Trending In Education

Debbie Gibb is the Senior Managing Director of N Ventures at the New School for Social Research where she leads a team that's expanding access to Parsons School of Design. She joins host Mike Palmer in an exploration of her perspectives on innovation, partnerships, leadership, and higher education. Debbie tells her origin story and describes the innovation projects she leads that span online courses with companies like Coursera, 42 Courses, Future Learn and Yellow Brick to licensing deals to partnerships in K12 like their recent work with the City of Newark to launch Newark School of Fashion and Design. We look for lessons learned from Debbie's experiences at American Express and more recently at the New School as she provides advice and perspectives on the shifting world of work and the risks and opportunities facing the field of education in these transformative times. Subscribe to Trending in Education wherever you get your podcasts. Visit us at TrendinginEd.com for more incisive takes on the future of edu

With Elon Musk back in the news with his recent bid to take over Twitter, we take this opportunity to return to 2017 when we first began covering the mercurial CEO's exploits. Host Mike Palmer reflects on recent news including the Brooklyn Subway Shooting as well as Elon's attempt to acquire Twitter before we showcase highlights from two episodes with Mike, Dan Stafford, and Brandon Jones from the early days of Trending in Ed. We start by returning to Episode 38 from May of 2017 when we review Michael SImmons' article in Quartz which dives deep into how Musk learns with special attention to the concepts of learning transfer and growth mindset. From there, we hop to Episode 47 from July 2017 when we dig further into Neuralink, Musk's brain-computer interface company, and its implications on learning, cyborgs, and the sci-fi future of humanity. It's a zeitgeisty jaunt down memory lane with surprising insights into the news of today. Don't miss it! Subscribe to Trending in Education wherever you get your podcast

Frances Valintine is the CEO and Founder of both The Mind Lab and Tech Futures Lab, innovative education providers for adults wishing to upskill, reskill, stay relevant and embrace change. recently wrote her first book, titled Future You which is available in New Zealand and soon internationally. She joins host Mike Palmer in a conversation about skills, disruption, and future-proofing your career path with special attention to mid-career professionals. We begin by hearing Frances' origin story beginning in technology in London in the 1980s and a subsequent career path that has focused increasingly on education and the future of work. This leads to a conversation about The Mind Lab and Tech Futures Lab where mid-career professionals get targeted training in the skills and competencies needed to succeed in the rapidly evolving job market of the 21st Century. Frances shares her takes on leadership, managing through disruption, the skills economy, and more in a thought-provoking exploration of the realities of r

Matt Riley is the Co-Founder and CEO at Blueprint Prep where he is redefining lifelong professional prep for students and professionals in the medical and legal industries. He joins host Mike Palmer in an exploration of trends in medical education. We begin by hearing Matt’s origin story in LSAT test prep which culminated in the founding of Blueprint in the early 2000s. From there we learn how Matt has shifted the focus from Test Prep to lifelong professional education for the medical and legal professions. We learn how the pandemic has driven profound shifts in the dynamics of the employment landscape for the medical profession in particular, and how Blueprint is positioning itself in response to these changes. We also touch on a renewed focus on Physician’s Assistants, Nurse Practitioners, and Emergency Medicine within the healthcare field. We conclude by hearing Matt’s takes on emerging technology like chatbots, AI, VR, and predictive analytics in a free-flowing conversation on where the world of medical e

Chris Ryan and Leslie Kerner are the Cofounders of Silverquicken, a rigorous enrichment program for kids aged 9-13, that uses puzzles and immersive narrative to help kids learn while fostering a sense of wonder and fun in their studies. Chris and Leslie join host Mike Palmer to explain what led to the founding of the company and what it’s been like launching and iterating on the product set during a pandemic. We learn what drove Chris to write the story and characters that drive the experience of Silverquicken and why it provides a rich and engaging imaginative space for young learners who enjoy puzzles, fantasy storylines, and team-based collaborative play. We touch on emerging trends in education for an often-forgotten age range and delve into how the curriculum connects to our transformative times and the team’s perspectives on education and the future of work. It’s an imaginative exploration of the intersection between product design and learning innovation that you won’t want to miss. Subscribe to Trendi

Abby Falik is the Founder/CEO of Global Citizen Year (GCY), a non-profit organization that re-imagines the transition into adulthood as what it has the potential to be: a transformation. She joins host Mike Palmer to talk about what led her to found GCY and lead it in its mission to create a new generation of global leaders who learn through travel and use the formative transition into adulthood to shape values, identity, and purpose in ways that classroom learning alone cannot. Abby describes how her personal origins factored into the development of GCY and how the pandemic years have driven other transformations including the launch of Global Citizen Year Academy and the use of online tools and means of connecting. We also talk about Mackenzie Scott's recent $12M investment described in this Forbes article. We conclude with Abby’s perspectives on working with the rising generations and her outlook on what’s emerging on the horizon. It’s an inspirational, mission-based conversation that you won’t want to mis

Rahul Singh is the Head of the EdTech Business line at the Harbinger Group, a global provider of software products and services since 1990. Rahul joins host Mike Palmer in a conversation about emerging trends in educational technology including AR/VR and the Metaverse, AI, Robotics, and the Blockchain. We reference several of Rahul's articles including one exploring how AI can help with the massive skilling, upskilling, and reskilling challenges that are facing the industry and the private sector. We discuss the role higher ed and online universities might play in response to the significant needs in the skilling space. We also touch on the importance of teachers and other frontline educators and how AI should be seen as a support and not a threat to their roles in the future of work. It's an informed and insightful dive into the unprecedented investment and activity that we've seen in EdTech in light of the digital transformations driven by the pandemic. Listen in to gain insight into future trends in the le

Sam Smith and Clara Gillan from MedSchoolCoach join host Mike Palmer to talk about the power of audio as a learning tool. Sam hosts the hugely popular MCAT Basics podcast and Clara heads up Product for MedSchoolCoach. We hear of Sam’s humble beginnings in podcasting and how it and audio-based instruction has become a central component of the new MCAT Go product from MedSchoolCoach, which is designed as an Audio Learning Experience. In what ways is audio superior to video and other formats? How have learning contexts changed due to the pandemic and how might audio microlearning fit into the new ecosystem? What are folks' thoughts about AR/VR, AI, and immersive audio? Listen in to find out. We even touch on the possibilities of Neuralink, VR observation of surgery, and AI cochlear implants in an imaginative exploration of learning through our ears. Subscribe to Trending in Education wherever you get your podcasts. Visit us at TrendinginEd.com for more cutting-edge takes on the future of learning.

Sunil Gunderia is Chief Innovation Officer and Head of Mastery & Adaptive Products at Age of Learning, the makers of early childhood learning products like ABC Mouse. Sunil joins host Mike Palmer in a conversation about building a personalized learning platform ecosystem for early learners, parents, and educators. We begin by hearing Sunil's origin story including his formative stint with The Walt Disney Company before joining Age of Learning in 2013. From there we hear about the major problems we're facing in the US with roughly two-thirds of our children performing below standards in fourth-grade reading and math and how Age of Learning is working to address this. We explore how cross-functional teams of teachers, game designers, data scientists, psychometricians, and more work in concert to build compelling learning experiences for children ages 3-8. We also hear how using an evidence-based approach to build out a research program is indicating positive outcomes, especially for children from families with

Terri Givens, Daniel Harrison, and Tarlin Ray join host Mike Palmer for a live panel at SXSW EDU in Austin, Texas. Terri, a frequent guest on Trending in Ed, is the author of Radical Empathy and The Roots of Racism. She and Mike CoHosted This Week in Higher Ed in 2020 and 2021. Dan is the author of Live At Jackson Station and Making Sense of Marshall Leadbetter. He's the host of the new Palmer Media podcast Inside Jackson Station for which all of Season 1 is now available for binge-listening. And finally, Tarlin is the Founder and CoHost of Running It Back with Mike. He is the SVP of BigFuture at the College Board. We assemble this "miracle panel" to reflect on our collaborations over the past two years before digging into how creative projects require great narratives and storytelling to drive engagement and relevance in these challenging times. Then we pivot to thoughts on the challenges and threats facing education as we begin to lean back into a new normal that includes things like live conferences like S

Dr. Susan Walsh founded Globe Business College in Munich and has spent the last decade and a half perfecting a unique education model that centers on one on one, customized business education for the sons and daughters of family company owners. Susan joins host Mike Palmer in a conversation covering her experiences being born in Ireland, working in business, finance, and academia before founding Globe in 2006. We get her takes on the critical role of relationships and mentorship to a successful educational experience along with her perspectives from leading the college through the challenging period of the pandemic. Click here to read Dr. Walsh’s own thoughts on business education, disruption in the educational industry, and the business model that is customized, character/skill-developing, relationship-based business education. Subscribe to Trending in Education wherever you get your podcasts. Visit us at TrendinginEd.com for more thoughts on the future of learning.

Mike Palmer returns from SXSW EDU to reflect on what it was like producing Trending in Ed back in early 2020 when the Covid-19 pandemic was just hitting. Through excerpts from three episodes of Trending in Ed, we transport ourselves back to that challenging time to help put the past into perspective as we prepare to lean into the future. We begin by hearing sound from an episode with Dan Strafford and Mike in early February where we speculate about what's happening in Wuhan, China and how it may have a broader impact across the globe. Then we hear some of Mike's March 2020 interview with Bryan Alexander, the noted futurist who famously explored the possible impact of a plague on higher ed in his book, Academia Next: The Futures of Higher Education. It was zeitgeisty then and it still is now. Mike concludes with sound from his interview with Angela Siefer, the Executive Director of the National Digital Inclusion Alliance later in March as the first wave was taking root and Angela and team were rapidly shifting

Mike Palmer reports from the road in Austin, Texas to talk about missing bats, his quick takes on the SXSW EDU conference, and the challenges and opportunities of ambiversion before diving into Fast Company's list of the most innovative companies in education for 2022. Who made the list? Were there any surprises? Which company is Mike's personal favorite? And how do the skills economy, language learning, emerging technology, early childhood education, and even test prep factor into the thinking? Listen in to find out! Subscribe to Trending in Education wherever you get your podcasts. Visit us at TrendinginEd.com for more insightful and eclectic takes on the future of learning.

Daniel Harrison, Terri Givens, and Tarlin Ray will be joining host Mike Palmer for a live panel as part of SXSW EDU this week. In honor of that session, this episode showcases the work of each of them as we head into our panel together. We begin by hearing some sound from Inside Jackson Station, the new podcast based on Dan's book Live at Jackson Station: Music, Community, and Tragedy in a Southern Blues Bar. What began as an appearance on Trending in Ed in February of 2021 has now blossomed into a podcast of its own featuring stories and sounds from the artists and musicians who made Jackson Station such a special place. Then we hear Terri talk about her most recent book, The Roots of Racism: The Politics of White Supremacy in the US and Europe. which takes a comparative look at the problem of racism and white supremacy, tracing it from its roots in the 14th Century right up through George Floyd and the pandemic to provide a broader lens through which to understand the problems of today. We then conclude wit

Cody Gough is a podcaster and radio professional with years of experience at WGN in Chicago and most recently with the Discovery’s Curiosity Daily podcast. He joins host Mike Palmer in a conversation about podcasting, science communication, education, and emerging tech trends. We begin by hearing what got Cody into radio and how that ultimately led to Curiosity Daily where he served as Cohost and Producer for over 1000 episodes. While often described as science communication, Cody explains why he thinks of his role as that of a communicator. Then we get into emerging topics like Web 3c Quantum Computing, NFTs, psychedelia, and more. Cody shares his advice for communicators and aspiring podcasters in a free-flowing conversation about the new hotness that you won’t want to miss. Subscribe to Trending in Education wherever you get your podcasts Visit us at TrendingnEd com for more hot takes on what’s new and on the horizon in education and beyond.

In a star-packed panel to celebrate the culmination of Reading is Fundamental's Rally to Read, Alicia Levi, Orion Jean, Dr. Monica Brown, and Joanna Ho join host Mike Palmer in a roundtable discussion of the importance of reading and how representation matters when it comes to the stories we tell. We highlight the books Orion, Monica, and Jeannie have written and how they share common themes that are critical trends in children's literature these days. Orion talks about how he maintains balance as Time's Kid of the Year, an author of A Kids Book About Leadership, and an avid reader. We hear the story of Marisol McDonald Doesn't Match by Dr. Brown who wrote the story in part for her children so they could read about people like them. Joanna builds on this explaining how she felt invisible due to the omission of people like her in the stories she learned from as a child. This has led her to write books like Playing at the Border: A Story of Yo-Yo Ma and Eyes That Kiss in the Corners. We conclude with each panel

Ryan Craig is a Managing Director at Achieve Partners and University Ventures. Ryan’s commentary on where the puck is going in higher education regularly appears in the Gap Letter, Forbes, TechCrunch, Inside Higher Education, Fortune, HR Dive, and VentureBeat, among others. He is the author of A New U: Faster + Cheaper Alternatives to College, which describes the critical importance of last-mile training and the emergence of bootcamps, income share programs, staffing, and apprenticeship models as preferred pathways to good first digital jobs. Ryan returns to the podcast to join host Mike Palmer in a conversation about recent trends in the evolving post-secondary job ecosystem based on recent editions of the Gap Letter. How does Don’t Look Up relate to the need for more STEM leaders in Higher Ed? What sorts of criteria drive the investment theses for Achieve Partners? And what’s new and emerging in crypto and skills-based education that has Ryan’s wheels turning? Listen in to find out all of this and more. Sub

Dr. Jenny Nash is the Head of Education Impact US at LEGO Education. She joins Mike Palmer to discuss LEGO Education’s upcoming panel at SXSW EDU 2022 focused on how educators can bring joy back to learning. Along with details related to their upcoming panel, we discuss how STEAM programs are helping students explore future career possibilities, including details related to LEGO Education’s “Build to Launch” program with NASA, and how incorporating hands-on learning into curriculums can help students build confidence and 21st-century skills. It's a thought-provoking dive into STEAM and STEAM education from the iconic children's toy company that you won't want to miss. Subscribe to Trending in Education wherever you get your podcasts. Visit us at TrendinginEd.com for more cutting-edge content.

Dr. Louis Moore is a Professor of History at Grand Valley State University and the author of We Will Win the Day: The Civil Rights Movement, the Black Athlete, and the Quest for Equality. He’s also the host of The Black Athlete podcast and an excellent follow on Twitter. Lou joins host Mike Palmer in a conversation about the history of race and sports in the US. In a wide-ranging conversation that touches on current issues while connecting them back to lessons from history, we dig into the role of Black Athletes in the civil rights movement in the US from 1945-1968, the subject matter of We Will Win the Day. We connect that history to emerging stories of the day including Brian Flores’ class-action suit against the NFL. Then we conclude by getting Lou’s takes on what it’s like teaching through the pandemic and also raising his kids in these challenging times. It’s a relevant, authentic, and candid conversation that you won’t want to miss. Subscribe to Trending in Education wherever you get your podcasts. Visi

Karthik Ganusekaran is the Head of Product and Engineering at Udemy. He joins Mike Palmer to explore what it’s like working for the leading global online education platform in these tumultuous times. We hear what brought Karthik to this point in his professional life and get his perspectives on the emerging skills marketplace. Along the way we touch on hot new skills like Web 3 and the Blockchain, ringing the bell at NASDAQ, and the importance of having fun while continuing to upskill to stay relevant throughout one’s professional life. It’s an insightful deep dive into leading engineering at a global EdTech platform that you won’t want to miss. Subscribe to Trending in Education wherever you get your podcasts. Visit us at TrendinginEd.com for more cutting-edge perspectives on the future of education.