In this episode of The Inference Show, we sit down with Jeff Swisher, an award-winning U.S. history and social studies teacher at Griffith High School, named Indiana History Teacher of the Year (2024). Jeff’s journey is anything but ordinary— before teaching, he spent nearly two decades as a software consultant building systems for Fortune 500s, from Verizon’s voicemail platforms to large-scale web applications. Today, he blends that tech background with a passion for civic inquiry, immersive simulations, and cutting-edge AI in the classroom.

Jeff shares powerful stories and insights, including:

• His leap from coding Fortune 500 systems to reimagining how teenagers learn history in the classroom.
• How he turns lessons into lived experiences — from 1920s speakeasies to student-run trials and civic projects.
• Why he calls his classroom a “design lab,” where experiments, failures, and reinventions are part of the learning journey.
• The creative ways he uses AI in teaching — instant essay feedback, student “conversations” with FDR, and custom apps that spark curiosity.
• His fight to bring teacher voices into policy, from redesigning Indiana’s diplomas to tackling chronic absenteeism head-on.
• What he’s seeing in Gen Z — fragile confidence, shifting ambitions, and the urgent need to prepare them for constant reinvention.

From coding and consulting to policy and pedagogy, Jeff brings a rare perspective on how technology, history, and human connection intersect. His classroom is proof that learning can be immersive, student-centered, and future-ready, without losing the personal touch.

About Dr. Manish Arora

Dr. Arora is the co-founder of LearnDesk and Insaito, where he leads marketing and sales. He has helped grow LearnDesk into a global platform supporting over 25,000 businesses. Currently, he is developing Automatan, an AI platform for automating business workflows. With 80+ patents and years of industry experience, Dr. Arora brings deep technical expertise and practical insights to every conversation.

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The Inference Show

Stay connected with us and explore more about our guests, topics, and future episodes:

🔗 Automatan: https://www.linkedin.com/company/automatan-ai🔗 Insaito: https://in.linkedin.com/company/insaito-inc🔗 Dr. Manish Arora: https://www.linkedin.com/in/manish7901🔗 Vivek Puri: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vivpuri🔗 LearnDesk: https://www.learndesk.us/🔗 Insaito: https://www.insaito.com/🔗 Jeff Swisher: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-swisher-6347431/

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Be our next guest by emailing us at vivek@insaito.comWe’d love to hear your insights and have you join the conversation!