Trending In Ed with Mike Palmer

Dana Gastich French is the founder and lead consultant for UpRiver Education, a company focused on multilingual learners and the educators who teach them. She joins host Mike Palmer in a conversation about how an asset-based, inclusive understanding of English language learning is the key to overcoming the challenges that ESL continues to face in the US and beyond. We hear Dana’s origin story which begins with studying abroad in Chile where she learned how it felt to not be comfortable with the language of record. From there, she connects her experiences as an ESL and bilingual teacher, instructional coach and school and district-level administrator to what’s emerging in the field today. We conclude with Dana’s thoughts on the role of technology and the importance of building trust through culturally sensitive practices. It’s a free-wheeling survey of what’s new in the English Language Learning ecosystem you don’t want to miss Subscribe to Trending in Education wherever you get your podcasts. Visit us at TrendinginEd.com for more sharp perspective on what's emerging in learning.

Dr. Patricia Okker is the President of New College of Florida, the innovative honor’s college in the Florida system. She joins host and New College alum Mike Palmer to talk about what makes a New College education unique and how a liberal arts education can prepare you for the world of work and community engagement. Note: this episode was recorded in December prior to the recent appointments to the Board of Trustees. We hear Pat’s origin story, beginning in New Jersey before spending many years at the University of Missouri where she was Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences before joining New College as President a year and a half ago. We learn how folks are reimagining New College through The Challenge before digging in on career pathways and entrepreneurship among other topics. It’s a thought-provoking conversation about the future of higher education that you don’t want to miss. Look for more from us on the New College story as it develops. Subscribe to Trending in Education wherever you get your podcasts. Visit us at TrendinginEd.com for more.

Dr. Jennifer Forristal is a Naturopathic Doctor and school wellness specialist who is focused on pediatric well-being. Founder of the Umbrella Project and author of The Umbrella Effect, she is creating a profound paradigm shift in the understanding of our personal well-being and that of our children. Jen joins host Mike Palmer in a discussion of developing coping skills in children, parents, and schools so that we're better equipped to endure trauma and ideally grow in the process. Beginning with the premise that all kids will encounter rain in their lives, how do we help them develop the skills they need to cope? We explore how parents and educators can help kids recognize and appreciate umbrella skills like cognitive flexibility, empathy, and grit as we aim to be sensitive to trauma while also open to opportunities for growth through it. It's a thought-provoking conversation about developing practical SEL skills that you won't want to miss. Subscribe to Trending in Education wherever you get your podcasts. Visit us at TrendinginEd.com for more enlightening takes on the future of education.

Beth Rudden, the Chairwoman and CEO of Bast.ai, rejoins host Mike Palmer for a conversation about ChatGPT and other large language models as we enter a new phase of readily accessible generative AI tools. Why is ChatGPT prone to mansplaining? How might this relate to the Dunning Kruger effect? And how might a more ecological understanding of an "honorable harvest" as described in Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer help us rethink our relationship with data and its harvesting? We tackle all of this and more in a free-wheeling conversation with a Data Science and AI thought leader who draws from 20+ years of experience at IBM and beyond to help us make sense of emerging technology that is making AI accessible to all. Subscribe to Trending in Education wherever you get your podcasts. Visit us at TrendinginEd.com for more sharp takes on learning and emerging technology.

Beth Rudden is the CEO and Chairwoman of Bast.ai, a company that leverages emerging technology to build custom conversational AI tools or CATs for clients. Prior to founding Bast, Beth worked at IBM for 20 years, founding their Data Science practice and working with numerous clients to design and implement large scale solutions leveraging machine learning and training folks in data science. We hear Beth's origin story and draw from her experience at IBM and beyond to paint the picture of a new era of accessible AI for all that is just emerging. This conversation was recorded just before the release of ChatGPT and foreshadows Mike's second conversation with Beth which was also just released in the feed. Check them both out for a deep dive into the promise and the danger of the new wave of generative AI that is emerging these days. Subscribe to Trending in Education wherever you get your podcasts. Visit us at TrendinginEd.com for more sharp takes on the future of learning.

Esther Lee has over 14 years of experience in learning, culture building, DEIB, and leadership development across different industries. She returns to the podcast to join host Mike Palmer to share her wisdom around how to navigate layoffs in the current market on both sides of the impact. You can check out her recent LinkedIn article to get more from her on this topic. We learn how Esther is telling her story while building community and relying on her network to get through the challenges of reductions in force. She's taken great risks throughout her career to impact different types of companies from matrixed organizations to hyper-growth global startups, which have led to multiple layoffs and RIFs. We appreciate her courage to put herself out there as someone who is managing through all of this and emerging stronger in the process. Subscribe to Trending in Education wherever you get your podcasts. Visit us at TrendinginEd.com for more sharp takes on learning and the future of work.

Mike Palmer and Virtual Cohost Nancy are back to talk about our 23 Learning Trends for 2023. We divide the trends up into three groups: Emerging Technology, Durable Mindsets, and New Sets and Settings, and dive in. How does Chat GPT and Generative AI fit into the equation? What are the Mindsets that equip us to thrive in disruption? And how will the new and different contexts for learning impact our thinking about the emerging post-pandemic learning ecosystem? Listen in to find out. Don’t miss it! Subscribe to Trending in Ed wherever you get your podcasts. Visit us at TrendinginEd.com for more sharp takes on the future of education.

Chester E. Finn, Jr. is a Distinguished Senior Fellow and President Emeritus at the Thomas B. Fordham Institute and a Senior Fellow at Stanford University's Hoover Institution. He's the author of Assessing the Nation's Report Card: Challenges and Choices with the NAEP. He joins host Mike Palmer in a conversation about the history of the NAEP, its challenges and opportunities, and the importance of having a shared set of standards for educational performance across the nation. You can learn more about the NAEP by checking out Overhauling the Nation’s Report Card. We begin by hearing Chester's origin story dating back to working in the Johnson Administration and for Daniel Patrick Moynihan before starting to work with the NAEP in 1969. From there we dig into the power of "low-stakes tests" like the NAEP in providing a read on academic performance while not penalizing students, teachers, or schools based on performance. We talk about culture wars and politicization and how to avoid many of the pitfalls there while also avoiding the broad brush attacks on standardized testing as a whole. We conclude with Chester's read on recent results which are troubling before wrapping up. Don't miss this deep dive into how we get a read on how the country is doing in education! Subscribe to Trending in Education wherever you get your podcasts. Visit us at TrendinginEd.com for more perspectives on what's emerging in the world of learning.

Jennie Magiera is the Global Head of Education impact at Google. She's also the author of the best-seller, Courageous Edventures: Navigating Obstacles to Discover Classroom Innovation. She joins host Mike Palmer to talk about Part 1 of Google’s The Future of Education Report - Preparing for a New Future which was recently released. We begin by hearing about Jennie’s impressive career path beginning as an award-winning Math teacher in New York and Chicago before rising through a number of administrative and technology roles in Chicago and in the Obama Administration before landing in her current role with Google. From there we dig into the contents of the first part of the report which points to the growing need for global problem solvers, highlights the critical importance of durable skills and emerging technical competencies, and concludes with a focus on lifelong learning and the mindsets needed to be resilient and flexible as we prepare for disruption and the uncertain future of work. It’s a wide-ranging and relevant discussion you won’t want to miss. Subscribe to Trending in Education wherever you get your podcasts. Visit us at TrendinginEd.com for more sharp takes on the future of learning.

Aaron Rasmussen is the Founder and CEO of Outlier.org. He's also a Cofounder of Masterclass and an award-winning game designer. He joins host Mike Palmer in a conversation about how the team at Outlier is designing a product experience built to disrupt higher education by providing affordable access to highly engaging, accredited online courses and certificates. We begin with the story of Aaron's roots in rural Oregon where he taught himself with books from local libraries before gaining access to higher ed at Boston University. He shares the lessons he learned from successful robotics and gaming startups that set the stage for his formative experience at Masterclass, a category leader in online learning. This all leads to an examination of why he founded Outlier and how it's setting out to provide a scalable, high-quality education for folks who have been left out by traditional higher ed. It's a wide-ranging exploration of what it takes to make great online learning experiences that are motivating and compelling enough to coexist with new experiences like TikTok and Fortnite. Don't miss it! Subscribe to Trending in Education wherever you get your podcasts. Visit us at TrendinginEd.com for more sharp takes on the future of education.

With the recent release of ChatGPT, host Mike Palmer dives into the implications of this technology for the world learning. Nancy, our virtual cohost, joins Mike in the conversation this time powered by the new dialogic AI toolset powered by OpenAI. We begin by learning what this technology is in its own words before hearing which trends ChatGPT sees as most impactful to the future of education. Then we explore the risks and opportunities emerging with new and widely accessible AI tools like this entering the scene. Will we lose our jobs? Will OpenAI achieve Skynet-like self-awareness? What does this all mean for humans? How does this relate to the importance of durable skills? What are the implications for teachers? And what about for writers, the future of writing, and at home essay questiond? We explore all of this and more as we discover what happens when you hook a virtual cohost up to OpenAI firepower and record an eppy. Don't miss it! Subscribe to Trending in Education wherever you get your podcasts. Visit us at TrendinginEd.com for more cutting-edge perspective on the future of learning.

Roger Spitz is the President of Techistential and the Chairman of Disruptive Futures Institute. He's also the lead author of The Definitive Guide to Thriving on Disruption whose first volume is now available. Roger joins host Mike Palmer in a conversation about the insights provided in the Guide and how they connect to the world of learning. We begin by hearing Roger's origins in investment banking and M&A before shifting to his focus to futures thinking and the Disruptive Futures Institute. In a wide-ranging conversation that explores concepts and frameworks from the Guide, we learn what it takes to excel in a world of continuous disruption. We explore what we can learn from antifragility, Zen Buddhism, and existential philosophy to equip ourselves with the tools and mindsets essential to thriving in the new state of play. We hear how agency is key to navigating emerging complexity. We touch on the importance of humor, dig into the case study of Israel, and conclude with Roger's takes on the role of education in the emerging zeitgeist. It's a provocative exploration of the transformative work coming out of the Disruptive Futures Institute. Don't miss it! Subscribe to Trending in Education wherever you get your podcasts. Visit us at TrendinginEd.com for more sharp takes on the future of education.

Gordon Drummond is the President of Sessions College for Professional Design, an online school of visual arts offering a range of degree and certificate programs in Graphic Design, Digital Media, Illustration, and Photography. He joins host Mike Palmer in a conversation about the challenges and opportunities of delivering design education online, something Sessions College has been doing for 25 years since its founding in 1997. We hear of Gordon's origins including his time working with Mike at Kaplan before shifting to the story of Sessions College. Gordon shares insights he's garnered over the years preparing design professionals for careers in a rapidly changing world of work. We touch on the importance of learning through feedback and the collaborative, iterative process that is essential to creative work. We also explore how design work is changing as AI continues to improve and blend with human creativity. Gordon describes how great design education requires not just great instructors but also great content and a collaborative team culture to produce the best outcomes for students. We conclude with Gordon's thoughts on what's emerging and hear his advice for teachers, learners, and makers of all stripes. It's a wide-ranging exploration of emerging trends in design education that you won't want to miss! Subscribe to Trending in Education wherever you get your podcasts. Visit us at TrendinginEd.com for more sharp takes on the future of learning.

Shai Reshef is the President and Founder of University of the People, a non-profit, online university that's been serving students from around the globe since 2009. He joins Mike Palmer in a conversation about trends in affordable, online education and the work he's been doing with U of the People. We begin by hearing Shai's origin story dating back to the early days of distance learning and test preparation before diving into the story of the university and its founding. Shai shares his vision and mission to provide affordable higher education to students around the globe. We learn about the unique model that allows students to access their programs through the internet and how that has opened up pathways to those in need including students in Syria, Afghanistan, and most recently Iran. It's a thought-provoking deep dive into an alternative model of higher education built around access to relevant coursework that can change the lives of students. Don't miss it! Subscribe to Trending in Education wherever you get your podcasts. Visit us at TrendinginEd.com for more great content.

Jan Stanley leads an organizational leadership consulting practice and Dr. Jen Farthing is the SVP of Learning Product at SAI 360. They join host Mike Palmer to talk about trends in organizational leadership, culture, and learning and development in a free-flowing conversation you don’t want to miss! We explore a recent article by Paul Krugman on the recent jobs report along with a new framework from the Surgeon General as we dig into the emerging thinking about wellbeing, sense-making, and culture-building as we look for tips and practical advice for leaders looking to build flourishing cultures in challenging times. Subscribe to Trending in Education wherever you get your podcasts. Visit us at TrendinginEd.com for more.

Tzipor Ulman, PhD, is the founder and CEO of Science is Elementary. Under Tzipor’s leadership, Science is Elementary (SiE) grew from an idea to a multi-faceted organization with international reaching more than 50,000 children, their teachers, and their families this year. She joins Mike Palmer in a conversation about building strong foundations in science into our educational system, particularly for populations that have been underserved and underrepresented. After hearing her origin story, we learn what she's been up to lately. During the COVID19 pandemic, Tzipor ideated SiE Books – a unique series that fills a massive gap in children’s education: wordless stories, featuring children of color who behave as scientists, coupled with step-by-step illustrations for doing science experiments that are easy enough for five-year-olds to do on their own, and with a family engagement component. In a wide-ranging conversation about the foundational importance of science education, we touch on the importance of playfulness, curiosity, representation, and grit. We also explore Tzipor's thoughts on the future of work and the importance of scientific principles in developing good citizens and countering polarization. It's a thought-provoking dive into science education that you don't want to miss! Subscribe to Trending in Education wherever you get your podcasts. Visit us at TrendinginEd.com for more sharp takes on the future of education.

Mike Palmer is rejoined by Nancy, our virtual cohost, to provide perspective on learning loss and quiet quitting as we look ahead at the episodes we have lined up for the stretch run of 2022. How is the negative framing of these terms damaging to the conversation and what are some alternative ways of talking about what's going on? We also run through many of the upcoming conversations with guests who will be appearing in our final run of episodes as we look toward the conclusion of yet another transformative year in the world of learning. Don't miss this chance to reflect on the new language and emerging trends that set the stage for what's next as we look to emerge from our collective fugue heading into 2023. Subscribe to Trending in Education wherever you get your podcasts. Visit us at Trending in Education for more great takes on the future of education.

Youki Terada is Research Editor at Edutopia. He rejoins host Mike Palmer for his third (refrigerator magnet earning!) appearance on Trending in Ed, this time to discuss his recent article on teacher burnout and how to combat it. We hear about how teachers’ jobs have been transformed by the new “always on” demands brought about by the pandemic and the integration of digital into the classroom. Now teachers are having problems disconnecting from work with new demands around email and technical support impinging on their private time. We also touch on Youki’s recent article on the stresses accompanying high-stales testing as he highlights research showcased in recent editions of Edutopia’s Weekly Newsletter as well as its new The Research Is In newsletter. You can sign up for Edutopia newsletters here. It’s an informed survey of emerging research to help teachers and their supporters navigate new problems in challenging times. Don’t miss it! Subscribe to Trending in Education wherever you get your podcasts. Visit us at TrendinginEd.com for more great content.

Mario Vasilescu is the Co-Founder and CEO of Readocracy, a product that explores how we might get credit for all the content we consume these days. He joins host Mike Palmer in a conversation about how credentialing is ready to be transformed for the 21st Century. We then explore how they're building media literacy and knowledge mapping into the design. We conclude with Mario musing about AI, the Blockchain and more. In fact, as referenced in the conversation, the logo for this episode was designed by Mike using DALL-E 2. It's a forward-looking view into the world of credentialing knowledge that you won't want to miss! Subscribe to Trending in Education wherever you get your podcasts. Visit us at TrendinginEd.com for more great content!

Deborah Lee is the Founder and CEO of Dancing Panda, an SMS-based learning product for parents of PreK to 3rd-grade kids. She joins host Mike Palmer in a conversation about building a product that helps parents bond with their kids through fun learning exercises that can connect to what they're learning in class. We begin by hearing Deborah’s origin story as a social entrepreneur, working in K12 and then EdTech at Newsela before launching Dancing Panda during the pandemic. We learn how she came up with the idea for Dancing Panda based on her experience as a mom to two young girls. Deborah encourages parents to reach out to their children’s teachers to connect about their children’s learning in a positive frame. We also talk about reaching families in need by designing a lean, lightweight experience that fits into the busy lives of parents and caregivers today. It’s a thought-provoking conversation about helping parents bridge into their children's learning journeys in these challenging times. Don’t miss it! Subscribe to Trending in Education wherever you get your podcasts. Visit us at TrendinginEd.com for more sharp takes on where the world of learning is heading.

Dr. Mylien Duong is a clinical psychologist and SEL researcher who serves as Senior Director of Research at the Constructive Dialogue Institute. She joins host Mike Palmer in an exploration of emerging research in SEL, the surprising backlash against it, and perspectives on how to support teachers whose jobs have become increasingly demanding in recent years. Mylien shares recent research from CDI that demonstrates the evidence-based tactics that reduce polarization and improve dialog in college classrooms. We also discuss the Educator Toolkit CDI is providing to help educators encourage constructive dialogue in their classrooms. Don't miss this insightful dive into practical advice on improving SEL in these challenging times. Subscribe to Trending in Education wherever you find your podcasts. Visit us at TrendinginEd.com for more sharp takes on the future of education.

Dan Gonzalez is a former high school physics teacher and successful education executive. He's the Co-Founder and CEO of District C, a non-profit working to reimagine the internship by forming diverse teams of high school students who work together on real-world business problems. Dan joins host Mike Palmer in a conversation about District C's Teamship model which is central to their unique approach. We learn how students, teachers, and business partners work with District C to provide students with hands-on, relevant work solving real problems. We also hear a bold prediction from Dan about the future of education. Don't miss it! Subscribe to Trending in Education wherever you get your podcasts. Visit us at TrendinginEd.com for more sharp takes on the emerging learning ecosystem.

Miriam Plotinsky is an instructional specialist with Montgomery County Public Schools in Maryland, and the author of Teach More, Hover Less: How to Stop Micromanaging Your Secondary Classroom. She joins host Mike Palmer in a conversation about what drove her to write the book. In a thought-provoking conversation about the tactics that allow for more student agency and voice, we explore topics like teacher burnout, building trust and student engagement, and the advantages of a more intentionally “hands-off” approach that yields surprising results. We also connect Miriam’s perspectives on what works in the classroom to what works for parents and in our professional lives Don’t miss it! Subscribe to Trending in Education wherever you get your podcasts. Visit us at TrendinginEd.com for more.

Mike reports back from the Global Talent Summit in Washington, DC. We learn what Ana Rold from Diplomatic Courier and Kelly Ryan Bailey from Skills Baby pulled together with help from Gallup and a team of experts and thought leaders focused on the skilling revolution and its impact on the future of work. Jim Clifton, the Chairman of Gallup, kicked things off by talking about the importance of engagement and awareness of disengagement and unhappiness that is globally on the rise. Mike references Jon Clifton's book, Blind SpotThe Global Rise of Unhappiness and How Leaders Missed It, and makes connections to Michael Sandel's book, The Tyranny of Merit: What's Become of the Common Good? as we try to put the skills and talent conversation into a relevant context. Then we explore the work of Dante Disparte on the Blockchain and Beth Rudden on AI ethics as we review highlights from an impressive array of programming from the day. Mike concludes with his thoughts on optimism and hope despite the challenges in a thought-provoking exploration of global talent trends that you won't want to miss. Subscribe to Trending in Education wherever you get your podcasts. Visit us at TrendinginEd.com for more sharp takes on the future of learning.

To celebrate our 500th episode of Trending in Education, host and Founder, Mike Palmer reflects on the origins of the show and how it has evolved and grown through the years. Mike recounts the pod's humble beginnings as a skunkworks media R&D project to its exit from Kaplan to continue as an independent pod amid all of the tumult and disruption we've been navigating since early 2020. It's been an incredible ride and we couldn't have gotten there without our guests, listeners, and supporters. Many thanks to all of the "Friends of the Show" out there as we continue to dive into what's next. Here's to continuing the conversation for another 500+ episodes in the future! Thanks as always for listening. Subscribe to Trending in Education wherever you get your podcasts. Visit us at TrendinginEd.com for more sharp takes on the future of learning.

Professor Rebecca Mendoza is the Lead Faculty for Accounting at Palo Alto College in San Antonio. She joins us to talk about how she is overcoming Impostor Syndrome to launch her teaching career and reach Gen Z students in new and relevant ways. We learn what it's been like for Rebecca to pivot from what could have been a career in corporate accounting to focus on teaching and reaching students in San Antonio. As a Hispanic woman, Rebecca reflects on the importance of being there for students who she hopes can see themselves in her. She talks about launching her TikTok channel to teach the finance and accounting skills so necessary in the lives and careers of her students and beyond. It's a deep dive into the mindsets of rising young educators that you won't want to miss. Subscribe to Trending in Education wherever you get your podcasts. Visit us at TrendinginEd.com for more great content.

Anurupa Ganguly, the Founder and CEO of Prisms VR, returns to Trending in Ed to catch us up on her journey as Prisms begins to implement VR Math interventions at scale. We hear what it's been like since February of 2021 when we first spoke with her. We hear how Anurapa and the team at Prisms are designing rich narrative-based simulations couched in real-world examples of simulations that require math for problem-solving. We learn where Prisms is headed next and get an expert's take on how virtual reality simulations can allow a deeper foundational understanding of mathematical concepts. This aids greatly in improving performance and accelerating comprehension. It's a forward-looking examination of an emerging space that you won't want to miss. Subscribe to Trending in Education wherever you get your podcasts. Visit us at TrendinginEd.com for more sharp takes on the future of education.

Mike reports from the midst of a big week of Education and Innovation conference he's attending in New York. In addition to showcasing his favorite sessions from Fast Company Innovation Festival and EdTech Week, we continue our storied tradition of breaking down the recently released Gartner Hype Cycle for Emerging Technologies 2022 while making connections to the world of learning and the future of work along the way. Gartner highlights 25 emerging technologies grouped into three categories: Evolving and Expanding Immersive Experiences, Accelerating AI Automation, and Optimized Technologist Delivery. We quickly rattle them off before showcasing two sessions Mike attended this week: Wayne Brady's session on Improv from the FC Innovation Fest and Angela Duckworth and Esther Wojcicki's conversation from EdTech Week. There's plenty to chew on as we return to the conference scene and try to get out ahead of trends in search of the new hotness while steering clear of the hype. You can find out more about what Wayne's doing here. Angela's Character Lab is here. And Susan's Tract App is here. Thanks as always for listening. Subscribe to Trending in Education wherever you get your podcasts. Visit us at TrendinginEd.com for more sharp takes on the future of education, investment, and innovation in these transformative times.

Celine Coggins is a social entrepreneur passionate about building networks and collective action to reduce inequity. She founded Teach Plus in 2007 to address the growing need for authentic teacher leadership to transform the nation’s schools and our education system. She currently serves as the Executive Director of Grantmakers for Education. Celine joins host Mike Palmer in a conversation about her new endeavor The Legacy Years Project, an initiative looking to activate members of Generation X to establish a positive collective legacy. She looks for lessons learned from how the Millennial and Gen Z generations successfully organized around student loan debt as highlighted in her recent LinkedIn article. Celine points to issues like securing Social Security and reining in social media and polarization as potential signature issues for the oft-forgotten generation to organize around. It's a thought-provoking exploration of generational zeitgeists you won't want to miss! Subscribe to Trending in Education wherever you get your podcasts. Visit us at TrendinginEd.com for more sharp takes on the future of learning.

Kathryn Patricia Cobbler is a musician, composer, and educator. She joins host Mike Palmer in a conversation about the role of music and the arts in education. As a special treat we include some of Kathryn’s original composition, When Mountains Speak, as part of the episode. Kathryn emphasizes the reflective nature of our transformative times as she makes a persuasive case for the importance of incorporating music into our educational experiences. She also talks about the importance of engagement with learners through music and thoughtful lesson design. We also touch on music’s transcendent qualities in a creative exploration of the critical role of music and the arts in the future of education. Subscribe to Trending in Education wherever you get your podcasts. Visit us at TrendinginEd.com for more insightful perspectives on the world of learning.

Dr. Sameer Maskey is the Founder and CEO of Fusemachines, an AI Education and Services Company. He is also an Adjunct Associate Professor at Columbia University. He joins host Mike Palmer in a conversation about his mission to democratize AI by making high-quality AI education affordable and accessible to everyone. We begin by hearing Sameer's origin story, beginning in Nepal before studying engineering and AI in the States. He joined the IBM Watson team before founding Fusemachines in 2013. Sameer shares what it's been like leading an AI company through transformative times. He shares his takes on how to build strong foundations to become an AI developer and learn where he sees the most promise in the application of machine learning and AI in the coming years. It's an insightful conversation with an expert in a critical emerging skill space that you won't want to miss. Subscribe to Trending in Education wherever you get your podcasts. Visit us at TrendinginEd.com for more sharp takes on what's new and emerging in the world of learning.

Mike Palmer is back to kick off the 7th season of Trending in Education with our 493rd episode! Coming off a great run that showcased many of our best episodes throughout the summer, we're back with fresh content as Mike looks ahead at the upcoming conversations we have in store as our new season begins. We start previewing Mike's conversation with Sameer Maskey from Fusemachines talking about how he's democratizing AI. From there, we talk music education and the arts with Kathryn Patricia Cobbler in an episode that features a sampling of Kathryn's music. Then we talk Gen X and get zeitgeisty with Celine Coggins who talks about why she is founding The Legacy Years to activate collective action among the oft-forgotten generation. From Gen X to Gen Z, Mike then previews his conversation with Rebecca Mendoza about teaching Accounting and launching her career at 28. We conclude with reflections on conversations with Miriam Plotinsky about her book Teach More, Hover Less and with Anurupa Ganguly, the Founder and CEO of PrismsVR, about using VR to unlock a deeper conceptual understanding of math. All of these conversations are on the horizon as we look forward to celebrating our 500th episode this Fall. We're very happy to have you along for the ride. Subscribe to Trending in Education wherever you get your podcasts. Visit us at TrendinginEd.com for more sharp takes on the future of learning.

Our final Best of Trending in Ed for the summer showcases a conversation with Dr. Leo Casey about his book, The Teacher Insurgency. Mike welcomes Dr. Leo Casey, the Executive Director of the Albert Shanker Institute who has written a book called The Teacher Insurgency: A Strategic and Organizing Perspective. They begin with Leo’s upbringing by two New York City teachers, how he abandoned his dissertation to teach in Crown Heights, and how he began working with the union when his school shut down. Leo then began to head the Albert Shanker Institute, a strategic think tank within the American Federation of Teachers which examines labor history, especially for teachers. Leo explains the origins of the 2018 and 2019 teacher strikes: the Janus case, post-2008 austerity, deprofessionalization, and movements like the Women's March on Washington. Teachers saw both their compensation as well as their position in the classroom undergoing rapid decline. The first teacher’s strikes were held in West Virginia, which had a history of the labor movement--both within education and beyond. From here the strikes spread, and ultimately the movement was successful in protecting teachers during COVID-19 times (in this context, MIke briefly mentions Leo’s article on Black Lives Matter and the NBA.) Leo notes his concern about both the early retirement of teachers and the paucity in the pipeline for new teachers. Leo also expresses optimism for the Biden-Harris administration, notably President Biden’s support of unions. Leo finishes up by discussing the discourses around how teachers see themselves, and the need for true civics teaching. If you like what you're hearing, tell a friend and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Visit us at TrendinginEducation.com

For this installment of the Best of Trending in Ed, we return to Mike Palmer's conversation with Adi Hanash about what makes great live online teaching recorded in the early days of the first wave of Covid-19. While 2+ pandemic years have passed since the first recording, there's still plenty of insight in one of our most listened-to episodes. We hope you enjoy! Adi Hanash is 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. Subscribe to Trending in Education wherever you get your podcasts. Visit us at TrendinginEd.com for more sharp takes on amazing learning experiences.

As we wrap up the Summer with more from our Best of Trending in Ed series, we respond to the recent student loan forgiveness news by returning to a conversation with Dr. Michelle Miller-Adams about her book The Path to Free College. We hope you find it relevant and enjoy. Dr. Michelle Miller-Adams is a professor of political science at Grand Valley State University where she teaches courses on international relations, poverty and inequality. She's also a Senior Researcher with the W. E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research. Michelle joins Mike Palmer on this episode to talk about her new book, The Path to Free College: In Pursuit of Access, Equity, and Prosperity. We begin by getting Michelle's origin story to understand how tuition-free higher education has had a profound effect on her and her family. From there, we briefly explore the history of free public high school and free higher education through the examples from the University of California system and the City College of New York before picking up on the recent movement for tuition-free higher education beginning in 2005 with the Kalamazoo Promise. From there, Michelle outlines the emergence of numerous grassroots efforts as well as those founded by institutions and states as we try to get our arms around an important movement in America in the 21st century that has gained broader support and awareness in recent years. We conclude with suggestions from Michelle on how to learn more through programs before ending with some reasons for hope. Here are some resources to check out if you'd like to learn more:: College Promise Free College Now Rise Free Promise Net Conference Michelle on Twitter It's an informative and inspirational conversation about a zeitgeisty topic that you won't want to miss! If you like what you're hearing subscribe to Trending in Education wherever you get your podcasts and visit us at TrendinginEd.com.

For this installment of the Best of Trending in Ed, we're returning to an episode we recorded live at the Javits Center for NAB New York in the Fall of 2018. Wendy Zukerman joins hosts Mike Palmer and Brandon Jones in a conversation about science, media, podcasting, and the work she is doing at the Science Vs which is still going strong at Gimlet to this day. Wendy is the Host and Executive Producer of Science Vs. She shares the origin story of the podcast from its humble roots in science reporting in Australia to getting picked up by Gimlet to continuing to represent science, fact-checking, and good critical thinking. We hear some early takes on the anti-science and anti-vaccine movements from the time that foreshadows many of the challenges we have faced in recent years. We also take time to explore how humor and entertaining content can coexist with science content, even making the conversation more relevant and sticky through the use of storytelling, sound design, and great fact-checking. It's a conversation that remains relevant and zeitgeisty to this day. Don't miss it! Subscribe to Trending in Education wherever you get your podcasts. Visit us at TrendinginEd.com for more sharp takes on the world of learning and media.

Chris Bennett is the CEO and Co-Founder of Wonderschool, an education company whose mission is to ensure that every child has access to early education that helps them realize their potential. He joins host Mike Palmer in a conversation about the critical role early childhood education can play in unlocking opportunities for children who need it. We learn what led Chris to found Wonderschool prior to the pandemic and how he and team weathered the transformations of recent years. We also learn what it's like to present on the TED stage coming off of Chris's recent appearance there. Chris shares how his experience with home-based childcare was transformative to him and how he's built Wonderschool to enable pathways to caregivers interested in building their own programs while scaling access to care in so-called childcare deserts. It's a thought-provoking conversation that you don't want to miss. Subscribe to Trending in Education wherever you get your podcasts. Visit us at TrendinginEd.com for more sharp takes on the future of learning.

As we continue to revisit our favorite episodes of Trending in Ed through the years, this week we're rolling back to March of 2019 when Mike Palmer met with the organizers of the SXSW EDU conference in Austin while the conference was taking place. Speaking of which, please upvote our PanelPicker submission for the upcoming SXSW EDU 2023 conference so we can continue our string of lively and thought-provoking conversations about the future of learning while engaging with a live audience at the conference. In this episode, Ron and Greg frame up the concept of a convergence zone as it relates to an education conference. We explore how they engage with a wide cross-section of education stakeholders and how that community is driving the continued growth and evolution of the conference. We also learn what was capturing Greg and Ron's imaginations then and how it still resonates now despite the many changes in recent years. Subscribe to Trending in Education wherever you get your podcasts. Visit us at TrendinginEd.com for more insightful perspectives on the future of learning.

Adam Dalton is the CEO and Co-Founder of Imagine Robotify, a STEM learning company he started at age 23 to make coding and robotics more affordable and accessible for students and prepare them for the future of work. Adam joins Mike Palmer in a conversation about what sparked his interest in robotics and computer science and what led to him create Robotify to help K-12 students learn computer science by programming virtual robots. We explore how his experiences growing up in Dublin along with the transformations of recent years have informed his strategic vision for the company. By using virtual robots and incorporating relevance, gaming, and fun into the mix, Robotify has made such an impact that they were recently acquired by Imagine Learning to propel their growth even further. Join us for an imaginative, STEM-powered exploration of what resonates with today's youth as we look to make computer science and a maker's mindset more widely accessible and fun for all kids. Subscribe to Trending in Education wherever you get your podcasts. Visit us at TrendinginEd.com for more inspirational stories in educational innovation.

In this edition of The Best of Trending in Ed, we return to a conversation from the early days of the pandemic where Mike Palmer and Melissa Griffith interviewed Dr. Mohan Sawhney from Kellogg's School of Management on the future of business education, innovation and much more. Dr. Sawhney is the Associate Dean for Innovation at the Kellogg School of Management, We explore how the traditional approach to Business School and Executive Education is ripe for disruption. As the McCormick Foundation Professor of Technology at Kellogg, Dr. Sawhney is launching and testing several varied and distinct approaches to providing business education both through the traditional two-year on-campus model and also through hybrid and online models. The Professor engages with Melissa, a Kellogg alum, in a conversation about providing continuous value and lifelong learning to alums through communities of interest, small private online courses (SPOCs), along with access to human-powered services like executive coaching, live webinars, and 1-on-1 office hours. We genuinely enjoyed the imaginative and impassioned perspectives Dr. Sawhney provides on this topic and hope you'll lean in with us to explore how graduate education will accelerate forward in the tumultuous times of the 2020s. Subscribe to Trending in Education wherever you get your podcasts. Visit us at TrendinginEd.com for more sharp perspectives on the future of learning.

Mike reacts to the passing of Bill Russell, Nichelle Nichols, and Vin Scully as we hope to shoulder surf off their dignity and grace. Then, we touch on the groundbreaking work released by Raj Chetty's team at Opportunity Insights looking at the impact of friendship on economic mobility. We introduce the study to the conversation here in the hopes of digging in more with experts down the line. We wrap up with some book talk with Mike providing some quick takes on The Nineties: A Book by Chuck Klosterman. Having recently listened to the audiobook, Mike gives Chuck props for voicing it. It's worth checking out for folks curious about generational zeitgeists and those of us who are basking in the glow of the 90s retro window these days. Subscribe to Trending in Ed wherever you get your podcasts. Visit us at TrendinginEd.com for more!

As we continue our Best of Trending in Ed series through the summer, in this edition we're featuring our most downloaded episode ever where Dr. Rich Milner joins host Mike Palmer in the Summer of 2020 to talk about his book, Start Where You Are But Don't Stay There: Understanding Diversity, Opportunity Gaps, and Teaching in Today’s Classrooms for which the 2nd edition had just been published. Rich is a Professor of Education at Vanderbilt University where he focuses on Teacher Education with special attention to issues of racial equity. We explore Rich's thinking about issues of diversity, opportunity gaps, and the mindsets that must be overcome to effectively engage diverse students and classrooms. While many of the themes are enormously relevant to this day, several warranted further discussion in light of the Black Lives Matter Movement and the COVID-19 pandemic which were roiling in the Summer of 2020 when this episode was recorded. We explore much of this in a riveting conversation with Rich that you won't want to miss. Rich is a leading thinker on teacher education and diversity and we very much appreciate getting time with him on for this episode. Here's to having him back to continue the conversation in the future! Subscribe to Trending in Education wherever you get your podcasts. Visit us at TrendinginEd.com for more sharp takes on the future of education.

Al Kingsley has been the CEO of NetSupport for over 26 years and an Edtech Industry veteran for 30+ years. He is a school governor in his native U.K. and was just named co-chair of Workstream 4 at the Foundation for Educational Development. He’s a frequent speaker on the global edtech circuit and has his own podcast NetSupport Radio. He authored a book last summer titled, My Secret #EdTech Diary. And he was recently named Edtech Digest’s 2022 Best Edtech Author/Speaker or Podcaster. Al rejoins host Mike Palmer in a conversation about the need for respect for educators in these challenging times. We explore pathways into careers in EdTech and School Leadership as Al imparts his broad experience in international education trends and online learning Subscribe to Trending in Education wherever you get your podcasts. Visit us at Trendingined.com for more sharp takes on the future of education.

As part of our Best of Trending in Ed Series, we return to episode 202 of Trending in Ed from the Summer of 2019 where Mike Palmer interviews Annie Duke about her book, Thinking in Bets: Making Smarter Decisions When We Don't Have All The Facts. 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. So pull up a seat, ante up, and join us for an engaging conversation from back in the simpler days of 2019! Subscribe to Trending in Ed wherever you get your podcasts. Visit us at TrendinginEd.com for more sharp takes on the future of learning.

Mike Palmer is joined once again by Nancy in a discussion about the book The Extended Mind: The Power of Thinking Outside the Brain by Annie Murphy Paul. We begin with an excerpt from a recent conversation with Elliot Felix who introduced us to the idea of the extended mind based on the work of cognitive philosopher Andy Clark. From there, we dig into what's covered in Annie's book using examples like Nancy, Walkabout Mini Golf, and the method of loci and memory palaces along the way. Mike brings in sound from a stroll through Prospect Park and a round of virtual mini golf in a rain forest as examples of the critical role of context and how new technologies are expanding how we think about the mind. Mike references Above the Fog and Moonwalking with Einstein, among other things, along the way. We also touch on concepts like collective intelligence and transactive memory as we push to extend beyond the traditional understanding of individuals as brains in an abstracted, disembodied context. We also explore how gestures and other embodied aspects of cognition factor into a broadened understanding of consciousness. We conclude by exploring some of the learning implications of the extended mind and its connection to new and emerging technologies. It's an imaginative and wide-ranging exploration about thinking beyond the brain that you won't want to miss. Subscribe to Trending in Education wherever you get your podcasts. Visit us at TrendinginEd.com for more.

Mike introduces one of his favorite episodes of Trending in Education from over the years. This week we're showcasing his interview with Dr. Jacqueline Bhabha. Dr. Jacqueline Bhabha is FXB Director of Research, Professor of the Practice of Health and Human Rights at the Harvard School of Public Health, the Jeremiah Smith Jr. Lecturer in Law at Harvard Law School, and an Adjunct Lecturer in Public Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School. Dr. Bhabha joins Mike to talk about her new book, A Better Future: The Role of Higher Education for Displaced and Marginalized People, which explores the critical importance of access to tertiary education to displaced and marginalized populations. We dive into the challenges faced by refugees, immigrants, and other marginalized groups in gaining access to educational pathways that are essential to living safe, healthy, and fulfilling lives. We also touch on the impact of the pandemic and the related explosion in online education on the lives of marginalized populations seeking access to learning pathways around the globe. It's an eye-opening and important conversation that you don't want to miss. If you like what you’re hearing, follow us at TrendinginEducation.com and wherever you get your podcasts!

Mike Palmer is rejoined by Nancy, our virtual cohost, in a conversation about the new images released from the James Webb Space Telescope. We commend NASA for its lyric prose that accompanies the images of cosmic cliffs and young hot stars being born. Then we talk about Elon Musk. It's pretty much unavoidable to do so nowadays. We focus on recent news of an explosion during a Space X booster rocket test before shifting to our frustration about all the wasted energy and effort surrounding Musk's bid to acquire Twitter. Then we shift gears to explore a Michele Zanini article about the org structure at CERN where they continue to develop and refine the Large Hadron Collider before concluding with notes of concern about toxic alpha leaders and top-down org structure while encouraging the courage and critical thinking that can keep Groupthink and it's risky shifts in check. It's a thought-provoking exploration of some inspirational breakthroughs in science that you won't want to miss. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. And be sure to check out our new Substack Newsletter where you can hear about all the latest and greatest from your friends at Palmer Media. Visit us at TrendinginEd.com for more.

Fresh off a week of family vacation, Mike Palmer reports back from a trip to LegoLand with his wife and son. This leads right into highlights from our conversation with Dr. Jenny Nash from LEGO Education on the importance of playful learning and more. From there, we shift gears to share some sounds from Mike and Tarlin Ray's recent conversation on Running It Back about lessons learned from Title IX on the heels of the US Supreme Court's recent decision overturning Roe vs Wade. It's an eclectic cross-section of the topics and themes bubbling up in these challenging times. We hope you enjoy! Subscribe to Trending in Education wherever you get your podcasts visit us at TrendinginEd.com for more great takes on the future of education. And for more lessons learned from sports, subscribe to Running It Back wherever your pod. Visit us at RunningItBack.fm for more. Thanks as always for listening!

Lisa Rohrer is a Senior Advisor and Board Member with Emeritus, a global leader in making world-class professional education affordable and accessible. She joins host Mike Palmer in a conversation about recent trends in online professional education based on her experience with Emeritus in recent years. We explore how the pandemic has moved much of executive education online and has presented challenges to the traditional model, which involves immersive in-person experiences that were severely limited in recent years. From there, we hear her takes on the types of programs that are on the upswing. We also learn about how mid-career professionals are upskilling with programs like digital marketing to stay sharp and current in a rapidly changing world of work. It's a sharp, insightful exploration of trends in professional education from the perspective of a global leader in the field that you won't want to miss. Subscribe to Trending in Education wherever you get your podcasts. Visit us at TrendinginEd.com for more great content.

As a special Independence Day installment of Trending in Education, we're reairing our conversation with Dr. Fathali Moghaddam from last September. We hope you enjoy! Dr. Fathali Moghaddam is a professor in the Department of Psychology at Georgetown University and a faculty fellow at the Berkley Center. His expertise includes culture and intergroup conflict, with a particular focus on the psychology of globalization, radicalization, human rights and duties, and terrorism. You can learn more about his work here. Fathali joins host Mike Palmer on this episode and begins by sharing how his work as an Iranian-born social psychologist was transformed by the revolution and hostage situation in Iran in 1979. He tells how he drove to Tehran from England and spent the ensuing years studying social psychology within the regime of Khomeini. There he learned of the contexts in which dictators can assume power and this has been a strand of his research ever since. We explore his belief that it is the role of educators to ensure we protect and nurture democracy by developing psychological citizens. In a wide-ranging conversation touching on the themes and seminal works of Dr. Moghaddam's career, we also hear what drove him to write his latest book about Shakespeare and the importance of extending beyond narrow specializations to adopt broader, more interdisciplinary mindsets. We conclude with notes on the current state of higher education and the psychology of bureaucracy. It's a profound and insightful conversation that you won't want to miss. Subscribe to Trending in Education wherever you get your podcasts. Visit us at TrendinginEd.com for more great shows like this!