AIFE Coaching Model
People hear “coach” and picture a judge with a clipboard. That’s not AIFE.
At our conference, everyone is both a coach and a coachee, and a coach is closer to a curious audience member who shows up early, while your ideas are still forming, and really wants to see you succeed. They ask questions that make your thinking visible, offer feedback you can use, and help you arrive prepared, confident, and already connected to someone in the room.
In this experiential session, Alex and Nick will walk you through the coaching practice we use with AIFE presenters, then hand it over to you. You’ll coach a fellow participant and be coached in return.
Relationships matter more than ever. Come practice building one.
Facilitated By
Alex McMillan
Instructional Technology Coach, Shanghai American School
Alex McMillan is a High School Tech Coach at Shanghai American School, Puxi, with over 15 years of experience in education and a background in commercial photography and advertising. As the co-author of “Designing for Understanding”, 5 editions of “Saigon Artbook”, “Using AI to Enhance Creativity”, and “The AI Guide” with Holly Clark, Alex loves designing books, and materials, and integrating technology to enhance teaching and learning.
Having lived in Asia for 18 years, Alex embraces the evolving nature of his role—from technology integration to coaching, from online learning to generative AI—emphasizing the importance of staying flexible in the 21st century. He designs educational materials to help educators teach with generative AI in ways that encourage deep and critical thinking. Check out withTAPE.com for some great AI-related designs you can use immediately.
His passions include digital music, generative AI, photography, drones, and volcano hunting. Alex is also co-organizer for the AIFE conference and frequently speaks at events such as 21st Century Learning HK, ISTE, and the Vietnam Tech Conference.
Nick Soentgerath
Technology Learning Coach, Yokohama International School
Nick Soentgerath is the Technology Learning Coach at Yokohama International School and a advocate for ethical, responsible, and impactful AI use in K–12 education. He leads staff training and student learning initiatives that integrate emerging technologies into classroom practice. Nick is also a graduate student in Educational Technology at the University of British Columbia, where his research focuses on the intersection of AI, literacy, and cognition. A frequent presenter at international conferences, Nick blends pedagogical insight with hands-on experience to empower educators in navigating the future of learning.
