Trending In Ed with Mike Palmer

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 psychology to cover the "epidemic of loneliness" and lack of deep social connections in the social media age. Dr. Carter offers perspectives on AI's potential impacts on mental health and therapy, as well as the importance of building resilience and normalizing failure discussions. He provides insights into navigating the modern media landscape as an expert voice.Other highlights include lessons from the psychology of extreme sports/thrill-seeking and Dr. Carter's philosophy of maintaining curiosity and awe. Key takeaways include using AI as a "brainstorming tool" while being wary of biases, interventions to combat loneliness like discussing life's challenges openly, and the importance of trusting yourself just as extreme athletes learn to trust their bodies.Whether you're an academic, mental health professional, educator or just someone fascinated by psychology's role in today's technological era, this engaging episode offers plenty of valuable insights. Tune in for a guide to public scholarship and more from this unique expert.Subscribe to Trending in Ed wherever you get your podcasts. Visit us at TrendinginEd.com for more sharp takes on the future of learning.

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 company's innovative use of conversational AI to foster engagement and support student achievement beyond the classroom.The episode also features a lively exchange with the show's resident AI co-host, Nancy, as they grapple with the promises and pitfalls of blending human and artificial intelligence in education. Key takeaways include the need for thoughtful design in integrating AI with human empathy, the potential for chatbots to serve as "empathy engines," and the importance of keeping humans in the loop while leveraging AI's scalability. We also reference the NYC chatbot fail discussed here.Don't miss this timely and thought-provoking exploration of how emerging technologies like chatbots could help solve real-world challenges like chronic absenteeism, while raising crucial ethical considerations about the role of AI in education and human development. Tune in for a nuanced discussion that will leave you pondering the future of human-AI collaboration in fostering student engagement and success.Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Visit us at TrendinginEd.com for more sharp takes on the future of education.

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 SXSW EDU, explore the problems caused by working in isolation and offer solutions for bridging disparate worlds. They advocate creating networked improvement communities, fostering authentic connections through presence and effective communication, and prioritizing the crucial work of humanizing diverse stakeholders.Punam stresses meeting parents where they are by providing vocabulary and support. DeShanna shares powerful stories of cultivating trust through home visits and communicating in families' native languages. Dana suggests stakeholder groups, documenting processes, empathy interviews to shape school culture, and valuing the "unsexy" moments that truly build community.With vulnerability, passion and decades of frontline experience, the panelists make a clarion call for a paradigm shift - moving away from inefficient siloing towards meaningful collaboration that embraces the strengths of students, teachers, parents and communities. An inspiring listen for any educator striving to create equitable, inclusive environments for all.Subscribe to Trending in Education wherever you get your podcasts. Visit us at TrendinginEd.com for more sharp takes on what’s emerging in the learning universe.

Spencer Russell, Founder and CEO of Toddlers CAN Read, shares his compelling journey from classroom teacher to literacy entrepreneur. He emphasizes the power of clear instructions and a phonics-focused approach to make reading fun for toddlers. Listeners will love his practical strategies for engaging both parents and children. Spencer also dives into personal growth, discussing how meditation, diet, and disciplined routines have shaped his success. With motivating insights, he encourages everyone to take actionable steps towards their goals.

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 AI, and Dr. Robin Naughton from Queens College, brought unique perspectives and insights to the table. We explore the potential and challenges of AI, highlighting the need for critical thinking, ethical considerations, and a human-centered approach to technology.One of the key themes that emerged was the importance of empowering learners and educators to engage with AI responsibly and effectively. The panelists emphasized the need for transparency, explainability, and a deep understanding of the models and data that underlie these technologies. We also discussed the role of mental models, biomimicry, and ancestral intelligence in shaping our interactions with AI and fostering a more inclusive and equitable learning environment.As the session draws to a close, we encourage the audience to stay engaged and informed about the rapidly evolving landscape of learning trends. This officially kicks off our tournament throughout March, allowing listeners to vote on their favorite trends. Visit us at TrendinginEd.com and follow Mike on LinkedIn to track the tournament and stay up-to-date with the latest discussions and insights.

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 disconnected from community needs.However, Laura reminds us public schools remain vital unifying spaces for children's growth and identity development. While imperfect, the system provides an essential community fabric to nurture, not destroy. By coming together, valuing expertise, and rejecting disinformation, we can preserve quality public education. The stakes are high, but our potential for positive impact as engaged citizens remains.Subscribe to Trending in Ed wherever you get your podcasts. Visit us at TrendinginEd.com for more sharp takes on the future of education.

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 potential.On human-AI collaboration, Edward discusses an AI advisor Kaplan is developing to replicate personalized guidance at scale. The system engages users with an intent, while continuously learning from interactions. Overall, he stresses not fearing new technologies. By embracing them, we gain the learning needed to innovate thoughtfully. Measuring outcomes ensures human advancement remains the objective.Subscribe to Trending in Education wherever you get your podcasts. Visit us at TrendinginEd.com for more sharp takes on what’s emerging in the learning universe.

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 framework, and the critical role of security in edtech. We also reference this white paper. Bruce argues his multifaceted background helps connect enterprise tech innovation with higher ed trends. He provides perspective on using edtech to drive student engagement, preparedness, and institutional success. Don't miss it!Subscribe to Trending in Education wherever you get your podcasts. Visit us at TrendinginEd.com for more sharp takes on what’s emerging in the learning universe.

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 latest "new hotness."Don't miss this chance to learn more about how data science and AI can make a social impact in education and beyond.Subscribe to Trending in Education wherever you get your podcasts. Visit us at TrendinginEd.com for more sharp takes on what’s emerging in the learning universe.

Dr. Bror Saxberg, Founder of LearningForge and a learning science expert, shares groundbreaking insights on cognitive development. He discusses the critical differences between working and long-term memory, the importance of deliberate practice, and how the aging brain can still acquire expertise. Bror emphasizes the role of technology in shaping learning environments and advancing creativity through combinatorial expertise. He advocates for equitable learning opportunities and explores how motivation can unlock human potential for lifelong learning.