No Such Thing: Education in the Digital Age

Brian Sweeting is a Digital Publishing Manager and Content Strategist for New Learning Times. He manages a team of writers whose goal is to create and curate compelling digital content that deepens an understanding of forward-thinking learning, teaching, and research.This episode, Brian and I consider a sort of "unboxing." He brings us four recent articles covered by New Learning Times. It's the first I've heard anything about them, and you get to come along as we unwrap the story - my understanding of the story - as we go. As always, my thanks to Brian and the talented team at New Learning Times. I hope you'll go check them out.The New Learning Times (NLT) provides daily coverage of the transformation of learning opportunities in the information age for those shaping the future of education. NLT is produced at the EdLab at Teachers College, Columbia University.The editorial frame for NLT is governed by our understanding of three major trends, which we have termed “The New 3R’s.” Far beyond mere reform, the education sector is undergoing a major Reformation, a profound reconfiguration of the customs, institutions, and relationships that together constitute the foundations for learning opportunities around the world. Spurred by rapid developments in communications and computation, the education sector is also experiencing a Renaissance of new ideas, processes, and possibilities to support learning across the lifespan. The rapid introduction and convergence of these emerging political, technical, and artistic forces is creating the conditions for a Revolution in what is becoming the new learning sector. The New Learning Times seeks to chronicle the major transformation in learning possibilities.Links from the episode:New Learning Times: https://newlearningtimes.com/Kinful Lets Students Learn Social and Emotional Skills Through Play, by Melanie Hering: https://newlearningtimes.com/cms/article/6302/kinful-lets-students-learn-social-and-emotionalLearn Chemistry in Virtual Reality With HoloLAB Champions, by Sara Hardman: https://newlearningtimes.com/cms/article/6224/learn-chemistry-in-virtual-reality-with-hololabIdeally, I Want It Al, by Rebecca Sullivanl: https://newlearningtimes.com/cms/article/6293/ideally-i-want-it-all Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Guest Bio: Bernard BullMy work focuses upon educational innovation, learner-driven communities, futures in education, social entrepreneurship in education, and the intersection of education and digital culture.Dr. Bull most recently served as Chief Innovation Officer, Vice Provost of Curriculum and Innovation, and Professor of Education at Concordia University Wisconsin. There he led a University-wide effort to refine and expand low-residency and online learning opportunities for adult and post-traditional learners.Now President at Vermont's Goddard College, Dr. Bull is a widespread and active voice in the K-12 and higher education landscape regarding alternative and experimental education; emerging practices in grading, assessment, and credentials; self-directed learning; nurturing learner agency and ownership; and the intersection of education and digital culture.He is the author of several books, including Missional Moonshots: Insight & Inspiration in Educational Innovation, What Really Matters: Ten Critical Issues in Contemporary Education, and Adventures in Self-Directed Learning.Links from this episode:Austin Kleon: https://austinkleon.com/Martin Seligman, Flourish: https://www.amazon.com/Flourish-Visionary-Understanding-Happiness-Well-being/dp/1439190763What Is In The Air: https://whatisintheair.com/RESLE, Boise State: Chris Haskell, Boise State: https://dochaskell.com/Barry Fishman, U. Michigan: http://www.soe.umich.edu/people/profile/barry_fishman/90+ Education Documentaries to Challenge & Inspire: https://etale.org/main/2014/03/18/45-education-documentaries-to-challenge-inspire/To Know For Real, edited by Benson and Adams: https://www.amazon.com/Know-Real-Pitkin-Goddard-College/dp/0912362200 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Here's a cool episode for you. Before I get started let's talk about these tracks. It's easy to overlook, when we talk about Maker Ed, that a lot of the greatest maker educators I know are makers themselves. Lou Lahana is also known on the interwebs as Techbrarian, and he wrote and produced tracks at the beginning and end of this episode. He's a great inspiration to remind us all, as Tasker Smith from MIT reminds us in this episode - we need stay inspired...consider it like facing turbulence on an airplane...put the mask on ourselves first.It's a different format: in this episode I reached out and asked some of my favorite Maker Educators to send me recordings where they just jam into the mic a bit about resources that they often recommend to other educators, or folks just interested in what they do. I'm so grateful to a rockstar group of five featured in this episode, and hope that we can make it a more regular thing. My thanks (in the order that you hear from them) to:Lori Stahl-VanBrackal: linkedin.com/in/lori-stahl-van-brackleTasker Smith: linkedin.com/in/taskersmithJennifer Latimer: linkedin.com/in/jennifer-latimer-31219b6Dr. Matthew Farber: linkedin.com/in/mattfarberDr. Lou Lahana: Techbrarian.comLinks from this episode:Innovators Mindset, George Couros: https://www.amazon.com/Innovators-Mindset-Empower-Learning-Creativity-ebook/dp/B016YTBZKOLaser Cutters (Universal Systems): https://www.ulsinc.com/Make Magazine: https://makezine.com/Instructibles: https://www.instructables.com/Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/Prototyping Library: http://prototypinglibrary.com/Epilogue Laser Sample Club: https://www.epiloglaser.com/resources/sample-club.htmInvent to Learn, Martinez and Stager: https://inventtolearn.com/Connecting Gaming, Kafai and Burke: http://www.yasminkafai.com/connected-gamingAdBusters: https://www.adbusters.org/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guests are experts in this space that you wouldn’t have seen quoted in recent coverage but maybe should’ve. Davin Sweeney is an independent college counselor with Collegwise who worked for ten years as an admissions counselor at the University of Rochester. He also hosts a podcast called “The Crush” featuring interviews with people who have interesting perspectives to share on the college and college admissions landscape. Leia Petty is a HS Guidance Counselor of ten years and social justice activist living in Brooklyn, NY. And Luke Nonas-Hunter is a high school senior in NYC's High School for Math Science and Engineering, recently released from the arduous process of college admissions - he'll be a freshman at Olin College in September.My guests are experts in this space that you wouldn’t have seen quoted in recent coverage but maybe should’ve.Links from this episode:Doug Webber on The Crush: https://www.crushpodcast.com/doug-webber-2/Mark Moody, The Myth of Fit: https://msquaredcollegecounselor.wordpress.com/What was that test in China? The Gaokao: https://www.businessinsider.com/sample-questions-from-chinas-gaokao-one-of-worlds-toughest-tests-2018-6Dr. Wayne Au: https://www.uwb.edu/education/about/faculty/wayneauFairtest.org - list of test-optional colleges: http://fairtest.org/John Bockenstedt - Higher Ed Data Stories: https://highereddatastories.blogspot.com/In the NewsLink, New York Times: Operation Varsity BluesLink: HuffPost Stanford Accepts No One: Just to be clear: Bruni’s column was satire, a jokey riff about how colleges and universities take outsize pride in trumpeting how many applicants they reject. In reality, Stanford announced last week that 2,063 high school students have been admitted to the class of 2020, giving the Bay Area school an acceptance rate of 4.69 percent — not zero percent. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A discussion with Kate McGregor of Mountain View’s Computer History Museum about women we should all know from computer history.Kate McGregor: Kate is a STE(A)M advocate, museum educator, content developer and curriculum designer striving to help students, families and educators to explore concepts of problem-solving and innovation through the lenses of computer science and computer history, with activities that encourage critical thinking, collaboration, communication and creativity. At the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, California, Kate manages Family & Community guided and self-guided programming, events and activities for diverse intergenerational audiences. She leads the Museum’s efforts to expand program offerings through onsite and offsite family and community programming, in order to create meaningful points of engagement for visitors of all ages, backgrounds and knowledge bases. Kate developed and leads the Museum’s flagship Design_Code_Build program which engages middle school youth from all parts of the community.From their website:The Computer History Museum is a nonprofit organization with a four-decade history as the world’s leading institution exploring the history of computing and its ongoing impact on society. The Museum is dedicated to the preservation and celebration of computer history and is home to the largest international collection of computing artifacts in the world, encompassing computer hardware, software, documentation, ephemera, photographs, oral histories, and moving images.Links from this episode:Computer History Museum: https://www.computerhistory.org/COBAL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/COBOLReshma Saujani: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reshma_SaujaniWoGrammer: https://wogrammer.org/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A conversation with Dr. Chris Emdin and Dr. Edmund Adjapong. Dr. Edmund Adjapong, a rising star of education leadership at Seton Hall University, who also coordinates #HipHopEd, is also a protege of Dr. Emdin, who was his high school physics teacher, then continued mentoring him as a professor when Dr. Adjapong went to grad school at Columbia University's Teachers College. We discuss their work in culturally responsive pedagogy, #HipHopEd, and critical views about how authenticity, agency, and voice must drive the movement to see Computer Science for All (Citizens).Register for May 4th, 2019 CS Teachers Con at: bit.ly/CSTeachersCon19and Learn more about NYC Deparment of Education's commitment to Computer Science for All: https://blueprint.cs4all.nyc/Guest Bio: Dr. Chris EmdinDr. Christopher Emdin is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mathematics, Science and Technology at Teachers College, Columbia University; where he also serves as Director of the Science Education program and Associate Director of the Institute for Urban and Minority Education. Dr. Emdin is a social critic, public intellectual and science advocate whose commentary on issues of race, culture, inequality and education have appeared in dozens of influential periodicals including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Washington Post. He is the creator of the #HipHopEd social media movement, and a much sought-after public speaker on a number of topics that include hip-hop education, STEM education, politics, race, class, diversity, and youth empowerment. He is also an advisor to numerous international organizations, school districts, and schools. He is the author of the award winning book, Urban Science Education for the Hip-hop Generation and the New York Times bestseller For White Folks Who Teach In the Hood and the Rest of Ya’ll too.Guest Bio: Dr. Edmund AdjapongDr. Edmund Adjapong is an assistant professor in the Educational Studies Department at Seton Hall University. He is also a faculty fellow at The Institute for Urban and Multicultural Education at Teachers College, Columbia University and author of #HipHopEd: TheCompilation on Hip-Hop Education Volume 1. Dr. Adjapong is a former middle school science educator at a New York City public school in The Bronx. He is the director of the Science Genius Program, a program that engages urban students in the sciences through Hip-Hop, and the director of The Science Genius Academy, a program that encourages and prepares students to pursue STEM careers while providing mentoring and support. Dr. Adjapong has appeared on media outlets such as Hot 97’s radio station and is a contributing writer for Huffington Post and The Good Men Project, where he writes about issues of race, diversity, social justice and education.Links from this episode:James Harden's step back compilation on YouTube: https://youtu.be/gSDJ-HffHrUNipsey Hustle: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nipsey_Hussle, https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCm1s2VS9BdyXL9FU4a-W_cQDr. Edmund Adapong: http://www.edmundadjapong.com/Dr. Chris Emdin: https://chrisemdin.com/Three Ways Educators in the Classroom Can Continue the Legacy of Nipsy Hustle, by Dr. Edmund Adjapong: https://medium.com/@e.adjapong/3-ways-educators-can-continue-the-legacy-of-nipsey-hussle-in-the-classroom-10c54c35d0c3 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Erik Martin was a guest on Episode 10 of this show, and I'm pretty excited that he's back. In February this year he wrote an op-ed for the Washington Post titled, We need a PBS for the Internet Age.Erik is a graduate student at the Oxford Internet Institute, and was a policy adviser at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. He also worked as Sr Education Program Manager at the game engine company Unity, and was listed on Forbes 30 under 30 in 2018 in the games category. When I read his piece in The Post I immediately started bugging him to join us on the show to say more. I have the feeling that when I look back on the episodes of 2019, this one will land among a handful at the top that really pushed my thinking. Whether or not you agree with his proposal, I hope that you walk away with your own ideas about the responsibility that legislators in the US could one day take for improving the inextricably connected role that the internet plays in our lives and our democracy beyond the whack-a-mole of censorship and regulation. Episode Notes:We Need a PBS for the Internet Age, Washington Post, Op Ed, February 25, 2019: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-internet-has-gone-bad-public-media-can-save-it/2019/02/24/024befd0-36b2-11e9-854a-7a14d7fec96a_story.html?utm_term=.05c7d6fd62e4Oxford Computational Propaganda Project: https://comprop.oii.ox.ac.uk/MIT research on false information retweets more than real news: https://www.media.mit.edu/projects/the-spread-of-false-and-true-info-online/overview/Newton Minnows 1961 speech, Television and the Public Interest: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Television_and_the_Public_Interest Network Propaganda, Book,  Yochai Benkler, Robert Faris, Hal Roberts: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/network-propaganda-yochai-benkler/1129078833?ean=9780190923631#/Shoshana Zuboff, Surveillance Capitalism: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surveillance_capitalismBerkman Klein - talk on Network Propaganda: https://cyber.harvard.edu/events/2018-10-04/network-propaganda Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In addition to a ton of interesting things we discuss about the learning design that happens in a 1,700 acre arboretum, we dig into their new podcast called, "Planted: Finding your roots in STEM careers," an adorable title for an interesting show that's attempting to shed light on the professional world of an entire area of science that, previously, I honestly have no idea how people would've learned about.Meghan WiesbrockCurrently at The Morton Arboretum, Meghan Wiesbrock works with students at all places in their journey into STEM. Managing onsite curriculum-based nature programs, her and her team facilitate exposure to the natural world by providing rich, immersive learning experiences with the goal to build environmental affinity to protect trees and nature. She is co-host of the Planted: Finding Your Roots in STEM Careers Podcast. Meghan taught 7th/8th grade science for 6 years in Berwyn, IL. She earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Dayton, OH in Middle Childhood Education with endorsements in Science and Language Arts, and a Master's degree in Science Content and Process from Benedictine University in Lisle, IL.Jessica B. Turner-SkoffJessica’s doctorate studying plants took her to the heart of Appalachia and the wilds of the Alaskan Tundra, and it was during this time that she discovered her passion for telling the story of research and science. As The Morton Arboretum’s first science communicator, or ‘Treeologist,’ Jessica supports the Arboretum's mission and vision to be the leading center of tree expertise by communicating and sharing expert knowledge. While centered in the Science and Conservation Department, she works collaboratively with Education and Information to help catalyze tree champions by creatively making tree science, horticulture, and conservation relevant and accessible to target audiences. Currently, she serves as a member of the Board of Directors of The Chicago Council on Science and Technology (C2ST) and President Emeritus of the Auxiliary Board. She is on the Advisory Council of the Seed Your Future, the national movement to improve the public’s perception of horticulture. Jessica is also an adjunct professor for the Associated Colleges of the Chicago Area, teaching ‘Economic Botany’ and ‘Science Communication for Broader Impacts.’ About Morton ArboretumThe mission of The Morton Arboretum is to collect and study trees, shrubs, and other plants from around the world, to display them across naturally beautiful landscapes for people to study and enjoy, and to learn how to grow them in ways that enhance our environment. Our goal is to encourage the planting and conservation of trees and other plants for a greener, healthier, and more beautiful world. The Morton Arboretum is an internationally recognized nonprofit organization dedicated to the planting and conservation of trees. Its 1,700 acres hold more than 222,000 live plants representing nearly 4,300 species from around the world. About "Planted: Finding Your Roots in STEM Careers"Welcome to ‘Planted: Finding your roots in STEM careers,’ we are here to introduce you to some professionals that have interesting and diverse careers and the journey they took to get there. These plant professionals do everything from teaching people about the natural world, unlocking the secrets of DNA, and traveling the world to save unique species. Explore the journey, by listening to the episode that matches your interest, or mirrors your journey towards a STEM career.Links from this episode:About Planted: Finding your roots in STEM careers: https://www.mortonarb.org/learn-experience/educators/planted-finding-your-roots-stem-careersAbout Sonic Tomography: http://www.newdayarborist.com/tree-diagnostic-services/sonic-tomography/Aurelie Jacquet on Planted: https://www.mortonarb.org/learn-experience/educators/planted-finding-your-roots-stem-careers/episode-4-merging-interests Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Brian Sweeting is a Digital Publishing Manager and Content Strategist for New Learning Times. He manages a team of writers whose goal is to create and curate compelling digital content that deepens an understanding of forward-thinking learning, teaching, and research.The New Learning Times (NLT) provides daily coverage of the transformation of learning opportunities in the information age for those shaping the future of education. NLT is produced at the EdLab at Teachers College, Columbia University.The editorial frame for NLT is governed by our understanding of three major trends, which we have termed “The New 3R’s.” Far beyond mere reform, the education sector is undergoing a major Reformation, a profound reconfiguration of the customs, institutions, and relationships that together constitute the foundations for learning opportunities around the world. Spurred by rapid developments in communications and computation, the education sector is also experiencing a Renaissance of new ideas, processes, and possibilities to support learning across the lifespan. The rapid introduction and convergence of these emerging political, technical, and artistic forces is creating the conditions for a Revolution in what is becoming the new learning sector. The New Learning Times seeks to chronicle the major transformation in learning possibilities.Links from the episode:New Learning Times: https://newlearningtimes.com/Walking a Mile in Another Person’s Shoes Actually Works! https://newlearningtimes.com/cms/article/5924/walking-a-mile-in-another-persons-shoes-actuallyWoebot, the Therapist You Can Trust https://newlearningtimes.com/cms/article/5290/woebot-the-therapist-you-can-trustLearning to Code, One Kitten GIF at a Time https://newlearningtimes.com/cms/article/5679/learning-to-code-one-kitten-gif-at-a-timeLearn How to Spot Fake News. . . By Creating It https://newlearningtimes.com/cms/article/5178/learn-how-to-spot-fake-news-by-creating-it Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sylvia Libow Martinez was an aerospace engineer before becoming an educational software producer and vice president of a video game company. She spent a decade as the President of Generation YES, the groundbreaking non-profit that provides educators with the tools necessary to place students in leadership roles in their schools and communities. In addition to leading workshops, Sylvia delights and challenges audiences as a keynote speaker at major conferences around the world. She brings her real-world experience in highly innovative work environments to learning organizations that wish to change STEM education to be more inclusive, effective, and engaging. Contact Sylvia at: sylvia (at) inventtolearn (dot) com.Marc and Sylvia spend time talking about the 2nd Edition of Invent To Learn, how schools can be a glorious explosion of interesting things, and what Sylvia hopes will be the lasting impact of Maker Education.Visit Sylvia’s website and blog: SylviaMartinez.comLinks from this episode:Invent to Learn: https://inventtolearn.com/Lave and Wenger, situated cognition: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Situated_cognitionLawrence Maliguzzi: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reggio_Emilia_approachJean Piaget: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_PiagetJohn Dewey: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_DeweyMaria Montessori: https://amshq.org/About-Montessori/History-of-MontessoriDeborah Meier: https://deborahmeier.com/Ted Size: https://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2009/10/29/10mcquillan.h29.htmlSylvia Chard, The Project Approach: https://youtu.be/jzeteh8qpD0Seymor Papert Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.