
D2L's Teach & Learn
Teach & Learn is a podcast for curious educators. Hosted by Dr. Cristi Ford and Dr. Emma Zone, each episode features candid conversations with some of the sharpest minds in the K-20 education space. We discuss trending educational topics, teaching strategies and delve into the issues plaguing our schools and higher education institutions today.
Latest episodes

Mar 30, 2023 • 50min
How to Manage Learning Loss in the K-12 Classroom With Dr. Kiana Pendleton
In today’s show, we delve back into the K-12 space to address the topic of learning loss. A 2020 article from the American Education Research Association found that students in grades one through eight lost an average of 17-34 percent from the prior year’s learning gains over the summer break. When you tack on a few years of remote schooling due to a pandemic, that number only increases. To discuss this issue further, we welcomed Dr. Kiana Pendleton, Principal at Laurel Magnet School for the Arts. Dr. Pendleton and Dr. Ford discussed the myths surrounding magnet school, the role of good leadership in combating learning loss, using qualitative and quantitative data to track student progress and the importance of offering professional development opportunities that fit into a teacher’s lifestyle.For more information, including show notes and bios, click here.Thank you to our curious educators like you for listening. Remember to follow us on social media. Find us on LinkedIn or Facebook @D2L and check out our YouTube channel @Desire2LearnInc for the video version of this podcast and so much more.Please check out D2L's Learning by Association podcast dedicated to helping associations stay a step ahead with learning and The Skill Shift podcast for learning organizations that want to future-proof their teams.To learn more about how D2L is transforming the way the world learns, visit our website at D2L.com. Class dismissed. Visit the Teaching & Learning Studio for more content for educators, by educators. Sign up for our newsletter today.

Mar 16, 2023 • 47min
Breaking Down the Tech Behind ChatGPT With Annie Chechitelli and Linda Feng
Following on from our last episode about ChatGPT, today we’re tackling the technical side of ChatGPT. ChatGPT is a generative text tool created by OpenAI that’s been causing a stir amongst educators and students alike. To discuss this topic further, we welcomed Annie Chechitelli, Chief Product Officer at Turnitin, and Linda Feng, Vice President of Architecture at D2L. Our guests and Dr. Ford chatted about the technology behind how ChatGPT works, how academic integrity comes into play with respect to ChatGPT, decoding the hype around AI and why it's important to address the ethics and inherent bias in generative text tools.For more information including show notes and bios, click here.Thank you to our curious educators like you for listening. Remember to follow us on social media. Find us on LinkedIn or Facebook @D2L and check out our YouTube channel @Desire2LearnInc for the video version of this podcast and so much more.Please check D2L's Learning by Association podcast dedicated to helping associations stay a step ahead with learning and The Skill Shift podcast for learning organizations that want to future-proof their teams.To learn more about how D2L is transforming the way the world learns, visit our website at D2L.com. Class dismissed. Visit the Teaching & Learning Studio for more content for educators, by educators. Sign up for our newsletter today.

16 snips
Mar 2, 2023 • 48min
How ChatGPT Could Change Higher Ed With Dr. Antony Aumann and Dr. Bettyjo Bouchey
Today’s episode promises to be a controversial one. ChatGPT, a generative text tool created by OpenAI, is a hot topic among educators and students. Disruptive technology comes with a lot of questions: what are the pros and cons of using ChatGPT in the classroom? How is it changing assessment strategies? Can AI tools reduce cognitive load? What does this mean for plagiarism? And what does the future of higher ed look like if AI becomes commonplace?To discuss these issues further, we welcomed Dr. Antony Aumann, Professor of Philosophy at Northern Michigan University and Dr. Bettyjo Bouchey, Associate Professor and Vice Provost of Digital Strategy & Operations at National Louis University. For more information including bios and show notes, click here.Thank you to our curious educators like you for listening. Remember to follow us on social media. Find us on LinkedIn or Facebook @D2L and check out our YouTube channel @Desire2LearnInc for the video version of this podcast and so much more.Please check out D2L's Learning by Association podcast dedicated to helping associations stay a step ahead with learning and The Skill Shift podcast for learning organizations that want to future-proof their teams.To learn more about how D2L is transforming the way the world learns, visit our website at D2L.com. Class dismissed. Visit the Teaching & Learning Studio for more content for educators, by educators. Sign up for our newsletter today.

Feb 16, 2023 • 52min
Upskilling and the Future of Education Series – Part Two With Dr. MJ Bishop and Bill Hughes
Today’s episode is the second in a two-part we’re running on upskilling and the future of education. We look at the skills gap, how partnerships between employers and higher education institutions could work to benefit both, and teaching and learning methods outside CBE that deliver measurable results. To discuss these issues further, Dr. Cristi Ford welcomed Dr. MJ Bishop, Vice President for Integrative Learning Design at the University of Maryland, Global Campus and Bill Hughes, President and CEO of Ed Design Labs.For more including bios, show notes and transcripts, click here.Thank you to our curious educators like you for listening. Remember to follow us on social media. Find us on LinkedIn or Facebook @D2L and check out our YouTube channel @Desire2LearnInc for the video version of this podcast and so much more.Please check out D2L's Learning by Association podcast dedicated to helping associations stay a step ahead with learning and The Skill Shift podcast for learning organizations that want to future-proof their teams.To learn more about how D2L is transforming the way the world learns, visit our website at D2L.com. Class dismissed. Visit the Teaching & Learning Studio for more content for educators, by educators. Sign up for our newsletter today.

Feb 2, 2023 • 38min
Upskilling and the Future of Education Series – Part One With Dr. Marie Cini and Dr. David Soo
Today’s episode is the first in a series we’re running on upskilling and the future of education. We look at why traditional methods of delivering post-secondary education are outdated, what can be done to address the societal stigma about not having a degree and offer suggestions for a way forward. To discuss these issues further, we welcomed Dr. Marie Cini, Provost and Chief Academic Officer at University of the People and Dr. David Soo, Vice President at Jobs for the Future. For more including show notes, bios and transcripts, click here.Thank you to our curious educators like you for listening. Remember to follow us on social media. Find us on LinkedIn or Facebook @D2L and check out our YouTube channel @Desire2LearnInc for the video version of this podcast and so much more.Please check out D2L's Learning by Association podcast dedicated to helping associations stay a step ahead with learning and The Skill Shift podcast for learning organizations that want to future-proof their teams.To learn more about how D2L is transforming the way the world learns, visit our website at D2L.com. Class dismissed. Visit the Teaching & Learning Studio for more content for educators, by educators. Sign up for our newsletter today.

Jan 12, 2023 • 49min
Unpacking Blended Learning and Micro-Credentials With Dr. Mark Brown
In today’s episode, we unpack two of the most talked about terms in the education space: blended learning and micro-credentials. Whether you are for or against them, you can’t argue that they’re among the most talked about topics in the teaching and learning space today. To discuss this topic further, we welcomed Dr. Mark Brown, Director of the National Institute for Digital Learning (NIDL) based at Dublin City University. Dr. Brown and Dr. Ford discussed why the term ‘blended learning’ can and should have more than one definition, how blended learning could be a solution to making professional development for educators more accessible and the three things institutions should think about as they develop their micro-credential offerings.For more information including show notes, bios and transcripts, click here. Thank you to our curious educators like you for listening. Remember to follow us on social media. Find us on LinkedIn or Facebook @D2L and check out our YouTube channel @Desire2LearnInc for the video version of this podcast and so much more.Please check out D2L's Learning by Association podcast dedicated to helping associations stay a step ahead with learning and The Skill Shift podcast for learning organizations that want to future-proof their teams.To learn more about how D2L is transforming the way the world learns, visit our website at D2L.com. Class dismissed. Visit the Teaching & Learning Studio for more content for educators, by educators. Sign up for our newsletter today.

Dec 15, 2022 • 40min
K12 - A Year in Review With Dr. Nakia Towns and Dr. John Malloy
In today’s episode, we look back at some of the issues that affected the K-12 landscape in America over the last year. But we also turn our gaze forward, hopeful about how 2023 will unfold. To discuss this topic further, we welcomed Dr. Nakia Towns, Deputy Superintendent of Gwinnett County Public Schools and Dr. John Malloy, Superintendent of Education (CEO) at the San Ramon Valley Unified School District in California. Our guests and Dr. Ford discussed: The biggest challenges K-12 districts are experiencing in the States todayWhere the responsibility lies when it comes to social-emotional learningWhether or not blended and hybrid learning models have a future in K-12 classroomsEducational equity and why it mattersHow teachers, superintendents and other educational staff can approach the year aheadFor more information including bios, transcripts and show notes, click here. Thank you to our curious educators like you for listening. Remember to follow us on social media. Find us on LinkedIn or Facebook @D2L and check out our YouTube channel @Desire2LearnInc for the video version of this podcast and so much more.Please check D2L's Learning by Association podcast dedicated to helping associations stay a step ahead with learning and The Skill Shift podcast for learning organizations that want to future-proof their teams.To learn more about how D2L is transforming the way the world learns, visit our website at D2L.com. Class dismissed. Visit the Teaching & Learning Studio for more content for educators, by educators. Sign up for our newsletter today.

Dec 1, 2022 • 49min
Higher Ed - A Year in Review With Dr. Joshua Kim and Dr. Edward Maloney
It’s the time of year for reflection. In today's episode, we take a look back at the bigger issues that affected the higher education landscape in 2022. But we also turn our gaze forward, hopeful about how 2023 will unfold. For this discussion, we welcomed Dr. Joshua Kim, Director of Online Programs and Strategy at Dartmouth College and a Senior Fellow at the Center for New Designs in Learning & Scholarship at Georgetown University and Dr. Edward Maloney, Professor and Founding Director of the Program in Learning, Design, and Technology, and the Executive Director of The Center for New Designs in Learning and Scholarship. Our guests and Dr. Ford discussed: The problems facing the higher education industry todayWhat can be done to improve learning design and educational experiencesHow recessions impact higher educationThe changing face of the modern-day studentNonprofit universities partnering with for profit companies: does it work?What higher education institutes can do to prepare themselves for future uncertainty.For more information including show notes, transcripts and bios, click here. Thank you to our curious educators like you for listening. Remember to follow us on social media. Find us on LinkedIn or Facebook @D2L and check out our YouTube channel @Desire2LearnInc for the video version of this podcast and so much more.Please check D2L's Learning by Association podcast dedicated to helping associations stay a step ahead with learning and The Skill Shift podcast for learning organizations that want to future-proof their teams.To learn more about how D2L is transforming the way the world learns, visit our website at D2L.com. Class dismissed. Visit the Teaching & Learning Studio for more content for educators, by educators. Sign up for our newsletter today.

Nov 17, 2022 • 46min
How to Manage Teacher Burnout With Amber Harper
According to a 2022 Gallup poll, K-12 teachers in the United States experienced the highest levels of burnout out of every other industry surveyed. When you take a global pandemic, throw in emergency remote teaching and pair it with educational cuts and historically low salaries, it's no wonder those in the educational space are struggling. But what can we do about it? Today, we welcomed Amber Harper. Amber is an educator, Google-certified trainer, author and founder of burnedinteacher.com, a community she created to help teachers overcome burnout. In this episode, Amber speaks with Dr. Cristi Ford about the three main reasons burnout happens, why burnout was a problem before the pandemic, what administrators and school districts can do to better support education workers, and how teachers can take back control of their careers. For more information including bios, show notes and transcripts, click here. Thank you to our curious educators like you for listening. Remember to follow us on social media. Find us on LinkedIn or Facebook @D2L and check out our YouTube channel @Desire2LearnInc for the video version of this podcast and so much more.Please check D2L's Learning by Association podcast dedicated to helping associations stay a step ahead with learning and The Skill Shift podcast for learning organizations that want to future-proof their teams.To learn more about how D2L is transforming the way the world learns, visit our website at D2L.com. Class dismissed. Visit the Teaching & Learning Studio for more content for educators, by educators. Sign up for our newsletter today.

Nov 3, 2022 • 36min
An Inclusive Approach to Integrative Learning Design With Jarrett Carter
In today’s episode, we get candid about designing engaging and accessible learning experiences. Our guest is Jarrett Carter, Associate Vice President for Integrative Learning Design at the University of Maryland Global Campus. Jarrett is passionate about creating inclusive and equitable learning spaces that eliminate long-standing barriers for marginalized groups. Jarrett and Dr. Cristi Ford discuss why accessibility and diversity should be addressed at the start of designing new learning experiences, challenging the definitions of neurodiversity and the benefits and limits of universal design for learning (UDL).Click here for even more information like bios, transcripts, and show notes.Thank you to our curious educators like you for listening. Remember to follow us on social media. Find us on LinkedIn or Facebook @D2L and check out our YouTube channel @Desire2LearnInc for the video version of this podcast and so much more.Please check D2L's Learning by Association podcast dedicated to helping associations stay a step ahead with learning and The Skill Shift podcast for learning organizations that want to future-proof their teams.To learn more about how D2L is transforming the way the world learns, visit our website at D2L.com. Class dismissed. Visit the Teaching & Learning Studio for more content for educators, by educators. Sign up for our newsletter today.