Silver Lining for Learning

With COVID-19 bringing forth one of the largest experiments in education - 200 million students attending “School” online. February 2020 brought with it alot to learn. Three guests from three different perspectives come in to share their experiences. Shuangye Chen, Professor at East China Normal University in Shanghai, shares research findings at the national level, discussing models, policies and practices. Running a school from afar: Spencer Fowler, CEO & Superintendent of the Affiliated High School of Peking University’s Dalton Academy, shares his experience of providing education with a staff forced to be distributed around the world. While Mina Dunstan, Principal of Quarry Bay Primary School in Hong Kong, will reflect on the opportunities and challenges to deliver high quality online experiences to young children at the primary level.  Guests’ Bios:Dr. Shuangye Chen is Professor and Associate Director of the Institute of Curriculum and Teaching at East China Normal University, Executive Editor of the ECNU Review of Education. Professor Chen received her PhD in Educational Policy from the Chinese University of Hong Kong. She is committed to furthering the development of educational theory and internationalization within Chinese education. Her areas of interest include curriculum policy, curriculum leadership, social change and educational development, and educational policy research methods.Dr. Spencer Fowler is a former professional athlete, firefighter, and educational leader who presently serves as the CEO and Superintendent of The Affiliated High School of Peking University’s Dalton Academy. Spencer’s academic career began at Queen’s University where he earned a Bachelor’s (Hons) in Film Studies and a Bachelor’s (Hons) in Education. Spencer spent the past 15 years working in international education as a K-12 teacher and administrator in Chile, Egypt, Germany, South Africa, Spain, Thailand, Vietnam and China, earning his Master’s and Doctorate of Educational Leadership along the way. Much of Spencer’s research concentrates on educational reform practices, bridging the gap between education and industry by connecting teachers and students to resources that tackle universal issues. His leadership style empowers teachers and students to have a voice and reach their true potential. This approach has led to the development of China’s first Access Scholarship, which aids marginalized and displaced youth from the Middle East to complete their high school education in Beijing and obtain full funding to attend universities overseas. The approach has also led to numerous patents, businesses, and publications – academic and otherwise. Join the conversation at silverliningforlearning.org 

Episode 02 of Silver Lining for Learning focused on the topic of Where (When) There Is No School. Our special guest was Sugata Mitra, winner of the 2013 TED Prize. Professor Mitra has long been focused on the study of self-organized learning environments (SOLEs). His book, The School in the Cloud: The Emerging Future of Learning, outlines some of the possibilities that are inherent when we utilize technology to spark curiosity and let children drive their own learning. The School in the Cloud documentary is available at Vimeo On Demand. If you’re not familiar with Professor Mitra’s work, here are his TED talks:2008 – Kids can teach themselves [20:48]2010 – The child-driven education [17:07]2013 – Build a school in the cloud [22:25]If you joined us live, thanks! Happy viewing! Join the conversation at silverliningforlearning.org 

Launching Silver Lining for Learning, March 31, 2020 - just as schools across the world were shutting down. With Chris Dede, Curt Bonk, Punya Mishra, Scott McLeod, Shuangye Chen, and Yong Zhao Join the conversation at silverliningforlearning.org 

This is a preview of the Silver Lining for Learning podcast. Silver Lining for Learning is an ongoing conversation on the future of learning with educators and education leaders from across the globe. Hosted by Chris Dede, Curt Bonk, Punya Mishra & Yong Zhao, these conversations began under the “dark cloud” of the COVID19 crisis and continue today. We see these conversations as space to discuss the creation of equitable, humanistic and sustainable learning ecosystems that meet the needs of all learners. These conversations are hosted live on YouTube every Saturday (typically 5:30 PM Eastern US time) and are archived on https://silverliningforlearning.org Join the conversation at silverliningforlearning.org