Trending In Ed with Mike Palmer

When the house is on fire, you don't want to be reading the manual for the first time. On this episode of Trending in Education, Mike Palmer sits down with Jeff Hunt, the founder of Legend Labs and a professor at the University of Texas, to discuss the high-stakes world of crisis communication in higher education . Jeff brings a unique perspective shaped by 18 years at a global firm and a career spent managing issues across the world, from Seoul to London . His deep dive into higher education began with the reputational recovery of Penn State after the Jerry Sandusky crisis, a "trial by fire" that revealed how techniques from global world crises could be adapted to the university setting . In an era of hyper-connectivity and a "nanosecond news cycle," Jeff argues that the old ways of managing a narrative are gone . He breaks down his book, Brand Under Fire, and a new playbook centered on five core principles: Authenticity, Transparency, Speed, Agility, and Creativity . We explore how leaders can move from a reactive stance to a "culture of readiness" . Jeff explains the mechanics of modern crisis prep, including "issues heat maps" to track percolating risks like labor strikes or political protests and high-intensity simulations that use AI to recreate the pressure of a breaking news story . Beyond the technicalities, this conversation touches on the human element of leadership. Jeff shares why university presidents must sometimes step out of their administrative roles to communicate with the empathy of a parent, especially during campus tragedies . Using a "cockpit analogy" regarding flight delays, he illustrates how proactive, honest communication can build loyalty even when the news is bad . Finally, Jeff discusses his work in the classroom, where he brings the "boardroom into the classroom" to help students navigate an AI-reshaped landscape and combat the "chilling effect" on open dialogue . If you found this episode helpful, please like, follow, and share it wherever you get your podcasts to help us keep these critical conversations going. 📢🛡️🎓 Timestamps 🕰️ 00:00 — Welcome and Jeff Hunt's global origin story 🕰️ 02:03 — Lessons from the Penn State recovery 🕰️ 04:36 — How digital media changed the game 🕰️ 06:05 — The Five Principles: Authenticity and Transparency 🕰️ 07:45 — Speed, Agility, and filling the narrative vacuum 🕰️ 11:10 — The role of Creativity in crisis management 🕰️ 13:30 — Communicating during tragedy: The power of video and voice 🕰️ 16:20 — Vulnerability assessments and issues heat maps 🕰️ 20:10 — Simulations and Tabletops: Testing the team under pressure 🕰️ 24:10 — The Cockpit Analogy: Building loyalty through transparency 🕰️ 27:30 — AI and the future of open debate in the classroom

Mike Palmer and virtual co-host Nancy are back from the podcast stage at SXSW EDU in Austin, Texas. In this special update, we break down the Sweet 16 of Learning Trends and announce which four have fought their way into the Final Four. This episode explores the collective zeitgeist of the education world, from the challenges of chronic absenteeism to the futuristic potential of vibe coding and agentic intelligence. The conversation begins with a look at the trends submitted by AJ Gutierrez of Equal Opportunity Schools. AJ highlights the pressing issue of chronic absenteeism in K-12 and the need for work pathway alignment. He also makes a strong case for high-impact tutoring and the responsible integration of AI to keep humanity at the center of the classroom. Next, the duo dives into insights from Jasmine Maze and Sunanna Chand of Teach For America's Reinvention Lab. We discuss teacher efficiency not just as an operational goal, but as a relational unlock. This segment covers the rise of vibe coding, the creepy nature of the uncanny valley in AI slop, and why experimentation and play are essential for preparing learners for a rapidly changing future. Justin Serrano, CEO of Littera Education, contributes a clear-eyed look at the outcomes economy. He discusses the shift toward evidence-based contracting and the concept of human-AI interoperability, or the "Canny Centaur." Justin also warns of SaaS disruption in the EdTech space and advocates for a mindset of productive distrust. Finally, Mike shares his own trends, including strategic optimism and gentelligence. He warns of ensloppification across digital platforms and explains why unplugging is a vital restorative practice in an age of constant noise. The episode culminates in the big reveal of the Final Four trends that listeners can now vote on to determine the ultimate winner for 2026. TIME STAMPS 00:00 - Introduction and SXSW EDU history 03:00 - The future of knowledge work and human-AI collaboration 04:00 - AJ Gutierrez on absenteeism and high-impact tutoring 11:00 - Jasmine Maze and Sunanna Chand on vibe coding and teacher efficiency 21:00 - Justin Serrano on the outcomes economy and SaaS disruption 29:00 - Mike Palmer on strategic optimism, unplugging, and gentelligence 39:00 - The Big Reveal: Announcing the Final Four trends 45:00 - 750th episode milestone and closing remarks VOTE IN THE POLLS Help us name the winning trend for 2026! Follow Mike Palmer on LinkedIn to find the latest polls and cast your vote for the Final Four. https://www.linkedin.com/in/palmer-mike/ Subscribe to Trending in Education wherever you get your podcasts or find us on YouTube to join the conversation and help us continue to make the future more evenly distributed.

How do we bridge the communication gap between schools and families in an increasingly fragmented digital world? In this episode of Trending in Education, Mike Palmer is joined by Anu Vaid, the founder of ParentSquare, to explore the evolution of school-home partnerships over the last 15 years. Anu shares her journey as a computer engineer and immigrant parent who was overwhelmed by the disjointed tools of the K-12 system, from papers stuffed in backpacks to disparate robocalls and long emails . Today, ParentSquare serves over 22 million student families, providing a unified platform where everyone from the principal and teachers to the nurse and the librarian can speak with one voice . We dive into how technology can foster authentic human connection rather than just "checking a box," moving toward a positive school climate that supports every student. Key Takeaways: 🏫 The Unification of Stakeholders: Why it is essential for every department—from transportation to the school office—to come together on one trusted source for families . 📉 Addressing Chronic Absenteeism: Moving away from punitive compliance letters toward catching issues early and building a human-level sense of belonging . 🤖 AI as a Bridge, Not a Barrier: Leveraging AI for context-aware translation, gender-neutrality, and helping teachers craft messages that feel personal and authentic . 📱 Navigating Cell Phone Bans: How schools can use school-issued devices and ParentSquare to keep families coordinated without the negative impact of social media . Anu concludes by emphasizing the importance of building a "circle of love" around every child. When parents and schools work together effectively, the student knows it and feels it, which is when they truly begin to prosper. Subscribe to Trending in Ed wherever you get your podcasts to stay ahead of the curve in the world of learning. Visit us at TrendinginEd.com for more sharp takes on the future of education. Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction and Anu’s Origin Story 05:55 - The Evolution of School Communication Tools 10:52 - Addressing Chronic Absenteeism through Connection 17:35 - AI, Contextual Translation, and Authenticity 21:42 - Navigating Cell Phone Bans and Family Messaging 28:38 - The Future of AI and Human Connection

What if everything we’ve been told about math education is backwards? In this episode of Trending in Education, Mike Palmer is joined by Ted Dintersmith,venture capitalist, filmmaker, and author of the upcoming book Aftermath: The Life-Changing Math That Schools Won't Teach You to discuss why our schools are still teaching low-level math mechanics that phones and AI already do perfectly. You can learn more about Ted's work at What Schools Could Be. Ted shares his journey from the world of high-tech innovation to becoming a "code red" alarmed citizen advocate for radical school change. We dive into how high-stakes exams are inadvertently training students to compete with AI in areas where computers are unbeatable, while ignoring the creative and conceptual math, like probability, decision-making frameworks, and estimation, that actually shapes lives. From Moneyball statistics to the dangers of misinterpreting healthcare data, Ted explains why math should be a tool for empowerment rather than a metric for punishment. We also take a "lightning round" trip through Ted’s prolific career, including his work with the late Sir Ken Robinson and his influential documentaries Most Likely to Succeed and Multiple Choice. Whether you’re a parent trying to preserve your child’s curiosity or an educator looking for a more relevant curriculum, this conversation offers a refreshing and urgent blueprint for what school could be. 📉💡 Subscribe to Trending in Ed wherever you get your podcasts to stay ahead of the curve in the world of learning. 🔔 Time Stamps 00:00 - Introduction: Why Math Should Turn You On 🎙️ 00:41 - Ted’s Origin Story: From Carpentry to Venture Capital 02:18 - The Middle School Note That Changed Everything 04:02 - Making the Film "Most Likely to Succeed" 05:14 - Why AI Makes Most School Math Obsolete 07:03 - Previewing "Aftermath": Math for Decision Making 11:00 - The Dunning-Kruger Effect and Iraqi War Predictions 12:45 - Why 90% of Doctors Misunderstand Test Results 🏥 15:35 - Teaching High Schoolers Decision Frameworks 18:14 - The Art of Mathematical Modeling 21:30 - Math as a Tool for Ranking, Sorting, and Punishing 25:15 - Can We Trust Economic Numbers? (The Estimation Problem) 28:43 - Moneyball and the Power of Creative Statistics ⚾ 34:10 - Lightning Round: Sir Ken Robinson and New Documentaries 39:53 - Advice for Families: Preserving Curiosity and Audacity 41:43 - Closing Thoughts and Where to Find Ted’s Work