Trending In Ed with Mike Palmer

In an emerging Trending in Education Halloween tradition, we take time to talk brains, BCIs in particular.Building on our recent episode about Data Privacy, the team dives into an exploration of recent news about Brain Computer Interfaces (BCIs). Over the summer, researchers at Carnegie Mellon demonstrated that non-invasive BCIs could enable the generation of simple commands in computers through use of helmets or other wearable tech. No surgery or implanting of chips required.We take a moment to celebrate the levels of access technology like this will open up before digging into some scarier hypotheticals that tie back to topics of cyber security, ethics, and informed consent. Oh and we talk a bit about how the Terminator's back once again on a very special Halloween Extra.Enjoy!

Mike and Dan catch up on the developing story that is Operation Varsity Blues. With Felicity Huffman serving 11 days of her 14-day sentence while Lori Loughlin and her husband are fighting their charges, we explore how the ongoing coverage of this scandal hints at a deeper sense of simmering cultural unease about fairness, equity, and college admissions.A Lifetime movie is already out and James Van Der Beek was tweeting about this long before he was Dancing With the Stars. It’s everywhere in the zeitgeist, so we try to make sense of this education story that is one part reality tv, one part morality play, and a whole lot of myth-making. We stay mostly on the frothy surface story but at times try to plumb the depths on this week's show.We hope you enjoy your listen.

For this week's extra, Mike is joined by Ron Reed and Greg Rosenbaum from SXSW EDU to talk about trends in learning and education over the past 10 years as the conference gears up for its 10th anniversary run in March 2020.What has changed over the years and what has remained the same? What's it like to run a learning conference as part of SXSW? How is SXSW EDU operating in a way that is inclusive and representative of the community and how does it continue to explore the cross disciplinary nature of the education landscape in the 21st Century?You'll hear about all of this and also get some news about the launch of a dedicated Podcast Stage featuring a live recording of Trending in Education which is on tap for SXSW EDU in the coming Spring.Have a listen to learn more! And join us next March in Austin if you can https://www.sxswedu.com/attend/ !

A Complex Nexus:Melissa Griffith is back with Mike and Dan as we dive into the complex and highly relevant topic of data security and data privacy with special attention to the learning implications for consumers, brands, and educators. We focus on recent research from Pew and elsewhere that indicates that a majority of Americans don’t understand key terms and concepts in data privacy and cybersecurity.You can read up more about this topic in a recent article by Nicole Lindsey from CPO Magazine: https://www.cpomagazine.com/cyber-security/new-pew-research-study-a-majority-of-americans-know-little-about-digital-security-and-privacy/Questions Covered in Today's Show: What is GDPR and why is it relevant? How do the different ways in which the US, China, and the EU address data privacy and data innovation set the stage for an emerging AI Race? Do private companies have a fiduciary responsibility to their customers to protect their data? Is government regulation the answer or will it stifle innovation? How does cybersecurity factor into the conversation? And what's the best way to learn and develop emerging skills to help navigate all of this?If you like spirited conversations from varied perspectives on topics like this, we think you'll enjoy. Have a listen.

Mike and Dan recap their time at the Sound Education conference and explore some of their key takeaways. How does our own podcast fit into the growing learning audio ecosystem? How might new entrants like Luminary, Himalaya, and Lyceum change the way we understand educational audio? Is there a freemium model that will allow learning podcasts to remain free but allow for more growth and sustainability?We discuss all this and more on our latest Trending in Education.

Mike is joined by Chris Ryan and Dr Jeff Koetje to explore several key concepts in learning science and social and emotional learning (SEL). How can mindfulness help manage the self-doubt of the Impostor Syndrome? How is Growth Mindset a key reminder that there is discomfort and desirable difficulty when learning? And how do these concepts relate to emerging thinking around equity, diversity, and inclusion?We explore these concepts and try to connect them to real life experiences as learners, teachers, and education professionals. 

This week, Mike and Dan dive into everything there is to know about the world of edutainment. What does edutainment mean and what are some alternative portmanteaus that also might foot the bill? We talk through the history of edutainment in the US ranging from the early days of Children's Television right on through the present day. We conclude with several recommendations of excellent examples of contemporary edutainment in the emerging world of learning media. If you like to add some fun to your learn, this is the show for you. Listen in and enjoy!

For those of you who just can’t get enough of Trending in Education’s breakdown of the 2019 edition of the Gartner Hype Cycle, we’re providing a bonus edition with Melissa Griffith. Mike and Melissa dive into the trends and spend time thinking about the future of learning and education based on the trends identified (and omitted) in the 2019 Report. Listen in and enjoy!

Mike and Dan dive into the maelstrom of activity coinciding with the launch of a formal Impeachment Inquiry in the US House of Representatives. We talk about the amount of noise this will generate and how it will become increasingly important to find reliable primary sources to understand what’s going on. We also discuss the growing need to turn off the 24-hour news cycle and find time to reflect. How do civics and legal education relate to the emerging zeitgeist? How do we create safe places to learn in a world where manipulated outrage is turned viral by social media and the need for hot takes? How do we stay informed without being consumed by our chaotic and cacophonous times?We don’t have too many answers but we grapple a bit with some big questions on this week’s show. Enjoy!

This week Mike and Dan are joined by old friend Brandon Jones to dive into the 2019 installation of the Gartner Hype Cycle. What's emerging on the curve and what has disappeared? Is the Hype Cycle itself past the peak of inflated expectations? In addition to a hot take or two, the squad breaks down the five larger themes outlined in the 2019 edition of the Hype Cycle with some detail.What are the implications of all of this to learning? How will the classrooms and learning environments of the future leverage these emerging technological advancements? And how does access and equity fit into the conversation? We explore all of this along with a few peaks of inflated expectations and troughs of disillusionment as we attempt to cut through the hype and get a read on where we're heading as we begin to look ahead to the 2020s. Listen in and enjoy!