Blending Technology and Education for Civic Engagement

As we kick off our 201st episode of the Silver Lining for Learning (SLL) webinar series, we're turning our attention to the future of education. Over the past 200 episodes, we've explored a wide range of topics and heard from educators, innovators, and learners from around the globe. Now, it's time to look ahead and imagine what's next for learning in our rapidly changing world. This episode will dive into some critical questions: How will technology shape the classrooms of tomorrow? What new approaches to teaching and learning are on the horizon? How can we ensure that education becomes more equitable and inclusive as it evolves?

To help us tackle these big questions, we've brought together four guests who are each making waves in different areas of educational research and scholarship. From rethinking how we use technology in schools to exploring new ways of training teachers, from leveraging AI for personalized learning to reimagining educational spaces, our panel has a wealth of insights to share. We'll hear from Dr. Marie Heath, Dr. Merve Basdogan, Dr. Seyedahmad Rahimi, and Priyank Sharma - each bringing their unique experiences and perspectives to the conversation. Join us for what promises to be a lively and thought-provoking discussion about where education is headed and how we can all play a part in shaping its future.

Our guests

Dr. Merve Basdogan is an Assistant Professor of Instructional Technology in the Department of Curriculum & Instruction at the College of Education, Texas Tech University. As a post-phenomenological scholar, Merve’s research focuses on a diverse array of topics, including the philosophy of technology, technology-enhanced teaching and learning environments, critical AI literacy, digital ethics, and cyberbullying. In 2023, Dr. Basdogan was awarded an AT&T Foundation Grant for her project, "Fostering Digital Literacy in Rural Communities: A University Student-led Technology Mentoring Program," which connects adults over 65 with teacher candidates in west Texas.

https://www.depts.ttu.edu/education/our-people/Faculty/merve_basdogan.php
https://www.linkedin.com/public-profile/settings?trk=d_flagship3_profile_self_view_public_profile

Dr. Marie Heath (she/her) is not a robot, but she refuses to prove it to Google’s CAPTCHA. She currently works as an Associate Professor of Learning Design and Technology at Loyola University Maryland. Prior to her work in higher education, Marie taught high school social studies in Baltimore County Public Schools. Her scholarship interrogates schools and technologies as current sites of encoded oppression, and labors to advance more just technological and educational futures. She is co-editor of the CITE Social Studies Journal, co-founder of the Civics of Technology project, and a faculty fellow at the Center for Leadership and Social Justice Education at Loyola University Maryland. If you ask generative AI a question about Marie, it replies with the Mariah Carey “I don’t know her” meme.

https://www.civicsoftechnology.org/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/marie-heath-a26870240/

Dr. Seyedahmad Rahimi is an Assistant Professor of Educational Technology at the University of Florida, where he directs the Game-based Assessment & Measurement in Education (GAME) Lab. His research enhances students' 21st-century skills, focusing on creativity, and STEM knowledge, focusing on physics, through technology-rich learning environments (e.g., educational games) using Stealth Assessment, Learning Analytics, and AI models. He holds a Ph.D. in Instructional Systems and Learning Technologies and M.S. in Educational Measurement and Statistics from Florida State University, and an M.A. from Multimedia University, Malaysia. Dr. Rahimi has extensive experience in instructional design, funded projects by IES and NSF, and has published and presented widely in top journals and conferences. His accolades include the Diane E. Haines Teaching Excellence Award from UF’s college of Education and recognition as one of the “rising stars” of creativity research by the Creativity Research Journal, where he now serves as an Associate Editor. He also consulted for the PISA 2021 Creative Thinking Assessment. Dr. Rahimi's AI in education work creates adaptive learning environments, supporting real-time, personalized student assessment and learning.

https://education.ufl.edu/faculty/rahimi-seyedahmad-ahmad/
https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=yDnHbAMAAAAJ&hl=en
https://www.linkedin.com/in/seyedahmad-rahimi-3870a673/

Priyank Sharma, an engineer turned educator, is a faculty at Indus Training and Research Institute where he trains teachers of IB and Cambridge Boards. Pursuing a Ph.D. in Education Policy at NIEPA, Priyank focuses on the "Grammar of Schooling" in alternative educational spaces. Priyank's career is marked by significant contributions to educational research, policy analysis, and grassroot implementation. Beyond academia, Priyank has played pivotal roles in various educational initiatives. His work at OpenCurriculum involved building edtech products aimed at enhancing curriculum and instruction delivery and learning science research for K-12 education. Priyank is an ambassador for HundrED, a global organization focused on educational innovation. And, he also serves as an advisor to organizations like CITTA India, and CoLab, where he mentors teams to create equitable and inclusive educational experiences.

priyankeducator.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/priyankeducator/