Silver Lining for Learning

Jinjun Xiong, a professor and scientific director, is joined by Sean Redmond, an expert in pediatric language disorders, and Dancheng Liu, a PhD student innovating AI solutions. They tackle the critical shortage of speech-language pathologists affecting 3.4 million children. The conversation highlights AI's role in early screening, personalized interventions, and enhancing educational practices. They discuss the AutoRSR project, aiming to streamline assessments while ensuring a human touch in AI-driven education solutions.

In this engaging discussion, Susan Patrick, a renowned expert in educational technology and former leader at the Aurora Institute, explores the future of learning. She dives into the transformative impact of competency-based education and the importance of integrating technology in learning. The conversation highlights the limitations of traditional K-12 models and emphasizes the need for personalized learning pathways. Susan also discusses the global perspective on education reform, advocating for a holistic approach that addresses equity and student engagement.

In this engaging discussion, Andy Nguyen, an Assistant Professor specializing in Hybrid Intelligence, and Belle Dang, a researcher in Learning & Educational Technology, explore the fascinating interplay between human and AI collaboration. They dive into how AI can foster personalized learning experiences and necessitate a new educational paradigm. The duo discusses the emotional dynamics between humans and AI, raising ethical questions about these relationships. They also emphasize the evolving role of educators and the importance of media literacy in navigating this complex landscape.

Teenagers in Nepal have been learning from massive open online education (MOOCs) for much of the past decade. That use accelerated during the pandemic. Several of these young learners appeared on Silver Lining for Learning for Episode 33 in back October 24, 2020 and will return for this episode to give us an update on the benefits and challenges of MOOCs on their lives during the past four years. Attend this episode of SLL and learn how MOOCs and open educational resources can make a difference at the K-12 level. More about our guests below the video.Richa Suri: Richa completed high school and now preparing for the earning a placement at a US institution. Amazingly, she ran two workshops on taking MOOCs for the teachers and students in her district last year. It had the participation of around 70 participants.Sneha Adhikari: She completed her high school and now is studying Software Engineering at Pokhara University, Nepal. She has been fortunate enough to learn from Massive Open Online Courses since she was in Grade 10 and used them for her studies at her undergraduate level too.Bivushi (Manushi) Timilsina is originally from Pokhara, Nepal. She is now a sophomore at Sweet Briar College, majoring in Engineering Science with a 4.0 GPA. Last year, she was honored with the Emerging Leader Award (2023-2024) during the annual Student Involvement Recognition Ceremony. Over the summer, she became the first-ever counselor from Nepal at Kennolyn Camps, serving as a STEM counselor. Recently, she received the Emilie Watts McVea Scholar Award (2024-2025), given to the highest-ranking member of each class. She is also involved on campus through leadership roles such as Vice President of the Multicultural Communities Council, Resident Advisor, and Communication Lead for the Google Developer Student Club, among others. This semester, she is exploring courses in Cybersecurity and Web Development through CodePath, deepening her passion for tech and community engagement. Join the conversation at silverliningforlearning.org 

Join James Lester, an AI expert and director at North Carolina State University, Kip Glazer, a tech-savvy high school principal, and Gautam Biswas, a Vanderbilt University engineering professor. They dive into the power of AI in education, discussing how storytelling can engage students and enhance motivation. The trio highlights innovative narrative-centered learning technologies and the ethical implications of AI in classrooms. They also tackle the challenges of integrating technology into education and the importance of equity in access to AI tools.

Hosts reflect with Chris Dede, Yong Zhao, Lydia Cao & Punya Mishra  Join the conversation at silverliningforlearning.org 

Join researchers Thomas Breideband, William R. Penuel, and Mai T. Vu as they envision the future of classrooms through AI collaboration. They discuss the transition from traditional learning to interactive, collaborative environments where students and AI partners tackle real-world challenges together. Insights include how AI can empower students, enhance critical thinking, and promote diverse, engaging educational experiences. The trio also examines innovative assessment methods that align with modern education goals, urging educators to embrace AI as a valuable ally.

Charity Freeman, an advocate for inclusive educational technologies, H. Chad Lane, an AI education expert, and researcher Blair Lehman discuss the INVITE AI Institute's mission to tackle education inequities. They explore the integration of emotional intelligence in learning for marginalized students and how teachers can co-design AI tools. The conversation emphasizes fostering persistence in learners and the significance of human-AI collaboration. Their vision aims to create personalized, culturally responsive educational experiences to enhance engagement and success for all.

Open Education at Scale: Stories from the Open University of ChinaAnyone seeking a degree from a higher education institution today realizes that learning is more open and available (often for free) with the push of a button or blink of an eye. Not surprisingly, there are seemingly countless words that have sprung up to describe this increasingly "open" world. There are open access journals, open educational resources (OER), opencourseware (OCW), open teaching, open pedagogy, open educational services, open education practices, open-source software, and open universities. Clearly, there is a push toward open forms of education. This newfound sea of openness is moving us from an age of information scarcity to one of information abundance. Enter the Open University of China (OUC). The OUC is one of the largest open universities in the world, with an enrollment of five million adult learners for higher education and 20 million elderly learners. The OUC is dedicated to providing its learners with a wide range of educational opportunities and learning resources. The advance of digitalization has brought many opportunities for the development of the OUC, and challenges as well. We will share our understanding of these opportunities and challenges in this episode. We will also present an AI-supported language English teaching innovation project initiated by the Faculty of Foreign Languages at OUC. The project aims to promote large-scale and personalized learning with the integration of AI technologies. Join us for Episode #206 of Silver Lining for Learning and discover what makes OUC so unique and important in the lives of millions of people.Dr Li Wei is an associate researcher and serves as Director of Department of Learning Resources of the Open University of China, and Deputy Secretary General of the Scientific Research Institute Working Committee of the Chinese Association of Adult Education. Her research areas include lifelong learning, online education, and digital resources. Dr. Li Wei has published five monographs, including "OECD and the Development of Lifelong Learning for All" and "Comparative Study of the World Open Universities." She has published more than 30 SSCI and CSSCI papers, led 6 national projects from the Ministry of Education, and participated in the drafting of more than 10 policies on lifelong education and continuing education. Dr. Li Wei won the Best Paper Award of the 26th ICDE World Congress and the National Young Adult Education Academic Scholar in China. She can be reached at: liwei@ouchn.edu.cn.Dr. Qi Li is Vice-Chair of the Department of English, Faculty of Foreign Languages, at the Open University of China. She is a lecturer of English as a Foreign Language (EFL). She teaches EFL courses to both English and non-English majors at college levels. Qi Li’s research focuses on technology-enhanced language teaching and learning, CALL teacher education, and AI and open education. Before that, she received her PhD from Indiana University Bloomington, U.S.A., where she majored in Literacy, Culture, and Language Education, and minored in Instructional System Technology. Her dissertation project was a design-based research study of building an optimal language learning environment by integrating multiple technologies to support authentic input, sufficient output, timely feedback, and personalized learning. Dr. Qi Li can be reached be at sophia.liqi@hotmail.com or at liq@ouchn.edu.cn.   Join the conversation at silverliningforlearning.org 

Dr. Shameem Farouk, Executive Vice-President at Maybank, discusses the transformative power of AI in workforce development. She highlights the importance of digital inclusion to close the skills gap, and shares Maybank's initiatives to reskill employees in the face of digital banking challenges. The conversation delves into empowering women in tech, emphasizing the role of inclusive training programs. Dr. Farouk also explores innovative approaches to create a growth mindset among employees, ensuring they adapt to rapid technological changes.