About Us

The founder of Fractus Learning, Nick is a pizza-loving Aussie living and working in Dublin, Ireland. With a background in education, engineering and digital product development, Nick launched Fractus to connect people with a shared passion for technology and how it can bring education to life.

Retha Groenewald is a professional writer working for FractusLearning. When not working with Fractus, she is web copywriter for the Christian market. Her writing is featured at Christian Web Copywriter and at Writing That Breathes Life.

Laura is a writer and recent Cambridge graduate with particular experience in the area of education technology. She has worked with a variety of different education companies and is active in the 'edtech' community on Twitter, so she prides herself on always being in touch with the latest developments and exciting new tools in e-learning.

Gillian is a blogger and freelance writer. She rules her tiny corner of the internet from a farm in rural Virginia that she shares with horses, dogs, cats, chickens, an outdoorsman, and a perfect step-daughter. She is passionate about all things tech yet prefers to never wear shoes.

Bryan Bigari is the current editor of Fractus Learning. As a father of three, Bryan has a passion for helping kids to both excel in school and have fun with friends and parents. He has worked on education issues at the state and federal level, and is looking forward to sharing his first hand education and toy knowledge with you.

Wade Gegan is an ex-classroom teacher who works with schools and institutions to embrace technology in new and exciting ways. As a permanent member of the Fractus team, he has a passion for education and is always trying to make sure learning stays fun.

Laura is a freelance writer and a blogger. Regularly called a 'tech geek' by family and friends, she is the go-to girl for anything new happening in the industry.

Dara Sheahan is an experienced writer and language teacher from Dublin who has taught in colleges and universities in Ireland and South Korea. Now a freelance educator and blogger he has a passion for all things related to education, tech and ESL.

Lisa is a mother to 3 amazing children, EdTech coach and all-round lover of learning and personal growth. Lisa is dedicated to sharing her knowledge, experience and passion with as many people as possible and is also partial to the odd glass of Rosé.

Amy Heavin is the principal/lead learner at Ryan Park Elementary School, MSD of Steuben County in Angola, IN. She has been a school administrator since 2010, and taught middle school English for 8 years prior. Passionate about curriculum and instruction, she pursues learning opportunities to blend 21st century essential skills instruction with best practices. As a moderator for the #INeLearn Twitter chat, a blogger, and presenter, she promotes integration of strong pedagogy with technology in the classroom, along with creating opportunities for students to explore, create, and have choice in their learning. She is also a Certified Level 1 Google Educator. She is the mother of 3 boys and wife of Angola High School principal.

Meet Ms. Olivia Richards, an experienced and passionate teacher who has dedicated her career to creating a warm and engaging classroom environment. Ms. Richards is a middle school teacher, currently teaching 7th-grade English at Oakwood Middle School. Ms. Richards holds a Bachelor's degree in English Literature and a Master's degree in Education. She has been teaching for 10 years and has received numerous awards for her innovative teaching methods. In her free time, Ms. Richards enjoys reading, writing, and spending time with her two cats, Luna and Max.

Sarah Schnurr is a freelance writer and teacher with a background in art and hands-on STEM education. She writes articles on Pre-K through college topics: from finger-paints to financial aid, and everything in between.

Melinda Connor is a qualified teacher, a Montessori ambassador and a mom of two. Once upon a time all she wanted was world peace but now a little alone time in the 'l'eau' will do just fine.

Chris Bowen has been teaching in Southern California for over twenty years. He has been named Teacher of the Year for three different schools, for his school district, and for Los Angeles County. His first book of classroom stories, Our Kids; Building Relationships in the Classroom was featured on the Dr. Phil Show. Chris believes that taking the time and patience to build authentic bonds in the classroom is the most effective way to keep kids engaged.

Janelle is an education consultant, adviser, presenter, coach, and trainer. Over the years, she has also been a classroom teacher and district administrator. Today, she combines those interests with experiences in entrepreneurship, professional blogging, and social media strategy.

Gary is a Google certified teacher and holds a certificate of educational technology and information literacy (COETAIL). He teaches middle school science at Saigon South International School and his interests are exploring web 2.0 tools, connected classrooms and authentic assessment.

Elizabeth Voyles is a freelance writer and blogger specializing in parenting and family topics. She also operates a daycare for infants and toddlers. In between writing gigs and running her daycare, Elizabeth enjoys playtime with her two daughters and binge watching shows on Netflix.

I have been a teacher since 2003. I qualified in Primary education, and went on to be Head of ICT and Head of Year in a secondary school London. I now work as a consultant, helping schools make the most of their technology. I spend my time showing schools the most appropriate use of free web resources, advising them on how to implement and embed ICT in their classrooms practically, and discussing all kinds of ICT issues with other educators, based on their individual and unique needs. I believe that ICT can help both teachers and students, equally and easily. You can follow me @heartofsol and find out more about how I help schools at www.21cln.org.uk

Keith Hamon teaches college writing and literature in West Palm Beach, Florida. Keith is keenly interested in connectivism and rhizomatic education, and exploring the rhizome through MOOCs.

Wanda Wyont has worked in the field of education over twenty five years in many diverse backgrounds. Her teaching experiences range from preschool to college age. She holds an MA in Birth-Kindergarten and has presented multiple workshops at national venues. She has written and published numerous articles and papers on children's issues. Recently, Wanda published her second children's book, Barkley's Great Escape.

Hello fellow Explorers! I teach middle school science and engineering at an all girls school in Minnesota. I spent the first seventeen years of my educator journey teaching all levels of French to grades six through twelve at an all boys school in Minnesota, as well as running an engineering co-curricular, the Experimental Vehicle Team. I strive to inspire students to take their dreams from the seemingly impossible into the probable, all the while helping them harness a pioneering spirit and an explorer mindset to become agents of change. I am a life-long learner, avid book reader, writer, occasional artist, and explorer of the world around me.

Sonia Toledo founded Dignity of Children, Inc. in 2008 with the vision of creating programs that will support families holistically. She has over 25 years of experience working in the after-school field building quality programming for students in elementary through high school during their off time. Sonia has worked for Boys & Girls Clubs, YMCA, Children’s Aid Society, Child Care Inc., and served as the President of the After School Works NY.

Born in Brazil to Italian parents, Nani is a Third Culture Person who grew up in Brazil, the U.S., Switzerland and Belgium before attending Wake Forest University. She got her degree in Political Science but spent most of her time writing for the Old Gold and Black newspaper and in the theatre. She then lived in Chicago, London, New York and Paris before returning to North Carolina with her family. Her passions are theatre, literature, politics, and especially multicultural and cross-cultural societies like the ones she grew up in at International Schools. She is also the mother of autistic twin boys and speaks every chance she gets about the challenges and joys or raising to such wonderful and special kids.

Linda Rubens has been teaching English for 26 years and joined Orewa College eight years ago. She soon realised that she had to ramp up her technology skills in order to keep up with developments in teaching and learning styles. In 2012 Linda was appointed dean of year 9 and helped lead the pastoral side of the BYOD programme. She is currently the year 13 dean. Linda focuses on a differentiated and blended programme in her flipped lessons. She was included in the Apple Distingished Educators Class of 2015.

The founder of Fractus Learning, Nick is a pizza-loving Aussie living and working in Dublin, Ireland. With a background in education, engineering and digital product development, Nick launched Fractus to connect people with a shared passion for technology and how it can bring education to life.

Simon is a high school teacher with over 35 years classroom experience in English and Ancient History. Currently Digital Advisor: Teaching and Learning at Faith Lutheran College in South Australia. A devotee of iPads and all Web 2.0 tools. Find him on Twitter @connectedtchr

Irene is the mother of two adults, one of whom is diagnosed with autism. She is the author of Abie and Arlene's Autism War. She blogs about special education, human services, advocacy, healthcare, autism, and other topics. She is a retired healthcare administrator, data analyst, and special education advocate. Follow Irene on Twitter @itanzman

Richard Andrew, a former Australian teacher, and Head of Department has been running professional learning for the past decade, mostly in the field of mathematics education. A passionate advocate for engagement and student-centric learning he firmly believes professional learning should be about creating genuine paradigm shifts for teachers. Richard is the founder of, and key course creator and facilitator at Learn Implement Share.

Hillary Tubin, a former literacy educator, believes the daily reading habit is fundamental to thrive. She wrote the book, Boys and Books: What You Need to Know and Do So Your 9- to 14-Year-Old Son Will Read.

Ann has been teaching special education for 8 years and is currently working at a middle school in Buffalo, MO. Her passion is working with iPads and learning to implement the technology to put her students on a level playing field.

Carolyn Osborne is an educator living in Columbus, Ohio, USA. She has taught people ranging in age from pre-school to 90+ across a wide range of subject matters, from music to mathematics. Her interest in technology began the first time she got to run a set of key-punched cards through a mainframe. She focuses on educational technology and instructional design.

Jessica Castleberry is an entrepreneur, mentor, author, and conference speaker from Rapid City, South Dakota. She serves as an advocate for the professionalism of early childhood educators.

A mother of six, soon to be seven, Jamie has lots of insight into "what kids want". She has also worked with children in her professional life as an Educational Assistant with students with special needs, as a Pre-school Teacher, as an After School Program teacher and also as a home daycare owner/operator. She loves many forms of writing and has been doing so since she could hold a pen upright.

Meghan is a first grade teacher with a passion for inspiring student creativity and deepening their thinking through technology. She loves learning and creating with her students and hopes to inspire others to do the same.

Passionate Online Instructor with a strong focus on online student engagement and group collaboration. Master of Science in Online Teaching with a minor in Engagement and Instructional Design. Vino lover, voracious reader (not romance) and lover of the long Georgia summer.

Rebecca Davies is a teacher in the western suburbs of Melbourne, Australia. She teaches primary and middle years students (Prep to year 9) and has taught in PYP and mainstream schools. She is passionate about educational technology and how it can engage students, making their learning personalised and relevant to their lives.

Wendy Taylor is the founder and executive director of Learning Essentials. A certified educator and qualified diagnostician, she is passionate about helping students of all abilities, especially those with learning differences and disabilities, to attain their academic goals. To learn more about how Wendy and her tutoring team serve students in the greater Washington, DC, metro area, visit: www.LearningEssentialsEDU.com.

Amy is the Academic Director and Outreach Director of Atlanta Leadership College. She has a passion for organization, systems development, the sociology of academia, and inspiring students with a love for learning. If she is not at work, you will most likely find her in a gym, on a hiking trail, or dancing.

Chiu is the Principal Psychologist of a thriving transdisciplinary practice. Since 2003, she has worked across a range of paediatric fields and has extensive experience in mental health, early intervention, disability, behaviour management and family unity.

Spanish teacher, gadget geek, world traveler, blogger, reader, and sometimes yogi. NYC and beyond.

Lee is a school technology specialist and former classroom English teacher. He has taught in Tennessee, Virginia, and Georgia in rural and urban settings, and he has found the one thing in common with all classrooms is that kids are kids. They learn when they are engaged, challenged, and motivated.

Corinne Campbell is an assistant principal of a NSW public school with 20 years experience working in primary school education. She's interested in finding better ways to support teachers in their work and in bringing 21st Century Learning into schools.

Charles is a physical education and health teacher with 15 years of teaching experience. He is a leader and advocate for physical educators by running workshops on integrating literacy into physical education, teaching in limited space, and creating a field day that shines. Charles has presented at staff in-services and conferences. Moreover, he has written curriculum from scratch and published information specific to physical education in-state and nationally recognized publications and websites. He has also developed and teaches online physical education related courses at NewPhysicalEducator.com and teaches two online courses, Integrating Literacy into Physical Education and Teaching PE in a Limited Space.

Molly works with gifted, and underachieving students from high school to college, coaching and advising academically and with life skills. She has been a writing teacher for 25 years and published three novels (NYT Notable Book) and taught many years of high school English, college English and graduate classes in writing. Currently, she coaches and tutors college and high school students in need of organizational help, writing, specializing in dissertations, college admission essays and SAT/ACT timed essays. She also coaches adult writers on memoir and is currently editing her own memoir a painful and humbling process.

With a focus on creative education and research, Karl's work looks at the impact that technology dependence has on attention spans and adolescents' capacity to learn in the Age of Distraction. He is currently a PhD candidate at the University of New England, where his research aims to help teachers and parents adapt to the changing needs of the modern learner. He also teaches Art & Design in Melbourne, Australia. (M.Ed, M.Des, B.Comm, GradDipEd, MACE) - karlsebire.com

Kim Jocelyn Dickson ( M.A. Princeton Theological Seminary; B.S. University of Missouri-Columbia), a parent, educator, writer, and lifelong lover of books, is the author of The Invisible Toolbox: The Power of Reading to Your Child from Birth to Adolescence (Mango Publishing, 2020) and creator of theinvisibletoolbox.org, a website devoted to sharing why reading to a child from birth--or even before--is one of the most powerful and important gifts a parent can give. She has nearly thirty years of experience in the elementary school classroom, has taught in public and private schools in the east, Midwest, and west coast of the United States, currently teaches literature and writing in an independent school in Southern California, and frequently speaks on the importance of literacy. Kim is the published author of various articles in psychology, literature, biography, women’s issues, religion, and Gifts from the Spirit: Reflections on the Diaries and Letters of Anne Morrow Lindbergh, a collection of reflective essays on the beloved author of Gift from the Sea.

Celi is the author of Educating Your Gifted Child: How One Public School Teacher Embraced Homeschooling. She became a passionate advocate for gifted children after tiring of her battles with schools and their misunderstanding and neglect of gifted students. Click here to read more on Celi's blog.

Matt Bergman is a former classroom teacher with over twelve years of experience working in public and private schools. He is currently a technology integration coach at the Milton Hershey School in Hershey, PA. Matt shares his ideas on technology integration and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) through his blog, Learn-Lead-Grow.

Melissa is a veteran educator and learning designer with deep expertise across the public, non-profit and for-profit education sectors. She started her career as a Teach For America corps member, and taught for eight years in high needs schools in New York City. After leaving the classroom, she held a series of high-impact leadership roles at College Summit, Adobe, and Code.org. Her work has focused on designing, building and managing transformative programs for teachers and learners across the globe. She is also a mother, avid reader and beverage connoisseur.

Sasha is on a mission to change the world of autism and special needs. Coming from a Australian/Middle Eastern background and a culture where special needs is hidden, Sasha’s vision is to bring happiness to children and families through her clothing range. As a professional engineer Sasha has great attention to detail, is resourceful in supplier relations, skilled in team management, and proven experience as a global businesswoman. Her passion is for all children to feel included and integrated in mainstream school and society.

Kristin Powers currently lives and works in Seattle, where she works with a strategy and design firm called Intentional Futures. She loves teaching art and English, collecting salts, and reading about black holes. Kristin is passionate about empathy in the classroom, neuroscience, oxytocin research, playful learning, and serious games.

Technology Coordinator / Learning Coach, NBCT - Social Studies / Science, proponent of learning in it's various forms; growth mindset, connected, lifelong, and life-wide. Living a life of learning with family and friends.

Dr. Conrad-Curry is a veteran high school and middle school teacher. Since 2006, she has worked as an independent consultant and blogger through her company, Partner in Education. Among her passions are student-centered classrooms and effective Common Core implementation. She also works with EdReports, Achieve, Inc., Illinois Regional Offices of Education, and the California Department of Education.

Clayre Benzadon is currently an undergraduate student at Brandeis University majoring in Psychology and Creative Writing. Involved with the campus literary magazine and former staff writer of one of the on-campus magazine, she currently also dedicates herself to writing by writing Linkedin articles, addressing the many obstacles faced in terms of issues of social justice (a proud feminist), the problems in academia, and addresses ideas for creating a more empathic future for society ( she believes writing to be a huge contributing factor).

Emily is a 1st grade teacher in North Carolina. She has a Master's Degree in Instructional Technology and enjoys leading professional development. She has developed professional development sessions for teachers about Blogging, Blended Learning, Genius Hour and Makerspaces.

I'm an erstwhile educator (primarily of rhetoric and persuasive speaking) and current writer. I've long been a fan of language, and started the Word of the Day podcast to share my linguistic musings with the world.