Trending In Ed with Mike Palmer

Sharia Huda and Sean Dougherty join Mike for today's show as we explore the importance of accessibility to the thoughtful design of learning technology. Sean shares his perspective as an accessibility specialist with experience at Google and other large technology companies while Sharia adds her views as a former K12 educator and Ed Tech specialist with experience advising startups on this and other topics. How does Universal Design for Learning (UDL) help all users of a learning product? How to you facilitate the shift of mind needed in leadership at an organization to begin to change the culture? How does empathy and good design thinking help us elevate consciousness about the importance of inclusive design of educational products? Listen in to learn more.

Trending in Education partnered with Rohit Barghava and the Non-Obvious Company to host a Virtual Summit on the Future of Learning which we're releasing as today's episode. Join Rohit, Melissa Griffith, Dan Strafford, and Mike Palmer as we discuss what the future might hold for parents, learning professionals, and lifelong learners. In a wide-ranging conversation, we explore how our behavior patterns around learning and life have change in response to Covid-19 and how these pivots will likely play forward in the coming months and years. What do we make of the distinction between learning and education? How will we navigate this unprecedented wave of disruption? As digital learning moves to the foreground, how will we understand the role of higher education, K12 education, home schooling, and online learning? How should we think about digital equity and digital inclusion? And what might things look like as we imagine a post-pandemic world? We cover all of this and more in a fascinating discussion that we hope you enjoy.

Tarlin and Mike run it back covering the final two episodes of The Last Dance, the epic sports docuseries from ESPN covering the 1990s Bulls. This week we cover the legendary battles with Reggie Miller. What can be learned from Reggie's mindset and competitive drive. Was the "Flu Game" actually the "Tainted Pizza Game" - we have some hot takes there. Tarlin talks GOATs, Mike talks conspicuous omissions, and we begin to synthesize what we learned over the 10 hours of The Last Dance. It's been a heck of a run and we're looking forward to continuing the run even though The Last Dance has ended. Stay tuned for more as we figure out how to keep the magic happening. And thanks of course for listening.

Dr Bernard Bull, the President of Goddard College and the Host of EDU Futures Podcast, joins Mike this week to share his perspective and make a few predictions for the coming year. Bernard explains how he is using scenario-based thinking to plan for the possible futures for Goddard, a small alternative college in central Vermont. We discuss Goddard's unique approach to higher education and muse a bit on how new models will likely emerge from these tumultuous times.

Tarlin and Mike are back to break down the penultimate Sunday of The Last Dance docuseries about Michael Jordan and the 1990s Chicago Bulls. What lessons can we take away from Scottie's decision to sit out the final 1.8 seconds versus the Knicks in 1994? What were the games like at the gym Warner Brothers built for Michael on the set of Space Jam? How could we forget the legendary series versus the 1996 Seattle Supersonics with Gary Payton, Shawn Kemp, and Detlef Schrempf? Are there lessons in leadership, teamwork, and assertiveness to be learned? Listen in to find out.

As a Mother's Day Special, Mike is joined by Dr. Robin Naughton, his wife and mother of their son Matthew, to talk about the state of libraries and librarianship in light of the pandemic. Robin shares her perspective as a digital librarian and as an academic focused on user research and the user experience. We also delve into the role of the Academy in understanding public health in New York dating back to the pandemic in 1918 and up to the present day. Then we shift the conversation to talk about introversion, extraversion, and diversity of perspectives in light of the rapid move to digital due to Covid-19. We conclude by wishing a happy and healthy Mother's Day to everyone out there.

Mike and Tarlin are back to break down episodes 5 and 6 of the ESPN Docuseries, The Last Dance, as it chronicles the 1990s Bulls culminating in their final season together in 1998. This week we tackle the middle hump in the 10 episode series as we get to know the darker side of Michael Jordan. His rampant competitiveness and purposeful avoidance of political stands set the stage for a challenging bid for a "Threepeat" in 1993 and we get glimpses of the challenges Michael faced managing his celebrity. We dive into the Kobe-Michael dynamic, the Dream Team and its snubbing of Isaiah Thomas, the Tony Kukoc saga, and even touch on the battles between Jordan's Bulls and the New York Knicks and Phoenix Suns. Sunday nights are alive again with sports and 1990s nostalgia and there are many lessons to be learned from this compelling glimpse into the life of an ultracompetitive superstar and his team as they strive for dominance. We hope you enjoy the ride as much as we do!

Russell Glass returns to Trending in Education to talk about the broader state of behavioral health from his vantage point as CEO of Ginger, an industry-leading behavioral health app. Building on trends we've already been tracking around behavioral health, pre-coronavirus, Russell walks us through patterns of usage that mark a significant shift since broad stay-at-home and social distancing orders have spread across the globe. What can we learn from this data? How can an organization like Ginger navigate this complexity while retaining shared values and collective focus? We discuss all of this and get a few updates about Russell's children's book, Voting With a Porpoise as we grant Russell his official "Friend of Show" bona fides. Hope you enjoy.

As a Bonus Trending in Education Extra, we're releasing the first of a series of shows on The Last Dance, the must-see ESPN docuseries on the final season of the legendary 1990s Chicago Bulls. Tarlin Ray and Mike Palmer dissect the first four episodes of the 10-episode series and draw relevant lessons to life, management, leadership, and team chemistry in the 2020s. We'll be back with more soon as we continue to Run It Back to review, critique, and learn from must-see TV like The Last Dance. We hope you enjoy! And don't fret, we're continuing to pump out your regularly scheduled Trending in Education shows as we venture into new spaces with shows like this one. We hope you enjoy!

Ray Belli joins Mike for today's episode exploring the power of language and audio in the evolution of culture and human understanding. Ray hosts a language and etymology podcast called Words for Granted and he's also a founding member of the Lyceum team. We explore the dynamic nature of word meanings using a few examples from the King James Bible. From there, we touch quickly on Shakespeare and the notion of poetic license before concluding with some musings on how new audio formats like podcasting and technologies like Speech-to-Text are bringing renewed life to the oral tradition with significant implications for linguists and lovers of language everywhere.

Mike welcomes Melissa Griffith and Dan Strafford back to the show to analyze Mary Meeker's new report that explores the new trends that are emerging in light of the Covid-19 pandemic. Which trends will remain and which will fade? How will organizations, schools, educators, parents, and learners grapple with the new normal? How might we adapt to thrive amid the widespread, pervasive sense of disruption and uncertainty? We discuss all of this as we digest and begin to synthesize the esteemed Mary Meeker's latest report on Covid-19.

Stephen Kosslyn joins Mike to explore the transformative power of synchronous learning as the world rapidly moves online. Countering the perception that online learning is asynchronous, Stephen outlines his experiences first as Dean at the Minerva Schools startup and most recently at Foundry College. In both cases, the curriculum and the technology that powers it is designed with synchronous and active learning as a central pillar in the instructional design. Stephen explains the power of teaching hacks and heuristics to adult learners at Foundry with the goal of advancing them in their careers while preparing them for the future of work. Humans will continue to thrive doing meaningful work that leverages our unique ability to understand emotion and context in ways that won't soon be automated. Foundry College exists to power this evolution. It's a fascinating discussion and we thank Stephen for his time and look forward to continuing the conversation in the future.

On today's episode, Jenna Spinelle joins Mike to talk about civics, the gig economy, and the sudden shift to remote teaching. Jenna is a writer, instructor, and podcaster in higher education who recently launched a new course focused on teaching undergrads how to engage in the gig economy. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, she had to quickly shift from delivering the course face to face to teaching remotely. Jenna shares her experiences and perspectives on emergency remote teaching (ERT) as we dive into the growing importance of the gig economy in our professional lives these days. After touching on the importance of pursuing one's passions, building a portfolio, and developing the entrepreneurial skills needed to be.a gig employee, we conclude by exploring Jenna's work in teaching civics through her podcast, Democracy Works, and through the network of podcasts she founded called The Democracy Group. We hope you enjoy listening to this wide-ranging and relevant conversation about the rapidly evolving landscape of higher education..

Mike is once again joined by Tarlin Ray to talk about generational zeitgeists in light of the coronavirus pandemic. As two GenXers, we wonder what the global pandemic means to the oft-forgotten, former latchkey kids of the 70s and 80s. Then we explore the challenges faced by Boomers and Millennials before shifting to the rising GenZ and “Alpha” generations. What are the financial implications? Will this make generational differences seem more parochial and trivial as we all grapple with a shared, global experience? What are the educational implications and the impact to the workforce, organizational leaders, and hiring managers? We explore all of this and once again thank the first responders and frontline workers in the worldwide battle against the virus. Be safe and be well. And thank you for listening.

Mike and Dan break down our 2020 March Madness for Learning Trends tournament. We begin by reflecting on how crazy a month it was and by thanking all the frontline workers who are leading our response to the covid-19 pandemic. Then we talk through the trends that deserved more love while analyzing each successive round in our brackets. We then culminate the festivities with our takes on the Final Four, the Finals, and then announce the winner. And you know we get zeitgeisty along the way as we try to make sense of the transformative period in which we're living. Which learning trend wins the day? Listen in to find out. Thanks as always for listening. Despite the pandemic, we won't stop podding and we hope you won't stop listening. Take that coronavirus! Please be safe out there.

Mike is joined by Helen Lee Bouygues, the Founder of the Reboot Foundation, to discuss the research her foundation has published about critical thinking. We begin by exploring what drove Helen to found Reboot and why critical thinking is so essential to a healthy, relevant, and fulfilling life in these confusing times. Helen shares research into the adverse impact of social media use on understanding of the realities relating to the Covid-19 pandemic and provides tips and tools for parents who are trying to instill good critical thinking in their children beginning at an early age. Helen also warns of the dangers of fake news and deep fakes as it becomes increasingly tempting to seek instant gratification when searching for answers in the digital world. Helen and the Reboot Foundation are doing fascinating and relevant research and we're happy to help raise awareness of the essential importance of critical thinking skills in human development in the turbulent age in which we are living. We hope you enjoy listening.

Mike is joined by Zachary Davis, the President and Founder of Lyceum, an educational podcasting platform that is launching now. Zachary is also the organizer of the Sound Education conference and the host of the podcast Ministry of Ideas. He's also the host of a new podcast called Writ Large that is debuting now with the launch of Lyceum.. Zachary tells the story of how he became focused on educational audio after working at HarvardX, one of the early MOOCs associated with EdX. Despite doing great work there, he was frustrated by the low completion rate of the early MOOCs and eventually gravitated to podcasting as a way to make amazing educational content more broadly accessible to a global audience. This has led to the recent launch of Lyceum which is a curated educational audio platform with community features that allow for deeper engagement with folks who listen to educational podcasts. We explore why audio is such an emotionally powerful and affordable format and how in many ways it is a rising trend that is more flexibly available than video and more intimate and emotionally resonant than the written word We also explore some of the ideas discussed in Writ Large which dives into the impact that key books have had on the world around them after the ink has dried. Finally, we conclude with Zachary's thoughts about how the broader trends towards audio may signal the dawn of a new audio age in which longer form lectures and conversations may begin to supplant print formats in the future. It's a fascinating conversation and we hope you enjoy listening.

In today's episode, Angela Siefer, Executive Director of the National Digital Inclusion Alliance, joins Mike to revisit the topic of digital inclusion in light of the new, stark realities of the Covid-19 pandemic. When we're told to shelter at home and engage in social distancing, what does this mean for those on the other side of the digital divide? Angela and her not-for-profit provide information and resources at digitalinclusion.org and they are looking for help from those of us who understand the digital world we're living in to help bridge in the elderly, those suffering from poverty, and anyone who for whatever reason does not have the tools, skills, and access necessary to engage with the digital world. What was once about digital equity is now about public health and safety. When you don't know how to access information and resources digitally, you're much more likely to seek those things by leaving your home and in light of the pandemic, that is a truly dangerous proposition. Angela and team are doing what they can to help in this global crisis. We thank them for their service as we grapple with new challenges to bridge the digital divide while respecting the new rules of social distancing.

Mike catches up with Adi Hanash, a virtuoso online instructor with deep experience in teaching, training teachers, and managing online programs for large organizations like General Assembly and Kaplan. In light of the rapid shift to remote learning (and teaching) driven by the covid-19 pandemic, Adi is running a series of webinars to provide teachers and learning leaders with insights from over 12+ years of experience providing amazing online experiences. We dive into much of this in today's show. While lamenting how the traditional conception of "webinars" is limiting, we explore how teaching online unlocks new opportunities to drive accountability and engagement. We also talk about the transformative power of taking a platform-agnostic and decidedly non-technical approach to innovating around synchronous learning. We close by exploring how the response to the coronavirus is a forcing function and potentially a watershed moment in the understanding of what can be done online. In the process Adi shares some tips and tricks on how to make the most of the rapid global shift to teaching online. Hope you enjoy the listen.

Mike engages in a fascinating discussion with Dr. Paul Reville, a Professor of Educational Policy at Harvard Graduate School of Education, Founder of the Education Redesign Lab, and former Secretary of Education for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Paul recently wrote a book titled Broader, Bolder, Better: How Schools and Communities Help Students Overcome the Disadvantages of Poverty. We discuss why we have historically avoided the topic of poverty when establishing educational policy in the US. We also explore how reframing the context for education as something broader and more community-based opens up opportunities to fundamentally change how we think about education. This will help prepare the rising generations for the transformation of work that is on the horizon with the onset of the new industrial revolution we are beginning to see with the advent of automation and machine learning. Paul walks us through several case studies that expand the focus beyond the traditional triangle of Teacher, Student, Content which has been prevalent in education in recent years. Thinking more broadly (and more boldly) opens up opportunities to address educational challenges in ways that are more holistic and integrated into the support systems of the community. It's an important conversation and we very much appreciate the opportunity to speak with Dr. Reville about this critical topic to the future of education.

As part of our ongoing coverage of the. coronavirus, Mike sits down with Bryan Alexander, a noted futurist who focuses on Higher Education, to talk about the potential directions the outbreak may take. Using a wide-ranging collection of examples from both science fiction and our history, Bryan walks us through where there should be concern and where there may be hope as we brace ourselves to battle Covid-19. Bryan also points out critical resources to find good information on the virus and its impact on higher education which he curates on his blog bryanalexander.org. Which schools have canceled classes altogether and which ones have moved online? How might this play forward as we head towards the completion of the academic year in the US? As always, Bryan brings a thoughtful and informed perspective to a complex and evolving situation with a meaningful impact on our lives and the educational landscape of higher education in the US.

Melissa, Dan, and Mike regroup to discuss the cancellation of SXSW which hit us close to home at Trending in Education. We were planning to head to Austin to record a live podcast episode for SXSW EDU but were thwarted by the cancellation of SXSW by Steve Adler, the Mayor of Austin. How are we holding up in light of the cancellation? What does this signal about the response to the virus? What can conferences, cities, companies, and educational institutions do to maintain public health and safety while retaining what we value in our lives and lifestyles. We work through our grieving process and explore how we can continue to cover the trends and transformations that may be driven by the unprecedented response to Covid-19. And be on the lookout for more on this as we bring in more experts to understand the impact on education as an increasing number of schools are canceling classes and/or moving them offline. The world has changed fast and we'll be here to track it with you. As Mike says in the show, "If we stop podcasting due to this, the coronavirus wins!" So we'll keep podding. And we're hoping you'll keep listening and begin to spread the word. As the World Health Organization officially declares Covid-19 a pandemic, thanks again for listening to our podcast which is both safe and most likely good for you! Be safe out there.

Mike sits down with Ulrich Boser, the Founder and CEO of the Learning Agency and the Learning Agency Lab, to lean into a wide-ranging conversation about the science of learning and how it relates to social emotional learning, AI and Natural Language Processing, Cognitive Load and much more. You can learn more about what the Learning Agency Lab is doing at https://www.the-learning-agency-lab.com/ Thanks again to Ulrich for a fascinating conversation.

We'd like to wish everyone a happy International Women's Day. In honor of the day, Melissa and Mike discuss an article in Forbes by Blake Morgan that spotlights 50 Leading Female Futurists. Do Mike and Melissa consider themselves futurists? How can we break our habits and biases to include a broader range of guests? We have at least one idea to pursue here. Listen in to find out more.

Mike and Dan break down the first-round matchups in Trending in Education's 4th Annual March Madness Brackets. Beyond listening, we'd love to get your perspective on these trends. You can vote on these trends by going to the polls you can find in the pinned tweet at our Twitter account @TrendinginEd where we'll be tracking the tourney to its conclusion throughout the month. This year, we've expanded the field and are beginning with 12 first-round matchups which we'll describe and analyze on this episode. You gotta be in it to win it and we'd love to get your input as we try to make sense of where the world of learning, media, and education is heading as we enter the 2020s.

It's March and that means it's time for Trending in Education's Fourth Annual Learning Trends March Madness Brackets. And to help kick off the festivities, we spend time with Dan, Melissa, Brandon, and Mike as they remember tourneys past and gear up for an amazing March Madness for 2020. Plus, we hype our upcoming live show at SXSW EDU later this month and give some insider's takes on smart picks to take the prize this year. Be sure to follow us on Twitter at @trendingined throughout March to vote in polls and make predictions in the pursuit of excellence in learning prognostication. Lots of stuff happening and we'd love to hear more from our listeners about where we see the world of learning and education heading in 2020.

Mike welcomes old friend, Brandon Jones, back to the show to talk about Steve Brown's prediction that we'll see more disruptive innovation in the next 10 years than we've seen in the previous forty. Layering in the likelihood that human creativity and lateral thinking will outstrip AI's capabilities in that regard for the next 10 years, how should we take a longer view when making plans for the future everything? Mike and Brandon aim to bring some 2030 Farsight to bear as we peer into possible futures for the 2020s on this week's show. Play with your head up, avoid stagnating danger zones, and have a listen!

Mike and Melissa talk about the idea espoused by futurist, Steve Brown, that the next ten years will see more innovation and disruption than the previous forty. This is driven in part by advances in artificial intelligence and sensors which will allow for a transformation in healthcare that we dig into a bit. The pair also explore a recent Fast Company article by Tim Schwiesfurth and Rene Chester Goduscheit that purports that human intelligence will likely continue to be more creative than AI for the foreseeable future. What are the potential implication of all of this to the future of work, the world, and everything? Listen in to find out how to stay sharp and frisky in the transformative decade that is just beginning.

Mike connects with Andrea Samadi, the host of the Neuroscience Meets Social Emotional Learning podcast, and the two talk about the brain, how it connects to social and emotional aspects of human behavior, learning, and cognition. Andrea recounts her background as an educator who formed a consultancy, AchieveIT360.com, and has recently launched a podcast on this fascinating intersection between the latest research in neuroscience and its potential application in the classroom. We hope you enjoy the conversation.

Following up on our previous show on Kobe, The Impeachment Trial, and Everything, today we explore the ins and outs of the Coronavirus which is receiving tremendous media attention. Mike works through his version of Michael Jordan's "Flu Game" as we once again explore how to engage and/or turn off the Mass Hysteria Spectacle Machine when things like the new variant of the coronavirus happen. What do we need to know about the new coronavirus? How do we stay engaged enough without falling prey to all the hype? You can start by listening to this episode.

This week Mike engages with noted author, speaker, and futurist, Bryan Alexander to discuss the challenges and potential futures emerging for higher education focusing on the US. Bryan has recently authored a book called Academia Next in which he explores trends and describes multiple possible futures for the higher ed ecosystem. What are the threats that are emerging to the traditional model of higher education in the US? How do adjuncts fit into the picture? Is Clayton Christensen's concept of The Innovator's Dilemma relevant to the future of higher education or are there reasons why it doesn't apply? We explore all of these questions and get Bryan to describe several of his possible futures during a free-flowing and imaginative conversation about where the world of higher education is heading. And we also talk a bit about science fiction for good measure. In all, we got a lot out of the conversation and hope you find value in listening.

Dan and Mike regroup to reflect on the relentless media barrage that is life in 2020. We take time to talk about the tragic death of Kobe Bryant, his daughter, and seven others in a helicopter crash. Despite the tragic nature of the story, was it somehow a wake-up call for the importance of family? Our leading #girldad weighs in. At the same time, the Impeachment Trial approaches its conclusion as global fears of the coronavirus pick up, how does one find balance and focus amid all of this? Needless to say, the collective zeitgeist is fraught these days, but we have some recommendations based on learning science that steer us towards quiet time to reflect and consolidate things into long term memory. Yes, we’re living in interesting times in 2020, The key is to control what you tune in and tune out amid the spectacle. Embracing a little JOMO can help. Thanks for listening.

Melissa, Dan, and Mike dive into the complicated topic of implicit bias and the spate of recent training programs based on the concept. Does raising awareness of unconscious biases drive positive change or is it a necessary, but not sufficient, component in a diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging program? A lot comes down to how you measure success and how much the program is integrated into the broader organizational culture. So it turns out, it’s complicated. We hope you enjoy joining us as we begin the conversation.

Following up on our recent show covering the educational research highlights of 2019, Mike sits down with Youki Terada from Edutopia who authored the article. Youki is the Research and Standards editor for Edutopia which means he reviews and edits contributions from Edutopia's writing staff to ensure it's evidence-based, well-designed, and relevant to Edutopia's target audience of K12 Educators. We talk about areas of research that Youki has found particularly interesting and explore several examples with an eye towards practical application for educators. We also talk about the importance of curation and the risks of fast or sloppy research when looking for good applications of emerging learning research.

This week, Mike sits down with Frank Britt, CEO of Penn Foster, to talk about the future of work from the perspective of "middle-skilled" employees. Middle-skill jobs require a high school degree and some additional training, but do not require a bachelors degree. Middle-skill jobs account for roughly half of the jobs in the US, and that figure is not expected to change much in the 2020s. Frank explains the impact of automation on middle-skill jobs and the importance of empathizing with this part of the workforce and the social impact of providing training to this workforce to protect their ability earn. We also touch on "outskilling," "first-mile" services, and some forward thinking about how the middle-skills educational marketplace will transform in the next decade.

This week, Mike, Dan, and Melissa explore what’s new and noteworthy coming out of the Consumer Electronics Show 2020 which recently concluded in Las Vegas. We discuss the highlights from the show itself and also take time to dive into a recent critique by Cindy Gallop of Cosmopolitan magazine that focuses on the patterns of sexism and “bro culture” that have pervaded CES since its inception in the late 1960s. CES is trying to respond but is it enough? And of course, we explore the pros and cons of a new wave of cute, therapeutic, SEL-friendly robots. What’s good and what might be the first steps on the road to dystopia? Listen in to catch up on the tech and some varied perspectives. Enjoy!

In this cybersecurity extra, Mike dives into a fascinating conversation about the skills gap and workforce development with Simone Petrella, Jung Lee, and Sam Meisenberg from the cybersecurity training company, CyberVista. How does the field of cybersecurity understand the skills needed to be an effective professional? Are there basic competencies that are foundational to advancing in cybersecurity? How should we think about developing the right mix of technical capabilities combined with the communication skills and domain expertise needed to thrive in cyber in the 2020s? We dig into all of this and begin to brainstorm ideas for a cybersecurity screenplay on this week's extra. Hope you enjoy!

This week, Mike sits down with best-selling author Rohit Bhargava to talk about Rohit's new book Non-Obvious Megatrends which launches this week. We discuss what it's been like to put together a trendspotting book each year for the past ten years and how shifting the focus to Megatrends this year has provided new perspective heading into the 2020s. Then we dig into a few of Rohit's Megatrends from the book to talk about how Instant Knowledge and Attention Wealth, among others, relate to learning and education in 2020. We hope you enjoy the conversation about where the world of learning may be heading in the near and further distant future.

We ring in the new year with a fascinating conversation with world renowned author and speaker David Meermam Scott heading into the release of his new book, Fanocracy, which launches this week. What can we learn from our shared experience of fandom? How do concepts like mirror cells and our understanding of physical space provide clues into become a more effective instructor or presenter? How is being a fan part of what it means to be human? And can all of this help us to be optimistic heading into the new decade? We cover all of this and explore the power of releasing true ownership to the fans in a fascinating conversation to kick off 2020. We hope you enjoy!

Mike and Dan welcome Brandon Jones back to Trending in Education to get his quick takes on trends to be on the lookout for in 2020. Mike and Dan gear up for prediction season which will cover both 2020 Vision and 2030 Farsight! Welcome to the conversation. Here’s to an amazing year and an even better decade! Let the prognostication commence!!

Dan and Mike dig into an Edutopia article by Youki Terada outlining the key findings in educational research in 2019. What sorts of findings jump out and which stories did we cover on Trending in Education? We take some time to look back as we gear up to peer forward into 2020 and the decade to come on this week’s episode. We hope you enjoy!

Dan and Mike welcome Brandon Jones back to the show to talk through the best gifts for kids and lifelong learners this holiday season. What toys and games make sense for kids and what sorts of gifts might work for adults who want to stay sharp and fresh in this modern day and age? We also take some time to step back from the commercialism of the shopping season to explore how to model generosity and empathy as we engage with those we love this holiday season. We hope you have a wonderful season and we’re very grateful that you are listening.

Mike, Dan, and Melissa discuss the work of Dr Douglas Belshaw on “digital literacies” based on a recent talk Mike attended at the Ithaka The Next Wave Conference on the future of Higher Education in New York Is “digital literacy” a monolithic, binary thing or is it a set of mindsets and skillsets that are best understood on continua? How does this relate to “surveillance capitalism” and the pervasive revenue models of many of the dominant digital platforms of the 21st Century? How much of this is learnable and teachable and who is best-positioned to provide education about all of this? We dig all of this on this week’s show and look forward to diving back in more in the future.

For this week’s extra, Mike is joined by Design Anthropologist and Podcaster, Dr Adam Gamwell, to explore how robots, science fiction, and anthropology are interrelated. In a free flowing and imaginative conversation, we explore how the narratives and secular myths of pop culture and our collective consciousness provide insights into how we understand what it means to be human, how we engage with the Other, and how we grapple to understand how new technologies are driving profound changes to the world around us. Listen in for an illuminating conversation. We hope you enjoy!

Mike sits down with Sarah Daniels, the CEO of Blue Canoe, an English Language Learning (ELL) company specializing in professional spoken English. Sarah walks through the brain science behind the techniques they’ve incorporated into the Blue Canoe App to ensure their learners can master the nuances, vagaries, and seeming inconsistencies of spoken English. There’s a lot to be learned and we get in our share. We hope you enjoy listening.

Mike and Dan welcome Tarlin Ray back to the show as the trio breaks down the recent sensation associated with the phrase Ok Boomer. We trace the trend back to its origins on Tik Tok to its “jump the shark” moment in New Zealand Parliament to its recent appearance at a protest that halted the start of The Game, Harvard and Yale’s yearly football matchup. How does the Ok Boomer phenomenon impact our broader thinking about generations? How does this tie to research about generational differences, stereotypes, and metastereotypes? We connect this conversation to research and insights about group dynamics, decision-making, and diversity in a fun and free-flowing conversation. We hope you enjoy.

This week Mike dives into a conversation about entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial education with Sergei and Vadim Revzin, the hosts of The Mentors podcast. We begin by exploring each brother’s origin story of how they got involved in entrepreneurship and mentorship for aspiring entrepreneurs. How do storytelling, asking for help, and having drive contribute to being a successful entrepreneur? How much can be taught and what techniques work best when mentoring? We also explore how entrepreneurship and thinking like an entrepreneur is relevant to just about everyone, whether you’re pitching to venture capitalists or simply trying to stay relevant, inspired, and creative in your professional life. There’s plenty to learn from and be inspired by in this show and from The Mentors. Thanks again to Vadim and Sergei for joining. We hope you enjoy listening!

Mike and Dan explore the concept of gratitude from a few different angles as we gear up for Thanksgiving in the US. How can we learn to be more grateful and what kinds of gratitude work best? Can we be more other-pleasing with our gratefulness and can we learn to be grateful even for the hard times and the challenges of desirable difficulty. We’re very thankful for our listeners and hope you enjoy this Thanksgiving bonus edition!

Mike sits down with Russell Glass, the CEO of Ginger, the behavioral health app. We dig into the importance of coaching and proactive, preventative mental health as ways to address the growing mental health crisis in the US. Can an app help address the emerging epidemic of social isolation? Does digital help open up access to help in new and surprising ways? Or does it reinforce our addiction to screens? And how do mindfulness and gratitude factor into the equation? Have a listen, focus on your breathing, and find out!

Mike shares his experiences with Dan after attending the HolonIQ Global Summit on the Future of Learning and Talent which was recently held in New York City as part of a Global tour. We dive into where the world of education is heading from a venture capital and investment lens based on Mike's impressions from the summit. In particular, we explore how companies like Western Governors University, Penn Foster, and Cluster, among others, are investing in new models to reach learners who may not easily fit into traditional models of post secondary education. We also revisit themes we covered on our recent show based on HolonIQ's Education 2030 report which looks at broader growth and investment trends in education which we're expecting to continue through the next ten years. We hope you'll listen in and enjoy.