Learning Unboxed

Shawn Young is the co-founder and CEO of Classcraft, an innovative platform that helps educators make learning meaningful and motivate students through gamification. SInce its launch, Classcraft has had an incredible impact, with over 10 million students making use of the platform. He has a background in teaching himself, and in fact built Classcraft to meet the needs of his own classroom before it became a tool that is deployed in classrooms around the world. We talk about why gamification is such a great tool for encouraging student participation, and how Classcraft presents these features in a way that puts real-world learning upfront and wraps it in an appealing package.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:How Classcraft came aboutThe gaps that Classcraft fills in the classroomWhy gamification increases intrinsic motivationAddressing the concerns about adopting ClasscraftBringing Classcraft into your classroomResources:Learn more: classcraft.comInstagram: @classcraftgame

One of the main goals of education is to prepare our kids for the future, and that often means preparing them for a career. A great way to do that is through internships, capstones, and mentoring programs. Erika Reeves is the Bodies Early College Experience Coordinator at Metro Early College High School, who we’ve spoken with on the podcast before. She’s joined by a student, Shirish Parasa, who has been participating in the Bodies program this past year and gave an incredible capstone presentation. Together, they talk about the benefits of early work education programs and how they can give more opportunities to kids.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:What the Bodies Learning Center isEmbedding children in the research processHow students connect with what they learn and experienceThinking about the role of the mentorMeeting the needs of each individual studentResources:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/erika-reevesP3 Applied: pastfoundation.org/p3-applied-mentorship-series

In this special issue of Learning Unboxed, we are kicking off a multi-part series we call “Hacking School.”The disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, while awful in its own right, brought to light several long-standing issues in the education system—specifically when it comes to equity, technology, and pedagogy. We’ve come to understand that the current system does not prepare students adequately for life or the workforce. Let’s explore how we can take this opportunity to rethink the very foundations of how we teach kids and prepare them for the future.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:The unexpected upside of the pandemicWhy the present education system is obsoleteHow we can rethink education

Art is such a powerful way to expand our creativity and explore unique ways of thinking, but the traditional art world can be uninspiring to outsiders and limiting to the artists themselves. Thankfully, people like Allyson Lupovich mean to change that. Allyson is the Director of Brand Content for Meow Wolf, an immersive art experience company in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Their goal is to inspire creativity through their art and to remind people of the power of play. We talk about all sorts of things, from how Meow Wolf approaches creating their maximalist, impressive art installations to collaborating on creative projects and more. We also discuss how to bring some of this sense of art and inspiration into your own backyard.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:What Meow Wolf is and how it got startedHow these experiences are designedGiving everyone a voice in creatingWhat Omega Mart is and how it was designedBringing creativity to your neighborhoodResources:meowwolf.comInstagram: @meow__wolfLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/allyson-lupovich-b8190488

High school internship programs can be a fabulous experience for students and, when done well, are incredibly productive for all parties involved. Internships can run from work-based experiences to being fully embedded in a workplace. Tammy Cooper has been the internship coordinator at the Marysville Early College STEM School for the past five years. She talks about some of the benefits of internships, how students can get involved, and what’s in it for the businesses that participate as well.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:What Marysville Early College STEM School is and what they doWhat students get out of an internshipThe experience for the company during an internshipGetting workplaces on board for internship opportunitiesResources:Marysville Early College STEM SchoolLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tammy-cooper-a27003104

Travel is a wonderful thing, and so much learning can happen while doing it. Creating opportunities for learning takes a lot of work however, and it isn’t always accessible. How can we make it easy for anyone to learn as they travel?That’s the goal of the Smithsonian Adventure Labs. Anne-Marie Gilliland a volunteer organizer at the Smithsonian Castle. Adventure Labs is an app based on the idea of geocaching, where you use your phone’s GPS to go on a scavenger hunt to different locations. In the app, you discover new locations, all the while learning more about their history, and you are encouraged to visit and discover new areas and new things you may never have noticed before. While it is made by the Smithsonian, anyone with the app can set up their own Adventure Lab.Anne-Marie shares with us how, using the Adventure Lab app, you can bring exploration-based learning to your community without the need to invest in tour guides that by necessity limit what can be covered.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:The purpose behind Smithsonian Adventure LabsHow people can use the appWhat is involved in making your own Adventure LabResources:si.edu/mobile/adventurelab

How do we get our kids through childhood and teenage years to adulthood?The world is changing rapidly, and that’s leaving young adults with having to make important decisions about their future—without knowing if the advice that worked for their parents, or even their peers, will work for them in the future. Things like whether or not college is necessary, what jobs will be around in the next five to ten years, or whether or not they’re prepared to live on their own.Thankfully, there’s Raising the Next Gen, an organization out of central Ohio that helps high school students make smart career and college decisions to become successful adults—regardless of whether that student is college-bound or going right into the workforce. Traci Bakenhaster is the founder of this organization, and she’s going to share with us why this organization exists and what it does to help young adults thrive.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:How most adults learn things the hard wayThe foundations of adultingKeeping educational content both current and timelessCatering the messaging to different age groupsResources:raisingthenextgen.com

How do we create good stewards of Mother Nature from a young age and give our kids a well-rounded education—while having fun? Jessica Kaknevicius is the Vice President of Education at Sustainable Forestry Initiative where she leads the initiative to advance environmental literacy, stewardship, and pathways to green careers. She also leads and directs Project Learning Tree. Sustainable Forestry Initiative is all about the broad aspect of sustainability but approaches it through the lens of forestry. Teachers often don’t have the resources or permission to get their kids outdoors and learning in a natural environment, so anything that helps with that is a huge win.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:The mission of the Sustainable Forestry InitiativeExploring the benefits of trees and forestsHow the pandemic has affected outdoor educationBringing programs to your communityLearning from indigenous communitiesResources:forests.orgplt.orgLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jessica-kaknevicius-00431525Learning Unboxed is produced, in part, by Crate Media.

Food is essential to our lives, but kids rarely get a chance to understand where it comes from – or how to participate in the process. Jim Bruner is the farmer extraordinaire at the Mezzacello, an urban farm in the middle of downtown Columbus which hosts programs that expose local kids to urban farming. We discuss how last year’s events went and what lessons he’s learned that will be applied as the project moves in the future.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:Why Jim created MezzacelloMezzacello summer camp programmingCreating a positive learning environment through playLessons Jim learned working with kidsLong-term impact of the programDesigning your own backyard curriculumResources:mezzacello.org2022 Summer CampLearning Unboxed is produced, in part, by Crate Media.

When given trust and resources, students can do some incredible things. One Stone is a student-led and directed nonprofit that makes students better leaders and the world a better place. Through allowing students to pursue their passions and interests, they learn to become more confident, empowered, and self-sufficient. Jesse Ross is the director of senior partnerships at One Stone. He’s joined by two senior students, Saumya Sarin and Elani Waight, who share why they joined the program and what they get out of it.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:What One Stone is and why it’s necessary in educationWhy students are choosing One Stone for their high school experienceBalancing educational requirements with new, creative ideasThe youth innovation challengeExperiential learning opportunitiesResources:onestone.orgLearning Unboxed is produced, in part, by Crate Media.