Foundational Impact

What does AI mean for the way young people relate to each other and to technology itself? That's the focus of the conversation in this episode when Daniel speaks with Jonathan Baggaley, CEO of the PSHE Association and former head of the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre. It begins, perhaps unexpectedly, with a Sun Ra poster. Jono uses it to make a point that runs through everything t...

What does great education look like when the classroom is a refugee camp? When the teacher is under-resourced, under-supported, and still showing up? We are delighted to welcome Jane Mann, Managing Director of the Partnership for Education and Education Director for International Education at Cambridge University Press and Assessment. Jane leads work spanning 30 countries, including some of the wo...

The conversation between Elizabeth Moore and Daniel in this episode provides a window into how the Gates Foundation is navigating the evolving landscape of AI in K-12 education. As Deputy Director with the U.S. K-12 team, Elizabeth explains that the Gates Foundation operates at multiple levels to improve classroom instruction through research, quality standards, and strategic investments. This inc...

Our guest for this episode is Calvin Eden, the founder of LoudSpeaker who works with students across the UK through high-energy and interactive workshops on topics like resilience, emotional intelligence, and healthy relationships. Calvin meets young people in his everyday work, and seeing AI tools become a growing part of students' social and emotional lives reinforces his belief in the urgent ne...

In this episode, Daniel sits down with Erin Mote of InnovateEDU about how education systems are responding to AI and where current approaches are falling short. Erin challenges the assumption that progress in education operates within fixed limits. She argues that system-level change depends on collaboration, shared practice, and open infrastructure rather than competition between schools, organis...

What makes human communication unique in an age of increasingly sophisticated AI? Daniel Emmerson invites Dr. Biljana Scott, a linguist with expertise in diplomatic communication and language analysis, to explore this question in depth. With her multilingual background and extensive experience in teaching the nuances of communication, Biljana probes the complex interplay between human language and...

Is having an AI policy enough to protect your school? In this episode, Daniel Emmerson speaks with Claire Archibald, Legal Director at Brown Jacobson and former Data Protection Officer, about what effective AI governance in schools looks like. Their conversation covers essential topics including what makes a good Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA), the importance of vendor due diligence, and...

Daniel's conversation with Gemma Gwilliam, Portsmouth's Head of Digital Learning, Education and Innovation, explores transparency, privacy and safeguarding in AI education. The discussion takes a dramatic turn when Gemma puts on a pair of AI-enabled glasses which she purchased easily for under £10 right in the middle of the recording, bringing theoretical concerns into stark reality. This jaw-drop...

What skills will our students genuinely need to thrive in a future driven by AI? To find the answer, Daniel Emmerson goes straight to the source and sits down with brilliant young minds behind seven teams from the Hult Prize Global Accelerator, one of the final stages of the world’s largest student startup competition. This episode takes you on a global tour of innovation. You'll hear how these yo...

In this episode, we spotlight Adam, the co-founder of Stick’Em, the innovative startup that just won the prestigious $1 million Hult Prize. He explains how his team develops a robotics kit that costs a mere fraction of traditional models to make quality STEAM education more accessible to children everywhere. This conversation, in two parts, offers a rare before-and-after glimpse of a startup on th...

In this episode, Daniel speaks with Muireann Hendriksen, the Principal Research Scientist at Pearson, about her team's recent research study called "Asking to Learn" The study analysed 128,000 AI queries from 9,000 student users to gain deeper insights into how students learn when they interact with AI study tools. Their key finding revealed that approximately one-third of student queries demonstr...

Summary This conversation explores the integration of AI in education, focusing on how a school has embraced AI technology to enhance learning outcomes. The discussion covers the importance of building a shared vision among stakeholders, the challenges of risk assessment and data privacy, and the cultural shift required to embrace AI. The speakers share their experiences with teacher training, exp...

Summary This episode features Matthew Pullen from Jamf, who talks about what thoughtful integration of technology and AI looks like in educational settings. Drawing from his experience working in the education division of a company that serves more than 40,000 schools globally, Mat has seen numerous use cases. He distinguishes between the purposeful application of technology to dismantle learning...

Summary: Many schools begin their AI journey by formulating AI policies. However, Matthew King, Director of Innovative Learning at Brentwood School, reveals their preference for establishing guiding principles over rigid policies considering AI’s rapidly evolving nature.  Matt shares his approach to fostering dialogue with diverse school stakeholders. He describes engaging primary students in...

Summary: Alex was genuinely fascinated when reviewing transcripts from his research interviews and noticed that students consistently referred to AI as "they," while adults, including teachers, used "it." This small but meaningful linguistic difference revealed a fundamental variation in how different generations perceive artificial intelligence. As a teacher, senior leader, and STEM Learning cons...

Summary This podcast episode was recorded during the Watergrove Trust AI professional development workshop, delivered by Good Future Foundation and Educate Ventures. Dave Leonard, the Strategic IT Director, and Steve Lancaster, a member of their AI Steering Group, shared how they led the Trust's exploration and discussion of AI with a thoughtful, cautious optimism. With strong support from leaders...

Summary This episode features Thomas Sparrow, a correspondent and fact checker, who helps us differentiate misinformation and disinformation, and understand the evolving landscape of information dissemination, particularly through social media and the challenges posed by generative AI. He is also very passionate about equipping teachers and students with practical fact checking techniques and enco...

Summary With her extensive teaching experience in both mainstream and special schools, Bukky Yusuf shares how purposeful and strategic use of technology can unlock learning opportunities for students. She also equally emphasises the ethical dimensions of AI adoption, raising important concerns about data representation, societal inequalities, and the risks of widening digital divides and unequal a...

Summary In this enlightening episode, Dr Lulu Shi from the University of Oxford, shares technology’s role in education and society through a sociological lens. She examines how edtech companies shape learning environments and policy, while challenging the notion that technological progress is predetermined. Instead, Dr. Shi argues that our collective choices and actions actively shape technology's...

In this podcast episode, Daniel, George, and Ricky discuss the integration of AI and technology in education, particularly at Belgrave St Bartholomew's Academy. They explore the local context of the school, the impact of technology on teaching and learning, and how AI is being utilised to enhance student engagement and learning outcomes. The conversation also touches on the importance of community...

In this episode, Becci Peters and Ben Davies discuss their work with Computing at School (CAS), an initiative backed by BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, which boasts 27,000 dedicated members who support computing teachers. Through their efforts with CAS, they've noticed that many teachers still feel uncomfortable about AI technology, and many schools are grappling with uncertainty around AI po...

Summary When generative AI first appeared on the scene, many educators had concerns about how students might misuse this technology. A lot of discussions focused on plagiarism. However, after hearing from the Good Future Foundation Student Council, you might be pleasantly surprised to discover that some students are actually much more critical and reflective on how generative AI can help their lea...

AI’s impact spans globally across sectors, yet attention and voices aren’t equally distributed across impacted communities. This week, the Foundational Impact presents a humanitarian perspective as Daniel Emmerson speaks with Suzy Madigan, Responsible AI Lead at CARE International, to shine a light on those often left out of the AI narrative.  The heart of their discussion centers on  “A...

Summary Think about how overwhelming it could be if you're driving at 70 miles per hour but have to rebuild the car as a whole. This is how Liz Robinson, CEO of Big Education Trust, describes her feeling as she started to realise the impact of AI in every aspect of education while managing daily school operations. In this episode, Liz opens up about her path and reflects on her own "conscious inco...

In this episode, Hult Prize CEO Lori van Dam pulls back the curtain on the global competition empowering student innovators into social entrepreneurs across 100+ countries. She showcases how young minds are tackling world challenges through creative solutions - like turning Hong Kong’s wasted bread into beer, and supporting indigenous Mexican communities through mindful tourism.  Beyond the h...