Trending In Ed with Mike Palmer

Dr. Robert Sternberg joins Mike to talk about his life's work studying intelligence, creativity, and wisdom. He is Professor of Human Development in the College of Human Ecology at Cornell University. Bob recently wrote Adaptive Intelligence: Striving and Thriving in Times of Uncertainty and we spend time diving into the concepts and frameworks that are central to the book. For starters, Bob tells his personal story beginning in grade school where initially he didn't perform well on intelligence tests until a teacher took an interest in him and helped him overcome his test anxiety. Soon after he was performing well on tests and even began administering them to his classmates. This formative experience led him to question the prevailing views of intelligence and IQ testing which have dominated psychology since the early 20th century. Bob walks us through his evolving theories of intelligence, ranging from the Triarchic theory (creative, practical, and analytic) of intelligence to an increased focus on success and wisdom to his latest work on adaptive intelligence which focuses on the positive contribution one can provide to society. We dive into the timeliness of this construct in light of the challenging times we've been facing of late and conclude with Dr. Sternberg's perspectives on the risks and opportunities we're facing now in this singular moment in history. It's a profound and enlightening conversation that you won't want to miss. We very much appreciate the opportunity to dive into all of this with a true luminary in the field of psychology, creativity, and intelligence. If you like what you're hearing, subscribe to Trending in Education wherever you get your podcasts and visit us at TrendingInEducation.com.

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 that 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!

Dr. Terri Givens returns to the show to talk about her newly released book Radical Empathy: Finding a Path to Bridging Racial Divides and its implications in higher education and society more broadly. We touch on Terri's personal story and how it taught her to be vulnerable and to get comfortable in her own skin. This involves empathy for yourself, your family, and your neighborhood as you progress to take action to effect change which is the radical part of Radical Empathy. We dive into Terri's perspectives on Higher Education and Education Leadership as a black woman confronting structural racism in a compelling and personal story that we hope resonates. If you like what you're hearing, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and. check us out at TrendingInEducation.com.

Kathleen Almy, CEO of Almy Education, joins Mike to talk about her experiences as an author, as math faculty, and most recently as a consultant helping community colleges develop effective and scalable developmental math programs that drive completion rates and student success. After hearing Kathy’s origin story, we explore the challenges and opportunities endemic to math education in 2021. Then we look ahead through the pandemic response and on into the years ahead. To learn more about what Kathy and team are doing, check them out at AlmyEducation.com If you like what you’re hearing, subscribe wherever you get four podcasts and follow us at Trendingineducation.com.

Dr. Sheryl Burgstahler joins Mike to talk about her work in access, Universal Design, and Universal Design for Learning (UDL). Sheryl shared how she got involved with accessibility in the early days of home computing and how that has evolved into her role at the University of Washington today. We talk about her book, Creating Inclusive Learning Opportunities in Higher Ed, and other great resources for educators who want to build products and courses that can be easily accessed in usable ways by the diverse range of learners who are out there. It’s a rollicking deep dive into an emerging field that you won’t want to miss! If you like what you’re hearing, subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and follow us at TrendinginEducation.com

Ron Reed and Greg Rosenbaum from SXSW EDU return to join Mike just before SXSW EDU 2021 begins on March 9th. You can learn more about the conference at https://www.sxswedu.com/ We talk through our history together with this being the third time Ron and Greg have joined us on the show. We take time to reflect on the challenges and transformations of the past year and get their thoughts on the opportunities around moving online and the shifts in thinking required to make the most of the online format. Greg talks about the shift from "serendipity to intention" and Ron provides a broader read on the impact of the past year and how that will be reflected in the themes and topics of SXSW EDU 2021. And we also talk about Oprah Winfrey's Keynote with Dr. Bruce Perry on their upcoming book, What Happened to You?: Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing. It's a riveting conversation that gives a window into the many challenges we've faced and the new perspectives we're arriving at in difficult times. If you like what you're hearing, subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and follow us at TrendinginEducation.com.

Geoff and Sky Marietta join Mike to discuss their book, Rural Education in America. We hear the Mariettas' story from rural roots to meeting at Teach For America in the Navajo Nation, to Harvard Yard, and then finally to Harlan County, Kentucky, where Sky and family have deep roots. We look at how rural America is perceived both from the outside in and also from the inside in as we learn the critical role education plays in knitting together rural communities. It's an eye-opening conversation that will help broaden your understanding of the problems, opportunities, and perspectives that drive rural students, teachers, families, and communities. In a time of polarization and risks of stereotyping rural America, this is a timely conversation that you won't want to miss! If you like what you're hearing subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and follow us at TrendingInEducation.com.

Mike welcomes Anurupa Ganguly, Founder and CEO of Prisms of Reality, a Virtual Reality solution for teaching K-12 algebra. As a student, teacher, and administrator, Anurupa was consistently frustrated by students’ lack of deep conceptual understanding of math and science. Find out how she’s leveraging the cutting-edge technology of VR to deepen and accelerate math learning in middle school. Anurupa describes what's involved in creating compelling VR experiences to provide emotional resonance and conceptual depth as she describes her vision for the future for Prisms. It takes a cross-disciplinary team of game designers, developers, UX, product, and content stakeholders to build experiences like their beta launch for Algebra which is now available. It's an imaginative conversation about how emerging VR capabilities can really make a difference in Math and STEM education that you won't want to miss. If you like what you're hearing, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and check us out at TrendinginEducation.com

Dr. Daniel Harrison joins Mike to talk about his latest book, Live at Jackson Station. We hear how Dan became a Sociology Professor at Lander University in South Carolina before we dive into the importance of storytelling as Dan tells the story of Jackson Station, a legendary blues bar in Greenwood, South Carolina in the 1980s and early nineties. We learn about the tolerance and diversity of the music scene at the bar before things take a “True Crime” turn with a bush ax attack in the parking lot at 3am. Along the way Dan and Mike muse about the relevance of sociology and the future of higher education. Then we touch on Dan’s first book, Making Sense of Marshall Ledbetter, which tells the story of a university student who broke into the Florida State Capitol in 1991 and holed up in the Sergeant-At-Arms office resulting in a standoff with police replete with a surprising list of demands and a climactic conclusion. We conclude by discussing Dan’s recent article titled “Sociology at the End of History”. In all, it’s an entertaining listen that you won’t want to miss. If you like what you’re hearing, check us out at TrendingInEducation.com and subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.

Dr. John Giordano joins Mike to explain how he founded Semester For Change to help students and families navigate the transition from High School to the right career path for them. John shares the story of his career in Fine Arts Education that bridges from high school into colleges with strong ties to the community throughout. John describes his own experiences over the past year which led to him forming an alternative to a year of traditional higher education in these chaotic times. Semester For Change builds on John and team's experiences helping a diverse cross-section of students make choices and build projects that help them find their passion and apply design thinking principles to build their post-secondary pathway to steer towards productive and meaningful careers. How would you design a program to help students and families who are choosing to hit pause to reflect before leaning into what makes sense for them next? Listen in to find out. You can learn more about what John and team are doing at https://www.semesterforchange.org/ If you like what you're hearing, follow us at TrendinginEducation.com and subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.

Mike welcomes Jeff Gothelf, author of Forever Employable: How to Stop looking for Work and Let Your Next Job Find You. Jeff starts by talking about his early days in rock’n’roll and Web 1.0. Leading a design team in the early days, he and his team had to find a way to match their processes to the then ascendent agile software development process. Jeff was then able to leverage this new approach into a book, Lean UX, and from there into teaching. More recently, he has responded to his audience by expounding on a “continuous pull” model of letting clients come to you. You need to establish credibility with your audience, and then frequently and consistently provide them with what they want, adapting to the signals they send you. Jeff elaborates on finding the right focus, and how you can deal with “imposter syndrome” by just “shipping it”. Jeff also notes how you can learn from thought leaders both within your field and beyond. Mike asks about the future, and Jeff says he plans to continue deeper into the “creator economy”. He finishes explaining how Forever Employable can provide you the freedom to work when and how you want. If you like what you’re hearing, follow us at TrendinginEducation.com and wherever you get your podcasts.

Miles Iton joins Mike Palmer to talk about how he's incorporated Hip Hop into his EFL (English as a Foreign Language) training programs. Miles is the Founder and Program Director at Lo-Fi Language Learning. Lo-Fi Language Learning is a version of n.e.Bodied Entertainment’s Freestyle + Floetry tutorial fitted to an EFL (English as a Foreign Language) curriculum. Founded in 2019 after winning Distinguished Honors (1st Prize) at the National University of Science & Technology’s Be Young Beyond Startup Competition in Taipei, Taiwan, Lo-Fi looks to shake up the landscapes of both classroom English learning and the hip-hop scene out East. We learn what brought Miles to this point in his career and explore how Hip Hop and relevance can really make a difference when trying to get students engaged and motivated in their language learning activities. We also explore the broader cultural impact of Hip Hop and how it can make a difference in the classroom before concluding with Miles' take on where things are heading in the future. If you like what you're hearing subscribe to Trending in Education wherever you listen to podcasts and check us out at TrendingInEducation.com

Ryan Craig joins Mike to discuss his work at Achieve Partners and as a Senior Education Contributor to Forbes and other publications. He's the author of College Disrupted and A New U and is a forward-thinking voice on the future of post-secondary education. We discuss his articles about IUP and Quibi and the recent kerfuffle about Dr. Jill Biden, among other topics, as we zero in on the challenges higher education faces and how we can evolve both within and perhaps more importantly outside of it in a wide-ranging and informative conversation. Ryan and the team at Achieve Partners are focused on new and emerging models and ventures that focus on connecting high school students to their first good job. He explains how he was originally looking to find these pathways through traditional higher education but has since shifted his focus to models like apprenticeships and income share agreements that he sees as more efficient at achieving the critical outcome of landing a good first job. It's an insightful and thought-provoking conversation that you won't want to miss. If you like what you're hearing, follow us at TrendinginEducation.com and wherever you get your podcasts.

Mike is joined by Bryanne Leeming, CEO of Unruly Studios, and creator of Unruly Splats. Bryanne begins by explaining the origins of Unruly Splats. Her early exposure to programming was key, as was the entrepreneurialism of her parents and her childhood involvement in sports. After graduating from college, she worked in product development. Seeing the interesting but often passive experiences offered by many Edtech products, Bryanne founded Unruly Studios. Bryanne describes Splats as “programmable floor buttons”. They’re stomped on by kids to cause interactions, and kids can program them to create new games. Originally prototyped while she was still in business school, Spats are now in hundreds of schools across the U.S. and Canada. Kids have stomped them more than 1 million times Mike asks about the impact of Covid on Splats, and Bryanne explains that even before the pandemic she and her team have been interviewing hundreds of teachers about their needs. As a result, they offer special challenges between schools and other moments of engagement. Mike then asks about the social needs, especially in our time of social unrest. Bryanne discusses how they have baked in social from the start. They then discuss Unruly’s focus on building communities of practice, and how the Splats work with instructors and across the curriculum. Mike and Bryanne then further discuss Unruly’s efforts in light of the pandemic: How the Splats can be easily cleaned. They discuss how teachers are altering their environments to allow for safe, social play, and the support that Unruly provides the teachers. Covid opened up a new market for Splats to be used for music education. And it’s not slowing their planned March Madness competition. Finally, Mike and Bryanne discuss Unruly’s commitment to diversity and inclusion. For further information: Communities of Practice How to Find Bryanne: unrulysplats.com Twitter: @unruly_studios How to Find Mike: Twitter: @TrendingInEd email: [email protected] If you like what you’re hearing, follow us at TrendinginEducation.com and wherever you get your podcasts.

Michelle Weise is the author of Long Life Learning: Preparing for Jobs That Don't Even Exist Yet. Michelle is also a Senior Advisor at the philanthropic investment group, Imaginable Futures. On this episode, she joins Mike Palmer to discuss her new book and how we can reimagine our learning ecosystem in response to longer lifespans, automation, and rapid transformation of the 21st Century. We begin with Michelle’s origin story, how she moved from being an English professor into educational technology including stints at Clayton Christensen’s Institute for Disruptive Innovation, Southern New Hampshire University, and Strada Education Network. Michelle notes the difficulty of predicting actual future careers, and how her book focuses on the type of worker and the type of problem solver we all need to become. We need to offload much of the current tasks that AI can do better while developing both our “human-plus” skills as well as the technical expertise required to exercise judgment. Mike and Michelle discuss “T-shaped” learners, and how they develop over a long career. Michelle talks about later-life learners, and how they can profitably upskill. Pursuing a four-year degree may not appeal to 55+ learners, and even the current MOOCs may not meet their needs. Given all the challenges, Mike asks Michelle to provide some hope. She tells him how Clay Christensen helped her stay optimistic, and how the wide variety of innovators should stick to the shared agenda of creating a robust ecosystem: breaking down the walls that obtain between K-12, higher ed, and workforce learning. And how the pandemic has further exposed this need. Mike and Michelle discuss the work of Suzanne Simard regarding the surprising subterranean ecosystem of trees and how it can serve as a model of the idealized education ecosystem. They then discuss the power of such metaphors. They also note David Epstein’s Range, and the importance of the generalist in the world of specialization. “Far transfer” is also on the table. Finally, Michelle discusses “skills compasses”. Enterprises often do not know the skills their employees have, and let them go despite their potential usefulness. She notes a few innovative companies that help those laid off find the training they need to meet the skills demanded in their labor market. There's plenty to explore in this conversation you don't want to miss! For further information: Emsi Suzanne Simard, Finding the Mother Tree SkyHive Future Fit The Americans with Disabilities Act How to Find Michelle: Twitter: @rwmichelle LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rwmichelle/ riseanddesign.io How to Find Mike: Twitter: @TrendingInEd Email: [email protected] If you like what you’re hearing, follow us at TrendinginEducation.com and wherever you get your podcasts.

Dr. Mordecai Brownlee proudly serves as the Vice President for Student Success at St. Philip’s College. St. Phillips holds the distinction of being the only institution granted both HBCU and HSI status. He also serves as adjunct faculty at Morgan State University School of Education & Urban Studies and the University of Charleston School of Business & Leadership. In addition, Mordecai is an education columnist with EdSurge and has authored recent articles on Financial Literacy and Co-Requisite Developmental Education that form the foundation of his conversation with Mike Palmer in this episode. We begin by hearing what got Mordecai to this point in his career journey and use that as the jumping off point to diving developmental education and the importance of teaching financial literacy. We explore the challenges students battling poverty face to achieve success and social mobility and warn of the challenges of taking on student debt. It's an in-depth view of the work Dr. Brownlee and team are doing in urban San Antonio and there's much to be learned from their example. For more information about Dr. Brownlee, please visit www.ItsDrMordecai.com If you like what you're hearing, follow us at TrendinginEducation.com and wherever you get your podcasts.

In this episode, we're excited to welcome Dr. Bridget Burns to Trending in Education to talk about innovation in higher education. Named one of the “Most Innovative People in Higher Education” by Washington Monthly, Bridget is the founding Executive Director of the University Innovation Alliance (UIA). The UIA is the groundbreaking national consortium of public research universities working together to test and scale innovations that close achievement gaps and improve outcomes for all students. Since its founding in 2014, the UIA campuses have increased their low-income degrees awarded by 37% (producing over 30,000 additional low-income graduates to date) and increased graduates of color by 73%. The Alliance has been featured in national outlets like 60 Minutes, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Fast Company, and in the documentary "Unlikely". The UIA has inspired and supported the formation of more than 15 other university networks working to improve postsecondary success for low-income students. We begin by hearing Bridget's origin story as an education professional which takes us back to her roots in rural Montana and community college before finding her way into higher education and ultimately the UIA. We explore how the UIA was founded and their mission of understanding how universities can innovate, how they can test ideas across different university cultures and contexts, and how they can spread the word about what they're learning. Bridget shares what it was like to work with Michael Crow at ASU as the UIA was first coming together and as it's grown and evolved since. Bridget provides examples of how innovations have emerged across the 11 member institutions of the UIA and looks ahead to where she sees the organization heading in the future. She also shares her perspective on new and emerging media like Tik Tok and its relevance in reaching the rising generations. It's a fascinating conversation and we thank Dr. Burns for sharing her time and perspective to the show. If you like what you're hearing, follow us at TrendinginEducation.com and wherever you get your podcasts.

Abby Schneiderman and Gene Newman from Everplans join Mike to talk about their new book In Case You Get Hit By A Bus: How to Organize Your Life Now for When You're Not Around Later. We begin by getting the origin story of Everplans based on Abby's experiences as a tech entrepreneur and as someone who faced unexpected challenges when her brother suddenly died at age 51. We learn how Abby and Adam Seifer, her Co-founder, created Everplans and how they brought in Gene to help write the book and begin to educate folks on how to navigate the difficult and complex challenges that emerge with the loss of a loved one. We touch on emerging trends around digital estate planning, scenario-based thinking, and capturing the "softer side" of one's legacy for families and friends to hold onto after your gone. With the massive shifts of thinking due to the pandemic, we also think through how planning mindsets are shifting and how much of the work the folks at Everplans are doing was ahead of trend and is now incredibly zeitgeisty as we begin to think about what a post-COVID world might look like. If you like what you're hearing, tell a friend and share the love! Follow us at TrendingInEducation.com and wherever you get your podcasts.

Dr. April Willis joins Mike to talk about the work she and team are doing at the National Virtual Teachers Association (NVTA) to help teachers manage the difficult transition to teaching online. April recounts her experiences beginning in the classroom and then moving across various roles in education before joining the NVTA to help establish best practices for virtual instruction. What began prior to the pandemic accelerated quickly in response to the tremendous spike in demand. April shares her perspective on how virtual instruction will continue to play a critical role in the learning ecosystem long beyond the pandemic and how we can ensure we can get better at teaching online in new ways. If you like what you're hearing, follow us at TrendinginEducation.com and wherever you get your podcasts.

After graduating from college, Mike Marriner travelled across America with two college friends in an old, green RV. Along the way, they interviewed leaders across a wide array of fields and occupations to learn how folks got to where they were. That first trip resulted in the book Roadtrip Nation: A Guide to Discovering Your Road in Life and soon led to the founding of Road Trip Nation where Mike and team now provide that same experiential learning experience to other students. They've been regularly featured on PBS and across major media outlets over the past 20 years. In a wide-ranging conversation, we touch on how the lowering of barriers to entry is making it easier than ever to chart new career paths like Mike's. He reflects on recent work they've done to launch Roadtrip Nation's first Online Course allowing their tools and insights to reach a broader audience who might not be able to take to the road. Mike recounts stories from recent trips with community college students, and students with learning disabilities, among others. We conclude by getting Mike's perspective on the years ahead where he has plans to amplify the stories of vulnerable populations on trips with groups like formerly incarcerated populations. Mike also touches on how he's looking to scale the impact of Roadtrip Nation through tools like the online course and their library of over 8000 interviews. It's an inspiring and aspirational conversation and we thank Mike for kicking off our 2021 season of Trending in Education in style. If you like what you're hearing, subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and check us out at trendingineducation.com.

In this special edition of Trending in Education, host Mike Palmer shares the 21 Trends he's seeing on the horizon for 2021. Based on over 100 shows in 2020 talking to 75 different guests, we've been able to glean insights that help us get out ahead of what's emerging in the future of learning in 2021 and beyond. And this is the episode where we share that all with you! You want to discover what's emerging in learning in these transformative times? Then listen to this episode and join us in the conversation as we head into the rest of the 2020s. And be sure to follow us at https://trendingineducation.com and wherever you get your podcasts. To the Future!

Melissa Griffith and Dan Strafford join Mike Palmer for this special 2021 Kickoff show. What trends are top of mind for us as we lean into 2021? How will we turn the page from 2020 into the New Year? What have we learned? We talk Biotech, EdTech, Data Privacy, and the enormous opportunities emerging in Learning due to the forcing function of rapid digital adoption in 2020 due to the pandemic. Thanks so much for listening and here's to an incredible 2021 for all of our listeners both new and longtime! If you like what you're hearing, follow us at https://trendingineducation.com and wherever you listen to podcasts. And remember to spread the word as we continue to explore the future of learning in the New Year of 2021 and beyond!

To bring 2020 to a close, we've compiled highlights from the 10 most downloaded episodes of Trending in Education this year. We begin with Angela Siefer talking about Digital Inclusion before hearing Adi Hanash's perspective on how to be a great live online instructor. Then we listen to Dr. Rich Milner talk about the importance of grace in light of the Black Lives Matter movement and the challenges of teaching in 2020. From there, we hear from Helen Lee Bouygues, Zachary Davis, Frank Britt, Bryan Alexander, and David Meerman Scott and reflect back on our March Madness Tournament, the Gartner Hype Cycle, and much more. It was a profound and transformational year and we appreciate everyone who was with us for the ride. Be on the lookout for more cutting edge content covering the world of learning trends as we dive into 2021 and beyond in the coming weeks and years. If you like what you're hearing, write us a review and spread the word. Follow us at https://trendingineducation.com and subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.

Melissa Griffith and Dan Strafford rejoin Mike to look back on an amazing year in learning trends. We take a cautiously optimistic stance looking back on the year and peering ahead into the future as we review highlights from some of the top episodes of Trending in Education from 2020. We talk about the pandemic response, the promise of the vaccines, and the transformational thinking about race that has emerged in response to George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter Movement. We also touch on the emerging renaissance in online learning as we look forward to turning the page to 2021 to lean into disruption and reinvention with renewed grace, empathy, and hope. Thanks to everyone who contributed to an amazing year of trendspotting in learning. If you like what you're hearing, follow us at https://trendingineducation.com and wherever you get your podcasts.,

Dustin Ramsdell is a higher ed tech professional who works to support student success. For the past few years, he’s also been the host of The Higher Ed Geek Podcast exploring trends in higher ed and educational technology. Dustin joins Mike for this episode of Trending in Education to share his perspective on three trends to be on the lookout for heading into 2021. It’s a fun conversation to kick off our looks ahead into 2021 and beyond. If you like what you’re hearing, follow us at TrendinginEducation.com and wherever you get your podcasts.

Sean D’Arcy, VP of Kahoot! at School and Home, joins Mike to talk about what’s new and emerging from the interactive, gamified EdTech platform. We begin by getting Sean’s backstory as a technology, product, and marketing executive as we learn how he landed at Kahoot. Then we shift to the challenges and opportunities he’s seeing in this tumultuous year. We conclude with a conversation about Kahoot!’s recent integration with Bitmoji as we brainstorm better words for edutainment. In all, it’s a fun and imaginative conversation that you won’t want to miss. If you like what you’re hearing, follow us at TrendinginEducation.com and wherever you get your podcasts!

Lindsey Dixon and Julissa Baez from The Urban Assembly join Mike to talk about Postsecondary Readiness, Workforce Pathways, and the Future of Work. We hear Julissa and Lindsey’s origin stories and learn what drives their passion to make a positive impact on students and families overcoming poverty and striving for social mobility. We explore how to move work readiness programs further upstream into high school and K12 to ensure graduates are making smart decisions planning for the careers of the future. If you enjoy what you’re hearing, follow us at TrendinginEducation.com and subscribe to the show wherever you get your podcasts!

Noah Teitelbaum is the Executive Director of Empowering Education. That means he does a bit of everything, from chatting with the principals and teachers using the program to managing program updates to writing SEL children's stories about bunnies (https://empoweringeducation.org/book/). Empowering Education is a non-profit that enables learning by contributing to the social and emotional wellness of students, families, and educators through a mindfulness-based bilingual SEL curriculum. They offer an accessible, trauma-informed, affordable, and easy-to-use curriculum for K-8 teachers and SEL specialists to use in the classroom. Noah joins Mike on this episode of Trending in Education to tell his origin story as an education professional with all the twists and turns that have happened since. We dive into the mission and approach he's undertaken leading Empowering Education through this transformative year. We conclude with Noah's perspective on what's emerging on the horizon. If you like what you're hearing, follow us at TrendinginEducation.com and subscribe to us wherever you listen to podcasts.

James Nottingham is the Co-Founder of Challenging Learning and is the Creator of the Learning Pit, a program that he founded in 2003 to encourage students to get out of their comfort zone. Since then it has scaled across the globe to millions of educators and learners who have grabbed hold of its message of inspiration. James joins Mike to explain how this all got started with his experiences as a troubled student, which allowed him to connect his experiences to those of students who are beginning to grapple with the discomfort that comes with pushing yourself to learn more and become more. We talk Vygotsky, desirable difficulty, and other related concepts from learning science in the context of real-world experiences and examples as we help James spread the word about the power of embracing challenging learning and the ideas behind the Learning Pit. If you like what you're hearing, subscribe to us wherever you get your podcasts and follow us at TrendingInEduation.com.

Kate Eberle Walker is an education industry leader with 20+ years of experience in leading, managing, advising, acquiring and investing in education companies. She is the CEO of Presence Learning, the leading provider of live online special education related services for K-12. On this episode, Kate returns to Trending in Education to talk through what it was like to lead her organization through this difficult and transformative year. We talk about the emerging trends involving teletherapy and remote care for students with special needs. Then we explore the challenges and opportunities for speech pathologists, occupational therapists, and school psychologists as those services have moved rapidly to live online delivery. Kate concludes by sharing her perspective on what's emerging and lets us know about a new book she's working on that is due out in the Spring. In all, it's a fabulous conversation that you won't want to miss! If you like what you're hearing, why not follow us at Trending in Education and subscribe to the show wherever you get your podcasts.

Robyn Phillips is the Deputy Director of Postsecondary Access at The Urban Assembly. The Urban Assembly is a non-profit organization working to advance students' economic and social mobility by improving public education. Robyn is also the Board Chair of the College Access Consortium of New York (CACNY). On this episode, Robyn joins Mike to explain what postsecondary education looks like in 2020 and how she helps high school students and their families navigate decisions about their life after graduating from one of The UA's 23 affiliated schools located across New York City. We get Robyn's perspective on what it's like for families making postsecondary education decisions in light of the pandemic and emotional upheaval of this year before concluding with her take on new and emerging trends on the horizon. Robyn brings a unique perspective that we hope you'll enjoy. Thank you for listening. If you like what you're hearing, subscribe to us at Trending in Education or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Brian Tobal is the CEO of SchoolHouse, an education company that provides a home to microschools led by outstanding educators. On this episode, Brian joins Mike to tell the story of the series of successful education ventures and initiatives that he's embarked on throughout his career. We conclude by diving into what led to his joining SchoolHouse to lead them through these tumultuous times. We discuss why Brian is shifting his focus from algorithms to teachers and what it's been like leading an initiative that caught some COVID-19 tailwinds in 2020. We wrap up by picking Brian's brain for other emerging trends and things to look out for. If you like it when we get "zeitgeisty" - then this episode is one you won't want to miss. To hear more about what's emerging in learning, subscribe to us at Trending in Education.

Steve Joordens is a Professor of Psychology at the University of Toronto. He's also the Director of the Advanced Learning Technologies Lab at U of T where he researches the application of research findings to real life learning interventions. Steve joins Mike in a free-flowing conversation about the challenges and opportunities with online learning in these very confusing times. Steve shares his perspectives on how best to navigate the rapid shift to online and recommends we look to experts in learning science and digital instruction to help navigate the massive shifts we're experiencing. We talk feedback, scaling online solutions, and emphasize the importance of developing social emotional and interpersonal skills to train students to be ready to land their first jobs.

Melissa, Dan, and Mike regroup to reflect on the year that was in 2020 and how gratefulness and reflection have become key trends in our thinking. While we talk through the allure of doomscrolling and social media, we also shift our focus to think through how we're becoming more reflective and intentional about how we spend our time and those opportunities we have to share with those we're close to. We also take a moment to thank each other and our listeners for powering through a challenging year as we try to be hopeful about the future without jinxing anything. We hope those of you who are celebrating Thanksgiving get some restorative time with those you love now and throughout the coming year. Thanks as always for listening!

Adrian Ridner is the Co-founder and CEO of Study.com, a trusted education website used by over 30 million students and teachers each month. Adrian is committed to improving online education through personalized learning solutions that are engaging, effective, and affordable. In this episode of Trending in Education, Adrian joins Mike to tell his origin story leading up to the founding and scaling of Study.com over the past 20 years. We dig into how a program like Study.com opens up access for learners to work at their own pace to find pathways to success. We also explore how the pandemic has driven new behavior patterns on Study.com and get Adrian's perspective on emerging trends in online learning in the coming years. It's an episode you won't want to miss. To get more shows like this, visit us and subscribe at Trending in Education.

Mike Iskandar joins Mike on this episode to talk about how he founded Time Travel Journeys to help schools & organizations empower kids to turn self doubt, anxiety, and isolation into self compassion, confidence, & connection. Mike tells the story of how what began as a project of self-discovery in his 40th year evolved into the program he runs today that centers around getting to know yourself across the years of your life and learning to forgive yourself. If you're interested in Social Emotional Learning (SEL), self-discovery, and perspective taking throughout our lives, this is the episode for you.

Howard Blumenthal joins Mike on this episode about reimagining school for the future. Howard's best-known work is Where in the World is Carmen San Diego?, which he created and produced for PBS. Nowadays, Howard's keen interest is in growing up in the 21st century; what children and teenagers learn, and how they learn; global citizenship; social change; and human progress. We explore his big picture thinking about media/technology, behavioral change, public good, and international relationships as we dive into his founding of Reinventing School earlier this year. We also touch on his work with Kids On Earth. Howard's lifelong interest connects play, fun and imagination with curiosity as the primary driver for learning. We hope you enjoy this conversation that explores how to foster global citizenship in kids that is enabled by personal learning, media, and technology. Thanks as always for listening. Subscribe to Trending in Education here.

Kelly Palmer is the author of The Expertise Economy: How the smartest companies use learning to engage, compete and succeed, which focuses on the urgent need to upskill the workforce with the skills needed most for the future of work. She's been published in Harvard Business Review, MIT Sloan Management, Bloomberg, The Financial Times, Forbes, and Fast Company among others. Kelly joins our host, Mike Palmer, to explore how trends with workforce skills and job readiness are reshaping the professional landscape and how smart organizations and individuals are playing with their heads up to get out ahead of what's emerging through automation and digital transformation. Listen up and enjoy! Subscribe to us at https://trendingineducation.com/subscribe or anywhere you listen to podcasts.

Adam Gamwell, a Design Anthropologist and Host of This Anthro Life, returns to Trending in Education to explore the relevance of anthropology and the social sciences to the workplace and business. Adam recounts his experiences teaching anthropology, managing Missing Links Studios, and most recently working with MotivBase on blending AI and Machine Learning with Anthropology. If you're passionate about the value of the social sciences, ethnography, and qualitative research, this is a great episode for you! Thanks as always for listening!

Amrit Ahluwalia is the Managing Editor of The EvoLLLution, the online newspaper developed by Destiny Solutions to create a conversation hub focused on non-traditional higher education and the transforming postsecondary marketplace. On this episode, Amrit joins Mike Palmer to talk about non-traditional learners in higher education, the importance of continuing education, and the need to reframe the focus of higher education to encompass the broader needs emerging in the workforce. Amrit shares what got him to where he is in his career as we explore why the pandemic may be increasing awareness of the importance of continuing education and the wide array of learners who engage with it. We conclude with Amrit's perspectives on what's on the horizon for non-traditional higher education and beyond. Thanks as always for listening!

Zach Silverzweig is the CEO and Founder of TinyIvy, a startup that is focused on helping children and families learn to read English. Zach joins Mike in an exploration of why learning how to read English presents unique challenges and how the TIPS system developed by Zach and team helps make things better. We begin with Zach's origin story before diving into the complexities of English language learning. By adding unique diacritical symbols to letters to clarify pronunciation rules, the team at TinyIvy has borrowed insights from other languages to help crack the code on learning to read English. We get Zach's perspective on how this approach may transform things in the early childhood education system and how he sees things progressing in that space before shifting to get his take on new and emerging trends more broadly. Whether you're a parent, an educator, or someone curious about how learning to read works, there's a lot to gain out of listening to this episode. Thanks for taking the time.

Nicolle Merrill joins Mike to talk about acquiring skills, shifting careers, and overcoming fear and self-doubt. Nicolle is the author of the book Punch Doubt in the Face: How to Upskill, Change Careers, and Beat the Robots. She tells her story of career growth and lessons learned along the way. Nicolle is also the host of a podcast called 50 Conversations in which she explores career shifts, skill development, and the challenges of automation and disruptions in the workplace. Of course, there is talk of robots and some fascinating insights based on Nicolle’s recent experiences as a conversation designer who leverages her writing and creative skills to bring diverse perspectives to her teams that tend to consist of engineers with different skills, biases, and backgrounds. It’s a fascinating conversation that you won’t want to miss. Thanks again for listening.

Dr. Mark Sanders, a Senior Lecturer in Philosophy at UNC Charlotte, returns to the show to talk to Mike and Melissa about student voter engagement, the relevance of philosophy, and the importance of supporting faculty and the broader community. Mark describes the work that is being done by FacNet, the Faculty Voting Rights Engagement Network where he is on the Steering Committee. We explore how to drive student engagement in a way that is non-partisan but doesn't shy away from politically-charged topics. We also dig into how philosophy can help us navigate these difficult times and help hone the media literacy and critical thinking skills necessary the be engaged citizens. If you haven't voted yet, please do so. And from there, the real work of ongoing civic and student engagement can begin..

In a Special Fall 2020 K12 Education episode, Mike is joined by Sarah Darville, Matt Barnum, and Kalyn Belsha from Chalkbeat to talk through trends they've been seeing while reporting on K12 throughout the challenging year that is 2020. Chalkbeat is a nonprofit news organization committed to covering one of America's most important stories: the effort to improve schools for all children, especially those who have historically lacked access to a quality education. Sarah is the Managing Editor for Chalkbeat and she shares a broad perspective on how they've navigated this complex year with a local focus that can coalesce into national themes over time. Matt brings a sharp focus on educational research and policy while Kalyn reports on stories from the perspective of educators, parents, and students. Both Matt and Kalyn are Reporters with the National Desk at Chalkbeat. As we all look ahead towards the 2020 US Presidential Election in the coming week, the Chalkbeat team helps us get out ahead of what might be on the horizon for K12 Education in a rich and engaging conversation that concludes with a few lifehacks, cocktail tips, and a book recommendation from Sarah. In all, a wonderful conversation that you won't want to miss.

For this episode, Dr. Eric T. Weber joins Mike to talk about the importance of educational philosophy, especially in schools of education. Eric is a Professor of Philosophy at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, Kentucky. He's also one of the hosts of the radio show and podcast, Philosophy Bakes Bread, where he regularly raises relevant issues to explore with the help of a critical, philosophical mindset. Eric recently authored a 1-sheeter raising relevant philosophical questions about education in a time of crisis with further questions in which education is always in crisis. These questions were designed for a Society of Philosophers in America (SOPHIA) event but they are relevant for any of us grappling with the role of education in these challenging times. Eric provides a heartfelt perspective on what John Dewey would think if he were around today. Eric edited a book of essays by Dewey that is due out at the end of the year. We hope you enjoy this conversation. Thanks as always for listening.

Dr. Lorne Buchman, the President of ArtCenter College of Design and host of the Change Lab Podcast, joins Mike this week to share his experiences as a maker and the leader of an esteemed College of Art and Design. Lorne shares his origin story that is deeply steeped in the practical application of his education in the theater at Stanford University where he earned his doctorate. We touch on the power of humanistic psychology and the importance of building a culture where creatives can truly thrive to do their best work. Then we dive into how Lorne and team have delivered on the mission statement of ArtCenter which is "Learn to Create. Influence Change" both historically and particularly in the context of the challenging year that is 2020. We also get some of Lorne's perspective as a podcaster since he's been hosting Change Lab going on seven seasons now. Lorne is a visionary who to this day still thinks like a theatrical director. We feel privileged to have gotten access to his unique perspective on this episode. We hope you enjoy listening as much as we did pulling this episode together.

Dr. Jonathan Cohen joins Mike this week to explore the global trend of social emotional learning (SEL) and violence prevention in schools. Jonathan recently co-edited the book Feeling Safe in School through Harvard Education Press where he and team studied school climate and violence prevention programs in schools across 11 cultures spanning the globe. In our conversation, we explore Jonathan's origin story before digging into what can be learned by understanding how different cultures conceptualize and address many of the challenges children face by feeling unsafe in their schools. Jonathan explains the work he's doing with the International Observatory of School Climate and Violence Prevention as we tease out what folks are getting right and what they might be missing in the realm of school safety and violence prevention. We're happy to showcase the important work being done here to provide educators and students with the tools and techniques needed to foster safer, more effective learning environments. We hope you enjoy the conversation.

Maria Andersen, the Founder and CEO of Coursetune, joins Mike to talk about the importance of good instructional design and curriculum development to effective online learning. Maria walks us through her extensive and varied experiences ranging from teaching math at a community college, to working at Canvas, the large LMS company, to leading instructional design at Western Governors University (WGU) before founding Coursetune three years ago. We dig into the benefit of having a central place where courses can be mapped to learning objectives and visualized in a way that helps everyone understand with some detail the design thinking that has gone into the course. We conclude with some thoughts about how the pandemic has accelerated movement to online and how this can ultimately be a good thing once we address issues of access and equity. Thanks as always for listening.

Dr. Chad Goldberg, Professor of Sociology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, joins Mike to delve into the history and relevance of The Wisconsin Idea in understanding the role of a public university. Chad's written a book called Education for Democracy Renewing the Wisconsin Idea that is due out this Fall and we explore many of the relevant and timely themes covered in the book. Chad catches us up on the history of The Wisconsin Idea which dates back over 100 years and envisions the university's purpose as in service of the public and democracy. While it's called The Wisconsin Idea, the concept is broadly relevant to questions about the role of higher education today. Chad was the Instructor of Record when the course launched in 2016 and he's returned to lead the course again this year. We dive into how things have changed since 2016 and learn how the course design and related conversation have evolved in 2020. The public lecture series is accessible to everyone and can be found here. We hope you enjoy the conversation.

Dr. Neil Heffernan, the William Smith Dean Chair Professor at Worcestor Polytechnic Institute (WPI), joins Mike to talk about how his career interweaves great teaching, computer science, and "ASSISTments" - a set of digital tools designed to make homework assignment and evaluation more efficient. Neil tells us his origin story which includes meeting his wife Cristina while teaching and doing research in K12 Education right through their creation of the ASSISTments Foundation for which Neil serves as the Chair. We talk about the effective blending of artificial intelligence and human teaching to deliver next-level learning opportunities. We dive into the critical importance of the human elements of motivation, coaching, and inspiration in great teaching. We also discuss how Neil and team have been able to leverage a platform built on crowdsourced content to begin to truly scale ASSISTments to reach hundreds of thousands of students and how the pandemic has increased demand and usage. Neil and team are doing fascinating work. We hope you enjoy learning more about it!