Girls Who Game, A.I., & Empathy: Rethinking EdTech with Dr. Nekia Becerra

Dr. Nekia Becerra — Education Strategist at Dell Technologies and former classroom teacher, campus administrator, and district leader — joins David Berner and Jeremy Mikla on the Integrate This! EdTech Podcast to talk about what actually matters as AI transforms K-12 education: empathy, design thinking, and preparing students for jobs that don't exist yet.

Nekia shares her journey from fourth-grade math teacher to Dell's Global Skilling Program, breaks down the Girls Who Game initiative (built with Microsoft, Intel, and Dell using Minecraft for Education), and explains why "failing fast" and productive struggle are essential skills for both students and teachers navigating AI in the classroom.

🔑 In this episode:
- How classroom teaching skills transfer directly into edtech and corporate careers
- The "mirrors and windows" framework for building empathy in the classroom
- Girls Who Game: using Minecraft for Education to close the STEM gender gap
- Real student projects using AI cameras to solve community problems
- Why design thinking and "failing fast" matter more than ever with AI
- How teachers can use AI as a "thought partner," not a replacement
- What skills students need for jobs that don't exist yet

⏱ TIMESTAMPS
0:00 – Welcome & introducing Dr. Nekia Becerra
0:48 – From classroom teacher to Dell education strategist
2:12 – Applying classroom lessons to corporate edtech
3:34 – Advice for educators considering a career change
5:08 – Lightning round: favorite subject, Minecraft & Tamagotchi Life
7:23 – What's missing from conversations about the future of education
10:12 – "Blurring the lines between living and learning"
14:06 – Can edtech support social-emotional learning?
15:27 – Girls Who Game: closing the STEM gender gap with Minecraft
18:07 – Real student projects: AI cameras solving community problems
23:00 – Why "failing fast" and design thinking matter in the classroom
28:06 – Using AI as a thought partner for teachers
36:41 – A teaching approach nobody believed would work
39:05 – The future of AI in education
43:35 – Rapid-fire "This or That"
44:52 – Connect with Dr. Nekia Becerra

🎙 Integrate This! EdTech Podcast is hosted by David Berner and Jeremy Mikla, exploring AI, edtech tools, and instructional strategy for K-12 educators and district leaders.

Connect with Dr. Nekia Becerra LinkedIn: https://urldefense.com/v3/__ht....tps:/www.linkedin.co

Girls Who Game: https://www.dell.com/en-us/lp/dt/girls-who-game

Tech Career Circuit: https://techcareercircuit.discoveryeducation.com/

"The best career path isn't always a straight line" (TED Talk) [ted.com]: https://www.ted.com/talks/sara....h_ellis_and_helen_tu

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#EdTech #AIinEducation #K12Education #DesignThinking #GirlsWhoGame #Minecraft #TeacherPD #FutureOfEducation #IntegrateThisPodcast #DellTechnologies