Agile Ed

In this episode of Agile Ed , we continue our lasagna check with a deeper look at what happens after the scaffold is in place. We turn our attention to feedback: how much to give, when to give it, and how students learn to receive and use it. We reflect on the difference between being the person who judges the final product and being the person who helps students make it better—and why that distin...

In this episode of Agile Ed , we continue to put our own courses through the lasagna check. This time, we dig in to discuss scaffolded learning experiences: the pasta sheets that give structure to learning. We start with the familiar idea of scaffolding—breaking a large assignment into smaller pieces and providing feedback along the way—but quickly discover that scaffolding can be much more than a...

n this episode of Agile Ed , we continue to put our own courses through the lasagna check. This time, though, our courses are well underway: it’s Week 4. Before digging into the lasagna to discuss scaffolded learning experiences, we decide to revisit the relationship-rich foundation of our courses to ask a different question: How are those relationships going ? What looked thoughtful, intentional,...

In this episode of Agile Ed, we put our own courses through the lasagna check. …or at least we start to. We only got through the first layer: the dish! With our fall syllabi and course calendars open in front of us, we turn our layered model for sustainable teaching into an on-air course design consultation. Rather than simply saying we value relationship-rich education, scaffolding, productive fa...

In this episode of Agile Ed, we turn the Pretty Pencil Case Principle around on ourselves. As a new semester approaches, it’s easy for instructors to fall into the same trap as students with their fresh notebooks and brand-new school supplies: this time, everything is going to be perfect. The syllabus will anticipate every question. The course calendar will be flawless. Every activity will be mean...

In this episode of Agile Ed, we ask what education might look like if we stopped organizing so much of it around competition and started prioritizing cooperation and collaboration instead. We explore the ways competition is baked into academic culture—from authorship and intellectual property to teaching, grading, and the pressure to protect our own ideas—and what can happen when we deliberately p...

In this episode of Agile Ed, a rant about inconsistent Starbucks service opens into a much bigger conversation about inconsistency in teaching and learning. From customer service and classroom culture to grading, feedback, trust, and workload, we explore what happens when educators say they value care, flexibility, and community but design courses in ways that send very different messages. Along t...

In this episode of Agile Ed , we start with habits and end up somewhere much bigger: student learning, perfectionism, and what sustainable teaching really requires. From Duolingo streaks and guitar practice to classroom trust and unfinished assignments, we explore why all-or-nothing thinking can be so damaging and why relationships, scaffolding, productive failure, and intrinsic motivation matter...

Agile Ed doesn't do intros. No theme music. No “Welcome back to Agile Ed.” No polished setup. Just a cold open... In this episode, we’ve stitched together the beginnings of our conversations—the first thoughts, the unfinished sentences, the ideas that land before we even know where we’re going. It turns out, the start is often where the most honest thinking happens. This is the Cold Open Reel: a c...

In this episode of Agile Ed , we explore a simple but often overlooked truth about teaching and learning: relationships come first. Sustainable teaching practices aren’t built on tighter policies, heavier surveillance, or increased rigor. They’re built on trust. When classrooms are relationship-rich, instructors can step back from over-functioning, learners can take intellectual risks, and product...

In the Season 3 premiere of Agile Ed, we begin with a question: What if students could time travel? This idea, sparked by a physics concept called a “time mirror”, is a powerful metaphor for the current state of learning in post-secondary education. While students can’t literally travel through time (yet!), they can use technology to take shortcuts. These shortcuts allow them to skip the friction...

Just a bunch of silly outtakes from our second season of AgileEd.

In the Season 2 finale of Agile Ed, we reflect on one of the most persistent—and problematic—assumptions in education: that obedience equals learning. Through stories from parenting, teaching, and course design, we explore why curiosity, autonomy, and relational trust matter more than compliance. The episode closes by tracing a clear through-line across the season—relationship-rich education—and s...

In this episode of Agile Ed , Lindsay and Ashley dig into the tension between rigor and real learning . Using stories from the classroom, like lab reports and in-class participation, they explore why the word “rigor” so often becomes a stand-in for unnecessary friction, mistrust, and outdated academic traditions. Together, they reframe what higher education should strive for: resilience, intrinsic...

In this episode of Agile Ed , Lindsay and Ashley unpack what it means to balance agility and sustainability in course design while keeping student motivation at the center. From guitars and Duolingo streaks to flipped classrooms and collaborative exams, they explore how timing, autonomy, and friction shape durable learning. Together, they reflect on an instructor who co-created a “no-tech” classro...

In this episode of Agile Ed , Lindsay and Ashley return—baby in tow—for a conversation that jumps from maternity leave to GenAI and learning. Together, they unpack the release of Perplexity’s Comet , an “agentic AI” browser that doesn’t just chat—it acts. From finding lost Facebook videos to completing quizzes in Brightspace, Lindsay shares jaw-dropping demos that reveal both the promise and peril...

- "Because brains weren’t built for busywork." In this episode of Agile Ed, we unpack one of the most persistent misconceptions in education today: that students using GenAI are just lazy. What if laziness isn’t the problem, but a feature of the human brain? We explore how our cognitive systems are wired for efficiency, why critical thinking should be the real focus, and how AI can actua...

In this episode of Agile Ed, we tackle one of the most pressing—and emotionally charged—questions facing educators today: Why should students bother doing their own work when it feels like everyone else is offloading to AI and getting better grades? We unpack why it's our job to answer that question, and how we can do it convincingly, compassionately, and consistently. We reflect on what students...

In this episode of Agile Ed , we share preliminary data from our ongoing research into how and why students are using GenAI in higher education. Instead of focusing solely on policy or detection, we explore what it means to take a student-centred approach to the GenAI challenge. From misaligned assessments to fears of academic failure, we uncover the motivations driving student decisions and refle...

In this episode of Agile Ed, step into our conversation as we open with reflections from a recent talk that challenged how we think about the skills that make us successful learners and wrestle with the growing disconnect between how learning is measured and how it's experienced. We unpack the realities of co-creating AI policies with students, explore how and why students shift their behaviour mi...

In this episode of Agile Ed , we reflect on the complexity of trying to do what’s best for learners—especially when it isn’t easy, efficient, or always appreciated. We both share real stories from the classroom about showing up for students, thinking on our feet, and making space for deeper engagement, even when motivation is low. From grading in the presence of students to exploring the link betw...

In this episode of Agile Ed , we tackle the growing tension educators face as student use of GenAI becomes more normalized—and less distinguishable. From the emotional toll of reading AI-generated reflections to the challenge of designing non-disposable assessments, we explore what’s lost when authenticity gives way to efficiency. We talk about instructor workload, student motivation, and the ethi...

How does the way we were taught influence the way we teach? In this episode of Agile Ed, we unpack the tension between traditional teaching ideals and modern, learner-centred approaches. Reflecting on the shift from 'sage on the stage' to active learning environments, we discuss how discomfort often accompanies change—but also drives innovation in education. Join us as we navigate the comp...

Welcome to Season 2 of Agile Ed ! In this premiere episode, Lindsay and Ashley dive into reflections from the break and insights from the new semester. They tackle topics ranging from navigating the complex emotions surrounding student evaluations to the evolving challenges of assessments in a GenAI-influenced academic landscape. With candid anecdotes, actionable strategies, and a focus on maintai...

Just a bunch of silly outtakes from our first season of AgileEd.