Silver Lining for Learning

Explore the 2024 National Educational Technology Plan for free access. Learn about University Design for Learning, closing the digital divide, and enhancing educator competencies. Discover integrating digital health tools, student data privacy, and innovative professional learning resources. Discuss partnerships with families, empowering educators, and implementing educational technology for student success.

Celebrating 4 years of SLL Part II with guests Shirley Eadie, Khendum Gyabak & Aakash SethiIn this episode we celebrate 4 years of Silver Lining for Learning and we are joined by some of our previous guests to catch up with them and to just have a good self-congratulatory time. More about about our guests below the video.Shirley EadieShirley Eadie is the founder of Whole Human Studios, a future skills education consulting company that works with organisations and governments interested in equipping children with the skills they need to thrive in the fast-changing world of work and life. Shirley is a technical advisor to the South African Education Ministry on their future skills strategy. Together with the Ministry, she led the development of the South African Competency Framework, adopted as the national skills framework for k-12. Shirley has an M.Ed in International Education Policy from Harvard University. Her career has focused on education innovation and research.Previously, Shirley founded and led the Edhub, an education innovation unit at the National Education Collaboration Trust (NECT). Prior to her work in education, she was founder and CEO of Pondering Panda – Africa’s first quantitative mobile research company, and was Business and Research Director of Instant Grass International, ethnographic youth research agency.She had joined us previously for Episode 156: Preparing Children in Africa for a Fast-Changing WorldKhendum GyabakKhendum has a background which intersects Design, Technology and Education. She has a Masters’ in Education Technology from the University of Texas at El Paso, and a Ph.D. in Information Systems Technology from Indiana University Bloomington. She has a grounded understanding of theories of learning, developing online education, innovating hybrid, and face-to-face instructional programs, and collaborating on curriculum design with educators and community leaders in a variety of teaching and learning contexts, at both the international and national level. Khendum is a Roster Member for the Fulbright Specialist Program until 2023.Khendum’s knowledge and professional experience positions her to scope out the nuances existing in any system of human development. She is adept at facilitating curriculum mapping workshops, leading the design and evaluation of graduate and undergraduate academic programs. She has a long history of facilitating faculty learning in higher education, and has also designed and facilitated workshops, academies and talks for K-12 teachers, health care workers and community stakeholders in the U.S, Bhutan, Nepal and Papua New Guinea.She had previously been on Episode 74 | The Push for Equitable Learning in Inequitable Learning Spaces: Taking a Journey to Bhutan, Papua New Guinea, and NepalAakash SethiAakash is empowering unemployable youth to navigate the future of work & learning in India by mastering 21st century skills through self-learning. He is integrating the culture, tools and practise of self-learning in the Indian education and vocational training system and transitioning teachers as champions of 21st century skills. By doing so, institutions and teachers are enabling young people to experience purpose and autonomy and take charge of their own learning and career pathways.Prior to starting the QUEST Alliance, Aakash worked with Microsoft's regional office in Istanbul covering Middle East and Africa. He was in the Regional Community Affairs & Citizenship team that developed a 3-year regional plan for digital inclusion programs with a strong focus on IT Skills development for employment. He was the Country Director of the International Youth Foundation and helped set up the Quest Alliance in partnership with USAID in India. He was an active member of AIESEC, the world’s largest youth organization that helps young people gain vital leadership & cross cultural experiences, for over 4 years where he held various local, national and global leadership positions. He has worked extensively on training & facilitating youth leadership programs in over 10 countries.He is passionate about exploring the role of business in poverty alleviation and the role of networks in taking collective action through a multi-stakeholder approach. He is an Ashoka fellow & Asia 21 leader and on the board of Children's Movement of Civic Awareness (CMCA). He has a graduate degree in Economics from St. Xavier's College, Ahmedabad.He had previously been on Episode 43 | Designing for learners to take charge: Kiran Sethi and Aakash Sethi Join the conversation at silverliningforlearning.org 

In this episode we celebrate 4 years of Silver Lining for Learning and we are joined by some of our previous guests to catch up with them and to just have a good self-congratulatory time. More about about our guests below the videoPasi Sahlberg is Finnish educator, teacher, and author. He has worked as a schoolteacher, teacher-educator, academic, and policymaker in Finland, and he has advised schools and education system leaders around the world. He served as a senior education specialist at the World Bank (Washington, DC), lead education specialist at the European Training Foundation (Torino, Italy), director general at the Finland’s Ministry of Education and Culture (CIMO), and visiting professor of Practice at Harvard University. He is a recipient of several awards for his lifelong service in education, including the 2012 Education Award (Finland), the 2014 Robert Owen Award (Scotland), the 2016 Lego Prize (Denmark), Rockefeller Foundation's Bellagio Resident Fellowship in 2017, and Dr Paul Brock Memorial Medal in 2021. In 2013 his book “Finnish Lessons: What Can the World Learn from Educational Change in Finland” won the Grawemeyer Award (U.S.) for an idea that has potential to change the world. His most recent books include "Let the Children Play: How more play will save our schools and help children thrive" (2019, with William Doyle), "Finnish Lessons 3.0: What Can the World Learn from Educational Change in Finland” (2021), and "In Teachers We Trust: The Finnish way to world-class schools" (2021,  with Tim Walker). He is currently Professor of Educational Leadership at the University of Melbourne, Australia. Pasi lives in South Melbourne with his wife and two sons.Pasi joined us previously for Episode 63 | Let children playAriadne Trapote: Born and raised in Mexico City, after completing a BA in Actuarial Science at ITAM, Ariadna worked almost 6 years for BBVA Bancomer where she was portfolio manager for equity markets. Ari also holds a Diploma in Econometrics (ITAM, Mexico) and a Masters in Pensions (U. Alcalá, Spain).In 2013 Ari moved to Cambridge, MA with her family (spouse, two children and dog) to study a Masters in Finance at Harvard University. While studying in Harvard, she devised her book lending concept. One of her favorite activities was to take her children to the Cambridge Public Library so, when it was time to come back to Mexico, she didn’t want her kids to lose the habits of reading together every night and practicing the English language. Public libraries were far from her house (almost two hours each way), and printed books were expensive to buy, with limited options of books in English. So Ari created Little Bookmates: a way to have access to hundreds of different books, at your doorstep, at affordable prices. This way, her children still ask to spend time together reading books every night while learning about different topics through a world of books.Ariadne joined us for episode 157, back in July 2023 in an episode titled: The Little Bookmates Smart Library as a Literacy InitiativeDr. Lin Lin Lipsmeyer is Professor and Department Chair of Teaching and Learning in the SMU’s Simmons School of Education & Human Development. Prior to coming to SMU, Lin was Professor of Learning Technologies and Director of the Texas Center for Educational Technology at the University of North Texas. Lin received her doctorate in Instructional Technology and Media from Teachers College Columbia University.Dr. Lin Lipsmeyer has conducted interdisciplinary research in learning sciences, cognition, and innovative technologies. Her research has resulted in over 110 scholarly publications including journal articles, books, and book chapters. In addition, she has been PI, Co-PI, or researcher on numerous NSF and foundation grants bridging learning sciences, artificial intelligence, and STEAM learning.  Lin also serves as the Development Editor-in-Chief of one of the top journals in education and educational research, the Educational Technology Research and Development (ETR&D, https://www.springer.com/journal/11423).Lin Lin Lipsmeyer joined us back in September 2022 for a special hosts reflect episode Join the conversation at silverliningforlearning.org 

This episode takes you on a journey through the innovative minds of Prakash Nair,AIA and Dr.Parul Minhas from Education Design International (EDI). Their pioneering work, which merges insights from architecture, neuroscience, psychology, and technology, has set new benchmarks in creating learning environments that foster student well-being, engagement, and achievement. Delve into their transformative design principles by exploring their portfolio of international projects, and learn how these spaces are tailored to meet the dynamic needs of 21st-century education. Their research-backed approach is detailed in their publications, including A New Language of School Design, which offers evidence-based strategies for enhancing student outcomes. Join us as we uncover how EDI's designs embody the future of learning, preparing students to thrive in an ever-changing world.About our guests Prakash Nair, AIA: As the Founding President & CEO of EDI, Prakash is a futurist and visionary architect recognized globally for his contributions to school design. His work, which spans 58 countries, has garnered numerous international awards. Prakash's publications, including "Blueprint for Tomorrow: Redesigning Schools for Student-Centered Learning," highlight his commitment to rethinking educational spaces to support modern pedagogies.Dr. Parul Minhas: As EDI's Director of Research & Digital Innovation, Parul's groundbreaking research in learning environments, neuroarchitecture, and biophilic design showcases her commitment to creating spaces that enhance student health and well-being. Her collaborative efforts with Prakash Nair have led to influential studies and tools that assist in the design of educational excellence. Join the conversation at silverliningforlearning.org 

Host reflect Join the conversation at silverliningforlearning.org 

Arizona State University's leadership in generative AI for higher education, partnership with OpenAI, impact of AI on student success, evaluating AI partnerships, equity in accessing AI technologies in education, and future collaborations and promotions.

We have been following initiatives that empower students to go beyond their traditional schools and classrooms, beyond their traditional pedagogies, and their traditional learning partners. We featured an initiative of Digital Promise that involved students in the United States in Episode 177 and an initiative of YEE Education that focuses on helping students develop creativity and entrepreneurial thinking in Chongqing and Beijing, China in Episode 179.For next episode, Episode 181, we will feature students and teachers from South Australia. The teachers and students have taken part in the Human Interdependence Project (HIP), which aims to help students develop global competency, empathy, creativity, and entrepreneurial thinking. Joining us will be teachers Michael Jacobsen and Samuel Franzway as well as student Gabby from University Senior College in Adelaide.Michael Jacobsen. Michael Jacobsen works at University Senior College (USC) in Adelaide, South Australia. USC is a Senior High School located on the University of Adelaide’s main CBD campus and teaches Economics and Business Innovation to students in Years 11 & 12 (final two years of high school) and they progress through USC’s academic and pastoral care programs while being immersed in the ‘university experience’ on campus. He has taught at the school since it commenced in 2002 and previously taught in Sydney (Australia) and London (United Kingdom). He spent 10 years as the Dean of USC’s International Program 2010-2020. He is currently the President of the Economic Teacher’s Society of South Australia. In addition to his teaching load, he is also has a role organising and facilitating the USC Yr11 & 12 Mentoring Program at USC. Michael’s passion is working with and mentoring his students, early career teachers and experienced colleagues. At this stage of his career his goals include being as helpful as he can to these groups of people and helping them flourish. He loves nothing more than time with his family and friends, surfing and playing guitar; and walking the family dog with his wife. In 2023 Michael and his USC colleague (Sam Franzway) were part of the YEE HIP Pilot in Adelaide with their Society & Culture and Business Innovation students – they are back in 2024 to ‘do it all again’!Sam Franzway is an early-career teacher of English and Humanities at University Senior College (USC) in Adelaide, South Australia. Before Sam became a teacher, he worked in the Graduate and Student Academic Assistance units at Flinders University, and the University of South Australia. This experience, in addition to two Masters degrees and a PhD, has informed his passion for teaching English, Humanities, and research skills in the senior school environment. Sam is also a writer, comedian, and photographer. He publishes two podcasts: Why Teach? Australia and Just Going For A Drive. In Why Teach?, Sam interviews experienced teachers about why they became a teacher, their experiences in schools, and what advice they would give themselves when they first started out. Just Going For a Drive is a comedy podcast about Sam’s hobby of cars and driving. In 2023, Sam and his USC colleague (Michael Jacobsen) were part of the YEE HIP Pilot in Adelaide with their Society and Culture, and Business Innovation students – they are back in 2024 to ‘do it all again’!Gabby Ireland. Hi, I’m Gabby, a University Senior College student. I am currently studying Business Innovation, Economics, English Literacy Studies, Philosophy and Legal Studies in year 12. I am very passionate about Economics and Business and last year (2023) I received the merit award for my HIP Business Innovation ideas. I have recently moved to Adelaide, from Queensland, after joining USC in year 11. My passions outside of school include horse riding, playing video games and hanging out with friends and family. I am very excited to continue my Business ideas in 2024 and enjoy year 12. Join the conversation at silverliningforlearning.org 

Can Technology Transform Education in Southeast Asia, with guests Manos Antoninis, Mary Burns & John Arnold S. Siena Join the conversation at silverliningforlearning.org

The podcast discusses the challenges of transforming education in China, with a focus on personalized learning, problem-solving, and global connections. It highlights the experiences of students and educators implementing Innovation, Creativity, and Entrepreneurship Education (ICEE), emphasizing the impact on self-discovery, collaboration, and authentic problem-solving skills. The speakers also address obstacles faced in promoting Chinese culture, the limitations of high-stakes tests, the use of AI in creative work, and the need for change in education.

Episode 178 Saturday January 27 at 11:00 am Eastern, The Rwanda Wildlife Film-making Course: Documenting Mountains of GorillasIn 2007, David McGowan from Chicago was in Uganda filming a documentary about Envirovet, an organization that brings veterinary medicine to wildlife health. A Ugandan veterinarian shared with him a story about the death of silverback gorilla and the subsequent mourning rites exhibited by the other gorillas. It was a behavior not seen before among the other veterinarians nor recorded in the literature of gorilla behavior. The veterinarian told McGowan that if he had had a film camera and knew how to use it, the incident he witnessed would have been international news and an incredible find for science.McGowan understood that this was one of the missing pieces in the global effort of wildlife management. It is critically important that the people who work closest with wildlife; rangers, trackers, and guides, should have access to the knowledge and equipment of filmmaking.McGowan met Greg Bakunzi through mutual friends at Gorilla Doctors based in Musanze, Rwanda. Bakunzi offered his eco-tourism compound, Red Rocks, as a location to teach the first class in 2022. Bakunzi shares McGowan’s passion for conservation and also looks to conservation as a way to help the surrounding communities supplement their farming incomes. He invited McGowan to conduct the wildlife filmmaking course at the Red Rocks compound in Musanze, Rwanda.The first class, August 2022, was a stellar success. Ten students attended ten 4-hour sessions and produced two films: One Health Rwanda and Birding in Rwanda. The next class, September 2023, attracted 12 new students. Students from the 2022 class helped McGowan teach the new class. The 2023 class is working on two films, Virindyana, Traditional Healer and Planet Birdsong. One of the advanced students, Roger Irakoze, has used his new skills to produce, for pay, a film for a local business.David McGowan is an Academy Award nominated filmmaker who has dedicated the last 30 years of his career to conservation and environmental films. His clients include government agencies; US Fish & Wildlife Service, National Park Service, USDA Forest Service and many state agencies, also included are non-governmental organizations; The Nature Conservancy, Bat Conservation International, Envirovet, among others. McGowan began his filmmaking career in 1979 as a grip on “The Blues Brother” feature film. Throughout the 1980s, he worked as a grip, camera assistant, sound recordist, and editor. The variety of filmmaking roles provided the requisite skills required for documentary production. McGowan began his own production company, Ravenswood Media, in 1989. McGowan has enjoyed a career full of adventure and curiosity. He has filmed mountain gorillas, stood at the foot of Angel Falls, dragged cameras/lights miles into caves, and climbed Devils Tower. However, the best part of his job is advancing the goals of conservation and imagining a new, nurturing relationship between humans and the environment.Greg Bakunzi has gained experience working as a Rwandan tour organizer and guide for various international tour operators. His professionalism and reliability, along with his exceptional understanding of the needs and desires of international visitors, have gained Greg much renown among clients and respect among the members of local communities. He is a co-founder and president of the Ruhengeri Community Eco-Tourism Association, a local association of people collaborating to enhance tourism development in Rwanda. He relies on a network of contacts in the area, all of whom are happy to take part in his project. As he notes, “With my experience, know-how and contacts, l am able to make your bespoke visitor experience memorable, while also benefiting the locals as much as possible. I work with an experienced and highly motivated local staff team responsible for client contacts, as well as tour development and facilitation. I achieved great honor and milestone when Red Rocks was awarded a certificate for being a TOP 100 mid-sized company for the year 2012/2013. The certificate was presented by Rwanda Development Board (RDB) Business Excellence Awards.”He adds that his philanthropic efforts have also not gone unnoticed. He molded Red Rocks Rwanda to be community-based organizations, where the local community can gain from tourism activities, and in the process, have a sustainable income. Red Rocks brings under-served communities into the tourism supply chain and supports community development projects that help people help themselves through our initiatives (http://redrocksinitiative.org/).In August 2015, Greg’s name was added to the A- Team for Wildlife ‘Wall of Fame’ for his contribution during their Giving Grid Fundraiser. A-Team is an organization that fights to save endangered species of animals. In 2015, on the occasion of the 36th edition of the International Tourism Fair of Madrid (FITUR), the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), FITUR and Casa Africa jointly organized the 7th edition of the Tourism Investment and Business Forum for Africa (INVESTOUR) on 21 January 2016 in Madrid, Spain. He was invited as a panelist in the second roundtable and shared with the audience his experiences on the topic, Africa-The future is now. Greg has been recognized by several Rwanda based organizations for my efforts in promoting responsible tourism and community development agenda. In January 2019, at the International Tourism Trade Fair (FITUR) in Madrid, Spain, an event that was organized jointly by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), FITUR and Casa Africa, he was awarded in recognition for Red Rocks Initiatives for Sustainable Development activities to promote tourism, conservation, and community development in and around the Volcanoes National Park in northern Rwanda. Recently, he was appointed by African Tourism Board to be in their steering committee representing the interest of African members on the platform.Wonjung Bae is a non-fiction storyteller/documentary filmmaker/news producer. Bae made her first film, Grand, Father and Me, at age sixteen and has won numerous awards for her work, including the 38th Student Academy Award, the 16th Annual Directors Guild of America Student Film Award, and the Kodak Cinematographers Scholarship, among others. Before joining Johns Hopkins, Bae was the Seoul Producer for BBC covering stories including the South-North Korean division on land and mind, Korean women’s emerging voice against sexual violence, and the unprecedented challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic for the last seven years. Her team’s investigation on the Gangnam sex scandal was a winner at the Asian Academy Creative Awards for Best Single News Story/Report of Korea, 2019. Before joining BBC, Bae led a production company specialized in international co-productions for character-driven social justice films. One of its features Dollar Heroes was shown at the European Parliament and the UN, and broadcasted through more than 70 public stations including BBC Panorama and Storyville as well as numerous international film festivals. The film was nominated for a 2019 Grierson Documentary Award for Best Documentary Series and won the 59th Monte-Carlo TV Festival Golden Nymph Awards for Best Documentary. Bae completed her MFA in Film and Video at Columbia College Chicago and her internship at PBS Frontline, WGBH Boston. Bae cut her teeth in Chicago as a documentary editor for Emmy Award-winning producer Tod Lending and Kartemquin Films. Born in Busan, South Korea, Bae studied political science at Korea University for her undergraduate degree and is an aspiring flutist.Roger Irakoze lives in Musanze in the northern province of Rwanda. He is a passionate tour guide and a wildlife filmmaker who works at Red Rocks Culture Center, a place located in Musanze, Nkotsi village in the valley of the volcano's mountains. His daily work at Red Rocks is all about conservation of the mountain gorillas and the local community who live around the volcanoes national park through community-based tourism. As Roger notes, “Here at Red Rocks community comes first, whatever we do is to make sure that the community is benefiting from the tourism activities that take place at Red Rocks through different programs such as women guiding association by where the local women get engaged in tour guiding, also there is an art for conservation program where the women and the youth make different handcrafts and bring them to the art gallery to be sold and the money that have been paid for the crafts goes back to the owners of those crafts a hundred percent.”Rwanda wildlife filmmaking is a program that was introduced in August 2022 in cooperation of red rocks initiatives and Ravenswood media a company based in Chicago in the USA. The mission of the project is to promote the conservation of wildlife, nature, and community through providing the trainings to the tour guides, rangers and other people who have relationship with conservation by teaching them the basic skills of filmmaking by where they can be able to deliver the message of conservation through short movies and videos that they have been taught to do. In this program Roger works as a film director and editor as he is one of the students who attended the first class, and the trainings are still taking place with new students who are committed to learn about wildlife filmmaking.Roger Irakoze has a bachelor’s degree in travel and tourism management. In addition, he is a certified Kivu belt bird guide and have attended the 6 months training of inspiring managers program provided by African management institute in cooperation with Mastercard foundation. He has advanced skills in information technology where he received his international computer driving license (ICDL) certificate. The way he got to know red rocks was from an internship during the completion of his bachelor’s degree. After three months of internship, Red Rocks offered him a chance of working there as a volunteer in community tourism and nature conservation from 2019 until today. He points out that there are a lot of benefits of being a guide whereby he gets paid when conducting various tours with tourists. Roger adds that tour guiding is the best way of interacting with various people from different countries and through tour guiding as he gets the chance to promote the culture and the beauty of his country in general. It is also the best way to interact with nature and participate in the conservation of nature, wildlife, and community. He definitely enjoys it.Final Note: For those who are inspired by this particular episode of Silver Lining for Learning and would like to help out, Ravenswood Media has created a filmmaking course for national park rangers, trackers and guides. Check out 'Rwandan Wildlife Filmmaking Course' on Indiegogo. Crowdfunding Website. https://igg.me/at/hNAnRwf02nA/x/3010600#/  Join the conversation at silverliningforlearning.org