University of Iowa College of Education

EDUcation Unscripted & Xplored

Education EN ↓ 6 episodes

EDUcation Unscripted & Xplored, co-hosted by University of Iowa College of Education professors Kari Vogelgesang and Mark McDermott, is a research- and reality-backed podcast for anyone passionate about harnessing the power of education for positive change. Unlike most education podcasts that stick to classroom strategy or faculty development, we bring together teacher preparation, K–12 systems, and wellness to ask the hard questions about what actually drives meaningful change for people and systems. Our goal is to explore the hopes, tensions, and trends shaping the field today and to offer l...

Author

University of Iowa College of Education

Episodes

Systems & Leadership: Building Policies That Promote Educator Wellness 24.04.2026 45:53

What if educator wellness wasn't a side initiative, but the design principle at the center of every school policy, schedule, and leadership decision? In this episode, Kari and Mark sit down with Courtney Cook, PK-12 principal at Ruthven-Ayrshire Community School to explore what it really looks like to build systems that support the humans doing the hardest work in education. From rethinking d...

Rural Realities: Attracting and Supporting Educators in Small Communities 16.04.2026 37:36

This episode spotlights the unique strengths and struggles of rural schools, from limited resources and geographic isolation to the shifting landscape of state-level influence on local decision-making. West Burlington Independent School District superintendent Jason Wester joins Kari and Mark to unpack the realities of shrinking candidate pools, innovative strategies districts are using to attract...

Everyday Counts: Tackling Chronic Absenteeism Through Connection and Care 31.03.2026 28:49

Chronic absenteeism has surged since the pandemic, and the numbers tell only part of the story. In this episode of EDUcation Unscripted & Xplored, Kari and Mark dig into what's really driving students away from school and what it takes to bring them back. From transportation barriers and mental health challenges to school climates where students don't feel safe or seen, the root cau...

Teacher Preparation: Developing the Next Generation of Sustainable, Healthy Educators 02.03.2026 36:39

One bee. Thirty kids. One very real math standards test. Mark's unforgettable first-grade classroom story opens a window into what teachers actually navigate every day and why preparing the next generation of educators for that reality is so critically important. Kari and Mark sit down with Elliott Johnson , Associate Professor of Education at Luther College, to unpack the state of teacher pr...

Literacy as a Wellness Predictor: How Reading Skills Shape Lifelong Outcomes 30.01.2026 34:47

What if literacy isn’t just an academic benchmark — but a powerful predictor of student wellbeing, identity, and opportunity? In this episode of Education Unscripted & Xplored , co-hosts Dr. Kari Vogelgesang and Dr. Mark McDermott are joined by Dr. Leah Zimmermann from the Iowa Reading Research Center to explore how reading proficiency shapes far more than classroom performance. Together, they...

Why We’re Going Off-Script: Who We Are and Why This Matters 07.01.2026 34:13

In the very first episode of EDUcation Unscripted & Xplored , co-hosts Dr. Kari Vogelgesang and Dr. Mark McDermott invite you into an honest, unfiltered dialogue about the complex and ever-changing world of PK–12 education. Kari and Mark share their journeys from growing up in education-focused families, to teaching in PK–12 classrooms, to shaping teacher preparation today. Along the way, the...