze why certain pedagogical strategies work, not just how they look, so they can remix ideas with intention
Leave with a clear plan for deploying and sharing their ‘loot’, ensuring ideas don’t stay in notebooks—but make it back to classrooms
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30 minutes - full day
We Don't Talk About Crypto
Confidently facilitate discussions around complex and controversial topics like AI, bias, censorship, and misinformation without fear of losing control of the room
Apply a flexible instructional framework for turning hot-button issues into inquiry-based learning experiences across any subject area
Use classroom-ready protocols and templates to help students evaluate sources, question narratives, and think critically about emerging technologies
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45 - 90 minutes
AI Classroom Survivor: Teacher Tools to Outwit, Outplan, and Outlast the A.I. Blindside
Identify essential AI tools and instructional techniques that support learning without replacing human judgment or creativity
Experience AI-powered strategies from the student perspective, deepening their understanding of how design choices impact engagement and feedback
Integrate AI in ways that enhance—not erode—critical thinking, agency, and human connection
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0.75 - 2 hours
EDrenaline Rush: It's Like Crossfit For Your Curriculum!
Design high-intensity, high-engagement lesson sequences that balance challenge, variety, and student choice
Use goal-setting and progress tracking to help students measure growth, celebrate effort, and build momentum over time
Create classroom challenges that reward improvement and risk-taking, not just final performance
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0.75 - 2 hours
That's What ChatGPT Said: Preparing Our Classrooms for The Office of Tomorrow
Reframe AI as a classroom assistant, not a replacement, identifying high-leverage tasks where AI can save time without sacrificing instructional integrity
Use AI tools to streamline common teacher workflows such as planning, differentiation, feedback, and resource creation
Reduce fear and uncertainty around AI by understanding its capabilities, limitations, and responsible applications in education
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0.75 - 2 hours
Now That's What I Call Gamification '26: Kiss Your Kahoot Goodbye!
Differentiate between surface-level gamification and purposeful game design, moving beyond point-and-prize systems toward meaningful engagement
Apply classic game mechanics (e.g., progress bars, leaderboards, choice paths) to increase motivation, collaboration, and persistence across any content area
Design plug-and-play gamified lessons that require no special technology and can be implemented immediately
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45 minutes - full day