Strategy Beats the Tool in AI for Schools ft. Karle Delo | My EdTech Life 365

What happens when a former curriculum director becomes an AI strategist for an entire state? You get the kind of zoomed-out view most of us in education never get to see.In this episode, I welcome back my good friend Karle Delo, AI Strategist at Michigan Virtual, for a real conversation about what's actually working in school districts, what's flopping, and what the secret AI culture in your building probably looks like right now.Karle works with districts across Michigan, helping them build AI guidance, professional learning, and integration plans. She's seen the speedboats, the tugboats, and the anchors. And she's not here to sell you on hype.We get into:→ Why one-and-done AI PD is setting your district up to fail→ The "shadow AI" problem and why pretending it doesn't exist makes it worse→ Why students say AI feedback from teachers feels like a slap in the face→ The AI-slop cycle, where teachers, students, and graders are all just feeding the machine→ The three things every school leader needs to read on a billboard→ Why your authentic voice matters more in 2026 than it ever has→ The one question to ask students that will change how you think about AI in your schoolChapters00:00 Welcome and Sponsors00:56 Meet Carly the AI Strategist07:24 District AI Guidance and Onboarding17:51 Why AI Efforts Succeed or Fail27:05 Avoiding AI Mistakes30:39 Spotting AI Slop36:16 What Students Want47:55 Kryptonite and Wrap UpIf you're a superintendent, CTO, instructional coach, or classroom teacher trying to figure out where to start, where to slow down, or where you might already be off track, this episode is for you.Karle reminds us that you don't need every teacher to be an AI super user. You don't need 20 tools. You need a strategy. You need community. And you need to actually talk to your students.This is the kind of conversation that cuts through the noise and gives you something you can take back to your building on Monday.🎙️ Connect with Karle:Social media: @CoachKarleFree resources from Michigan Virtual: michiganvirtual.org/aiIncludes a student guide, teacher guide, admin guide, integration framework, and AI literacy videos for middle and high school students.☕ Support Our ShowIf My EdTech Life has added value to your work, consider supporting the show so we can continue bringing you great episodes like this one:👉 https://buymeacoffee.com/myedtechlife/membership🙏 A huge thank you to our sponsors who make this show possible:☕ Come Back Coffee📘 Book Creator🤖 EduAid📚 Peel Back Education🌐 Visit us at www.myedtech.life to check out this episode and all 364 other conversations where you'll find some great gems you can sprinkle on to what you are already doing great.🔔 Don't forget to like, subscribe, and share this episode with a colleague who needs to hear it.Stay Techie ✌🏼Support the show