Trending In Education

LIVE! from the Harbor Terrace at ASU+GSV 2026 in San Diego, Mike Palmer sits down with Victoria Weinfeld, Vice President of Enrollment, Marketing, and Sales at Edconic. In this fast-paced environment of "drinking from a fire hose," Victoria shares the evolution of Edconic (formerly known as BrandED) and its unique mission to bridge the gap between traditional education and the future of work. Edconic specializes in creating industry-immersive programs alongside some of the world’s most recognizable brands, including Vogue, The New York Times, Sotheby’s, Manchester City, and their newest partner, Mayo Clinic. Victoria explains how these partnerships go beyond simple guest lectures; they involve co-designing curriculum with practitioners to ensure students gain the hands-on, practical skills that employers frequently find lacking in early-career workers . Whether it’s high school students touring the New York Times newsroom or master’s students graduating at a Sotheby’s auction house, the focus remains on expe

Recorded LIVE! on the Harbor Terrace at the ASU+GSV Summit in San Diego, Mike Palmer is joined by Dr. Steven Taylor, Policy Director and Senior Fellow for Economic Mobility at Stand Together Trust. Steve brings a unique perspective to the table, combining a national philanthropic lens with his roles on the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia and the National Advisory Committee for Institutional Quality and Integrity (NACIQI). The conversation captures the shifting energy of the summit, moving away from the peak of AI hype toward what Steve calls "optimistic skepticism" - a more mature look at how technology can practically transform learning while remaining grounded in the reality of its current limitations. The discussion explores the potential of AI to revolutionize the K-12 experience, using examples like Austin’s Alpha School to show how personalized learning can compress the school day, allowing students more time to pursue their passions. Steve and Mike tackle the difficult questions of eq

Mike Palmer catches up with Ruth Bauer, President of InsideTrack, amidst the sun and high-stakes energy of San Diego for the ASU+GSV conference. Ruth shares her transition from a first-generation college student and mall-employed English major to an e-learning "OG" (like Mike) to leading a powerhouse in student success at InsideTrack. The conversation dives into the "secret sauce" of Inside Track: a potent mix of technology and deep human connection. Ruth explains how coaching supports the entire student journey, from first-time enrollment to the critical "some college, no degree" population. With more than 40 million Americans in that category, the stakes for economic mobility never felt higher. They tackle the AI elephant in the room with a grounded perspective. While AI handles midnight brainstorming and routine "nudges," humans remain the essential partners for navigating the mountains of the student experience. Ruth argues that coaching doesn't just get a student through a semester—it teaches them to c

Coming to you live from the harbor terrace in sunny San Diego, Mike Palmer sits down with Karl Rectanus, the new CEO of Really Great Reading, amidst the buzz of the ASU+GSV Summit. Between views of sailboats and silver-lined clouds, the duo digs into why literacy remains the fundamental building block of the educational system and how we might finally be cracking the code on systemic improvement. Karl shares his unique path to leadership, which began with chasing a girl to Australia and starting a digital Q&A service for children museums during the 2000 Sydney Olympics. This early taste of working through the system to help students sparked an entrepreneurial journey that led him to found LearnPlatform in 2014, where he pioneered rapid cycle evaluation to determine if EdTech tools actually work. Now, after LearnPlatform’s acquisition by Instructure, Karl is focusing his energy on a 20-year-old organization dedicated to the science of reading. The conversation highlights the "Mississippi Marathon," a state-l

LIVE! from the ASU+GSV Summit, Mike Palmer catches up with College Board President Jeremy Singer against the backdrop of the San Diego marina to dive into the launch of Jeremy's new podcast, The Education Equation. Produced by Mike, this new series aims to bring a much-needed level of scientific rigor to the education space, drawing inspiration from data-heavy health and fitness media to identify scalable, evidence-based practices that actually move the needle for students. Jeremy shares candid insights from his 13-year tenure, detailing how the College Board moved from a culture of slow stability to one of lean, COVID-tested responsiveness and agility. The two discuss the "seismic impact" of generative AI on assessment integrity, the dangers of AI slop in professional work, and highlights from Jeremy’s early conversations with heavy hitters like Sal Khan and Daniel Willingham. From the "last infinite mile" of implementation to the necessity of statistical literacy, this live conversation captures the high-s

We’re back in Austin for the 2026 SXSW EDU "March Madness of Learning Trends" LIVE panel. Host Mike Palmer is joined by AJ Gutierrez (CEO of Equal Opportunity Schools), Jasmine Maze (Senior Managing Director at Teach for America’s Reinvention Lab), and Justin Serrano (CEO of Littera Education) to reveal a bracket of 16 trends shaping the future of education. The conversation moves past the usual AI hype to focus on human capital and accountability. Justin Serrano introduces the "outcomes economy," describing a shift in procurement where school districts move away from buying software and toward outcomes-based contracting that holds providers accountable for student results. AJ Gutierrez highlights the continued efficacy of high-impact tutoring, noting that regular personalization within the school day remains one of the most rigorously evaluated and successful approaches to K-12 recovery. Jasmine Maze provides a necessary critique of AI as a simple productivity engine. She argues for a focus on "teacher eff

When the house is on fire, you don't want to be reading the manual for the first time. On this episode of Trending in Education, Mike Palmer sits down with Jeff Hunt, the founder of Legend Labs and a professor at the University of Texas, to discuss the high-stakes world of crisis communication in higher education . Jeff brings a unique perspective shaped by 18 years at a global firm and a career spent managing issues across the world, from Seoul to London . His deep dive into higher education began with the reputational recovery of Penn State after the Jerry Sandusky crisis, a "trial by fire" that revealed how techniques from global world crises could be adapted to the university setting . In an era of hyper-connectivity and a "nanosecond news cycle," Jeff argues that the old ways of managing a narrative are gone . He breaks down his book, Brand Under Fire, and a new playbook centered on five core principles: Authenticity, Transparency, Speed, Agility, and Creativity . We explore how leaders can move from a

Mike Palmer and virtual co-host Nancy are back from the podcast stage at SXSW EDU in Austin, Texas. In this special update, we break down the Sweet 16 of Learning Trends and announce which four have fought their way into the Final Four. This episode explores the collective zeitgeist of the education world, from the challenges of chronic absenteeism to the futuristic potential of vibe coding and agentic intelligence. The conversation begins with a look at the trends submitted by AJ Gutierrez of Equal Opportunity Schools. AJ highlights the pressing issue of chronic absenteeism in K-12 and the need for work pathway alignment. He also makes a strong case for high-impact tutoring and the responsible integration of AI to keep humanity at the center of the classroom. Next, the duo dives into insights from Jasmine Maze and Sunanna Chand of Teach For America's Reinvention Lab. We discuss teacher efficiency not just as an operational goal, but as a relational unlock. This segment covers the rise of vibe coding, the c

How do we bridge the communication gap between schools and families in an increasingly fragmented digital world? In this episode of Trending in Education, Mike Palmer is joined by Anu Vaid, the founder of ParentSquare, to explore the evolution of school-home partnerships over the last 15 years. Anu shares her journey as a computer engineer and immigrant parent who was overwhelmed by the disjointed tools of the K-12 system, from papers stuffed in backpacks to disparate robocalls and long emails . Today, ParentSquare serves over 22 million student families, providing a unified platform where everyone from the principal and teachers to the nurse and the librarian can speak with one voice . We dive into how technology can foster authentic human connection rather than just "checking a box," moving toward a positive school climate that supports every student. Key Takeaways:

What if everything we’ve been told about math education is backwards? In this episode of Trending in Education, Mike Palmer is joined by Ted Dintersmith,venture capitalist, filmmaker, and author of the upcoming book Aftermath: The Life-Changing Math That Schools Won't Teach You to discuss why our schools are still teaching low-level math mechanics that phones and AI already do perfectly. You can learn more about Ted's work at What Schools Could Be. Ted shares his journey from the world of high-tech innovation to becoming a "code red" alarmed citizen advocate for radical school change. We dive into how high-stakes exams are inadvertently training students to compete with AI in areas where computers are unbeatable, while ignoring the creative and conceptual math, like probability, decision-making frameworks, and estimation, that actually shapes lives. From Moneyball statistics to the dangers of misinterpreting healthcare data, Ted explains why math should be a tool for empowerment rather than a metric for pun

Is Abundance Inevitable? A 100-Year Vision with McKinsey’s Chris Bradley What if the "Black Mirror" version of the future is wrong? In this episode, Mike Palmer talks with Chris Bradley, Senior Partner at McKinsey and Director of the McKinsey Global Institute (MGI), about his new book, A Century of Plenty: A Story of Progress for Generations to Come. Chris breaks down the "Machine of Progress" and explains why a "strategic optimism" mindset is essential for navigating the next century. We explore a future where global prosperity could reach Swiss standards, the radical shifts in our demographics, and why AI might actually make us more human. Key Takeaways:

Get the inside scoop on SXSW EDU 2026 as Mike Palmer sits down with Kayla Meyers from SXSW EDU to preview what’s heading to Austin this March. From a reimagined city-wide footprint to the biggest podcast stage lineup yet, we’re breaking down why this year is a must-attend for anyone in the education ecosystem. Kayla shares her journey from museum curator to the mastermind behind the conference's "impeccable vibes," offering a deep dive into the trends shaping the 2026 program. What we covered:

In this episode of Trending in Education, host Mike Palmer welcomes Tara Chklovski, the founder and CEO of Technovation, a global nonprofit that has been at the intersection of AI and education since 2016. Tara shares her journey from growing up in India to pursuing a PhD in aerospace engineering and eventually launching a mobile entrepreneurship program just two years after the iPhone debuted. The conversation dives into the Technovation accelerator model, a three-month program for girls and young women ages 8 to 24. Tara explains how the program empowers students to identify real-world problems in their communities and build tech-based startups to solve them. We discuss the importance of fostering a problem-solving mindset, the critical role of human mentorship in an AI-driven world, and why the "personalized learning" trend might be too narrow a lens for the future of education. Key Insights:

In a world of constant digital inundation, attention has become the new "scarce water in the desert". This episode explores how to reclaim that focus by looking at the intersection of high-stakes Hollywood storytelling and the science of optimal experience. Host Mike Palmer is joined by Steven Puri, founder and CEO of The Sukha Company. Before building tools for deep work, Puri was a senior executive at major motion picture studios, overseeing production on blockbusters like Independence Day and Braveheart, and managing franchises like Die Hard and Wolverine. He shares how the same rigorous focus required to produce massive films can be applied to modern productivity through the concept of Flow—a state popularized by psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. The conversation delves into the "tug of war" for our attention, where trillion-dollar companies utilize behavioral psychology to keep us distracted. Puri breaks down actionable strategies to push past "human slop" and rote activity, moving instead toward m

K-12 leadership is currently navigating a "perma-crisis". From the lingering disruptions of a global pandemic to the sudden integration of generative AI, the demands on school principals and superintendents have evolved far beyond the traditional focus on "books, butts, and buses". In this episode of Trending in Ed, Mike Palmer sits down with Dr. Lisa Herring, the CEO of New Leaders and a veteran superintendent who led major districts like Atlanta Public Schools and Birmingham City Schools through some of the most turbulent years in recent memory. Dr. Herring shares her perspective on the "problem of practice" facing education today: the critical need for a leadership pipeline that can bridge the gap between traditional instruction and the rapidly shifting needs of the modern workforce. She discusses the "invisible culture" of leading remote districts, the importance of upskilling educators in the age of AI, and why she believes standardized testing is a relic of the past. This conversation is a call to acti

On this episode of Trending in Ed with Mike Palmer, unlock the secrets of the reading brain and the future of educational technology in this deep dive with Dr. Ola Ozernov-Palchik. A researcher at Boston University's Wheelock College of Education and Human Development and MIT’s McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Dr. Ola sits at the cutting edge of cognitive neuroscience and the science of reading.

In this episode of Trending in Education, Mike Palmer welcomes Andrew Sliwinski, Global Head of Product Experience for LEGO Education, on the day of a major product launch. Together, they explore the intersection of physical play and artificial intelligence, revealing how LEGO is redefining AI literacy for the next generation. Andrew shares his winding career path from tutoring in Detroit to directing Scratch at MIT and serving on the board of the Raspberry Pi Foundation. The conversation dives into LEGO Education’s new Computer Science and AI curriculum, a hands-on, privacy-first platform designed for students from kindergarten through eighth grade.

Paul Fain, the founder of Work Shift and author of The Job newsletter, returns to Trending in Education for a look at the state of workforce development in 2026. He describes a challenging environment for early-career professionals where emerging technologies are driving significant shifts in hiring and job stability. While four-year degree holders often dominate the media discourse, Paul emphasizes the critical need to report on non-degree workers, particularly those in clerical and administrative roles who face high risks from automation. The episode also explores the rise of "Generation Tool Belt", characterized by a growing interest in skilled trades as young people seek paths that feel more insulated from the knowledge-economy's disruption. This surge in interest has led to waiting lists for community college trade programs, highlighting the importance of reinvesting in this often-overlooked localized infrastructure. In healthcare, the discussion focuses on the frontline workforce, such as certified n

How do we prepare Gen Z for a workforce being reshaped by Artificial Intelligence? Recorded live from the National Youth Apprenticeship Summit in Alexandria, Virginia, this episode explores the "Wild West" of the modern innovation economy and the vital role of youth apprenticeships in building future-ready career pathways. This special episode is made possible by our sponsors: CareerWise, a leader in high-quality modern youth apprenticeship systems, and PAYA (Partnership for the Advancement of Youth Apprenticeship), a collaborative initiative assisting partners in developing robust apprenticeship programs across the U.S.. Host Mike Palmer is joined by three experts to discuss the intersection of emerging technology, educational equity, and early career development: Shalin Jyotishi, Managing Director of the Future of Work and Innovation Economy Initiative at New America, explains how technology drives long-term economic growth and why strengthening the link between tech-based growth and economic security

In this episode, host Mike Palmer welcomes back Dr. Eddie Watson to discuss the rapidly evolving landscape of AI in higher education. Following the release of the second edition of his book, Teaching with AI: A Practical Guide to a New Era of Human Learning, Eddie shares insights from working with nearly 200 campus teams on transitioning from AI-resistant assignments to AI-integrated pedagogy. Here's the link to Eddie's first appearance. Key Takeaways: Beyond Academic Integrity: While cheating remains a concern, the conversation is shifting toward AI literacy as an essential learning outcome to prepare students for an AI-integrated workforce. The "Calculus" of Cheating: In high-stakes environments, students often feel a competitive disadvantage if they don't use AI. Pedagogical Transparency: If faculty ban AI for specific assignments, they must explain the "why" (e.g., building foundational skills) to encourage student compliance Backward Design: Eddie advocates for starting with the desired learning out