Math in Action: When Math Makes Computational Thinking Finally Click

What if students didn’t just do math — but could actually see it, test it, and talk about it?

In this session, we’ll explore Math in Action, a hands-on approach to teaching K–5 mathematics where coding and robotics turn abstract concepts into physical, meaningful learning experiences. Participants will see how algorithms, patterns, sequencing, and problem-solving come to life through movement, collaboration, and purposeful tasks — all designed to strengthen conceptual understanding without increasing screen time.

This session is ideal for schools looking to improve math engagement, deepen reasoning, and support teachers with practical, classroom-ready strategies.

Ronel Schodt is the CEO and co-founder of Kai’s Education, where she’s on a mission to democratize coding and STEAM learning for every classroom. A seasoned storyteller and technologist, Ronel cut her teeth in film, television, and game development before pivoting to EdTech. She’s spearheaded award-winning VR health-and-safety simulations, financial-literacy games, and AR empowerment tools for girls—and now channels that creative drive into building robotics and coding solutions that are as inclusive as they are cutting-edge. Ronel’s fearless, forward-thinking leadership ensures Kai’s Education stays one step ahead in shaping tomorrow’s learners. 

Heidi Williams is a retired K-12 public school teacher with over 30 years of experience. She is currently a Peer Associate for Weill Cornell Medicine, as well as a PhD Doctoral candidate at the University of Montana. She has expertise in computational thinking, serving as course co-creator and facilitator for ISTE-U's 'Computational Thinking for Every Educator', as well as an ISTE author of No Fear Coding, Computational Thinking Across the K-5 Curriculum. Heidi has conducted professional development and author talks both nationally and internationally.