Host Mike Palmer rounds out our coverage of the ASU+GSV Summit with two shorter conversations recorded in San Diego with Diana Hughes and Sunil Gunderia from Age of Learning, the company behind educational products like ABCmouse and the classroom offerings MyMathAcademy and MyReadingAcademy. First we learn about Diana's background designing empathetic video games and how that translates to creating engaging educational experiences. She provides insights into blending AI with human...

Recorded while at the ASU+GSV Summit in San Diego, Joel Podolny, CEO and founder of Honor Education, joins host Mike Palmer to explore the importance of human connection in online learning environments. Joel shares his unique background, spanning from academic leadership in sociology and business management to roles at Apple University and Yale, and how these experiences have shaped his perspective on transformative learning. Key Takeaways: Honor Education is focused on creating a platform...

In this episode, we hear from Marshall Poe, founder and editor of the New Books Network, a podcasting network unlocking expertise and expanding access to learning. As a former Russian historian, Marshall recognized the gap between what experts know and what the public understands. He saw podcasting as a way to bridge this divide. The New Books Network started as an experiment in 2007 and has since grown into a vast network with over 150 podcasts and a thousand hosts. Marshall views the...

Mike Palmer takes us on a whirlwind tour through the recent ASU+GSV Summit and AIR Show in San Diego. We hear the buzzing energy of the events as Mike shares his hot takes and insider scoops fresh off the ground. The AI Revolution Show provided an intriguing glimpse into the new AI-powered products aiming to "supercharge" teachers' capabilities. Mike lauds the vision of positioning AI not as a replacement but as an empowering force operating "behind the teachers" to enhance their impact. As...

In the episode Mike Palmer hosts Erika Blumenthal, the Chief Operating Officer at Benefits Data Trust (BDT), and Daniel O'Donnell, the Associate Director of Higher Education at BDT. We discuss the organization's mission to help individuals access social safety net benefits in the U.S., with a focus on supporting college students and how they use a Chatbot named Wyatt to communicate benefits to higher ed students. Erika and Daniel share their professional backgrounds and how they ended up at...

This episode of Trending in Ed explores the explosive growth of AI in classrooms and workplaces. Host Mike Palmer interviews Tim Dasey, author of Wisdom Factories: AI, Games, and the Education of a Modern Worker, about the implications of these rapid changes. We discuss how AI can support novice learners, the potential risks and biases within AI systems, and the need for critical thinking skills to successfully interact with AI. Dasey emphasizes the importance of adapting our approach to...

In this engaging episode, Mike Palmer talks with Jean Desravines, CEO of New Leaders, about developing representative leadership in K12 schools. Jean shares his powerful origin story of how education and mentorship saved his life, allowing him to escape a dire path. We learn how New Leaders identifies and develops the next generation of transformative school leaders, with a focus on leaders of color. Jean provides fascinating insights into what makes an effective school leader, likening the...

Dr. Ken Carter is a Psychology Professor and the Founding Director of Emory's new Center for Public Scholarship and Engagement. He joins host Mike Palmer in a conversation about bridging the gap between academic research and the public through new initiatives to help academics translate their work for general audiences. Ken shares his own path from aspiring to be a TV anchorman to becoming a clinical psychologist skilled at making complex concepts accessible. The conversation then shifts to...

In this eye-opening episode, host Mike Palmer dives into the alarming rise in chronic absenteeism among U.S. students, as highlighted by a recent New York Times article. The conversation pivots to explore how AI-powered chatbots and personal virtual assistants like "Ed" from AllHere are being leveraged to combat this issue getting notice for their work in the LA Unified School Disctrict. Mike revisits his insightful 2021 interview with AllHere's founder Joanna Smith, who discusses the...

In this special episode recorded live at SXSW EDU 2024, host Mike Palmer moderates a powerful panel on breaking down silos in education. Featuring multilingual learning consultant Dana Gastich-French, special education expert Dr. DeShanna Reed, and parent coach Punam Saxena, the conversation dives into the trifecta of community, culture, and collaboration. Learn how to be a link, while busting silos across the K12 ecosystem. The panelists, who first met serendipitously at the prior year's...

Mike Palmer sits down with Spencer Russell, the founder and CEO of Toddlers CAN Read while at SXSW EDU, just after Spencer delivered a keynote there. Spencer shares his journey from being a kindergarten and first grade teacher to taking the leap and starting his own business focused on helping parents teach their toddlers to read. We explore his motivational, step-by-step methodology that breaks down the process into simple, actionable steps that engage both parents and children. Here's the...

In a lively and thought-provoking session at SXSW EDU 2024, Mike Palmer, host of the Trending in Education podcast, and a panel of experts delve into the "Sweet 16" of learning trends for the year. The discussion covered a wide range of topics, from hyper-personalized learning and the role of AI in education to the importance of mental models and the responsibility of being an "accomplice" in driving positive change. The panelists, including Melissa Griffith from Kaplan, Beth Rudden from BAST...

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...

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...

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...

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,...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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,...

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...

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...

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...