Trending In Education

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 subsc

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

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 epis

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

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.