TeachLab Presents The Homework Machine

This week on TeachLab, host Justin Reich is joined in a live webinar by members of the Youth in Front team. They answer questions and share reflections and resources that we believe can help educators process this moment themselves and with their students.“So I've been doing a 10 minute election update every day...but again, really thinking about dosage and trying to just think about what is the right amount to not sort of overwhelm you or drown you in this, but also to make sure you feel like you have space to engage. And if it takes more than 10 minutes, then we take more than 10 minutes. But trying to just plan in doses, as opposed to entire lessons about the election or the electoral college, which is how I would have taught it in person. In person, there would have been a whole voting unit and we would have gone through every element of it. I didn't feel like that was the right move in this context, and so I didn't. So I've done these sort of 10 minute doses.” - Neema AvashiaIn this episode we’ll talk about:IntroductionsHow post-election has looked in K-12 school communityHow COVID affects election educationThe multiple views of student activistsCivic education opportunities with high student awarenessTeacher transparency on personal political viewsGrounding conversations in specific textsTeaching Challenging Issues in Uncertain Times: Strategies for Online and Hybrid Teaching online course Our GuestsNeema Avashia from Boston Public Schools Kevin Dua from the Cambridge Public Schools Joshua S Littenberg-Tobias from the MIT Teaching Systems Lab Sara O'Brien from Youth In Front Resources and LinksWatch the full webinarCheck out Conversations Across Differences with Meira LevinsonCheck out Teaching Challenging Issues in Uncertain Times: Strategies for Online and Hybrid TeachingCheck out Youth in Front: Understanding and Supporting Student-led ActivismCheck out Justin Reich’s new book! Transcripthttps://teachlabpodcast.simplecast.com/episodes/youthinfront/transcript Produced by Aimee CorriganRecorded and mixed by Garrett Beazley Follow TeachLab:FacebookTwitterYouTube

For TeachLab’s second Failure to Disrupt Book Club episode, Justin Reich is joined again by friend and colleague Audrey Watters to reflect on their conversation with special guests George Siemens and Elizabeth Losh. They discuss Failure To Disrupt’s Chapter 1: Instructor-Guided Learning at Scale and Massive Open Online Courses, looking at “three big bets of MOOCs,” and exploring why MOOCs failed to achieve their most ambitious goals. “I don't know if I've ever seen an ed tech thing where we can spend eight years talking about, "What is it?" We've been trying to define, "What are MOOCs? Are MOOCs this, are they that? They're not this, they're not that." I find it fascinating why we're finding so much difficulty really nailing down what MOOCs are and what role they play.” - George Siemens, Writer/Professor/Researcher In this episode we’ll talk about:Elizabeth Losh’s EdTech storyThe global impact of MOOCs Online and remote learning during COVIDFemTechNet as an example of creative innovationProductive discourse in online forumsThe complicated relationship between Universities and MOOCs George Siemens is a writer, theorist, speaker, and researcher on learning, networks, technology, analytics and visualization, openness, organizational effectiveness, and complexity in digital environments. He is a Professor and the Executive Director of the Learning Innovation and Networked Knowledge Research Lab at University of Texas, Arlington and co-director for the Center for Change and Complexity in Learning at the University of South Australia.Elizabeth Losh is a theorist and scholar,  and the Gale and Steve Kohlhagen Professor of English and American Studies at the College of William and Mary. She specializes in Rhetoric; Digital Publishing; Feminism & Technology; Digital Humanities; and Electronic Literature. Resources and LinksWatch the full Book Club webinar here!Check out Justin Reich’s new book, Failure To Disrupt! Transcripthttps://teachlabpodcast.simplecast.com/episodes/bookclub2/transcript Produced by Aimee Corrigan and Garrett BeazleyRecorded and mixed by Garrett Beazley Follow TeachLab:FacebookTwitterYouTube

For TeachLab’s first Failure to Disrupt Book Club episode, Justin Reich is joined by friend and colleague Audrey Watters for her insight on Justin’s new book as a well respected writer on educational technology. They reflect on and play clips from the first live webinar Book Club from September 21st, where they were joined by special guest Chris Gilliard, Professor of English at Macomb Community College, to get his unique privacy and surveillance perspective on the book’s introductory chapter and edtech in the age of remote learning.“I mean, one for one, the pandemic highlighted that it's a place where kids go because their parents have to go to work. It's a place where kids get fed. It's all these things. As an educator, I don't want to overstate this. I believe strongly in education, but it is a place where people, in some ways, it holds people until they're adults. I'm trying to state that in the least offensive way possible. I mean “watch” in all the different ways you might think about it. Watch as in oversee. Watch as in take care of. Watch as in monitor.”  -Chris GilliardIn this episode we’ll talk about:Initial reflections on the webinarPrivacy and surveillance in schoolsMistaking surveillance for careCriticisms of “Learning at Scale”The incentives of technology companiesMoving forward with edtech during pandemic times Resources and LinksWatch the full Book Club webinar here!Check out Justin Reich’s new book! Transcripthttps://teachlabpodcast.simplecast.com/episodes/bookclub1/transcript Produced by Aimee Corrigan and Garrett BeazleyRecorded and mixed by Garrett Beazley Follow TeachLab:FacebookTwitterYouTube

Justin Reich is joined by Mitchell Stevens, a sociologist of education at Stanford University to discuss the history and current relationship between online learning and higher education, and how COVID has altered that relationship.“I do think this provides a moment of true uncertainty about the future, because essentially every college and university overnight had to reconceive what quality instruction would look and feel like at their institutions. It creates an openness to forward change that I honestly believe we cannot fully predict. It will depend, for example, on how American students and those who pay tuition feel about the value proposition of what they've experienced and the extent to which the utilities and advantages that they experience online are sufficiently satisfying, that they're willing to continue a conversation about online or hybrid delivery. I do believe this is the context in which how students and their families respond to these new environments will be definitive in how the fate of the sector unfolds.” - Mitchell StevensIn this episode we’ll talk about:What is higher education?How online learning fits in with higher educationThe historical relationshipHow the pandemic changed the attitude towards online learningWhy isn’t higher education turning towards expensive, already produced online courses?No mandate and no incentive to measure learningThe influx of K-12 homeschoolingEducational businesses, how they stand between home and school. Resources and LinksLearn more about Mitchell Stevens and check out his Twitter!Check out Justin Reich’s new book! Transcripthttps://teachlabpodcast.simplecast.com/episodes/mitchell-stevens/transcript Produced by Aimee Corrigan and Garrett BeazleyRecorded and mixed by Garrett Beazley Follow TeachLab:FacebookTwitterYouTube

Justin Reich is joined by editor and EdSurge podcast host Jeff Young to discuss the current state of higher education and the technology issues of opening schools during the pandemic. They also look at Jeff’s new project, the Pandemic Campus Diaries, a series on the EdSurge Podcast that aims to document this unique moment in a lively and lasting way, and shine a light on the nuanced effects the pandemic has on students whose learning has been disrupted.“...we were trying to get a sense of, ‘what is the experience?’ And so we have kind of drafted a cohort of professors and students at these six campuses of various types around the country, different geographies, different types of campuses and trying to get-- we don't know what's going to happen. None of us do.” - Jeff Young In this episode we’ll talk about:Pandemic Campus Diaries projectTypes of adaptations for remote learningTechnology on delicate and disruptive systemsThe cost of COVID policies on the campus experienceWorking together to create solutionsThe variety of experiences between professors Resources and LinksCheck out EdSurge and the Campus Pandemic DiariesCheck out Justin Reich’s new book! Transcripthttps://teachlabpodcast.simplecast.com/episodes/jeff-young/transcript Produced by Aimee Corrigan and Garrett BeazleyRecorded and mixed by Garrett Beazley Follow TeachLab:FacebookTwitterYouTube

Michael Pershan, a New York City math teacher, returns to TeachLab to share his experiences in the face of COVID-19. Back by audience request, Michael reflects on the challenges faced during the spring, and shares his strategies for the fall.“...It's hard to know what kids are actually learning and doing. So I'm trying to be flexible. My plan for the spring was eventually keep things engaging, keep kids coming back. That's my fundamental goal. Try to teach as much as I can. And that's what I'm going to try to do in the fall also.” - Michael PershanIn this episode we’ll talk about:What we learned in the springTechnology needs and solutions for remote learningEngaging and motivating kids virtuallyRemote learning for elementary studentsUsing variety and reinforcementResearchED conference Resources and LinksCheck out Michael Pershan on TwitterCheck out Justin Reich’s new book!For more teacher reflections from COVID-19, check out What's Lost, What's Left, What's Next: Lessons Learned from the Lived Experiences of Teachers during the 2020 Novel Coronavirus Pandemic Transcripthttps://teachlabpodcast.simplecast.com/episodes/michael-pershan-revisited/transcript Produced by Aimee Corrigan and Garrett BeazleyRecorded and mixed by Garrett Beazley Follow TeachLab:FacebookTwitterYouTube

Host Justin Reich is joined by Kevin Dua, 2017 Massachusetts History Teacher of the Year, a two-time Massachusetts Teachers Association Human & Civil Rights awardee, and a current member of the Ideation UpLift Legacy Cohort for K-12 Black Male Educators. Kevin is a History and Psychology Teacher at Cambridge Rindge and Latin School in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Justin and Kevin discuss anti-racism, unlearning, and strategies to increase equity in education in the age of Covid. Kevin also shares his experience as an advisor to the award winning Black Student Union in Cambridge, Massachusetts.“Oftentimes educators talk about wanting to integrate current events. Right now, the current events, if it's not COVID-19, it's systemic racism. It's white supremacy. If those words, if those key terms aren't being said aloud, regardless of if it's a social studies classroom or a math classroom, that should be a red flag.” - Kevin DuaIn this episode we’ll talk about:The Black Lives Matter Movement and its impact on teachingDisrupting Systems / UnlearningCurrent state of educators in COVIDCOVID exposing inequitiesCambridge Rindge and Latin’s Black Student UnionAdvice to teachers Resources and LinksFollow Kevin Dua on TwitterCheck out Kevin’s resources on Anti-Racism.Read an interview with Kevin Dua in the Daily Times Chronicle Check out Justin Reich’s new book!  Transcripthttps://teachlabpodcast.simplecast.com/episodes/kevin-dua/transcript Produced by Aimee Corrigan and Garrett BeazleyRecorded and mixed by Garrett Beazley Follow TeachLab:FacebookTwitterYouTube

This week on TeachLab, host Justin Reich is joined in a live webinar by colleagues Jal Mehta from the Harvard Graduate School Of Education, and Neema Avashia, a Civics teacher in the Boston Public Schools to discuss the Imagining September report; a joint research project to identify values and priorities for reopening schools.“We have to get smarter about how we structure ourselves in ways that actually are in service of kids learning.” - Neema AvashiaManaging uncertainty What worked this spring and what did not work Ideas brought by students Imagining September What do you value most from school? How could you start to imagine some of the things you value most from school appearing in a new hybrid remote format. What can you leave behind?  Getting smarter about school structure Connecting with all kids Being a teacher and a citizen in today’s climate Being safe AND feeling safe in schools Audience Questions Resources and LinksCheck out Imagining September: Principles and Design Elements for Ambitious Schools During COVID-19Check out Imagining September: Online Design Charrettes for Fall 2020 Planning with Students and StakeholdersCheck out Jal Mehta’s Book In Search of Deeper Learning: The Quest to Remake the American High SchoolFull webinar link coming soon! Transcripthttps://teachlabpodcast.simplecast.com/episodes/imagining-september/transcript Produced by Aimee Corrigan Recorded and mixed by Garrett Beazley Follow Us On:FacebookTwitterYouTube

Rich Milner, Professor of Education in the Department of Teaching and Learning at Peabody College of Vanderbilt University joins Justin Reich to talk about his personal teaching history, and share stories of education research in schools. He presents his five mindsets of becoming a more equitable educator, and discusses the common reluctance to bring race into the classroom. “ if you're going to do work that is emancipatory, if you're going to engage work that is transformative, if you're going to engage work that meets the needs of every young person with whom you work. Then you've got to consider race. “Rich’s Teaching HistoryDeficit MindsetColorblindnessMyth of MeritocracyContext Neutral MindsetsUnderstanding Cultural Conflicts About Our Guest: Dr. Rich MilnerRich Milner is the Cornelius Vanderbilt Endowed Chair of Education and Professor of Education in the Department of Teaching and Learning at Peabody College of Vanderbilt University. Professor Milner began his career at Vanderbilt University where he was appointed Lois Autrey Betts Associate Professor of Education and Associate Professor of Education in the Departments of Teaching and Learning and, by courtesy, Associate Professor of Leadership, Policy and Organizations as well as founding director of the graduate program, Learning, Diversity and Urban Studies at Peabody College of Vanderbilt University. At Vanderbilt, in 2008, he became the first Black person to earn promotion and tenure in the entire College of Education’s history. His research, teaching and policy interests concern urban education, teacher education, African American literature, and the social context of education. In particular, Professor Milner’s research examines practices and policies that support teacher effectiveness in urban schools. Additional Resources for Teachers and other Listeners:Read Rich Milner’s new book: “Start Where You Are, But Don’t Stay There: Understanding Diversity, Opportunity Gaps, and Teaching in Today’s Classrooms (Second Edition).Check out our course: Becoming a More Equitable Educator: Mindsets and Practices on MIT’s Open Learning LibraryExplore our  Reading and Resources for Equity Teaching PracticesTranscripthttps://teachlabpodcast.simplecast.com/episodes/rich-milner-reboot/transcript Produced by Aimee Corrigan and Garrett BeazleyEdited by Kate EllisRecorded by Garrett BeazleyMixed by Corey SchreppelFilmed by Denez McAdoo Follow Us On:FacebookTwitterYouTube

This week on TeachLab, Justin is joined by Lillian Hsu, the founding principal of Latitude High School in Oakland, California, and Angela Daniel, instructional coach and design thinking project strategist at PSI High in Seminole County, Florida. They reflect on their transition to distance learning in the age of COVID, what values they brought with them, and how this experience will inform the upcoming fall semester.“So much of the ninth grade program at our school is around visiting different community partners and getting to visit lots of different work places to investigate the anthropology of different careers, so how we can still translate that to the online space is something that really matters to us.” - Lillian HsuPriorities and values going into emergency remote learningWhat worked and for who?Changes in staff models and student supportLessons that will be brought into the FallHow the community can support learning Note to the audience:The Teaching Systems Lab and the TeachLab team would like to thank all of our audience for their patronage as we attempt to shift our production and content in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic. We think it is of the utmost importance to continue distributing as much content as we can, and as widely as we can, to assist those who are in need of information in these difficult times. We are working to improve the quality of our content with these new constraints and get back to a more regular scheduling. Thank you for your patience. Resources and LinksWatch “Voices from the Field: Centering Context” featuring Lillian HsuWatch “Voices from the Field: Asset Framing in Practice” featuring Angela DanielCheck out the full course “Becoming a More Equitable Educator: Mindsets and Practices  now on the MIT Open Learning LibraryCheck out the full course “Becoming a More Equitable Educator: Mindsets and Practices on edX Transcripthttps://teachlabpodcast.simplecast.com/episodes/lillianhsu-angeladaniel/transcript Produced by Aimee Corrigan and Garrett BeazleyRecorded and mixed by Garrett Beazley Follow Us On:FacebookTwitterYouTube