Mr. Fred's Tech Talks

Mr. Fred’s Tech Talks is your backstage pass to the world of coding, tinkering and technology made simple, fun, and family-friendly. Hosted by Mr. Fred (a former Marine officer turned college professor and lifelong tech tinkerer), each bi-weekly, 10–15 minute episode breaks down real-world tech topics into bite-sized lessons you can use today. Whether you’re a parent trying to understand what “JavaScript” really means, a teacher looking for fresh STEM activities, or a kid who dreams of building your own game or robot, Mr. Fred’s Tech Talks delivers: Clear, jargon-free explanations of coding languages, tools and AI Behind-the-scenes stories from tech history (like the 64 KB computer that landed on the Moon) Hands-on project ideas and step-by-step tips you can try at home or in the classroom Inspiring interviews and sound bites from the pioneers who built our digital world<

Mr. Fred's Tech Talks is a education podcast hosted by Fred Aebli, with 37 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Fred Aebli hosts Mr. Fred's Tech Talks, a education show with 37 episodes published.

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  Episode #25

  You Don't Have to Be a Tech Expert

  Aug 14, 202618 minS2

  Someone hands you a phone, laptop, controller, or some other piece of technology and asks, “Do you know how to make this work?” And you have absolutely no idea. Even after decades of working with technology, Mr. Fred still has those moments. And maybe that's the point. In this episode of Mr. Fred's Tech Talks , we explore why being “good with technology” isn't about knowing every app, device, coding language, or AI tool. Technology changes too quickly for any of us to know everything. What matters may be what we do when we don't know. Mr. Fred explores why asking questions can be more valuable than immediately providing answers, why we shouldn't always “steal the struggle” from someone trying to solve a problem, and what can happen when we simply let someone else become the expert. Plus, this week's Tech Challenge requires no software, no new account, and no AI prompt. Just two words: “Show me.” Whether you're a parent, teacher, grandparent, student, tech professional, or simply someone trying to keep up with an ever-changing technological world, this episode is a reminder that curiosity still counts. In this episode: Why nobody can possibly know every technology What we lose when every answer becomes instantaneous Why struggle and debugging are important parts of learning How asking questions encourages problem-solving Why kids and students sometimes need to become the experts The “Show Me” Tech Challenge Keep playing. Keep tinkering. Keep exploring. Mr. Fred's Tech Talks GetMeCoding.com CONNECT Website: https://www.getmecoding.com Courses: https://courses.getmecoding.com FOLLOW YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GetMeCoding Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/getmecoding Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GetMeCoding LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrfred77/ Follow, rate ★★★★★, and share! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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  Episode #24

  AI Is the Launchpad. Your Kid Is the Rocket.

  Aug 7, 202619 minS2

  Can artificial intelligence actually help get kids away from screens? In this episode of Mr. Fred’s Tech Talks , Mr. Fred explores a different way to think about AI and childhood. Instead of allowing AI to become the entire experience, what if we used it as the spark that gets kids creating, building, moving, imagining, and exploring? Mr. Fred shares three simple ways families can turn AI-generated ideas into real-world activities: • Let AI create the song, then let your child become the band. • Let AI generate the creature, then let your child build it. • Let AI suggest the adventure, then close the screen and go live it. Along the way, Mr. Fred introduces a simple question parents and teachers can use when thinking about AI: What happened next? Did the child build something, make a decision, solve a problem, move, draw, collaborate, or take the idea somewhere unexpected? AI does not always have to provide the finished product. Sometimes it just needs to provide the launchpad. And your kid gets to be the rocket. This Week’s Tech Challenge Ask an AI tool: “Create five funny family missions we can complete outside in 30 minutes. Use inexpensive items we probably already have. Each mission should require movement, imagination, or building something. Do not make the activity depend on using a screen.” Then let your child choose one, close the device, and go do it. Visit GetMeCoding.com for more ideas about coding, artificial intelligence, tinkering with technology, and helping kids become creators instead of just consumers. Keep learning. Keep building. Keep tinkering. And every now and then, close the screen, go outside, and make a glorious mess. CONNECT Website: https://www.getmecoding.com Courses: https://courses.getmecoding.com FOLLOW YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GetMeCoding Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/getmecoding Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GetMeCoding LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrfred77/ Follow, rate ★★★★★, and share! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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  Mr. Fred's Tech Talks

  The AI School Supply List: What Students Actually Need Now

  Jul 24, 202624 min

  Pencils? Check. Notebooks? Check. Four mysteriously specific black pens? Check. But as students return to classrooms with artificial intelligence at their fingertips, they need a few important supplies that cannot be purchased at a store. In this episode, Mr. Fred explores three skills students need in their digital backpacks: the confidence to solve everyday technology problems, enough healthy skepticism to question polished answers, and the judgment to recognize when AI supports learning and when it quietly replaces it. You’ll also hear a practical Tech Challenge that turns AI from an answer machine into a learning coach. Full episode description/show notes It’s 11:47 on a school night. An assignment is due at midnight, the document is still blank, and an AI tool can finish the entire thing in minutes. Crisis avoided or learning avoided? As families prepare for another school year, students still need pencils, notebooks, folders, and all the traditional supplies. But succeeding in the age of AI also requires a different kind of preparation. In this episode of Mr. Fred’s Tech Talks , Mr. Fred explores three essential additions to the modern student’s digital backpack: Digital confidence to organize files, troubleshoot problems, and communicate clearly Healthy skepticism when evaluating online and AI-generated information Good judgment about when AI supports learning and when students need to work through the challenge themselves Mr. Fred also considers a better question for parents and teachers to ask, not simply, “Did you use AI?” but, “Did using AI leave you understanding more than when you started?” Mr. Fred’s Tech Challenge Choose something you genuinely want to understand and give an AI tool this instruction: I am trying to understand [insert topic]. Do not give me the final answer. Ask me questions, provide clues, and help me work it out for myself. Then notice what changes when AI acts as a coach instead of an answer machine. Did it make you think more? Did you understand or remember more afterward? Try the challenge with your child, your students, or for your own learning and let Mr. Fred know what happened. Learn more and discover approachable coding and technology resources at GetMeCoding.com . If this episode made you think, share it with a parent, teacher, or student preparing for the new school year. Follow Mr. Fred’s Tech Talks , subscribe to the GetMeCoding YouTube channel, and leave a review to help more curious families and educators discover the show. AI can help carry a few supplies. Just don’t let it carry the whole backpack. CONNECT Website: https://www.getmecoding.com Courses: https://courses.getmecoding.com FOLLOW YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GetMeCoding Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/getmecoding Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GetMeCoding LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrfred77/ Follow, rate ★★★★★, and share! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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  Episode #22

  From Apollo to Artemis: The Next Giant Leap

  Jul 17, 202617 minS2

  On July 20, 1969, Apollo 11 landed on the Moon. And then, just a few years later, humanity stopped going. So what happened? Did we forget how to get there? Did the technology disappear? And if we could reach the Moon using 1960s technology, why did it take more than 50 years for humans to travel there again? In this episode of Mr. Fred’s Tech Talks , Mr. Fred connects the story of Apollo to the new era of Artemis. We explore why the infrastructure behind Apollo could not simply be restarted, how Artemis is building a new path back to the Moon, what Artemis II accomplished, why Artemis III is an important step even without a lunar landing, and how each mission builds toward what comes next. Along the way, Mr. Fred also reflects on another July 20 milestone...his birthday...and how both birthdays and space missions can remind us to look back, learn, and ask an important question: What are we going to do next? You’ll also hear connections to coding, engineering, experimentation, and the idea that progress often comes from taking what someone else built and carrying the mission forward. In this episode Why humans stopped traveling to the Moon after Apollo Why returning was about more than simply rebuilding old rockets How Apollo and Artemis differ What Artemis II accomplished Why Artemis III is a critical testing mission How future Artemis missions could return astronauts to the lunar surface What Moon missions can teach kids about coding, engineering, and iteration Mr. Fred’s July 20 birthday connection A new Tech Challenge: Carry the Mission Forward Callbacks and related content Longtime listeners may remember Season 1, Episode 2 , where Mr. Fred explored the technology behind Apollo 11. You can also go deeper with Mr. Fred’s GetMeCoding.com article about the Apollo Guidance Computer and his YouTube video explaining the famous 1202 program alarm that appeared during the Apollo 11 lunar landing. Links YouTube: Error Code 1202 Explained Related GetMeCoding Apollo article ( The Apollo 11 Software: 4 Things You Probably Didn’t Know ): https://www.getmecoding.com/the-apollo-11-software-4-things-you-probably-didnt-know/ GetMeCoding: https://www.getmecoding.com Mr. Fred’s Tech Talks: https://www.getmecoding.com/podcast-mr-freds-tech-talks/ CONNECT Website: https://www.getmecoding.com Courses: https://courses.getmecoding.com FOLLOW YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GetMeCoding Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/getmecoding Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GetMeCoding LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrfred77/ Follow, rate ★★★★★, and share! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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  Mr. Fred's Tech Talks

  The Invisible Internet: What Happens When You Press Send?

  Jul 10, 202622 minS0

  <p>The fastest thing Mr. Fred has ever watched happen had no engine, no wheels, and no wings.</p><p>In fact, he never actually saw it happen.</p><br><p>He only pressed a button.</p><br><p>In Season 2, Episode 21 of Mr. Fred’s Tech Talks, we follow the hidden journey that begins every time you send a message, open a webpage, stream a video, join a livestream, or ask an AI tool a question.</p><br><p>What looks like one simple click sets an incredible process in motion. Information is broken into pieces, labeled, routed through a...

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