

The Learning Geeks Podcast
The Learning Geeks
The Learning Geeks podcast is dedicated to those that passionately support the world in experiencing better learning. The podcast is hosted by three learning professionals - Bob Gerard, Dana Koch, and Jake Gittleson. In each episode, we dedicate time to talk about the things impacting the learning world including new science, approaches, technologies, and ideas. Guests will appear, popular games and movies may be discussed, and geeks will laugh.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Nov 10, 2020 • 26min
Star Wars Aftershow: Mando and the Marshal (feat. Dan Zehr)
It's that time of the year again - The Mandalorian Season 2 premiered so a Star Wars aftershow is in order. Special guest Dan Zehr sticks around to breakdown the episode and nerd out with us. If you didn't catch the previous Learning Geeks episode, Dan joined us to discuss teaching with pop culture. Dan is a high school educator, podcast host of Coffee with Kenobi Podcast, and author of the “Teaching with Star Wars” blog on StarWars.com. May the Force be with you!
CONNECT WITH US
If you have any feedback or want to join in on the conversation, connect with us via LinkedIN, Twitter (@bobbyhollywood), or email our show at learninggeekspod@gmail.com.
DISCLAIMER
All thoughts and views are of our own.
READ BOB’s BATUUAN RECCE BLOG
https://therecce.substack.com/
FOLLOW DAN ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Twitter: @MrZehr
Facebook: CWK Cafe Group
SUBSCRIBE TO COFFEE WITH KENOBI PODCAST
https://coffeewithkenobi.com/
COFFEE WITH KENOBI PATREON PAGE
https://www.patreon.com/CoffeeWithKenobi
READ DAN’S NEW BOOK – “THE STAR WARS BOOK”
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/636357/the-star-wars-book-by-cole-horton-pablo-hidalgo-and-dan-zehr/
WORK WITH DAN
https://danzmedia.com/
AUDIO CREDIT
"Seagulls Stop it Now" by Bad Lip Reading. Check them out at https://www.youtube.com/user/BadLipReading
"Star Wars: The Force Awakens - Trailer III Music Cover | The Force Theme" by Parademics at https://youtu.be/iop__6nlNJE

Nov 10, 2020 • 29min
S3 E05: Teaching Core Skills Through Pop Culture (feat. Dan Zehr)
Special guest Dan Zehr - high school educator, podcast host of Coffee with Kenobi Podcast, and author of the “Teaching with Star Wars” blog on StarWars.com - joins the show to discuss how educators in K-12, Higher Ed, and corporate education can learn from the Star Wars franchise. Dan has become well-known for being a teacher who uses Star Wars and pop culture in his classroom to teach about failure, mentors, teachers, family, diversity and much more. So even if you're not a fan of Star Wars, this is still a must listen!
CONNECT WITH US
If you have any feedback or want to join in on the conversation, connect with us via LinkedIN, Twitter (@bobbyhollywood), or email our show at learninggeekspod@gmail.com.
DISCLAIMER
All thoughts and views are of our own.
READ BOB’s BATUUAN RECCE BLOG
https://therecce.substack.com/
FOLLOW DAN ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Twitter: @MrZehr
Facebook: CWK Cafe Group
SUBSCRIBE TO COFFEE WITH KENOBI PODCAST
https://coffeewithkenobi.com/
COFFEE WITH KENOBI PATREON PAGE
https://www.patreon.com/CoffeeWithKenobi
READ DAN’S NEW BOOK – “THE STAR WARS BOOK”
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/636357/the-star-wars-book-by-cole-horton-pablo-hidalgo-and-dan-zehr/
WORK WITH DAN
https://danzmedia.com/
AUDIO CREDIT
"Seagulls Stop it Now" by Bad Lip Reading. Check them out at https://www.youtube.com/user/BadLipReading

Oct 14, 2020 • 31min
S3 E04: Go Forward and Fail
Learning from failure is powerful, but sharing stories of our failure takes courage. A recent epic fail inspired us to share stories of our past/recent failures, including why failure feels bad, what can be learned from failure, how to create a culture that accepts failure, and much more. Plus, Bob ends the episode with one of the most inspiring quotes of all-time!
CONNECT WITH US
If you have any feedback or want to join in on the conversation, connect with us via LinkedIN, Twitter (@bobbyhollywood), or email our show at learninggeekspod@gmail.com.
DISCLAIMER
All thoughts and views are of our own.
AUDIO CREDIT
"Seagulls Stop it Now" by Bad Lip Reading. Check them out at https://www.youtube.com/user/BadLipReading
“The Jedi Lives Forever (Star Wars fan made soundtrack)” by Luis Humanoide at https://youtu.be/gwWGG_Kgags

Sep 2, 2020 • 28min
S3 E03: Creating Development Plans that Work
Following performance reviews, it's often the time to plan our future development. And that’s where learning kicks in. So in this episode of the Learning Geeks, the guys discuss development plans, how to make them relevant for you, what our development plans typically look like, and why we believe in balancing prescription with self-direction.
CONNECT WITH US
If you have any feedback or want to join in on the conversation, connect with us via LinkedIN, Twitter (@bobbyhollywood), or email our show at learninggeekspod@gmail.com.
DISCLAIMER
All thoughts and views are of our own.
AUDIO CREDIT
"Seagulls Stop it Now" by Bad Lip Reading. Check them out at https://www.youtube.com/user/BadLipReading

Aug 10, 2020 • 31min
S3 E02: Immersive Practice in Virtual Worlds (feat. Carrie Straub, PhD)
Covid-19 has disrupted traditional modes of safe practice, but the advances in virtual reality and simulations are making it possible to provide memorable and impactful learning through practice. In this episode, Carrie Straub, Executive Director: Educational Programs and Research at Mursion, joins the Learning Geeks to discuss the advances in immersive, virtual practice. With Carrie’s immense experience on helping others authentically practice interpersonal skills, she shares why it’s important to create psychologically safe environments, how AI could play a role in the future, and why authentic, safe practice is essential for today’s most important issues (e.g. racial inequalities, unconscious bias).
CONNECT WITH US
If you have any feedback or want to join in on the conversation, connect with us via LinkedIN, Twitter (@bobbyhollywood), or email our show at learninggeekspod@gmail.com.
RESOURCES
Stanford Virtual Human Interaction Lab (Publications) – https://vhil.stanford.edu/pubs/
Diamond Age – by Neal Stephenson
DISCLAIMER
All thoughts and views are of our own.
AUDIO CREDIT
"Seagulls Stop it Now" by Bad Lip Reading. Check them out at https://www.youtube.com/user/BadLipReading

Jul 21, 2020 • 26min
S3 E01: Stimulating Learners through Boredom
In this episode, we explore why it’s okay to be bored, and the science on why it can positively impact creativity, imagination and learning. Finally, we discuss how we should seek boredom during our day to be better learners.
CONNECT WITH US
If you have any feedback or want to join in on the conversation, connect with us via LinkedIN, Twitter (@bobbyhollywood), or email our show at learninggeekspod@gmail.com.
DISCLAIMER
All thoughts and views are of our own.
AUDIO CREDIT
"Seagulls Stop it Now" by Bad Lip Reading. Check them out at https://www.youtube.com/user/BadLipReading
RESOURCES
Link to Manoush Zomorodi’s Ted Talk – How boredom can lead to your most brilliant ideas
https://www.ted.com/talks/manoush_zomorodi_how_boredom_can_lead_to_your_most_brilliant_ideas?utm_campaign=tedspread&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=tedcomshare

Jun 16, 2020 • 38min
S2 E13: Tales of the Professor (Part 2) - The Light Side of Remote Teaching (feat. Tad Leckman)
In Part 2 of a two-part series, Tad Leckman, Professor at the University of California, Santa Cruz, continues to share tales of his abrupt end of the traditional university classroom and everything he has learned to deliver remotely. Part two focuses on the light side (meaning everything good!) of remote teaching. The findings are incredibly relevant and allow many learning professionals to gain empathy for not just the instructor, but also the learner as well. The guys discuss certification from a distance, remote collaborative game-play, attrition, things that will stick, and much more.
CONNECT WITH US
If you have any feedback or want to join in on the conversation, connect with us via LinkedIN, Twitter (@bobbyhollywood), or email our show at learninggeekspod@gmail.com.
DISCLAIMER
All thoughts and views are of our own.
AUDIO CREDIT
"Seagulls Stop it Now" by Bad Lip Reading. Check them out at https://www.youtube.com/user/BadLipReading

May 29, 2020 • 38min
S2 E12: Tales of the Professor (Part 1) - Teaching in a New World (feat. Tad Leckman)
In Part 1 of a two part series, Tad Leckman, Professor at the University of California, Santa Cruz, joins the show to share his tales of his abrupt end of the traditional university classroom and everything he has learned to deliver remotely. The findings are incredibly relevant and allow many learning professionals to gain empathy for not just the instructor, but also the learner as well. The guys discuss concentration fatigue, psychological changes, exhaustion, learner collaboration, economic factors, design, and much more.
CONNECT WITH US
If you have any feedback or want to join in on the conversation, connect with us via LinkedIN, Twitter (@bobbyhollywood), or email our show at learninggeekspod@gmail.com.
DISCLAIMER
All thoughts and views are of our own.
AUDIO CREDIT
"Seagulls Stop it Now" by Bad Lip Reading. Check them out at https://www.youtube.com/user/BadLipReading

Apr 28, 2020 • 29min
S2 E11: Up-Cycling from Classroom to Digital
Some in-person events are meant to only be conducted live…right? Bob gets us to discuss this common belief to understand if an online experience could be equivalent to an in-person event. We do this by analyzing two popular fitness brands – one that focuses on the ‘at home’ model, and another that focuses on the in-person, community feel. We hope that you can play along at home and hopefully able to facilitate the same activity with your colleagues.
CONNECT WITH US
If you have any feedback or want to join in on the conversation, connect with us via LinkedIN, Twitter (@bobbyhollywood), or email our show at learninggeekspod@gmail.com.
DISCLAIMER
All thoughts and views are of our own.
AUDIO CREDIT
"Seagulls Stop it Now" by Bad Lip Reading. Check them out at https://www.youtube.com/user/BadLipReading

Apr 16, 2020 • 32min
S2 E10: How to be a Storyteller with Video (feat. Matt Pierce)
Matt Pierce, Learning and Video Ambassador at TechSmith Corporation, joins the show to talk about the ins-and-outs of storytelling with video. Including how you get started, audio quality, personality, and how to engage your audience. A great discussion for anyone new or experienced in this space. Plus, Matt secretly throws in a possible RIP term that we should no longer use when creating video. What that is…well I can’t tell you until you listen!
TECH SMITH ACADEMY
Be sure to check out Tech Smith Academy for plenty of tutorials and tips on getting started with video https://academy.techsmith.com/.
CONNECT WITH US
If you have any feedback or want to join in on the conversation, connect with us via LinkedIN, Twitter (@bobbyhollywood), or email our show at learninggeekspod@gmail.com.
DISCLAIMER
All thoughts and views are of our own.
AUDIO CREDIT
"Seagulls Stop it Now" by Bad Lip Reading. Check them out at https://www.youtube.com/user/BadLipReading