Trending In Ed with Mike Palmer

Mike welcomes old friend, Brandon Jones, back to the show to talk about Steve Brown's prediction that we'll see more disruptive innovation in the next 10 years than we've seen in the previous forty. Layering in the likelihood that human creativity and lateral thinking will outstrip AI's capabilities in that regard for the next 10 years, how should we take a longer view when making plans for the future everything? Mike and Brandon aim to bring some 2030 Farsight to bear as we peer into possible futures for the 2020s on this week's show.Play with your head up, avoid stagnating danger zones, and have a listen!

Mike and Melissa talk about the idea espoused by futurist, Steve Brown, that the next ten years will see more innovation and disruption than the previous forty. This is driven in part by advances in artificial intelligence and sensors which will allow for a transformation in healthcare that we dig into a bit. The pair also explore a recent Fast Company article by Tim Schwiesfurth and Rene Chester Goduscheit that purports that human intelligence will likely continue to be more creative than AI for the foreseeable future.What are the potential implication of all of this to the future of work, the world, and everything? Listen in to find out how to stay sharp and frisky in the transformative decade that is just beginning.

Mike connects with Andrea Samadi, the host of the Neuroscience Meets Social Emotional Learning podcast, and the two talk about the brain, how it connects to social and emotional aspects of human behavior, learning, and cognition. Andrea recounts her background as an educator who formed a consultancy, AchieveIT360.com, and has recently launched a podcast on this fascinating intersection between the latest research in neuroscience and its potential application in the classroom.We hope you enjoy the conversation.

Following up on our previous show on Kobe, The Impeachment Trial, and Everything, today we explore the ins and outs of the Coronavirus which is receiving tremendous media attention. Mike works through his version of Michael Jordan's "Flu Game" as we once again explore how to engage and/or turn off the Mass Hysteria Spectacle Machine when things like the new variant of the coronavirus happen. What do we need to know about the new coronavirus? How do we stay engaged enough without falling prey to all the hype?You can start by listening to this episode.

This week Mike engages with noted author, speaker, and futurist, Bryan Alexander to discuss the challenges and potential futures emerging for higher education focusing on the US. Bryan has recently authored a book called Academia Next in which he explores trends and describes multiple possible futures for the higher ed ecosystem.What are the threats that are emerging to the traditional model of higher education in the US? How do adjuncts fit into the picture? Is Clayton Christensen's concept of The Innovator's Dilemma relevant to the future of higher education or are there reasons why it doesn't apply?We explore all of these questions and get Bryan to describe several of his possible futures during a free-flowing and imaginative conversation about where the world of higher education is heading. And we also talk a bit about science fiction for good measure.In all, we got a lot out of the conversation and hope you find value in listening.

Dan and Mike regroup to reflect on the relentless media barrage that is life in 2020. We take time to talk about the tragic death of Kobe Bryant, his daughter, and seven others in a helicopter crash. Despite the tragic nature of the story, was it somehow a wake-up call for the importance of family? Our leading #girldad weighs in. At the same time, the Impeachment Trial approaches its conclusion as global fears of the coronavirus pick up, how does one find balance and focus amid all of this?Needless to say, the collective zeitgeist is fraught these days, but we have some recommendations based on learning science that steer us towards quiet time to reflect and consolidate things into long term memory.Yes, we’re living in interesting times in 2020, The key is to control what you tune in and tune out amid the spectacle. Embracing a little JOMO can help.Thanks for listening.

Melissa, Dan, and Mike dive into the complicated topic of implicit bias and the spate of recent training programs based on the concept. Does raising awareness of unconscious biases drive positive change or is it a necessary, but not sufficient, component in a diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging program?A lot comes down to how you measure success and how much the program is integrated into the broader organizational culture. So it turns out, it’s complicated.We hope you enjoy joining us as we begin the conversation.

Following up on our recent show covering the educational research highlights of 2019, Mike sits down with Youki Terada from Edutopia who authored the article. Youki is the Research and Standards editor for Edutopia which means he reviews and edits contributions from Edutopia's writing staff to ensure it's evidence-based, well-designed, and relevant to Edutopia's target audience of K12 Educators.We talk about areas of research that Youki has found particularly interesting and explore several examples with an eye towards practical application for educators. We also talk about the importance of curation and the risks of fast or sloppy research when looking for good applications of emerging learning research.

This week, Mike sits down with Frank Britt, CEO of Penn Foster, to talk about the future of work from the perspective of "middle-skilled" employees. Middle-skill jobs require a high school degree and some additional training, but do not require a bachelors degree. Middle-skill jobs account for roughly half of the jobs in the US, and that figure is not expected to change much in the 2020s.Frank explains the impact of automation on middle-skill jobs and the importance of empathizing with this part of the workforce and the social impact of providing training to this workforce to protect their ability earn. We also touch on "outskilling," "first-mile" services, and some forward thinking about how the middle-skills educational marketplace will transform in the next decade.

This week, Mike, Dan, and Melissa explore what’s new and noteworthy coming out of the Consumer Electronics Show 2020 which recently concluded in Las Vegas.We discuss the highlights from the show itself and also take time to dive into a recent critique by Cindy Gallop of Cosmopolitan magazine that focuses on the patterns of sexism and “bro culture” that have pervaded CES since its inception in the late 1960s. CES is trying to respond but is it enough?And of course, we explore the pros and cons of a new wave of cute, therapeutic, SEL-friendly robots. What’s good and what might be the first steps on the road to dystopia?Listen in to catch up on the tech and some varied perspectives. Enjoy!