Trending In Education

In this thought-provoking episode, Mike Palmer welcomes education journalist Laura Pappano to discuss her new book School Moms: Parent Activism, Partisan Politics and the Battle for Public Education. Laura shares her experiences attending Moms for Liberty summits, witnessing alarming rhetoric portraying public schools as indoctrination centers. She also touches on the work she is doing at the New Haven Student Journalism. While marketed as a grassroots parent movement, we learn Moms for Liberty is well-funded by far-right groups aiming to shift the political balance of local school boards. Laura recounts the transformation from 2022 to 2023 summits, with protestors surrounding the latter event in Philadelphia amid heightened tensions. The conversation highlights how extremist tactics like book bans and policies stripping educator authority threaten public education's democratic foundations. We explore the concerning nationalization of these trends, with local school boards becoming partisan battlegrounds dis

Edward Hanapole leads the media and entertainment practice at Alvarez and Marsal. He brings a unique perspective to his conversation with host Mike Palmer, having worked across major media sectors including education, publishing, and broadcast. We discuss how media companies are adapting to direct-to-consumer models in a post-pandemic world. Edward notes they are having an "existential moment" realizing they must operate more like technology companies. He sees parallels in education's shift to digital experiences. Students now expect education delivered differently, more like media and entertainment content. Hanapole believes focusing on the consumer is key for both media and education. Investments target enhancing the user experience while ensuring educational rigor. We explore how artificial intelligence can aid creation of lessons and personalization. However, entertainment value shouldn't overwhelm learning objectives and outcomes. Stealth learning that sneaks in education while engaging users has potenti

Bruce Dahlgren, CEO of Anthology, joins host Mike Palmer for an edtech discussion informed by Bruce's extensive IT background and higher ed governance along with his vision for the growth of the platform. With over four decades across enterprise software, data infrastructure, fintech (financial technology), and cybersecurity, Bruce brings valuable outside perspective to leading this major edtech player. He shares unique insights on leveraging AI, analytics, and integrated platforms to enable personalized, seamless learning. Bruce discusses Anthology's ecosystem spanning the Blackboard LMS (learning management system), ERP (enterprise resource planning), CRM (customer relationship management), and more. As a technology expert and voice in higher ed governance, Bruce makes the case that AI and analytics can create a more holistic student journey from recruitment to career outcomes and alumni engagement. Key themes include using Anthology's AI Design Assistant for quickly building courses, its ethical AI framewo

Dr. John Harnisher, who leads the education practice at DataKind joins host Mike Palmer in a conversation about how data science can drive social impact in education. Having known each other for over 10 years, we have an engaging conversation reflecting on John's journey in the learning field. John gives us an inside look at DataKind's mission of bringing data science and AI capabilities to social impact organizations. He shares a case study from their work with John Jay College in New York, where they built machine learning models to predict which students were at risk of not graduating. By providing this data to academic advisors, John Jay was able to improve graduation rates by 30%. We discuss the importance of keeping humans involved when implementing AI, rather than just optimizing for the technology. We also cover topics including trust in data, the hype cycle around AI, and how to measure impact. John emphasizes that we should focus AI on core problems facing education organizations, not just chase the

In this episode, host Michael Palmer welcomes back Dr. Bror Saxberg, Founder of LearningForge, to continue their exploration of learning and its implications for the future. We dig into core concepts like working memory vs long-term memory, deliberate practice and the 10,000 hour rule, and what the latest research reveals about differences (and similarities) in learning rates. Dr. Saxberg emphasizes the brain's lifelong neuroplasticity and potential for acquiring new skills and knowledge. The conversation then shifts to expertise more broadly, including how cognitive scientists study it and the decline in professional skill "half-lives." Bror and Michael discuss organizational training, creativity from combinatorial expertise, and the unique human capacity for shared meaning. We explore how improving learning environments and motivation, per a recent study, can help accelerate expertise development across all levels of learners. The episode wraps with optimism about human potential to gain new competencies an

In this week's episode of Trending in Education, Ryan Craig, author of the new book Apprentice Nation: How the "Earn and Learn" Alternative to Higher Education Will Create a Stronger and Fairer America, joins host Mike Palmer to dive into how "earn and learn" models like apprenticeships can bridge the growing experience gap facing young workers seeking their first good job. Craig makes a compelling case for why apprenticeships should be a mainstream option for high school graduates, not just a pathway for trade occupations. He argues apprenticeships can provide the work experience and skills training needed to prepare young people for high-demand roles in fields like cybersecurity, healthcare, and software development while presenting a less risky alternative to the loan-based approach that predominates in higher education. The discussion reveals how apprenticeships have languished in the US compared to countries like Switzerland and Germany. Craig advocates passionately for greater government investment an

Get pumped! The Trending in Education crew is heading to SXSW EDU 2024 to kick off the podcast stage in style. Mike Palmer will be joined by his dream team of past guests - his wife, information scientist Dr. Robin Naughton, enterprise strategy expert Melissa Griffith, and AI authority Beth Rudden. This all-star panel will break down the top trends for 2024 and launch their annual March Madness brackets, where you get to vote on the #1 trend of the year. Will AI and ethics lead the pack? Or will an underdog like the creator economy take the crown? Get the inside scoop on each panelist and a preview of the hot topics they'll be bringing to the stage. You'll hear Mike and Robin connect as parents and educators navigating our changing times. Melissa will draw on her expertise across higher ed and workforce development to spotlight key shifts. And Beth will ground the AI hype in human needs and social science highlighting her work with Bast AI and her book AI For the Rest of Us. No matter what brings you to SXSW

In this episode of Trending in Education, we explore how to keep students, teachers, and parents connected in the learning process. Our guest is Matt Given, CEO of Seesaw, an edtech platform focused on early childhood education. We refer to this white paper from Seesaw during the conversation. Given explains how Seesaw aims to capture the tactile, joyful moments of real-world learning through photos, videos, and voice recordings. This multimedia capturing allows teachers to share authentic examples of student progress across each child's learning network - not just test scores, but videos of them reading aloud, showing marked improvement from the beginning to the end of the year. Given notes this is especially powerful for parents, even those overseas, to see tangible evidence of their children's growth. Throughout the discussion, we explore principles for quality K-6 education laid out in Seesaw's white paper. Given stresses that technology should facilitate, not replace, human connections. Edtech tools lik

In this episode of Trending in Education, we talk with Brian Rosenberg, author of the new book Whatever It Is, I'm Against It: Resistance to Change in Higher Education. Rosenberg is the President Emeritus of Macalester College and a Visiting Professor at Harvard's Graduate School of Education. We discuss the paradox of why higher education, which often speaks of transformation, is actually highly resistant to change. Rosenberg outlines the stark economic realities facing many colleges today, with unsustainably high tuition discount rates and declining demographics. He argues we've reached an untenable situation of economic unsustainability and unacceptable outcomes, especially for underrepresented students. Powerful campus stakeholders like administrators and tenured faculty have little motivation to push for dramatic reforms that could threaten their positions. Meanwhile, marginalized groups like non-tenure track faculty and students lack power, despite having the greatest desire for change. Rosenberg calls

On this week's episode of Trending in Education, we chat with Nicolle Merrill about conversation design, AI literacy, and preparing for the impacts of artificial intelligence in the workplace. Nicolle is the founder of The Boring AI Company, where she teaches organizations about AI. But Nicolle also has hands-on experience designing conversational AI, having worked on chatbots and voice assistants prior to the release of chatGPT and other large language models. We discuss how Nicolle has had to evolve her own career as these new AI capabilities have emerged. The hype around "prompt engineering" as a new lucrative career, she notes, doesn't match reality. Prompt engineering is an important skill but not a standalone job paying hundreds of thousands per year. A big focus of our conversation is around AI literacy and skills needed to work with AI. Nicolle outlines a framework for understanding how AI works, how it's applied, and what impact it has. Critical thinking and communication skills are key. We have to g

How can higher education evolve to better prepare graduates for the rapidly transforming world of work? On this episode, host Mike Palmer talks with Brandon Busteed, the newly appointed CEO of BrandEd, about the future of colleges and universities in bridging the gaps between education and career readiness. They discuss today's challenges facing higher ed, including rising costs, student debt, doubts about graduate preparedness, and political polarization. Brandon explains how BrandEd's model focuses on more relevant, experiential education through partnerships with iconic brands like Sotheby's, New York Times, and Condé Nast. He shares how this approach can provide uniquely transformative learning focused on work-integrated opportunities. Exploring the future of work disruption, Brandon stresses the importance of constant learning and upskilling. He talks about the need for more long-term "cathedral building" in education focused on fundamentals, despite rapid change, and the blurring of distinctions between

In this episode of Trending in Education, we speak with Michael Strawser, an associate professor of communication at the University of Central Florida. He provides insights and practical tips on delivering effective instructional communication. Strawser explains how the field of instructional communication examines how communication impacts learning in all instructional contexts. He notes that clear communication is key for instructing audiences amidst our cluttered media landscape. Strawser aims to diminish student emails by proactively addressing their questions through clear assignment instructions and weekly overview videos. Building rapport and relationships with students can help remove barriers to learning, Strawser says. He suggests simple rapport-building techniques like using student names in emails and following up on personal anecdotes they share. Strawser also cautions against assumptions that younger generations are inherently tech-savvy. He cites a survey where managers felt Gen Z lacked techni

In this special episode, host Mike Palmer is interviewed by Dr. Whitney Green from Kiddom about the use of AI and ChatGPT in the classroom. We discuss how AI and generative technologies like ChatGPT came about through advancements in computing power and neural networks. While some educators have concerns about introducing these technologies too quickly, Mike and Whitney explore the potential benefits of using AI to personalize learning and support teachers. We talk about establishing parameters and getting parental consent to use ChatGPT responsibly in schools. Mike suggests teachers try out the technology personally first to understand it. He says AI could help teachers by automating repetitive tasks so they can focus more on coaching and motivating students. Whitney emphasizes becoming knowledgeable about AI tools to use them effectively for students' learning needs. Overall, Mike and Whitney encourage being open-minded, finding trusted resources, and connecting with other educators to thoughtfully adopt AI

In this week's episode of Trending in Education, host Mike Palmer has an enlightening conversation with learning science expert Bror Saxberg. As founder of Learning Forge, Saxberg knows a tremendous amount about how learning happens in the brain, and he shares his wisdom in this episode by applying that knowledge to parenting. Resources cited in this episode: The Brain Story from the Palix Foundation: https://www.albertafamilywellness.org/what-we-know/the-brain-story/ Harvard Center for the Developing Brain: https://developingchild.harvard.edu/ Dick Clark and Bror Saxberg on Motivation: https://riverapublications.com/article/engineering-motivation-using-the-belief-expectancy-control-framework Episode Summary: Right from the start, Bror stresses the importance of "serve and return" interactions with babies and toddlers. By responding to a child's vocalizations, gestures, and interests with talk, touch and emotion, parents help build key communication circuitry in their children's brains. Language e

Meredith Halpern-Ranzer, Co-Founder and CEO of the kids' podcasting company Tinkercast, joins host Mike Palmer in a conversation about learning, podcasts, and how to reach children and their grown-ups with compelling educational content. We begin by hearing Meredith's background creating educational media for children at places like Sesame Workshop and PBS Kids Sprout. After recognizing the decline of linear television, she teamed up with radio host Mindy Thomas and podcaster Guy Raz in 2017 to launch Tinkercast and its flagship science podcast Wow in the World. The conversation covers the learning benefits of audio, especially regarding comprehension, engagement and creativity. Meredith explains how Tinkercast turns real scientific research into entertaining, sound-rich stories, fostering curiosity and critical thinking skills. We discuss various Tinkercast shows like the game show Two Whats and a Wow and the music podcast Flip and Mosey's Guide to How to Be an Earthling. Meredith also details their new clas

Geoffrey M. Roche is the inaugural Director of Workforce Development at Siemens Healthineers. He joins host Mike Palmer to explore the intersection of healthcare and education, discussing emerging trends related to the healthcare workforce. Geoffrey outlines some of the pressing challenges facing healthcare employers today, including recruitment, retention, and upskilling issues exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. We discuss the importance of investing in ongoing education and training for all healthcare workers, not just those at the top, to advance equity and mobility within the industry. Geoffrey envisions innovations like virtual nursing, automation, and robotics playing an increased role in healthcare delivery while still preserving the critical human connection between patients and caregivers. However, with an aging population and workforce, imminent nurse shortages, and underrepresentation in the talent pipeline, the industry must act creatively and collaboratively to meet demand. Geoffrey encourages

In this episode of Trending in Education, host Mike Palmer interviews Tade Oyerinde, the founder and chancellor of Campus.edu, an organization providing accessible pathway programs powered by professors from top universities. Tade shares how his unconventional homeschooling background and later experiences meeting impoverished adjunct professors sparked his interest in transforming higher education. After a failed startup attempt, Tade found purpose in creating custom ed tech solutions for universities. Seeing adjunct faculty struggles and low community college completion rates firsthand, Tade acquired a small Sacramento college to test a new model - pairing exemplary professors from elite institutions with community college students for synchronous online courses. Operating out of this accredited campus "lab," Tade and his team leverage their tech and entrepreneurial expertise to increase access, completion rates and career outcomes. They provide wraparound supports modeled after successful programs like CUN

Eunice Ofori has a unique background, hailing originally from Ghana where she was an educator for 20 years. She immigrated to the U.S. in 2011 when her husband began his PhD program, intrigued by the American education system and efforts to provide accommodations for students with disabilities. This was lacking in Ghana and a key motivator for Eunice. She went on to pursue her own PhD research on optimizing instructional messaging for mobile devices, examining it through both an accessibility lens and a learning lens. Now at Tulane University, Eunice works to promote innovation and accessibility in education. As a Senior Instructional Designer and Faculty Program Coordinator, she created a Universal Design for Learning summer academy to increase faculty understanding of UDL principles and how to apply them in course design. She also sees potential for AI tools like ChatGPT to serve as assistive technologies, allowing flexible engagement with content whether via text, visuals or other modalities. While UDL has

Melissa Turnbaugh is a Partner at architecture firm PBK where she serves as National Education and Innovation Leader. She joins host Mike Palmer in a conversation about how architects approach designing K-12 learning spaces in a rapidly changing world, emphasizing the need for flexibility and personalization. Turnbaugh outlines emerging trends like outdoor classrooms along with integrating artificial intelligence and virtual reality technologies. She stresses designing schools to be learner-centric instead of teacher-centric, creating spaces tailored to neurodiversity and social-emotional needs. When asked about advice for education careers, Turnbaugh advocates being open to transformation and learning from outside perspectives. Throughout the conversation, she expresses gratitude for the challenging work educators do and seeks to support them through thoughtful design. Subscribe to Trending in Education wherever you get your podcasts. Visit us at TrendinginEd.com for more sharp takes on the future of learnin

To kick off the end of year holiday season and wrap up Thanksgiving, we reflect on the importance of gratitude and why and how we should cultivate it. We might even warm some cockles along the way. Mike explores the neuroscience showing gratitude boosts dopamine, serotonin, and mood based on an article by Kayla Barnes. We feature sound from Matthew Palmer and Robin Naughton to make it a real family affair. We are grateful for the opportunity to engage with thought-provoking conferences and have rich conversations with guests throughout the year. Then Mike refers back to teacher Rebecka Peterson's "one good thing" practice from a keynote from the Smithsonian EDU Conference over the summer. Gratitude can be learned and it can be taught. We thank our listeners and close out with highlights from our virtual co-hosts who have contributed unique perspectives over the year. Thanks to our listeners for listening and helping the conversation grow and evolve. We very much appreciate you! Subscribe to Trending in Educat