How do we thrive as humans in a world shaped by constant technological change? In this episode, Scott talks with Richard Culatta, CEO of ISTE and ASCD, former Director of the U.S. Office of Educational Technology, and author of Digital for Good: Raising Kids to Thrive in an Online World. Richard shares how he’s navigated a career spanning classrooms, government, design thinking, and global education leadership, always with one mission: to make learning more human and more meaningful.
From practical ways to use AI as a baseline for self-management, to the nightly “rabbit hole” learning ritual he shares with his son, Richard models curiosity, empathy, and humor. This conversation explores what it means to create healthy digital cultures, the mindset shifts we need to thrive in a transformational age, and why the best leaders don’t pretend to have all the answers: they create the conditions for exploration.
Listen here:
Show Resources:
About Richard Culatta
Explore Richard’s work: https://iste-ascd.org/
Get the book Digital for Good: https://www.amazon.com/Digital-Good-Raising-Thrive-Online/dp/1647820162
Connect with Richard on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rculatta/
Time Stamps:
(02:14) Why ISTE and ASCD merged: tools + problems finally aligned
(07:47) From Spanish teacher to education policy and IDEO design thinking
(13:54) How tech and teaching converged early in Richard’s career
(15:25) The dump truck and the sports car: Richard’s favorite analogy for AI
(23:41) Using AI for feedback, board prep, and better communication
(28:32) Are we cheating with AI or just evolving like calculators?
(34:18) Freeing time for deeper thinking and higher-order skills
(38:35) What it means to be a “better human” in digital spaces
(43:53) How to create welcoming culture online and off
(46:27) Richard’s personal routines: faith, curiosity, and rabbit-holing
(49:45) Why “screen value” matters more than “screen time”
Show Transcript:
