Top Class: The OECD Education Policy Podcast | Teachers, PISA, Students

Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, commonly known as ADHD, is a growing concern for many policymakers around the world. It affects approximately 5% to 10% of children globally and can influence how they learn and behave, including through hyperactive and impulsive behaviour. In this episode of Top Class, Sam Pittis, a British radio presenter who was diagnosed with ADHD and hosts the podcast “You're Wrong About ADHD”, discusses how to navigate ADHD in schools with OECD Editor Duncan Crawford, alongside OECD analyst Cecelia Mezzanotte, who has worked extensively on how to support children with ADHD.

Sola Mahfouz was pulled out of school in Afghanistan at the age of 11 after a group of men threatened her safety if she continued studying. After years with no education, she began to secretly teach herself through online classes. Against the odds, Sola later passed a college entry test, travelled to the US to study and is now a quantum computing researcher at Tufts University. Writing under a pseudonym, she is also co-author of her memoir Defiant Dreams: The Journey of an Afghan Girl Who Risked Everything for an Education. In this episode of Top Class, she tells OECD Editor Duncan Crawford her remarkable story and reflects on life with the Taliban.

While some countries have maintained or improved performance in maths and reading, many countries across the globe have seen large drops in educational performance, according to the latest Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) results. Almost 700,000 15-year old students from 81 countries and economies took the PISA test in maths, reading and science in 2022. Why have there been such large drops in performance? In this episode of Top Class, OECD Director for Education and Skills Andreas Schleicher speaks to OECD Editor Duncan Crawford about the findings and what they mean for global education

Sal Khan is the founder and CEO of Khan Academy, a non-profit which aims to provide free, world-class education for everyone. His organisation has developed an AI tutor and teaching assistant that he believes will transform global education for the better. Is he right? In this edition of Top Class, OECD Editor Duncan Crawford explores the far-reaching implications that thinking and learning machines pose for students, teachers and society as a whole.

On a daily basis, academic studies, reports and news tell us that the Earth’s ecosystem is in danger. But are schools doing enough to help raise awareness about climate change? OECD PISA test results show that schools play a central role in educating kids about environmental issues. In 2018, about 90 percent of school principals across the OECD reported that climate change and global warming were covered in the school curriculum. However, Matthew Pye, a philosophy teacher and founder of The Climate Academy, argues that schools and teachers need to be doing much more. In this episode of Top Class, he tells the OECD’s Duncan Crawford that schools should have a far greater focus on climate education.

Rapid developments in technology and society mean education is constantly on the move. These developments are having a profound effect on both students and teachers. So what should the teaching profession look like in the future? In this Top Class podcast, Professor A Lin Goodwin from the Lynch School of Education and Human Development at Boston College and Marco Snoek, Professor of Teacher Development and School Innovation at Amsterdam’s University of Applied Sciences, speak to OECD Editor Duncan Crawford about their visions for the future. You can read more about the OECD’s work on teacher professionalism here: https://www.oecd.org/education/ceri/new-professionalism-future-of-teaching.htm

Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine has led to the destruction of much of the country’s education system. Thousands of schools and universities have been damaged or destroyed, with teachers, students and parents killed in Russian attacks. With the education of millions of children interrupted, how should policymakers, schools and teachers respond? This episode of Top Class explores how to support the education of Ukrainian children, both inside and outside the country. Frederik Smets, an Education Officer at the UN Refugee Agency’s Regional Bureau for Europe, talks to OECD Editor Duncan Crawford about the challenges children and teachers face and what can be done to help. The OECD is working to support Ukraine’s agenda for reform, recovery and reconstruction. This report looks at how other countries’ educational experiences can support Ukraine’s plans to remodel its education system: https://www.oecd.org/education/Lessons-during-Crisis.pdf You can read more about the OECD’s work to support Ukraine here: https://www.oecd.org/ukraine-hub/en/

US National Teacher of the Year Rebecka Peterson on teaching struggles, “flip” lessons, & what it was like to meet US President Joe Biden & US First Lady, Dr. Jill Biden. Listen to Top Class with Duncan Crawford

In a world of tablets, smartphones and AI – how exposed should young children be to digital technologies? This episode of Top Class explores the latest research on the use of digital tech in creches, nurseries and kindergartens. OECD policy analyst Carlos González-Sancho tells OECD editor Duncan Crawford about the findings of the OECD report “Empowering Young Children in the Digital Age” and answers many questions, including: ✅ Should 2-6 year olds be allowed to use digital tech? ✅ How much screen time is OK? ✅ What are the key dangers of digital technologies? ✅ How can digital tech improve early childhood education? ✅ What are the potential benefits to careers and teachers? Read the report here: https://www.oecd.org/publications/empowering-young-children-in-the-digital-age-50967622-en.htm #children #digitaltechnologies #technology #creche #nursery #kindergarten #education #childhood

🎧 Top Class Micro-credentials are bite-sized qualifications designed to help people demonstrate they have certain skills or experience. Dr Monique Ositelu from data consultancy firm Itàn & Shizuka Kato, Education Policy Analyst at the OECD explain why they’re becoming more popular.