Using career exploration to give kids hope for the future with Dr. Shannon Putman

Using career exploration to give kids hope for the future with Dr. Shannon Putman

Author: BE Podcast Network January 15, 2025 Duration: 23:46

In this episode, Barb Flowers speaks with Dr. Shannon Putman. Shannon is owner of Putman XR Consulting, focusing on immersive technology education, training, and support. She was a special education teacher in Jefferson County Public Schools (KY) for 15 years. 


Hear their conversation about:

  • Using VR for virtual field trips and job shadowing
  • Understanding how virtual reality gives students the real experience of different jobs that are otherwise hard to access (such as working on wind turbines)
  • Connecting with professional mentors through immersive technology
  • Giving students of various backgrounds exposure to a range of careers
  • Giving kids hope about their options for the future
  • Advice for teachers to get familiar with new technology

About today’s host

Barb Flowers is a certified Life Coach and former Elementary Principal with a PhD in K-12 leadership from Kent State University. She is host of the following podcasts:

  • The Principal’s Handbook — Lessons on communication, time management, overcoming overwhelm, and more, designed to help school leaders become more confident and well-rounded. 
  • The Teacher Burnout Podcast — This show explores the complex issue of teacher burnout and shares practical solutions to support your well-being and reignite your passion for education.

About Be More Colorful

Be More Colorful, based in Fargo, North Dakota specializes in immersive technology solutions for solving workforce development problems. Co-founded by husband-and-wife team Matt and Katie Chaussee, the company has been at the forefront of creating immersive media solutions that help people make better decisions about where they choose to live, learn, work and play. Learn more:


Ever wonder who’s actually building the tools that are changing classrooms and online learning? EdTech Startup Showcase, from the BE Podcast Network, goes straight to the source. Each episode is built around candid conversations with the founders and CEOs behind emerging educational technology companies, but it doesn’t stop there. To get the full picture, we also talk to the partner organizations that help scale these ideas and, most importantly, the educators on the ground who are implementing these products with real students. What you’ll hear isn’t just polished theory; it’s about practical solutions to persistent challenges in education and the opportunity-expanding ideas that are pushing learning into uncharted directions. This podcast digs into the stories behind the startups, examining not just what they built, but why they built it and the tangible difference it’s making. If you’re curious about the future of learning technology and the people driving it, this series offers an essential, ground-level view you won’t find in a press release. Tune in for genuine dialogue that connects the vision of creators with the everyday realities of teaching and learning.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 31

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