The Brighter Side of Education: Research, Innovation & Resources

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I focus on inclusive classrooms for students with intellectual disabilities with filmmaker Olivier Bernier. How does inclusivity impact student success? There are an estimated 7.3 million children with disabilities, accounting for 14% of the students enrolled in our public school system. According to The Individuals with Disabilities Act, students with disabilitie...

Send us Fan Mail  How can we improve children’s mental health to increase academic success? In this episode, JoAnn Tomer discusses her experience as a mental health therapist and her work with children and horses as we focus on children’s mental health and its effects in the classroom. According to the CDC in 2022 on the state of Children's Mental Health, ADHD, anxiety, depression, and behavi...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I focus on school boards and their effect on student achievement. What makes a school board effective? Research over the past 20 years clearly links the beliefs, actions, and relationships of school board members with student outcomes. Scholars compared districts with similar levels of poverty and disadvantage to determine factors that separate high-performing dis...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I focus on life coaching  for young adults with Pam Burke. How can a life coach help your child through the transitional college years to increase their odds of success? Every year, over a million college students drop out of school. The majority are first-year students with an average dropout rate at 24.3%. Younger students are more likely to drop out because of...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I focus on virtual school in special education as a variable with Barbara Southwick. She discusses how virtual school in special education is an untapped resource that opens up possibilities in students with disabilities.  In 2021, I published a study comparing third grade reading proficiency levels in virtual schools and face-to-face schools for the state of Flor...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I focus on curriculum as a variable for student success with education writer and author Natalie Wexler. She discusses the importance of using a knowledge-based curriculum in schools and explains how cognitive science plays a vital role in how we teach it. Studies identifying comprehensive, content-rich curriculum as a critical factor in student academic success w...

Send us Fan Mail What is the true foundation of online learning? How did distance education evolve long before the internet? Join me, Dr. Lisa Hassler, as I sit down with legendary education theorist Dr. Michael Grahame Moore—the founder of the Theory of Transactional Distance—to explore the past, present, and future of teaching across distance. Often called the "father of distance education,...

Send us Fan Mail Why are Black girls still falling through the cracks of the American education system? In this important conversation, Dr. Lisa Hassler sits down with expert Dr. Hyacinth Dyer to explore the disconnect between what teachers believe they provide—and what Black girls actually experience in their K–12 education journey. Drawing from her research study Education and the Black Girl , D...

Send us Fan Mail What if students with dyslexia and dyscalculia had access to the right support from the very start? Join Dr. Lisa Hassler and global education leader Dr. Livia Pailer-Duller as they discuss effective, research-based strategies to help students with learning differences thrive. In this inspiring conversation, Dr. Pailer-Duller, CEO of the American Dyslexia Association and co-founde...

Send us Fan Mail What makes a great educational leader? In this heartfelt conversation, Dr. Lisa Hassler sits down with her mentor and dissertation chair, Dr. Carla Sparks, to explore how professors shape the next generation of school leaders through resonant, research-driven mentorship. Dr. Sparks, Program Director of Educational Leadership at National Louis University, shares insights from her w...

Send us Fan Mail How can one school board member make a lasting difference in students' lives? In this inspiring conversation, Dr. Lisa Hassler speaks with Eric Robinson, former Sarasota County School Board member and education advocate, about how leadership and local policy decisions can transform schools from within. Eric shares powerful stories from his time on the board — from donating hi...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when traditional teaching isn't enough to help struggling readers succeed? In this special first episode, Dr. Lisa Hassler is joined by teacher and longtime friend Erin Phillips to discuss how blending online learning strategies with classroom instruction can significantly boost reading achievement. Drawing from her own classroom experience, Erin shares how she a...

Send us Fan Mail Hosted by Dr. Lisa Hassler, an educator and parent, The Brighter Side of Education: Research, Innovation, & Resources is a research-informed podcast offering action-based solutions for teachers and parents. Committed to spotlight innovative individuals who bring about positive change in education, its primary mission is to connect educators and parents to resources that pave t...