Trending In Ed with Mike Palmer

This week, Mike is joined by Colonel Chris Mayer, Associate Dean for Strategy & Initiatives at West Point, to talk about teaching strategic leadership in a VUCA world. As a quick disclaimer, the views expressed herein are those of Chris, our guest, and do not reflect the official policy or position of the United States Military Academy, the Department of the Army, or the Department of Defense. We begin by breaking down the concepts behind the VUCA acronym as we explore how best to lead in an increasingly Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, and Ambiguous world. Chris imparts insight based on his experience teaching cadets at the military academy as we share perspectives on the ideas outlined in the first chapter of Bob Johansen's book, The New Leadership Literacies. In a world where SNAFUs go FUBAR on the regular, how should we evolve our leadership thinking from traditional command-and-control hierarchies into dynamic, responsive, shapeshifting organizations? What roles does positivity have to play and why is it good to embrace fear and think about possible futures ten or more years out? Engage your strategic mindset and lean in to hear a fascinating conversation with an outstanding guest. We hope you enjoy! If you enjoy what you're hearing, subscribe to Trending in Education wherever you get your podcasts and visit us at TrendinginEducation.com

We give ourselves an overall grade of "It's Complicated" as Mike and Dan dig into the results of the 2019 NAEP exams, aka our "National Report Card." The news isn't great on the Reading front with 2019 US Reading Scores dropping 1 point on 4th Grade Reading and 3 points on 8th Grade Reading versus 2017 scores. US Mathematics Scores for 2019 were flatter with 4th Grade Mathematics scores up 1 point and 8th Grade Mathematics scores down 1 point versus 2017 scores. This launches us into a discussion of what inferences we can and cannot make based on these results, and we caution against gravitating to the more provocative and clickbaity angles on the story. We also return to earlier conversations we've had about growth versus proficiency and charter schools / school choice to see where they are and are not related to the results of the most recent NAEP exams. We conclude by shifting the focus to the types of reading interventions that might turn around this short term dip while remembering that the overall trend has been positive since the NAEP was first introduced in the early 1990s. Hope you enjoy!

As an extra this week, Mike and Dan spend time with Jaye and Adam Fenderson, the filmmakers behind the new documentary, Unlikely. The film explores the problem of low graduation rates among US college entrants through the stories of 5 students and their families. We explore why this problem hasn't yet elevated to the national consciousness despite the fact that the US trails major industrialized nations with a college completion rate of less than 50%. This is made evident through an exploration of the challenges faced by "non-traditional" students balancing their educational needs with other financial, familial, and professional demands in 21st Century life. Rather than dispiriting, however, the film is ultimately inspirational by spotlighting innovative programs like the iPromise School, the Starbucks/ASU College Achievement Plan, and Year Up, among others, that are opening up access to opportunity for students who our higher ed system might have otherwise forgotten.

This week, Mike and Dan spend time with friend of the show, Dr Mark Sanders, discussing civic engagement as Election Day 2019 approaches. Mark describes the ways in which he's been engaging with students and the community at UNC Charlotte where Mark is a Philosophy professor. What lessons can be learned about civic engagement during an off-year election like this one? Beyond voting and serving on jury duty when called, what else is essential to civic engagement in the 21st century? How can philosophy provide us with techniques and ways of thinking about problems that elevate our understanding and drive more critical engagement with civic matters? We model good critical thinking and civil discourse as we think ahead to a year from now and grapple with yet another complex spate of issues on this week's show. Have a listen and enjoy!

In an emerging Trending in Education Halloween tradition, we take time to talk brains, BCIs in particular. Building on our recent episode about Data Privacy, the team dives into an exploration of recent news about Brain Computer Interfaces (BCIs). Over the summer, researchers at Carnegie Mellon demonstrated that non-invasive BCIs could enable the generation of simple commands in computers through use of helmets or other wearable tech. No surgery or implanting of chips required. We take a moment to celebrate the levels of access technology like this will open up before digging into some scarier hypotheticals that tie back to topics of cyber security, ethics, and informed consent. Oh and we talk a bit about how the Terminator's back once again on a very special Halloween Extra. Enjoy!

Mike and Dan catch up on the developing story that is Operation Varsity Blues. With Felicity Huffman serving 11 days of her 14-day sentence while Lori Loughlin and her husband are fighting their charges, we explore how the ongoing coverage of this scandal hints at a deeper sense of simmering cultural unease about fairness, equity, and college admissions. A Lifetime movie is already out and James Van Der Beek was tweeting about this long before he was Dancing With the Stars. It’s everywhere in the zeitgeist, so we try to make sense of this education story that is one part reality tv, one part morality play, and a whole lot of myth-making. We stay mostly on the frothy surface story but at times try to plumb the depths on this week's show. We hope you enjoy your listen.

For this week's extra, Mike is joined by Ron Reed and Greg Rosenbaum from SXSW EDU to talk about trends in learning and education over the past 10 years as the conference gears up for its 10th anniversary run in March 2020. What has changed over the years and what has remained the same? What's it like to run a learning conference as part of SXSW? How is SXSW EDU operating in a way that is inclusive and representative of the community and how does it continue to explore the cross disciplinary nature of the education landscape in the 21st Century? You'll hear about all of this and also get some news about the launch of a dedicated Podcast Stage featuring a live recording of Trending in Education which is on tap for SXSW EDU in the coming Spring. Have a listen to learn more! And join us next March in Austin if you can https://www.sxswedu.com/attend/ !

A Complex Nexus: Melissa Griffith is back with Mike and Dan as we dive into the complex and highly relevant topic of data security and data privacy with special attention to the learning implications for consumers, brands, and educators. We focus on recent research from Pew and elsewhere that indicates that a majority of Americans don’t understand key terms and concepts in data privacy and cybersecurity. You can read up more about this topic in a recent article by Nicole Lindsey from CPO Magazine: https://www.cpomagazine.com/cyber-security/new-pew-research-study-a-majority-of-americans-know-little-about-digital-security-and-privacy/ Questions Covered in Today's Show: What is GDPR and why is it relevant? How do the different ways in which the US, China, and the EU address data privacy and data innovation set the stage for an emerging AI Race? Do private companies have a fiduciary responsibility to their customers to protect their data? Is government regulation the answer or will it stifle innovation? How does cybersecurity factor into the conversation? And what's the best way to learn and develop emerging skills to help navigate all of this? If you like spirited conversations from varied perspectives on topics like this, we think you'll enjoy. Have a listen.

Mike and Dan recap their time at the Sound Education conference and explore some of their key takeaways. How does our own podcast fit into the growing learning audio ecosystem? How might new entrants like Luminary, Himalaya, and Lyceum change the way we understand educational audio? Is there a freemium model that will allow learning podcasts to remain free but allow for more growth and sustainability? We discuss all this and more on our latest Trending in Education.

Mike is joined by Chris Ryan and Dr Jeff Koetje to explore several key concepts in learning science and social and emotional learning (SEL). How can mindfulness help manage the self-doubt of the Impostor Syndrome? How is Growth Mindset a key reminder that there is discomfort and desirable difficulty when learning? And how do these concepts relate to emerging thinking around equity, diversity, and inclusion? We explore these concepts and try to connect them to real life experiences as learners, teachers, and education professionals.

This week, Mike and Dan dive into everything there is to know about the world of edutainment. What does edutainment mean and what are some alternative portmanteaus that also might foot the bill? We talk through the history of edutainment in the US ranging from the early days of Children's Television right on through the present day. We conclude with several recommendations of excellent examples of contemporary edutainment in the emerging world of learning media. If you like to add some fun to your learn, this is the show for you. Listen in and enjoy!

For those of you who just can’t get enough of Trending in Education’s breakdown of the 2019 edition of the Gartner Hype Cycle, we’re providing a bonus edition with Melissa Griffith. Mike and Melissa dive into the trends and spend time thinking about the future of learning and education based on the trends identified (and omitted) in the 2019 Report. Listen in and enjoy!

Mike and Dan dive into the maelstrom of activity coinciding with the launch of a formal Impeachment Inquiry in the US House of Representatives. We talk about the amount of noise this will generate and how it will become increasingly important to find reliable primary sources to understand what’s going on. We also discuss the growing need to turn off the 24-hour news cycle and find time to reflect. How do civics and legal education relate to the emerging zeitgeist? How do we create safe places to learn in a world where manipulated outrage is turned viral by social media and the need for hot takes? How do we stay informed without being consumed by our chaotic and cacophonous times? We don’t have too many answers but we grapple a bit with some big questions on this week’s show. Enjoy!

This week Mike and Dan are joined by old friend Brandon Jones to dive into the 2019 installation of the Gartner Hype Cycle. What's emerging on the curve and what has disappeared? Is the Hype Cycle itself past the peak of inflated expectations? In addition to a hot take or two, the squad breaks down the five larger themes outlined in the 2019 edition of the Hype Cycle with some detail. What are the implications of all of this to learning? How will the classrooms and learning environments of the future leverage these emerging technological advancements? And how does access and equity fit into the conversation? We explore all of this along with a few peaks of inflated expectations and troughs of disillusionment as we attempt to cut through the hype and get a read on where we're heading as we begin to look ahead to the 2020s. Listen in and enjoy!

This week, Mike and Dan are joined by Holly Garner, one of the Editors for the Journal of Applied Testing Technology, to examine the news that LinkedIn has launched skills assessments as part of their platform. How should assessments like these be designed? Does passing an exam truly signal proficiency or mastery? As this type of credentialing matures, what might be the implications for higher education? Will you be quizzed on all this? Maybe a lil bit. But it should help you learn a little. Enjoy!

Dan and Mike catch up on a recent new book release, The MVP Machine: How Baseball's New Nonconformists Are Using Data to Build Better Players, and accompanying Harvard Business Review article, What Baseball Can Teach You About Using Data to Improve Yourself. What techniques from the advanced metric and quantified self approach of players like Trevor Bauer can be leveraged for everyone's personal and professional growth? How do the themes of grit and growth mindset fit into this discussion? Is there a true tension between the folklore and history of baseball metrics and the new revolution sabermetrics and next-level analytics? Get the peanuts and crackerjacks and get ready to come back for more Trending in Education.

This week Mike and Dan are joined by Angela Siefer and Xandi Wright to discuss Digital Equity and Inclusion. Angela is the Executive Director of the National Digital Inclusion Alliance and has been focused on providing access to digital resource for those who may not have this in their homes. Xandi recently studied Digital Inclusion in graduate school and is beginning her practice in the field. We explore the concepts of digital inclusion, digital equity, digital readiness, and the homework gap and provide recommendations on how to learn more and get engaged in beginning to raise awareness and bridge these divides around access to and awareness of technology as an enabling force in the lives of students and adults.

In yet another Back to School Extra, Mike sits down with journalist, author, and teacher, Robert Pondiscio to discuss his provocative new book, How the Other Half Learns: Equality, Excellence, and the Battle Over School Choice. Robert shares his experiences from spending a year embedded in the Bronx 1 school in the Success Academy charter system. We touch on the discipline and commitment required of students, parents, and teachers to gain access and to stay in a Success Academy school. And we also explore challenging questions of fairness and equity that arise when some families gain access to programs like Success Academy while others do not. We wind up raising more questions than answers about this complex set of issues and look forward to continuing to examine what is the impact to those in these programs as well as those who don’t get in or get bounced for various issues. And with dedicated families exiting public schools for programs like Success Academy, what are the implications for public schools who must provide education to all students and families? Listen in and let us know what you think!

Mike and Dan sit down with Dennis Morgan, a member of the District 3 Community Education Council in Manhattan, to discuss how parents can become engaged and activated in their local schools. Using Dennis's story as an example, we discuss how Dennis became actively engaged in his children's public school to address challenges we face in New York and across the US. We follow Dennis’s story from when he was first connecting with other parents when his son was in Universal Pre-K to where he is now building programs to encourage parents of all backgrounds to keep their children in the public schools of Harlem. Listen in to hear a one parent’s journey as we explore the real challenges of engaging parents in the educational lives of their children.

This week, Mike sits down with Kate Eberle-Walker, CEO of Presence Learning, to explore the emerging field of teletherapy. Kate explains the history of screen-based therapy and related interventions and the growing role that organizations like Presence Learning are playing in bridging access gaps to licensed professionals in underserved schools through live online delivery. How might this help address the growing mental health crises kids, families, and K-12 schools are facing these days? Listen in to find out.

This week we have the pleasure of welcoming world renowned author and thinker, Michael Horn to the show. Michael recently authored Choosing College: How to Make Better Learning Decisions Throughout Your Life in which he and co-author, Bob Moesta, identify the five jobs that learners hire college to do for them. Michael is a cofounder and distinguished fellow of The Clayton Christensen Institute for Disruptive Innovation and is Head of Strategy for the Entangled Group. In addition to Choosing College, Michael has also written Disrupting Class and Blended and he has explored many topics relevant to the future of education and disruption. On this week's show, Mike sits down with Michael to dig into how to make great learning decisions about college and ongoing education throughout our lives. We discusses the benefits and drawbacks of a Gap Year, the importance of understanding the differences between intrinsic and extrinsic rewards, and exactly when college is and is not the best choice for individuals. The conversation covers themes relevant to learners of all ages, their parents and friends, and professionals in the learning and ed tech industries. Listen in and enjoy!

In a letter just released in August, the Business Roundtable, a lobbying group made up of many of the nation’s leading CEOs, may have changed the course of corporate America. The letter asserts that a business’s purpose is more than generating profit for its shareholders. Instead it is to deliver value to all of its stakeholders. Generating profit and shareholder value have been the prime directive of large corporations since the days of Milton Friedman. Is this signaling a change? Maybe Gordon Gecko was wrong. Greed may not be good if it isn’t tied to a purpose. But as we explore a scorecard beyond the bottom line, how should we track this newfound sense of success in business? Mike, Dan, and Tarlin dive into what this could mean for the future of corporations, workforce engagement, and professional development as explore the potential impact of this memo from the 181 on this TiE Extra!

What is an "Inverted Yield Curve" and why was it trending on Twitter of late? We take a stab at providing a little financial education as we explore this trend and what it means to all of us. How have the recent forecasts of a potential recession been amplified by social media? Has social media helped educate people on what's going on or simply fed mass hysteria and panic? How might we teach personal finance and other financial matters in K12, at home, and throughout our lives? Get out your crystal ball as we try to get a read on the financial future while digging into a once arcane economic concept, the Inverted Yield Curve.

Mike Palmer and Frank Jones revisit a hot topic from earlier this month on what a group of eight to 11 year-olds want to be when they grow up. Are American kids no longer fascinated by space travel? Is it all Youtube and Vlogging from here forward? Frank shares his perspectives on this topic as we continue to dig into the recent attention generated by a survey launched by Harris Polling and Lego. Is this pointing to bigger trends in learning and education? Listen in to find out.

This week Mike and Dan are joined by Tarlin Ray, Melissa Griffith, and Frank Jones as we explore Starbucks College Achievement Plan (SCAP) which has just granted degrees to its first 3000 graduates. Through a partnership with Arizona State University Online, Starbucks provides access to tuition-fee bachelors programs for its employees. The squad digs into the topic from various angles as we continue to explore new models of workforce development, public-private partnerships, and online post-secondary education. Get ready for a venti-sized serving of knowledge on this week’s show. Enjoy!

This week Mike and Dan are joined by Melissa Griffith to explore the topic of pay equity inspired by the US Women’s Team’s magical run to a World Cup Championship. We use this as a jumping off point to dive into all aspects of the zeitgeisty issue of the gender pay gap. As a learning podcast, we think through what can be learned and what can be taught about this complex issue. We also get some advice on negotiation and interview and interviewing skills from Melissa and squad. Listen in and enjoy!

This week, Mike sits down with bestselling author, keynote speaker, and disruptive storyteller Erik Qualman, aka Equalman, to explore how best to manage one's digital brand in the 21st Century. Drawing from examples from Erik's life, we dig into how privacy is eroding and how a thoughtful understanding of one's digital stamp, a combination of your digital footprint and your digital shadow, is key to success in modern life. Erik imparts nuggets of wisdom as only a motivational speaker can as he and Mike explore what life is becoming in a post-privacy world. If you want to get motivated to unlock your inner superpowers, then this is the episode for you!

A recent survey of 3000 children between the ages of eight and 11 showed that a majority of US and UK children are more interested in becoming a YouTube star than an astronaut. In China, the majority of respondents preferred to pursue a career in space, with Vlogger as the least popular option. We welcome Brandon back as a guest to discuss all this, plus Legos, AsCans, Space X and more. Strap on your virtual (or actual?) space helmet and get ready for liftoff with a midsummer Extra from your friends at Trending in Education.

On the heels of recent coverage in The Wall Street Journal and Wired, the team digs into the news that a new form of Poker AI named Pluribus, has been winning in games versus poker pros. The surprising secret to Pluribus’ game? Surprisingly, it’s bluffing! Mike and Dan begin the conversation and are joined by an old friend to explore what this can teach us about human intelligence, machine learning, and game theory. We also pitch a few development ideas for a human/AI poker tournament along the way. Push all in on one more poker show with us on this week’s installment of Trending in Education.

As we’ve said on numerous occasions, you need 21st Century skills to pay those 21st Century bills. To that end, Coursera, the online learning platform, recently released its inaugural Global Skills Index, billed as "data-driven insights into the world’s top career skills.". Dan and Mike are once again joined by Melissa Griffith as we dive into the global insights this report has to offer. What skills are most sought after by Coursera’s users? How might this data be interpreted to understand global upskilling trends? Are there any gaps or biases in the data that Coursera is working with and how might future 'GSI' reports look as Coursera refines this report? What other learning platforms could add broader context to what’s happening with global skill development? How does the United State stack up against the rest of the world and how should we interpret those comparisons? We cover these questions and tie the conversation to broader trends in workforce development and the future of work on this week’s show. Enjoy!

Amazon announced they'll be investing over 700 million dollars in upskilling and reskilling a large portion of their current workforce between now and 2025. Over the next six years, the retail giant will be providing training in AWS, machine learning, and other areas of work within the organization. Mike and Dan are joined by Melissa Griffith to dive into what this could mean to the future of work at Amazon and beyond. We also explore the implications to the broader field of workforce development as AI and automation intersects with human upskilling. How is Amazon choosing which employees will receive this training? What sort of data might Amazon collect to measure the efficacy? Should that data be open or proprietary? How might this training scale to other companies? Get primed and ready to go as you dive into this episode on what’s emerging in workforce training at Amazon.

This week, we dive into the learning myth of "summer learning loss." Based on a recent article from EducationNext.org, we discuss the history of summer learning loss, where the current mythology stands, and how we might move forward with a better understanding of school calendars, summer assignments and more. If you’re in search of summer learning gain, this is the podcast for you!

Have you ever felt like you don't have one true calling? When asked what you wanted to be when you grew up, did multiple answers spring to mind? On today's extra, we dive into the idea of multipotentiality, spurred by a recent TED talk by Emilie Wapnick. In a world where much of the discussion around talent and career advancement has focused on deep specialization, what role can sharp, flexible generalists play in the future of work? How is the latest research pointing to the benefits of pairing experts with generalists to drive towards creativity and a good blend of both vertical and lateral thinking? We discuss these topics and reflect on our own perspectives on talent on our latest extra. Enjoy!

We’re “all-in” this week, as we welcome Annie Duke, author of Thinking In Bets and retired poker pro, to the show. Annie begins by sharing the long, winding path she took to become an author and expert in decision science. From her time as a PhD student in cognitive science to her introduction to poker as a novice, to her inspiration to write her books, Annie provides great detail on all of the influences throughout her life that have come together to write Thinking In Bets. We also dive into the non-profit, The Alliance for Decision Education, that Annie co-founded in 2012 and discuss how she hopes to push decision education at scale to millions of students in K12. How do we get decision-making wrong? How often do we worry about the result, see Pete Carroll’s play-calling in Super Bowl XLIX, rather than the process that led to the decision? If we were to teach students the basics of good decision-making, how might this improve their ability to decide quickly and adapt to a variety of environments and novel contexts critical to learning and the future of work? We discuss all that and more on this week’s episode. Pull up a seat, ante up, and join us for an engaging conversation!

Following on the heels of our conversation with the researchers who studied the impact of environmental factors, including temperature, on performance, here we dive in to get more reactions from Dan, Mike, and a few friends of the show. The most buzzworthy component of the research has been the findings that women, on average, perform better on cognitive tasks in warmer temperatures while men, on average, tend to perform better in cooler temperatures. We welcome Dr Erika Blumenthal to the show for the first time to get her takes on this hot topic, and bring back friend of the show, Kristen Smith, to help round out the conversation. Find a microclimate to listen optimally, turn up the volume, listen in and enjoy.

You most likely saw a news article or morning television show covering a recent study on temperature and performance. Mike and Dan chat with the researchers behind the story! Debates have raged for decades on office temperature and how it might change the way we work. This research shows that women do perform better in warmer temperatures, while men perform better in cooler temperatures. We talk with Dr. Agne Kajackaite, WZB, Berlin Social Science Center and Dr. Tom Chang, Associate Professor of Finance and Business Economics at USC about the process, results, and potential implications of their project. How might educators and test proctors better understand how a shared environment can be best set up for everyone? Can students use this sort of information to prepare themselves for better performance on test day? We discuss all this and what other factors, such as pollen levels, might truly change one's ability to perform at top levels.

On a very special Fourth of July extra, we share some news about co-host Brandon Jones. We talk through some of the highlights of Trending in Education over the past two-and-a-half plus years. We also discuss what topics we look forward to revisiting as the show accelerates into the future. We also bring back an old feature of our podcast, the quiz! Dan quizzes Brandon and Mike on July 4th history. Light your sparklers and tune in!

We revisit the Meeker report after our high-level discussion last week, to drill down on Mary Meeker's outlook for education and online education throughout the world. The world is changing at an ever increasing pace. How is online education attempting to keep up? We take a look at the intersection of public and private partnerships with MOOCs. Have MOOCs made the move up the Gartner Hype Cycles' Plateau of Productivity? As more colleges and universities move online, have we solved for the proper credentialing of future students? Are these schools moving their brick and mortar curriculum online properly and what should students and life-long learners be aware of as they seek out learning tools? Finally, how does a player like YouTube influence the space and what might their own platform look like in the future? We discuss all that and more on our latest. Tune in and join the conversation on Twitter and Facebook @TrendingInEd.

What might the global landscape of learning and education look like in 2030? We dive into a recent dynamic report from HolonIq.com on five key trends to watch for over the next 10 plus years. In a global market place that is set to reach over 10 trillion dollars in the year 2030, how might the world of learning and education evolve? Will learning be most influenced through regional change or will a global big bang in learning and education change the state of play? What demographic and technology changes will influence the space? We dive into the five macrotrends highlighted in the report and get all futuristic in our mindsets for this week's show. Listen in and enjoy.

It's that time of year again! Join us as we dive into the 2019 Meeker Internet Trends Report. Mike and Brandon take a high level look at the report in its entirety and explore what trends Mary Meeker thinks are most important. For the first time, over 50% of the world has access to the internet and that number should continue to climb. What does that mean for education, learning, and connectivity around the globe? How has our consumption of digital media changed and how important are mobile devices in that consumption? In a world where more and more content is created each day, how do we, as consumers, adapt to it all? How important will curation of content be as we’re all “drinking from the firehose” of modern life? We have all that and more on this first episode of two diving into the Meeker report!

A recent "click-bait" story out of the Washington Post describes a study in Italy that explores using Twitter to study a novel. The study, done at the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart in Milan, split students into two groups: one group used more standard classroom approaches to reading and understanding a novel while the other group used Twitter to learn about the book. The results showed that the students on who studied on Twitter struggled in retention and understanding of the novel. Does this prove that Twitter is, in fact, "eroding our intelligence" as the WaPo headline decries? Do studies like this help or hurt the cause of those trying to fight against Fake News and social media's shortcomings? Can using Twitter be a positive in certain contexts, lesson plans, and content domains? We talk about all of this and more on our latest episode. Tune in and feel free to tweet about it!

A recent study out of Stanford University shows that a new creation, Quizbot, proves to be more effective in students' knowledge retention than old school flashcards. We dive into how the Quizbot works and why it appears to be a welcomed addition to a student's studying tool box. How can the Quizbot's interactivity help students where analog study aides may fall flat? How might something like the Quizbot help augment study aides already in use? With chat and other text-based formats already popular across the web, how easily could this sort of instruction be introduce to students? And how does this relate to the blending of great human teaching with emerging innovation in technology and new media? Listen in to find out more and enjoy!

Happy Father's Day! On this extra, we tackle a news story out of Canada about the implementation of robot babies as a study tool for onboarding and training medical professionals. How might robot babies better prepare healthcare professionals for everything that could happen during the early days of life? Where might screen-based simulations be a better learning tool than a robot? Will future medical trainees get lost and creeped out in the uncanny valley? Listen in to hear all this and more.

As IQ has been thrust into the mainstream news with folks measuring each other based on obscure psychometric quotients, we take some time to look at what it's supposed to represent and what exactly can be understood by this number. We touch on Howard Gardner's work on multiple intelligences and raise some questions about whether IQ is an idea past its prime. What value do we get from IQ numbers and is it something that is fixed or changes over time? We explore the weaponization of IQ and the downside of pigeon-holing someone based on their IQ. How do EQ (Emotional Quotient) and AQ (Adaptability or Adversity Quotient) relate to IQ and which quotient(s) are most germane to life in our modern world? How does the math behind IQ, (your mental age over your actual age) remind us that life-long learning truly is important? We discuss all these things and more on our latest episode. Listen up and enjoy!

Octochamps? Octochamps! This year's Scripps Spelling Bee finished in an eight way tie. We discuss the fallout from the way it all ended and attempt to conjure up new innovations to the Spelling Bee and to Bees in general. We hit on some of the history of the National Bee along the way.. What went wrong at this year's spelling be too cause an eight way tie? How has spelling bee prep changed the game for some of the brightest spellers in the country? Would a few simple tweaks to the rules and preparation help change the results? We conclude by musing over whether it's it time to ditch the Spelling Bee and replace it with a multievent Beecathalon? Tune in for all that and more. You'll be gladiolus you did!

If you step into a classroom today, you're likely to hear the tap tap of keyboards and cell phones, as students attempt to type down as many notes as possible from the lecture. While technology in the classroom can help push students forward, does technology win out on note-taking or does the "old school" paper and pen(cil) approach win the day? This week we dive into the digital v analog note-taking debate! Recent studies have shown that retention rates are higher for students who take notes with a pen and paper. What is it about the "old school" approach that proves better? How can students resist the pull of technology to take better notes? Should note-taking, notes management, and other studying techniques be something schools focus on with younger students? What technology can be used to get the best of both worlds? All that and Mike works on a sketch of Dan live on the show! Get your notepads and pens ready as you listen in and enjoy!

Inspired by Robert Smith's announcement that his family would help pay off the debt of the 2019 Morehouse College graduating class, we dive into commencement season. We look at what makes a great speech to graduates. Looking at speeches from this year and hearkening back to the best from the past few years, what common themes tie them together? Do the best speeches combine compassion and humor? Mike muses about working on his own commencement speech and what that might entail. Brandon shares a story of his own brush with commencement greatness. Dust off your cap and gown and have a listen!

On our latest episode of the Citadel, Brandon, Mike, and Dan break down the final episode of Game of Thrones. We talk through the all the major plot points, discuss what's next for those characters that are still with us, and share what we think could have been better. SPOILER ALERT!!! We talk about the conclusion of GoT in the show and in the rest of the description! Was Jon and Dany's final scene on par with the death of the Night King? Did the show runners deliver on story lines that have been building since season one? What should we think of the future of the monarchy in Westeros? Which future stories are the most compelling? We discuss all that and discuss the potential for spinoffs along with the prequels already in production. Tune in and join the conversation on Twitter using @TrendingInEd.

Why did the engineer teach the robot to tell a joke? To see if they could be funny, clearly. On our latest episode, we dive into a recent article on teaching artificial intelligence to tell jokes and puns. The Wired article we dig into describes the work of He He, a postdoc candidate at Stanford, who is attempting to teach robots how to construct and tell puns and jokes. How might a world where robots can tell good jokes change what we find funny? How does a shared human experience inform how we understand enjoying humor? How might AI work in conjunction with humans to write better jokes and comedies? We also share some of our favorite jokes and puns about robots, as well as a tease out another topic on chat bots. Tune in and enjoy!

Our fifth episode of the final season of The Citadel breaks down The Bells, Episode 5 of Season 8 of Game of Thrones. Be forewarned, we discuss numerous details of the show so if you're not a GoT fan or if you haven't seen the third episode of Season 8, steer clear for fear of spoilage. Brandon, Mike, and Dan try to find bright spots in a season that's been headed in the wrong direction. We check in on the downward trend on Rotten Tomatoes and hope the final episode can correct the fall before the end of the series. How should we interpret Dany's actions? We see the prophecy of Varys' demise come true as he is put to death by the Dragon Queen and then she attacks King's Landing. Is she now, truly, the 'Mad Queen' or were these actions a necessary step to take Westeros and make it her own? Why didn't she lay waste to the Red Keep first, sparing the city? Will Jon's loyalty be put to the test with her actions? Jaime and Cersei are reunited and we get a brutal fight between the Hound and his brother the Mountain. Were these ends truly satisfying or rushed for the final run? We discuss all of these things and what the significance of Arya and the white horse may be on our latest episode of the Citadel. Tune in and let us know what you think!