Future Learning Design Podcast

In this episode, Ms Liew Wei Li, the Director-General of Education for the Ministry of Education in Singapore shares her insights into the many reasons for this success, including Singapore’s restless commitment to improvement and innovation.  Ms Liew has been the appointed Director General since April 2022, overseeing K-12 education in Singapore. She had school experience as a Chemistry teacher and school leader, and has headed a division to develop school curriculum for primary, secondary and pre-university levels. Previously, she was Deputy Director-General of Education (Schools) and concurrently Director of Schools for five years, where she led a team of school zonal directors and cluster superintendents with oversight of some 350 mainstream schools. More information on the Enhanced 21CC Framework and other topics discussed in this episode: https://www.moe.gov.sg/news/press-releases/20230920-more-support-for-schools-and-students-to-shape-the-future-of-learning Social Links LinkedIn: @wei-li-liew; @moesingapore

Dr. Brad Kershner is a school leader and independent scholar, currently serving as the Head of School at Kimberton Waldorf School. His research, teaching, and writing cover a wide range of interdependent topics, including education, leadership, parenting, cultural diversity, technology, integral theory, meditation, complexity, and developmental psychology. He received his graduate education at The University of Chicago and Boston College, and he is a longtime student of multiple Buddhist lineages. He is a co-founder of The Reconstitution Project, a meta-political think-tank, (www.thereconstitution.com), and his first book is Understanding Educational Complexity: Integrating Practices and Perspectives for 21st Century Leadership. A recent article Brad has written for Integral Life, which he references at the end of our conversation, is Diversity, Empathy, and Integration: Reframing and Reclaiming a Movement Toward Healing and Wholeness. Social Links LinkedIn: @bradkershner X (formerly Twitter): @bradkershner

Daniela Papi-Thornton, an educator, facilitator, and author, discusses systems-led leadership and the importance of understanding root problems for meaningful change. The podcast explores the role of educational institutions in supporting young social innovators and the need for a shift towards a systems-led approach in education. It also delves into the intersection of audacity and humility in business strategy, the importance of self-awareness and lived experiences in problem-solving, and the concept of systems-led leadership and making a larger impact.

Inquiring into the many changes happening across the K12 education sector in India, I am joined by four fantastic guests, all working to shift the system in various ways: Dr Priti Ojha - School Consultant & Education Influencer | Global Peace Ambassador | LinkedIn Spotlight | CBSE Resource Person | British Council School Ambassador LinkedIn: @drpritiojha Vardan Kabra - Co-Founder & Head of School at Fountainhead School in Surat, Gujarat. Since 2008, the school has now grown to over 2000 students. Author of the book, 'Reimagining Indian Education'. Gujarat Chair of FICCI ARISE, Founder and Managing Trustee at Ultimate Sports and Education Trust. LinkedIn: @vardan-kabra Anoushka Jolly is the founder of Anti-Bullying Squad (ABS), an anti-bullying company that also developed an application, Kavach. In 2018, Anoushka, a student at Pathways School in New Delhi, decided to tackle bullying in her own way. In 2021, Anoushka’s anti-bullying app, Kavach won 50 million rupees in funding from investors Aman Gupta and Anupam Mittal on the Shark Tank India show. She has recently launched an updated version of the app, Kavach 2.0. LinkedIn: @anoushka-jolly Suraj Shah is an IBDP Psychology and Theory of Knowledge Educator and IB Examiner in Mumbai. He is also a trained Psychotherapist, Psychologist and Mindfulness Trainer. LinkedIn: @suraj-shah

Kirstin Coughtrie is the Founder & Chief Innovation Officer of Gaia Learning. Teacher & tech lover passionate about SEN, accessible learning and creating scalable solutions to global challenges. As an ambassador for teaching the UN SDGs and as a mum of children with additional needs and challenges, Kirstin has seen first-hand how important personalised learning is to their wellbeing and how vital flexible learning is to supporting families. Kate Longworth is the Co-Founder & CEO of ⁠Gaia Learning⁠. Experienced 'startup' tech entrepreneur and Marketeer. Passionate about education and in particular working with SEN primary school learners. Kate is a marketing entrepreneur on a mission to help children around the world learn what they love and love what they learn. Social Links Linkedin: Kirstin Coughtrie - @kirstin; Kate Longworth - @katecarneyuk Instagram: @gaialearningonline

Prof. Keith Davids, a Professor of Motor Learning, discusses ecological dynamics and its implications for learning in different educational contexts. They explore the concept of constraints in learning and the historical development of measuring and categorizing humans. They delve into the integration of principles from ecological psychology and dynamical movement systems in education and the concept of affordances in learning environments. They also discuss the shift from skill acquisition to skill adaptation, the importance of fittedness, and the manipulation of constraints in teaching and coaching. The impact of their research extends to education, military training, and working with neurodiversified populations.

Deepak Ramola, founder of Project FUEL, discusses the significance of wisdom and storytelling in education. He highlights the value of valuing different perspectives and shares insights from observing the Calais Refugee Camp. The podcast emphasizes the importance of wisdom in education and the value of teaching for wisdom, especially in children. It also explores the need to incorporate wisdom in non-traditional careers and to view wisdom as play in education.

Nora Bateson, one of the most important thinkers challenging our current paradigm, discusses Warm Data and its relevance in education. The conversation covers the influence of eugenics, prefigurative culture, challenges in understanding and naming Warm Data, the role of art in communication, the tension between STEM and arts, and creating mutual learning in education.

Faith Abiodun is Executive Director at UWC International bringing a wealth of experience from his time spent as an education and social enterprise leader, international affairs analyst, writer and speaker.  Prior to UWC International, he spent nearly a decade at the African Leadership Academy (ALA) in Johannesburg, South Africa, where he served as an executive leading the recruitment of thousands of young leaders from all over the world for ALA’s programmes. He also headed the Communications, Marketing, Programme Recruitment and Partnerships departments, helping to build ALA’s global brand and developing strategic partnerships with governments, corporates, foundations, NGOs and schools. He also founded the ALA Model African Union, through which more than 1,500 young leaders from 58 countries participated in a simulation of the African Union. Earlier in his career, Faith was a journalist with The Guardian in Nigeria; he also founded The Speech Academy, an elocution and public speaking institution and Future Africa, a public sector leadership organization with a network of emerging leaders spread across more than 30 African countries. Previously, he worked in Corporate Communications at the Bi-Courtney Group and served a sabbatical stint with the international secretariat of Catalyst 2030, a coalition of the world’s leading social enterprises working with national governments to accelerate progress towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals.   Faith is a member of the Board of Trustees for News Decoder, a Paris-based global education news service. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Geography from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria and a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Syracuse University, New York. He is also an alumnus of the World Innovation Summit for Education’s (WISE) Learners Voice Executive Education programme. UWC Harvard Impact Study: https://www.uwc.org/impactstudy Social Links Instagram: @UWCint Facebook: @UWCint LinkedIn: @UWC International @faithabiodun⁠ Twitter: @UWCint

Jennifer Brandsberg-Engelmann⁠ has been teaching Economics, Business Management and Environmental Systems and Societies for 26 years in three countries, mainly in the International Baccalaureate. Jennifer is an expert in developing and executing educational strategies, projects, processes and curricula. Her core focus is training young people to take action for sustainable and regenerative societies. She has worked with student changemakers in the Sustainability Action Lab at ⁠Strothoff International School⁠, Germany, developing their knowledge, skills and passions through the ⁠Youth Mayors Field Guide⁠, a curriculum that she lead - developed with colleagues from other disciplines and other international schools. Jennifer has co-authored Economics, Business Management and Environmental Systems and Societies textbooks integrating new economic thinking and social enterprise themes into those works. Jennifer has also delivered webinars on sustainability and works to shift curricular systems to new paradigms to address 21st century problems. Recently, she has turned her attention to advocating for regenerative economics to be taught in secondary schools. You can find the regenerative economics syllabus she developed with ⁠Kate Raworth⁠ and other academics and teachers in ⁠an open letter posted on the Doughnut Economics Action Lab website⁠. She is working on a prototype for the course in the coming months. If you would like to offer help or feedback on this emerging work please contact her ⁠via LinkedIn⁠ or through the form for the open letter here: https://doughnuteconomics.org/stories/259.