FreshEd

As the year draws to a close, I’ve invited Susan Robertson and Mario Novelli to reflect on the past 12 months. What were the big events in 2022 and how might they impact the field of comparative and international education? We discuss a range of issues from protests to conflict to elections. We even touch on a few existential issues. I hope you enjoy the conversation and wish you a happy and safe new year. Mario Novelli is professor in the political economy of education at the University of Sussex. Susan Robertson is a professor of sociology of education. They co-edit the journal Globalization, Societies and Education. freshedpodcast.com/2022inreview -- Get in touch! Twitter: @FreshEdpodcast Facebook: FreshEd Email: info@freshedpodcast.com Support FreshEd: www.freshedpodcast.com/support/

Today we look at a UNESCO development project started in the early 1950s in Central Mexico that promoted fundamental education. My guests, Luis Urrieta and Judith Landeros, critique the common narrative of the project, revealing problematic deficit perspectives as well as nuanced counterstories of silenced voices. Luis Urrieta, Jr. is an Indigenous (P’urhépecha)/Latino interdisciplinary researcher. He currently holds the Charles H. Spence, Sr. Centennial Professorship in Education at the University of Texas at Austin where Judith Landeros is a doctoral student in the Cultural Studies in Education program with a certificate in Native American and Indigenous studies. Their new article is featured in the August issue of the Comparative Education Review. freshedpodcast.com/urrieta-landeros -- Get in touch! Twitter: @FreshEdpodcast Facebook: FreshEd Email: info@freshedpodcast.com Support FreshEd: www.freshedpodcast.com/support/

Trying to write this introduction, I’m stuck looking at a blank page. The cursor is blinking, teasing me to say something, anything. But I can’t. I’m stuck. Has that ever happened to you – the stress of writing? It’s not unusual. And yet writing is essential. We communicate by writing. We process ideas by writing. Writing provides us a creative outlet. So how do people approach the writing process? Over the past year, I’ve asked FreshEd guests how they write. In today’s episode, you’ll hear from a range of people providing diverse perspectives on writing. You’ll hear that no one approaches writing the same way. Hopefully there will be some insight into the writing process that can help you become a better writer. freshedpodcast.com/305-questionnaire -- Get in touch! Twitter: @FreshEdpodcast Facebook: FreshEd Email: info@freshedpodcast.com Support FreshEd: www.freshedpodcast.com/support/

Today Michael Rumbelow joins me to talk about his FreshEd Flux episode. I recommend you listen to that episode before you continue with this one. In our conversation today, we talk about maths education and the power of block play. We even listen to a few clips of Michael’s Flux episode to dissect the subtext and sounds. Michael Rumbelow is a PhD student at the University of Bristol. freshedpodcast.com/rumbelow -- Get in touch! Twitter: @FreshEdpodcast Facebook: FreshEd Email: info@freshedpodcast.com Support FreshEd: www.freshedpodcast.com/support/

Today we air the last episode of Flux Season 2. Flux is a FreshEd series where graduate students turn their research interests into narrative-based podcasts. This episode was created by Michael Rumbelow, a PhD student at the University of Bristol. In his Flux episode, Michael takes listeners on a sonic journey to explore block play. He weaves together sounds and ideas to show the power and possibilities of play. I hope you enjoy today’s episode. freshedpodcast.com/flux-rumbelow -- Credits: This episode was created, written, produced and edited by Michael Rumbelow. Johannah Fahey was the executive producer. Brett Lashua and Will Brehm were the producers. Vicki Mitchem played Virginia Woolf and Bertha Ronge, Dave Jackson played Friedrich Froebel, Karl Marx, and Charles Dickens, and Simone Datzberger played Melanie Klein. Studio audio technicians were Patrick Robinson and Simon Vause. Thank you and Aray to Sifo Lakaw, chairman of the Association of Pangcah Language Revitalization in Taiwan, Adrian Rooke, Druid of the order of Bards, Ovates and Druids, Gregg Wagstaff, and the National Film Board of Canada, for kindly giving me permissions to use recordings. With many thanks to Professor Alf Coles for educating my awareness. And a special thank you to Gene for the Minecraft interview and stop-motion animation. Sound effects and music credits can be found at freshedpodcast.com/flux-rumbelow -- Learn more about Flux: freshedpodcast.com/flux/about/ Twitter: @FreshEdpodcast Facebook: FreshEd Email: info@freshedpodcast.com Support FreshEd: www.freshedpodcast.com/donate

Today Aizuddin and Nazmi Anuar join me to talk about Aizuddin’s FreshEd Flux episode. I recommend you listen to that episode before you continue with this one. In today's episode, we discuss the power of memory when thinking about development and excavate some of the layers in Aizuddin’s Flux episode. Aizuddin Anuar is a lecturer in education at Keele University and his brother, Nazmi, teaches architecture in Malaysia. freshedpodcast.com/anuar -- Get in touch! Twitter: @FreshEdpodcast Facebook: FreshEd Email: info@freshedpodcast.com Support FreshEd: www.freshedpodcast.com/support/

Today we air the next episode of Flux, a FreshEd series where graduate students turn their research interests into narrative-based podcasts. This episode was created by Aizuddin Mohamed Anuar, who recently graduated with his PhD from Oxford and is now a lecturer in education at Keele University. In his Flux episode, Aizuddin problematizes the meaning of development. Is development always a forward motion? Or does it weave side to side like a river? And how does development get written onto lives? Is it always bad? Is it always good? Aizuddin meanders through these questions, connecting family memory to the development of Malaysia. freshedpodcast.com/flux-anuar -- Credits: Episode created, written, produced, and edited by Aizuddin Mohamed Anuar. Executive Producer: Johannah Fahey Producers: Brett Lashua and Will Brehm Voices: Narrator, Inner monologue, Translation of Mak, Willard C. Bush: Aizuddin Mohamed Anuar Long: Nazmi Anuar Joint reading from text: Nazmi Anuar and Ahmad Akif Mak: Noraini Ahmad Young people: Students of SMK Padang Midin, Malaysia (courtesy of their English teacher, Mr. Pravindharan Balakrishnan) Music and Sounds: Acoustic guitar compositions (Blues Sungai Seluar, Hujan Pagi, Menyusuri Sungai Jelai, Blues Jambatan Gantung, Bunga Cengang, Balada Kilang Rokok): Ahmad Black Link: https://ahmadblack.bandcamp.com/releases Camera Click Sound Effect by Soundstripe Link: https://app.soundstripe.com/sfx/63925 Chainsaw Sound Effect by InspectorJ Link: https://freesound.org/people/InspectorJ/sounds/418042/ Clock Ticking Sound Effect by Soundstripe Link: https://app.soundstripe.com/sfx/32756 Construction Site Sound Effect by Soundstripe Link: https://app.soundstripe.com/sfx/198 Critters in the rural environment: Recorded by Aizuddin Mohamed Anuar Dial-up Internet Sound Effect by Free Sounds Library Link: https://www.freesoundslibrary.com/dial-up-internet-sound/ Drilling Rig Sound Effect by fkunze Link: https://freesound.org/people/fkunze/sounds/407454/ Elephant Sound Effect by geronimo83 https://freesound.org/people/geronimo83/sounds/103117/ Elevator opening and going up: Recorded by Aizuddin Mohamed Anuar Gas Flaring and Fire Sound Effect by Soundstripe Link: https://app.soundstripe.com/sfx/3669 Hammer on Metal Sound Effect by Soundstripe Link: https://app.soundstripe.com/sfx/39457 People Chattering Sound Effect by Breviceps Link: https://freesound.org/people/Breviceps/sounds/465699/ Thunder and Rainfall Sound Effect by Soundstripe Link: https://app.soundstripe.com/sfx/48305 Tiger Sound Effect by Soundstripe Link: https://app.soundstripe.com/sfx/62307 Traffic sounds in Kuala Lumpur: Recorded by Aizuddin Mohamed Anuar Underwater Bubbles Sound Effect by Soundstripe Link: https://app.soundstripe.com/sfx/34316 Various River and Water Sounds: Recorded by Aizuddin Mohamed Anuar -- Learn more about Flux: freshedpodcast.com/flux/about/ Twitter: @FreshEdpodcast Facebook: FreshEd Email: info@freshedpodcast.com Support FreshEd: www.freshedpodcast.com/donate

Here we are. 300 episodes. I can’t believe it really. FreshEd has been putting out regular content for 2,569 days. That’s just over 7 years and averages a new episode every 8.5 days. We’ve produced close to 200 hours of recorded conversations about education broadly defined. Over 1 million words transcribed. In that time, we started a fellowship program for graduate students and two spin-off podcasts in other languages. There are so many people to thank, from the FreshEd team, who make this all possible, to our big institutional donors, who give us the freedom to produce independent content. I don’t have time to thank everyone who makes FreshEd possible. But I’d like to pay special tribute to the thousands of listeners who tune in every week from across the globe. Because of you, the whole FreshEd team devotes countless hours to make the show possible week after week. So thank you. Thank you for your support, your engagement, and your shared love of education and podcasts. We’ll keep going so long as you keep listening. I didn’t know the best way to celebrate 300. Reflecting on the past 7 years I started wondering about the pre-history of FreshEd. Where did the idea come from? Who shaped its direction? And then I remembered the name Greg Skutches, a mentor to me during my undergraduate studies at Lehigh University. Greg saw education as an end in itself, not some means to another end like a high paying job. He loved learning and supporting the process of student learning. Recently he’s written an op-ed in the school newspaper where he calls for us to reimagine higher education as a Carnival of Learning. I love that phrase: a Carnival of Learning where anything is possible. I think it captures the idea Greg instilled in me nearly 15 years ago. I also think it’s what I’ve always wanted FreshEd to be. So to celebrate this podcasting milestone I’ve invited Greg Skutches on the show. In our conversation, we discuss topics far beyond FreshEd. We get into the purpose and meaning of education. What it means to have a voice. And learn from our failures. To push boundaries. And take on institutional power. Greg Skutches is the Director of Writing Across the Curriculum at Lehigh University and teaches courses in the university’s English department. freshedpodcast.com/skutches -- Get in touch! Twitter: @FreshEdpodcast Facebook: FreshEd Email: info@freshedpodcast.com Support FreshEd: www.freshedpodcast.com/support/

Today we air the next episode of Flux. This episode was created by Bhavani Kunjulakshmi, a recent graduate of the UCL Institute of Education and staff writer at Feminism in India. Bhavani’s episode explores the meaning of colonization and decolonization in international development and education. We might think we know what colonization is. The history. The actors involved. The exploitation. But what does it feel like? And then what would it mean to decolonize? And what would that feel like? Bhavani explores these questions. freshedpodcast.com/flux-kunjulakshmi -- This episode was created, written, produced and edited by Bhavani Kunjulakshmi. Johannah Fahey was the executive producer. Brett Lashua and Will Brehm were the producers. Fred Brehm read the quote by Noah Chomsky and Fran Vavrus read the quote by Martha Nussbaum. Music was composed by M.C Couper The bell hooks’ clip was a part of ‘A Public Dialogue between bell hooks & Laverne Cox hosted by Eugene Lang College of Liberal Arts’ (Creative commons) The clip of Amartya Sen was a part of ‘Equality and growth – an interview with Amartya Sen’ (Creative commons) Quote by Noam Chomsky about Kerala was from Pedagogy of the Oppressed: Noam Chomsky, Howard Gardner, and Bruno della Chiesa Askwith Forum (Creative commons) Quotes by Martha Nussbaum was from “Creating Capabilities: The Human Development Approach” (Creative commons) Music: The Spirituals Project – Sankofa – Oh Freedom (Creative commons) -- Learn more about Flux: freshedpodcast.com/flux/about/ Twitter: @FreshEdpodcast Facebook: FreshEd Email: info@freshedpodcast.com Support FreshEd: www.freshedpodcast.com/donate

Today Yanan Yu joins me to talk about her FreshEd Flux episode, which aired last week. Spoiler alert: we talk about her episode in depth in today’s show, so if you haven’t already listened to her episode, I recommend you do so right now. Really, hit pause, go back and listen to her flux episode, and then come back here to go behind the scenes. In our conversation today, Yanan details what it’s like to live in a vision centric world and the difficulty of making a podcast. She talks about moving to the United Kingdom and inclusive education. Yanan Yu completed her master’s degree at the University of Bristol and recently finished an internship at the BBC. She is currently looking to enrol in a PhD program where she can further her studies on inclusive education. freshedpodcast.com/yu -- Get in touch! Twitter: @FreshEdpodcast Facebook: FreshEd Email: info@freshedpodcast.com Support FreshEd: www.freshedpodcast.com/support/