Silver Lining for Learning

 Episode 174 Saturday November 11 at noon EST, Immersive Learning "Found in the Fjords" of Norway with guests Louise Edwards and Tiffany Duong.In Episode #174 of Silver Lining for Learning, Louise Edwards (lead developer and 3D artist) and her teammate Tiffany Duong (writer) will take us on an adventure (or edventure) into the fjords of Norway not by plane, car, or boat but via immersive learning technology. Their work is literally changing the landscape of education to teach about ecological systems that are currently in the midst of extreme flux yet are vital to life on this planet. Learners can now leap into Arctic waters and experience firsthand how the orca of North America are adapting to a rapidly changing ocean and planet overall. Learn how juvenile orcas experience their first winter in Arctic fjords and navigate threats and opportunities such as those brought by the annual winter herring run. Attend this session and have your mind stretched, your emotions stirred, and life outlook forever altered.Links and Resources:  Found in the Fjords website: http://foundinthefjords.org/Found in the Fjords (1 minute teaser): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJqcHWQV_ugVirtual World Society Nextant Podcast: https://www.virtualworldsociety.org/virtual-world-society-podcast/episode/760b283d/episode-23-dr-louise-edwardsVR in Education podcast: https://cfrehlich.podbean.com/e/episode-97-vr-to-educate-people-about-the-earth/Over Coffee podcast: https://blubrry.com/overcoffee/98201223/whale-culture-in-vr/Dr. Louise Edwards is an educational consultant and VR developer situated at the nexus of science education, exploration, and immersive technology. She has carved a unique career path that encompasses experimental research in Earth science, environmental consulting, education and training across K-12, post-secondary and corporate sectors, and VR design and development. She specializes in creating immersive and interactive experiences that help people develop a relationship with the Earth and the scientific literacy required to engage with the modern world.Website: https://www.dredwardsvr.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-louise-edwards/Instagram: : https://www.instagram.com/dredwardsvr/Tiffany Duong is an explorer and expedition storyteller. She holds degrees from UCLA and the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School. Inspired by an epic dive trip, she left corporate law to campaign for our planet. Now, she writes, speaks and leads from dense jungles to remote oceans to the changing Arctic. Through her varied work, Tiff gives voice to what's happening in the natural world to inspire meaningful action and lasting change. Follow her on Twitter/Instagram @tiffmakeswaves.SpecialtiesField/expedition reporting, science communication, storytelling, writing, campaign design, coalition building, and intersectional and environmental advocacySocial Media LinksWebsite: http://www.tiffanyduong.com/Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/tiffanyduongInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/tiffmakeswaves/Twitter: https://twitter.com/TiffMakesWavesLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiffanytvduong/ Join the conversation at silverliningforlearning.org 

We are living in a world where tens of millions of people are being displaced or finding themselves as refugees each year. Such a world needs new educational and employment models and solutions. Enter NaTakallam, a WISE award recipient, which was initially designed as an Arabic-teaching service or platform during the Syrian refugee crisis. In essence, it was intended as a means to support those who were displaced while attempting to counter biases and negative media portrayals of such displaced individuals. Such refugees include artists, architects, teachers, small business owners, and information technologists, who need to earn a living in their new habitat as well as continue their education. Today, the mission of NaTakallam is much broader and global and is purposefully in line with the Sustainable Development Goals outlined by the United Nation. Notably, Natakallam (https://natakallam.com/about/) hires refugees and displaced people to teach languages, tutor, translate, and become involved in cultural exchanges. According to Aline Sara, the co-founder and CEO of NaTakallam, “Some 30% of the refugees we work with are trained teachers, but we also have engineers, journalists and architects.” She adds, “NaTakallam leverages the gig economy to connect them with language-based opportunities, taking them out of isolation.” As such, NaTakallam has evolved into a social enterprise for good that views its chief mission to find ways to provide employment and livelihood opportunities refugees and those from conflict-stricken parts of the world; unfortunately, that is an increasingly larger percent of the population with each passing year. As such, this episode of Silver Lining for Learning promises to be highly informative, eye opening, and emotion laden.Aline Sara is the co-founder and CEO of NaTakallam, an award-winning social enterprise that hires refugees and displaced persons and their host community members as online tutors, teachers, and translators. With a background in journalism, Aline is working to disrupt the ways in which we typically think of humanitarian aid and leverage the digital economy to promote sustainable solutions to major crises such as forced migration. Under Aline Sara’s leadership, NaTakallam has distributed $1,700,000+ in self-earned income to conflict-affected populations by connecting them to 12,000+ learners and dozens of organizational clients, worldwide. Aline is a Cartier Women’s Initiative, Summit & Halcyon fellow and has been a speaker at numerous high-level events, including TechCrunch Berlin & several OECD, UN, and World Bank events. She was named ‘Woman Entrepreneur of the Year’ at the Elle Impact Awards, winner of the World Bank Youth Summit, and regional winner of the MIT Inclusive Innovation Challenge (Asia). She is a passionate advocate for women’s rights and intercultural exchange. Some linksLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alinesara/.NaTakallam: https://natakallam.com/About: https://natakallam.com/about/Article. WISE Profile: https://www.wise-qatar.org/biography/aline-sara/NaTakallam: A Different Kind of Language Learning: https://www.wise-qatar.org/project/natakallam-connecting-refugees-and-language-learners-worldwide/ Video (2022; 7:15): Creating Digital Livelihoods for Refugees: Breaking the Wall to Integration. https://falling-walls.com/discover/videos/creating-digital-livelihoods-for-refugees-breaking-the-wall-to-integration/Video (2022; 15:01): Connecting Refugee: Falling Walk Breakthrough Conversation with Aline Sarahttps://falling-walls.com/discover/videos/connecting-refugees-falling-walls-breakthrough-conversation-with-aline-sara/ Join the conversation at silverliningforlearning.org 

The Rapid Expansion and Impact of The Digital School (TDS) with Dr. Waleed Al-Ali, Secretary General, TDS; Dr. Fuzan Al-Khalidi, Strategy and Organizational Development Advisor, TDS; and Dr. Lesley Snowball, Educational Director, TDSFrom the visionary perspective of H.E. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the transformation of digital education from a concept into a thriving reality has been nothing short of remarkable. Since its inception on November 11th, 2020, this initiative has been driven by unwavering dedication, with a resolute aim to reach one million students and beneficiaries by the year 2026. Today, our footprint spans eight countries, where we proudly extend the benefits of digital education to over 100,000 beneficiaries.The strength of TDS lies in its diverse range of offerings, designed to bridge educational gaps in underserved communities. We work tirelessly at both the strategic and technical levels, collaborating with countries to facilitate the transformation of their education systems into digital paradigms. A key facet of our mission is empowering educators – we provide professional development teacher training, empowering them to attain certification as digital educators. Additionally, we engage in pilot programs in close partnership with each host country's ministry of education. These pilots allow us to gauge the feasibility of a full-fledged implementation, which stands as our ultimate long-term goal.The core of our TDS model is its adaptability. We start by aligning with the national curriculum of the country where we operate, and then we methodically digitize it. Our education team crafts comprehensive lesson plans for various subjects, making these resources readily accessible through our Learning Management System. In summary, our approach to the digital school model is both unique and contextualized, tailored to the distinct needs of each country we serve. There is no one-size-fits-all solution here; our commitment lies in meeting the educational aspirations of diverse communities worldwide.And last, but not least, the heart of The Digital School is in its educators – the facilitators and teachers who support the learning of TDS students. Many of our educators have no prior experience of using technology in the classroom. We have purposefully designed a sequence of professional development courses that orientate, guide and inspire them to be effective digital practitioners.Readings and Resources: The Digital School progress and impact report https://thedigitalschool.org/Episode GuestsDr.Waleed Al-Ali is Secretary General at The Digital School.Dr. Waleed Al Ali – is the Secretary General and board member for The Digital School Initiative, He also holds responsibilities in a number of leading initiatives in Dubai including senior advisor at Mohammed Bin Rashid Global Initiatives (MBRGI), the general coordinator for Madrasa.org e-learning initiative and the coordinator for Dubai Future Council for Humanitarian Aid. Dr.Waleed has extensive experience in the areas of strategic planning, educational strategies, digital transformation, and social & development innovation. Waleed has worked with leading private and public organizations in UAE including Dubai Holding, UAE Ministry of Cabinet Affairs, and Mohammed Bin Rashid’s Smart Learning Program. Dr.Waleed holds a PhD in Project and Innovation Management, Master’s degree in IT Management and Bachelor’s degree in Information Security.Dr. Fuzan AlKhalidi is Education and Strategy Advisor at The Digital School.Dr. Fuzan AlKhalidi is a seasoned education strategy advisor at the Digital School, part of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Global Initiatives. With over 18 years of experience, Dr. AlKhalidi has held various leadership roles in strategic planning, healthcare management, and the implementation of national education and healthcare projects. Dr. AlKhalidi is known for his visionary thinking and a strong track record of turning plans into successful outcomes. He holds a Doctor of Dental Medicine degree from Northwestern University and a Master of Science in Healthcare Management from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland.Dr. Lesley Fern Snowball – Education Director - The Digital SchoolAs the Education Director, Dr. Lesley Snowball directs and leads all aspects of The Digital School education strategy, including pedagogy, content and professional development for educators. With more than 30 years as an educator, Dr. Lesley’s educational passions and specific areas of expertise include students’ self-directed learning, curriculum design, multilingualism, inclusive education, and school improvement. Dr. Lesley has incorporated technologies into her classroom since volunteering to pilot a Sinclair ZX81 in the 1980s with her special needs students, and since 2010, has designed and taught online courses as Adjunct Professor of Education with George Mason University in Fairfax VA. She co-authored and published the Intemational Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme and published more than 100 education resources with Pearson Education and Paramount Publishing. Dr. Lesley has a Doctorate in teachers’ professional development, a Masters’ degree in curriculum design, and an Advanced Diploma in language learning, A passionate multiculturalist, she has lived and/or worked in more than 50 countries worldwide. Join the conversation at silverliningforlearning.org 

This podcast explores the concept of a school within a school as a means of educational transformation. It discusses the benefits of reflection, cultivating an outward mindset, and inviting external experts. The podcast also highlights the process of creating a standalone school within a school and the challenges faced. It examines the rise of the school within a school model and the interest and support it has received. The transformation of traditional classrooms into studio spaces and the importance of sharing projects and preserving innovative schools is also discussed.

Hosts Reflect with Yong Zhao, Curt Bonk, Chris Dede & Punya Mishra Join the conversation at silverliningforlearning.org 

Transformations Shaping Education in the MENA Region (Middle East & North Africa) with Shireen Yacoub (Istidama Consulting),  Elyas Felfoul (Qatar Foundation/ WISE), and Rami Qubain (PWC)In this episode, we navigate the intricate dynamics of the youth bulge in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, where approximately 60% of the population is under the age of 30. We will delve into the opportunities and challenges this demographic trend presents for both higher education and employment. One pressing challenge we tackle is the persistent issue of skills mismatch and high youth unemployment rates in MENA. Despite the increasing number of graduates, there exists a significant disconnect between the skills acquired through higher education and the demands of the job market. We will engage in a thoughtful discussion on strategies aimed at bridging this gap, aligning education with the evolving needs of the job market, and highlight success stories and promising programs that are already making a difference in addressing this crucial issue.Our guests will provide insights into key topics such as the role of public-private partnerships (PPPs), the localization and contextualization of reform efforts, curriculum modernization, and teacher development. We'll also explore the integration of technology to enable digitization and strategies for addressing the complex issue of the skills gap. Join us for a grounded, informative conversation that conversation that not only explores the challenges but also offers practical strategies and solutions that are actively shaping higher education in the MENA region.Episode guestsShireen Yacoub: An EdTech pioneer in MENA and Managing Partner at Istidama Consulting, working at the intersection of research and education with a primary focus on upskilling vulnerable communities, including refugees, and harnessing educational technology for enhanced economic mobility. Prior to joining Istidama, Shireen was the the CEO of Edraak, the leading open online learning platform reaching 7 million learners across the MENA region. She holds a master's degree from Harvard Graduate School of Education, specializing in Education, Innovation, and Technology.ELYAS FELFOUL, Director - WISE, Qatar Foundation: Elyas joined WISE in 2013, he has been in charge of managing and establishing the summit's platform as well as overseeing the EdTech Accelerator Program. With his extensive experience in both the public and private sectors, Elyas brings vast and rich knowledge and expertise to WISE. Before joining WISE, he worked as a political advisor to the Quebec Vice-Prime Minister, and later held a position at a Toronto-based firm specializing in M&A. Elyas studied International Relations at University of Sherbrooke in Canada and obtained a Masters in Public Policy at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy of the National University of Singapore.About WISE: WISE is an international, multi-sectoral platform for creative thinking, debate and purposeful action. WISE has established itself as a global reference in new approaches to education. Through both the biennial Summit and a range of ongoing programs WISE is promoting innovation and building the future of education through collaboration.Rami Qubain: Rami is a Director at PwC Middle East Education and Skills Advisory services, He has more than 20 years of experience in North America and MENA regions developing a track record managing transformation projects in different sectors including education, non-profit, community development, and public sector. He gained a solid skill-set working and managing projects to enhance operational efficiency, regulatory and academic governance frameworks, and stakeholder management. Prior to joining PwC in 2014, Rami worked across multiple higher education institutions including the American University in Cairo, Manhattanville College, and other start-up educational institutions and regional governmental entities Join the conversation at silverliningforlearning.org 

The HUB: A Parent's Journey to Create a Global School with Luba Vangelova and Miro Siegel Join the conversation at silverliningforlearning.org

Experiential Learning and its Potential Impact on our Postsecondary Ecosystem with Howard Lurie, Senior Vice President for Research and Evaluation, Academic Programs International (API) &the API Foundation and Anastasia Vrachnos, Vice Provost of Global Education and Strategic Initiatives,  University of San Francisco.Amid tightening budgets, challenging demographics and uncertainty in enrollment forecasts, the overall health of the education abroad sector remains at a critical crossroads. Recent global student flow forecasting by the international research firm HolonIQ suggests that a rapid return to pre-pandemic enrollment is not a foregone conclusion. A variety of global and economic factors, including affordability, could continue to limit access to education abroad programs. In this context, schools need a more precise and actionable understanding of demand for education abroad. A more detailed understanding of demand can also help ensure that education abroad programs are more readily accessible and available to the full spectrum of undergraduate students.Academic Programs International (API), an award-winning provider of experiential learner programming is addressing these challenges through the development of its Experiential Learner Mindsets. This conversation will explore both the current state of the education abroad sector, and the potential impact that an understanding of learner mindsets may have on expanding access and lowering barriers of entry to these experiences.Episode GuestsHoward Lurie has been the Senior Vice President for Research and Evaluation at Academic Programs International (API) since 2021.  He is responsible for establishing and leading API’s research and evaluation services, focused on assessing the preferences and motivations of both prospective and alumni learners seeking study away/abroad and experiential learning opportunities.Prior to joining API, Howard served for seven years as the Principal Analyst for Online and Continuing Education at Eduventures, an independent research and advisory firm. At Eduventures, Howard designed and directed nationally representative research studies investigating the adult learner market, competency-based education (CBE), alternative credentials, and Online Program Management (OPM) services. Howard was the principal investigator for Eduventures’ 2016 – 2019 study Deconstructing CBE: An Assessment of Institutional Activity, Goals and Challenges in Higher Education.  Previously, Howard served in management and leadership roles at Acrobatiq, EdX, and WGBH where he co-founded and directed PBS LearningMedia, a free digital resource used by millions of secondary and postsecondary students.Anastasia Vrachnos works with leadership, academic partners, and business units to advance the scope of the university's global partnerships and immersive learning opportunities. She also coordinates strategic planning implementation and communications, oversees academic planning at Star Route Farms, and helps lead cross-divisional strategic initiatives that advance the academic enterprise.Before joining USF in 2019, Anastasia was the Vice Provost for International Affairs and Operations at Princeton University, and prior to that, served as dean of international and professional experience for Yale-NUS College in Singapore. She draws on a wide range of professional experience in the fields of education, nonprofit administration, finance, and journalism. She was the executive director of Princeton in Asia, worked as an investment banker for Morgan Stanley, taught middle school in the Bronx, and was an award-winning photojournalist in Indonesia and East Timor. Join the conversation at silverliningforlearning.org 

U.S. schools are implementing a 4-day school week, with positive feedback from parents and staff. Financial savings are less than 2%. The impact on academic outcomes is unclear. Some states have tried to block this change. Strategies for retaining quality teachers in high poverty districts are discussed.

Leading Edge Immersive Learning in Higher Education with Marcy Drummond, Greg Heilberger, and Jonathon RichterThe hype and promise of immersive learning such as virtual reality or augmented reality has been around for decades. Immersive environments can draw learners into highly engaging experiences unlike any other medium.  However, adoption of high quality immersive learning in higher education is uneven, though there are by now examples and institutions finding reliable success. What are the latest examples of immersive learning in higher education, what can we learn from these examples, and what might we do to improve the future?Three expert leaders of immersive learning get together for this episode of Silver Lining for Learning to discuss the trends and highlights of what’s happening with immersive learning experiences across the higher education space through three very distinct organizational lenses  - Marcy Drummond of MetaCity in Los Angeles, Greg Heiberger in South Dakota, and Jonathon Richter with the Immersive Learning Research Network. With special focus on strategic approaches for accessible and meaningful learner engagement, our guests may discuss immersive learning with respect to current trends such as the idea of the metaversity, low/no cost deployment, the drift from Metaverse to eXtended Reality (XR), games, game design and gamification in immersive learning, the wild array of immersive learning possibilities springing up across the curricula, the range of platforms and approaches for higher education professionals to consider in co-designing with students, integrating AI into immersive learning experiences, and the nature of hype versus evidence-based simulations to be found across higher education, and out into the workforce and other field-based settings.ResourcesMetaCity:https://www.lacitycollege.edu/about/why/meta-citySouth Dakota State University:https://www.sdstate.edu/news/2023/03/sdsu-selected-one-seven-original-metaversitiesImmersive Learning Research Network’s Champions in Higher Education for XR (CHEX):https://www.immersivelrn.org/initiatives/champions-in-higher-education-of-xr-chex/ Free and Lo/No-Code -Immersive experiences used be expensive and reserved for the “techies”. Now, with drag and drop functionality in graphic and immersive spaces, students can collaborate and prototype and codesign spaces WITHOUT have much technical skill. Check out this recent Geekflare article on empowering students with no-code for Augmented Reality development.  [ . . . } At the crossroads between two current trends, Artificial Intelligence is taking over the Lo- or No-Code development space.Artificial Intelligence & Generative Text impacting Immersive Learning -VR software company ENGAGE has ChatGPT embedded into virtual “bot” beings in their virtual environment - a project called Athena worth investigating. Many informal reports of higher education engaging in projects using text and image generating AI to design and develop immersive experiences - particularly with educational character design, world/level design, and dialogue customized to specific faculty expert-context.Accessible Tech -Look to the emerging power of WebXR, such as: FrameVR, Mozilla Hubs, Alakazam, Spatial.io - if you can access the web (a relatively low bar), you can thus, get into the virtual 3D space, as WebXR operates in the web browser - no need to download and install a separate program. Mobile phones can then become a common demoninator access point - something many learning institutions already practice. Ruth Le at the University of Michigan has a good summary of the limitations vs. benefits of eXtended Reality regarding accessibility and learning.Digital Twins - This is a popular buzzword in higher education and thus, operates at all levels of conversation. Digital Twins are digital models linked to physical reality. There is some tangible reality - some real benefits being actually realized out of this old concept and institutions are finding success innovating with the idea: from digital twins of municipal areas, sports arenas, bridges, and the many ongoing digital twin projects of universities in partnership with Victory XR. Graphics Card maker NVIDIA has a 5-step guideline on Getting Started with Digital Twins.Metaversities - What is a Metaversity and should you build one? (Forbes, Jan 2023); Previously mentioned Victory XR and Virbela are two companies that offer different kinds of metaversity solutions.Simulations and Training - Companies like TaleSpin offer enterprise software and toolkits that universities and other orgs can use to design and integrate their own XR solutions. Other solutions, such as those offered by the company BodySwaps provides “soft skills” training and accreditation pathways for universities to build & reinforce cultural expectations and cultivate professional behavior. Focused on specific job-related skills and career pathways, companies like Transfr collaborate with universities and businesses with active work sites.Games, game design, and gamification - Some universities are hoping that gamification can stem the tide of declining enrollment. Generative text is being used to customize complex narratives, curated by higher education experts as a core aspect of the design of highly engaging customized learning experiences. The ethical implications and consequences that we face are worth careful consideration. ChatGPT has a free version but the AI visual image generators such as Bing’s, Open AI’s DALL-E2, or MidJourney - which are NOT free but still relatively accessible - are potentially transformative for use in teaching and learning in higher education. The Immersive Learning Research Network has explored and experimented with Alternate Reality Games in education for the past few years.Evidence-based Design of Immersive Learning experiences - In 2022, in support of the mission of the IEEE Technical Committee on Immersive Learning Environments, the iLRN FAIDS initiative worked with the iLRN community to crowdsource  emerging design standards for developing high quality immersive learning experiences.Episode GuestsMarcy Drummond led the development of the MetaCity XR teaching and learning program as Vice President for Economic and Social Mobility Innovation at Los Angeles City College. Marcy’s prior positions were at the ACT Foundation and the  Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.  Marcy also served more than ten years as Los Angeles Trade-Technical College’s Vice President of Institutional Effectiveness and Innovation and as Vice President of Academic Affairs and Workforce Development where she led major education and workforce development initiatives, several of which received national and international recognition, including the Pathways to Academic, Career, and Transfer Success (PACTS) model, the Regional Economic Development Institute, the Transportation Workforce Institute, and the Green Technology Incubator.Dr. Heiberger’s 20 years of innovation at South Dakota State University (SDSU) includes curricular, co-curricular and outreach programming. His professional career spans 5 years in student affairs, 10 years as pre-med advisor/instructor and he currently serves as Associate Professor & Coordinator of the accelerated master’s in Human Biology and Associate Dean in the College of Natural Sciences. His active research projects include a social listening study exploring the change in STEM career sentiment throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and is the PI for an NSF funded project titled: The Wokini Undergraduate Biology Education Network. In 2022, SDSU was named one of the first 10 Metaversity campuses in the US. Greg currently leads SDSU’s Metaversity initiative and additionally he has cultivated internal and external investment in VR initiatives supporting over 150 headsets deployed in physical VR labs, and a mobile VR lab project aimed at engaging regional rural communities in STEM activities and careers through VR.Jonathon Richter, is co-Founder and the current Chief Executive Officer of the Immersive Learning Research Network, or iLRN - where he has led in the co-creation of the iLRN Virtual Campus since 2020 with partner platforms such as Virbela, Frame, Mozilla Hubs, and Alakazam. In collaboration with universities such as San Diego State University, Harvard University, University of Roehampton, and Goethe University, the iLRN Virtual Campus Join the conversation at silverliningforlearning.org