

Getting Smart Podcast
Getting Smart
This podcast has over 500 episodes highlighting developing trends in K-12 education, postsecondary and lifelong learning. Each week, Getting Smart team members interview students, leading authors, experts and practitioners in research, tech, entrepreneurship and leadership to bring listeners innovative and actionable strategies in education leadership.
Be sure to also check out GettingSmart.com to stay on the cutting edge of innovations in learning.
Be sure to also check out GettingSmart.com to stay on the cutting edge of innovations in learning.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Sep 6, 2023 • 30min
Eduardo Briceño on The Performance Paradox and Learning Zones
In this episode, speaker and author Eduardo Briceño discusses the performance paradox and learning zones. They emphasize the importance of balancing performance with learning, creating a growth mindset in the classroom, and integrating deliberate and purposeful practice. The conversation explores the concept of the performance paradox and its role in personal growth and development.

Aug 30, 2023 • 47min
Morgan Camu and Justin Dent on Outschool.org
On this episode of the Getting Smart Podcast Nate McClennen is joined by Morgan Camu, Head of Programs at Outschool.org and Justin Dent, founding Executive Director of Outschool.org. This non-profit branch of outschool.com is working to ensure not only access to all of outschool.com’s resources to those who are racially or economically marginalized - but is also thinking about how to support this unbundled ecosystem as a whole. Links: Outschool.org Outschool.com Previous Podcast with Outschool founder Amir Nathoo Morgan Camu LinkedIn Justin Dent LinkedIn Engaged Detroit Outbridge Heritage Homeschoolers Epic Homeschool Network

Aug 23, 2023 • 26min
Nalukai Academy on Teaching and Learning Entrepreneurship
Aaron Schorn, Nalukai program director, and high school student Sherry Jiang discuss creating a valuable learning experience in entrepreneurship, addressing food deserts, and the shift in Nalukai Academy's focus to entrepreneurship through the lens of Hawaiian culture. They also delve into addressing women's healthcare needs, the impact of participating in the Nalukai Academy, and the potential for other schools to implement similar programs.

Aug 16, 2023 • 43min
Thanasi Dilos on Civics, Superpowers and Co-Authorship
On this episode of the Getting Smart Podcast Nate McClennen is joined by Thanasi Dilos, Co-Founder and Chief Growth Officer at Civics Unplugged. Thanasi has been an explorer with Nat Geo, a Venture Fellow and is also the Co-Founder and Founding Champion of DreamDAO - and he is 20 years old. Links: LinkedIn Civics Unplugged Dream DAO Personal Site MIT Talk Design it For Us Sneha Revanur Encode Justice VELA Education Fund

Aug 9, 2023 • 41min
The Knowledge Society on Connecting Students with Real World Problems
This episode of the Getting Smart Podcast is brought to you by our recent publication Green Pathways, and makes the case for why ALL pathways need sustainability and green embedded. Find out more here. On this episode of the Getting Smart Podcast, Tom Vander Ark is joined again by Navid Nathoo, a former guest on the podcast. Navid joined us a few years ago to discuss The Knowledge Society, (TKS), one of the most revolutionary problem-based high school supplements that we’ve seen. This time we’re also joined by two TKS Learners, Theodore and Rachel. The group joins us from a sustainability summit in Switzerland. Theodore is a 15 year old that is focused on solutions to the climate crisis. This has led him to work on climate tech projects in the lithium-ion battery space: working with a PH.D. student on her project of using ultra micro electrodes to increase the ionic conductivity of lithium-ion batteries at University of Quebec (UQAM) battery research labs. Rachel is a 16-year-old activator at The Knowledge Society (TKS), with a deep interest in CRISPR and crop improvement. She is passionate about leveraging agritech to improve agricultural productivity in developing countries. Links: Student Episode Foremer Episode with Navid TKS Future Class Villars Institute

Aug 2, 2023 • 38min
Kelly Smith on Prenda and A Fire to be Kindled
Are you interested in attending one of the field’s largest gatherings of K-12 education innovators? The Aurora Institute Symposium 2023 promises community, lessons about education innovation from the field, and the latest research and policy to support education transformation. Find out more here. On this episode of the Getting Smart Podcast, Tom Vander Ark is joined by Kelly Smith, CEO and Founder of Prenda and author of the great new book A Fire to be Kindled: How a Generation of Empowered Learners Can Lead Meaningful Lives and Move Humanity Forward. Links: A Fire to be Kindled Description Prenda Kelly Smith Linkedin Amazon Link KindlED Podcast episode about the book

Jul 26, 2023 • 34min
Jamie Merisotis on Preparing the Workforce for a Green and New Economy
This episode of the Getting Smart Podcast is brought to you by our recent publication Green Pathways, and makes the case for why ALL pathways need sustainability and green embedded. Find out more here. On this episode of the Getting Smart Podcast, Tom Vander Ark is joined by repeat guest Jamie Merisotis, CEO of Lumina Foundation, a foundation committed to making opportunities for learning beyond high school available to all. We spoke with Jamie in 2020 right after the publication of Human Work in the Age of Smart Machines. Links: Lumina Foundation Human Work in the Age of Smart Machines Diverse Teams Smart Tools Blog National Council for Workforce Education

Jul 21, 2023 • 53min
Town Hall: Portrait of a Graduate in Practice
On the recent Getting Smart Town Hall, we were joined by NGLC to discuss their recent report focused on what comes after a school district adopts a Portrait of a Graduate. We also featured two of the educators highlighted in the report, not to mention countless others in our audience who are doing important work on the subject. These districts have been hard at work on aligning to their Portrait and ensuring that it is a living, breathing document and they had great ideas for how to keep revisiting, revising and ensuring that it is relevant to all stakeholders. Links: Mentions in Chat Recap Blog

7 snips
Jul 19, 2023 • 45min
Tim Knowles and Amit Sevak on What To Do with the Carnegie Unit
Amit Sevak, CEO of ETS, and Tim Knowles, 10th president of the Carnegie Foundation, discuss rethinking assessment and measurement in education. They explore the need for a skills-based approach, addressing inequities, building portraits of graduates, and measuring skills that matter. They highlight the importance of flexibility, quick feedback, and a shared understanding of educational activities.

Jul 12, 2023 • 29min
Sabrina Zhang and Jack Prater on The Earth Prize and Global Environmental Projects
On this episode of the Getting Smart Podcast, Tom Vander Ark is joined by a high school student Sabrina Zhang. We are also joined by Jack Prater, one of Sabrina’s teachers at Polytechnic School in Pasadena, California. They recently collaborated as a mentor/mentee team in The Earth Prize competition, a $200k global competition for students to create solutions to climate-related challenges. Links: Interview with Jack Agrivision The Earth Prize Polytechnic Institute Sabrina’s Blog