Silver Lining for Learning

Our guests (Ariel Anbar and Norman Bier) propose a promising solution for tackling complex concepts in education: creating immersive, adaptive, and open resources that utilize digital personalized tutoring. By incorporating a curriculum that emphasizes real-world relevance and challenges learners, education can be transformed from an abstract and siloed experience to one that is responsive and engaging. Intelligent facilitation of interactions between peers and instructors can also enhance the learning experience, making it more powerful and relevant.Anbar and Bier also highlighted the importance of open-source in edtech. They pointed out that the industry has been stifled by an investment-driven model that has led to excessive protection of intellectual property (IP) and market domination. However, this approach is ultimately futile since education decision-making is decentralized, and costs must be kept low. An open-source approach to scaling out tech infrastructure is essential since it promotes community collaboration and affordability, thereby providing a hedge against IP capture. While there is still room for specialized, for-profit businesses to cater to specific needs, the adoption of open source can significantly improve education accessibility and affordability for all learners. More importantly, the goal is to create a model that addresses the full range of educational needs—i.e. systems that are effective, robust, reliable and a joy to use.Ariel Anbar is Center Director and President’s Professor at ASU. He is a scientist and educator exploring Earth’s past and future as an inhabited world, and the prospects for life beyond. He and his team study topics ranging from the origins of Earth’s atmosphere to detecting life on other worlds. Ariel’s passion for science combined with his desire to transform how students learn catalyzed the formation of the ETX Center which he directs, which is reinventing digital learning around curiosity, exploration, and discovery. A graduate of Harvard and Caltech, Ariel is a President’s Professor in ASU’s School of Earth and Space Exploration and School of Molecular Sciences, a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Professor, and was named one of 10 “teaching innovators” by the Chronicle of Higher Education in 2017.Norman Bier is Director of the Open Learning Initiative (OLI) at Carnegie Mellon University. His work sits at the intersection of CMU’s internal educational practice, ongoing learning science research and external collaboration.Norman has spent his career at the intersection of learning and technology, working to expand access to and improve the quality of education. His experience spans the higher educational sector, including 2-year and 4-year; public and private; domestic and international; and commercial institutions. Prior to joining OLI, he was Director of Training and Development at iCarnegie Inc., a CMU subsidiary chartered to deliver software development education through international partner institutions. Using technology and faculty support, iCarnegie reaches thousands of students who would otherwise not have access to a CMU-level education. He has taught computer science courses as an adjunct faculty member at the Community College of Allegheny County, philosophy courses at Carnegie Mellon University and served as a founding committee member of the Cook Honors College at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. He currently serves as board member for the Kaleidoscope Project and the Shady Lane School. Join the conversation at silverliningforlearning.org 

Through The Staff (TTS) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization based in the United States created in the first weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic. TTS aims to connect 2nd-12th grade students with volunteer university musicians from around the United States. For centuries, music education has favored the wealthy and privileged in society. Economically disadvantaged and marginalized students typically attend schools with smaller budgets for music education and fewer resources. In response, TTS is devoted to finding, developing, and promoting alternative forms of access to music lessons, webinars, and masterclasses. In effect, TTS is a story of racial, geographic, financial, and gender equity in musical education. Through providing free virtual private lessons and essential music education materials, TTS strives to make music more accessible to any student who wants to learn it. In so doing, they are breaking down barriers in access to classical music to make musical journeys possible for any student, no matter their geographic location or financial situation. In this episode of Silver Lining for Learning, we will meet three Through The Staff leaders, Matthew Garcia (Founder and Board Trustee), Ashton Prince (Board Trustee), and Jessica Wu (Director of Programs). We will hear about the state of music education prior to TTS and how TTS has made a positive change in music education. The guests will also speculate on the scalability and sustainability of a virtual volunteer platform in the arts education space. Matthew Garcia’s November 2020 TED Talk on “How global virtual communities can help kids achieve their dreams” provides a wonderful overview of the mission and goals of TTS.Some links Through the Staff: https://www.throughthestaff.org/https://www.ted.com/talks/matthew_garcia_how_global_virtual_communities_can_help_kids_achieve_their_dreams?language=enhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRx8ocxmmDIMatthew Garcia, hailed as an “Education Equalizer” by the TED Fellows, is a social innovator who has co-founded and sits on the board of two U.S. non-profits – Through the Staff and the Pre-College Research Institute. He recently delivered a World-Stage TED talk on the power of virtual nonprofits to bring educational resources to youth in underserved communities who would otherwise be unable to afford or access them. A graduating senior at Harvard, Matthew is a researcher and consultant at WolfBrown where he advises national non-profit clients in the arts and culture fields. His recent writing includes publishing a report for the National Endowment of the Arts on what factors predict student persistence in historically exclusive fields – like music and academic research. After graduation, Matthew will pursue his dedication to expanding equity, especially for communities of color, through a career in project management and social innovation consulting to address the most pressing social challenges of our time. He is Founder and Board Trustee of Through The Staff. He can be contacted at matthew@throughthestaff.org.Dominique Reilly is a flute performer, educator, and arts organizer based in Houston, Texas. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Flute Performance with a minor in Media Production from the University of Houston, and a Master’s degree in Flute Performance from The University of Texas. Her primary teachers include Marianne Gedigian, Jennifer Keeney, and Melissa Suhr. She has frequently performed with ensembles at her respective institutions and throughout the Austin and Houston areas. Dominique has maintained an active private studio of middle and high school students since 2016. Dominique joined Through the Staff in 2020 during a leave of absence from graduate school, when she discovered the organization through Instagram. She joined the founders as their first Director of Operations to build staying power in the organization’s systems, and in 2021 became Through the Staff’s first formal Executive Director. As a young professional, Dominique devotes her time and skills to empowering others and investing in an equitable future of art, media, and its audiences. She can be contacted at dominique@throughthestaff.org.Ashton Prince, a Houston based percussionist, is a young professional in the music community. He completed his undergraduate studies with Blake Wilkins and Alec Warren as a member of the percussion studio for the Moores School of Music at the University of Houston. Ashton’s professional endeavors span several channels of work. He works as a freelance percussionist throughout varying Houston performing ensembles and artists. A budding leader in the non-profit community, Ashton works at the DACAMERA Society of Texas (a jazz and chamber performance organization), serves as Executive Director for ConcertiaHTX (a new ensemble using music to empower social causes), and is a Board Director and Director of Communications, for Through the Staff. He can be contacted at ashton@throughthestaff.org.Born and raised in Houston, Texas, Jessica Wu is a classically trained flutist that enjoys exploring a diverse range of repertoire. She enjoys collaborating with others in both the large ensemble setting and as a chamber musician. Passionate about pedagogy, she is constantly striving to better herself so that she can be the best teacher for her students. Jessica obtained a Performance Diploma from Boston University as well as a Master of Music Degree from the Longy School of Music and Bachelor of Music Degree from the University of Houston, with a specialization in Music Education and Applied Flute. Her primary teachers have been Peggy Russell, Sergio Pallottelli, and Renée Krimsier. She is currently living in Houston, working as an elementary music teacher and teaching private flute lessons. Jessica started volunteering with Through The Staff in 2021 as an Education Team associate. In 2023, she now holds the position of Director of Program Operations, overseeing the management of educational opportunities and resources for all students and teachers. She can be contacted at jessica@throughthestaff.org. Join the conversation at silverliningforlearning.org 

Hosts reflect Join the conversation at silverliningforlearning.org 

Since the Taliban took over Afghanistan in 2021, higher education has become increasingly limited for young women and often suspended and banned. According to a January 24, 2023 article in Inside Higher Ed, Reviving the College Dreams of Afghan Women, by Liam Knox, there are several initiatives currently underway to help Afghani women get access to educational opportunities, from online experiences at the University of the People to residential ones at higher education institutions in the United States like Arizona State University (see “61 young Afghan women arrive to begin new life as Sun Devils” ASU News, December 16, 2021 and the ASU Foundation for Afghan refugees). Enter the Asian University for Women in which has opened its doors to Afghani women to come to Chittagong, Bangladesh and enroll in a Master’s of Arts in Education. The Asian University of has Women Teaching Women, Women Learning from Women (WTW-WLW) initiative that is intended to nurture the next generation of woman leaders through a network of secondary schools for young women and girls who are refugees and located in displaced communities (website).The Asian University for Women (AUW) Masters of Arts in Education is a unique program launched with aspirations to empower women in education, particularly the brightest young female reformists/educational entrepreneurs dedicated to creating an impact through educational development and their leadership in society. The majority of the students are Afghan evacuees and/or belong to minority communities seeking reform in education. As Israt Jahan Oeeshi, a Teaching Fellow in the Graduate Program in Education at AUW, explains, “I chose this particular program to begin my academic career because it allows me to improve my pedagogical skills and provides me with a purpose: assisting an exceptional cohort of students.” Attend this episode of Silver Lining for Learning and learn firsthand from the Founder of AUW, Kamal Ahmad, as well as one of the instructors, Dr. Stefanie Panke, and three Afghani graduate students who had been evacuated with the help of Asian University for Women in 2021 and are currently in a Master’s of Education program in Chittagong, Bangladesh. All their bios are below. They will discuss their class project with Dr. Panke which was a Pressbook titled “Strong Schools.” Join the conversation at silverliningforlearning.org 

Many job roles and responsibilities are rapidly changing here in the third decade of the twenty-first century. According to a December 19, 2022 article in the Evolllution, A Time for Learning Experience Designers, Mark Milliron, President of National University and Kim Round, Associate Dean in the Teacher’s College of Western Governors University (WGU) argue that we need to better engage students in the learning process by rethinking the instructional approaches and supports that can be provided for learners. Milliron and Round point to the need to craft richer and more meaningful learning experiences. They argue that these new approaches are more empathy-based and sensitive to student wellness. Among those jobs in the midst of transformation is that of instructional designer and educational technologist. It is time for the learning experience designer (LED) to lead us into this new learning age.In addressing this concern, in this episode of Silver Lining for Learning, Drs. Milliron and Round will discuss a new Master of Science in Learning Experience Design and Education Technology (MSLxDET) from Western Governors University that will launch in the summer of 2023. As they sagely write in the Evolllution, “25 years of advancements in competency-based education, personalized learning, its commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, support for Social Emotional Learning, advanced use of data, and innovation with skills-based learning are working to help our diverse array of students—particularly historically underserved students—successfully navigate personalized pathways to possibility.” In a personal conversation (January 20, 2023), Milliron further observed that we need to talk about “the new possible,” not “the new normal.” Attend Episode #139 of SSL and hear about the new possibilities of learning experience designers and the types of learning that they might design. You can find out whether “Is it Time to Lead or About Time We LED.” Join the conversation at silverliningforlearning.org 

The dominant schooling system in India today is a product of the colonial era. It follows the factory model of education and emphasizes rote learning. But in a future where many routine tasks can be performed by machines, there is a need to transform the education system and focus on foundational critical thinking and problem-solving skills.Inspirit VR and MakerGhat are two organizations grappling with this challenge by engaging youth in experiential learning at the K12 level, virtually and in person. To enable change, they have been working on scaling through school partnerships, public and private. In this episode, the founders will talk about their vision to build a movement towards experiential learning in India, as well as challenges faced when working at scale.  Join the conversation at silverliningforlearning.org 

The podcast explores the importance of mental health and mindfulness in education, discussing the benefits and concerns of implementing mindfulness practices in schools. They emphasize the need for individualized mindfulness practices, creating regulated and safe environments, and integrating mindfulness into daily interactions. The speakers also explore the connections between mindfulness and creativity, highlighting the potential for transformation in education.

A thought-provoking conversation featuring guests from Harvard, MIT, and Stanford discussing their recently published reports on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on teaching and learning, and the potential for innovations and advances in learning that this disruption helped to reveal. Guests share their thoughts on how digital education could transform their universities over the next decade, including how higher education might move forward from the pandemic with a renewed focus on meaningful and impactful transformation. Join the conversation at silverliningforlearning.org 

Coming back from the holidays, the hosts talk about the key ideas from the last few episodes. Young wonders about technology in education coupled with the four-day school week and the possibilities with that. Curt Bonk spotlighted how young people are taking the lead with many on the technology in learning initiatives, Chris Dede highlights how the education industry does not take into account time children spend outside of the school day as an opportunity for them to learn. Punya is on vacation in India! Join the conversation at silverliningforlearning.org 

What might the future of education look like? Google for Education collaborated with research partner Canvas8 to conduct a study across 24 countries on the future of education. The result is a three-part global report highlighting insights from around the world from Google for Education released in December 2022. Part III of this report is called Reimagining Learning Ecosystems. It covers three trends: (1) upgrading learning environments, (2) empowering educators with data, and (3) re-evaluating student progress. Join Jennie Magiera the Global Head of Education Impact at Google and Kimberly Lane Clark Senior Program Manager at Google for Education as they share the top trends from the report and what they mean for educators and education leaders around the world.See Future of Education report: See Future of Education report: https://edu.google.com/future-of-education/Part 1: Preparing for a New FuturePart 2: Evolving How We Teach and LearnPart 3: Reimagining Learning Ecosystems Join the conversation at silverliningforlearning.org