The Education Innovators Podcast

University of the People   Shai Reshef is the President of University of the People (UoPeople). Shai has over 25 years of experience in the international education market and has been awarded the 2023 Yidan Prize for Educational Development, referred to as the Nobel Prize for Education and, amongst many other awards, he was selected by The Huffington Post as the Ultimate Game Changer in Education....

Jobs of the Future   This is a solo episode from Eric Byron as he rants about the threat of AI replacing humans in the workforce/classroom and makes a case that we are still in control and our greatest weapon is education that advances human intelligence.   The Education Innovators Podcast is a set of conversations between Eric Byron and guests from all aspects of education around the world. We lo...

Playing for the Planet – Inspiring Action through Gaming   Lisa Pak is the Head of Operations at Playing for the Planet - an initiative facilitated by the United Nations Environment Programme - that unites the global video games industry around a bold mission: to reduce its environmental impact and harness the power of games to inspire meaningful environmental action.    With over 3.3 billion peop...

Teaching Game Design This short solo episode is a follow up to last week’s episode with Jussi Holopainen. Eric shares his thoughts on the impact of teaching game design and the transferable skills that students can gain from the learning experience. The Education Innovators Podcast is a set of conversations between Eric Byron and guests from all aspects of education around the world. We look for i...

Game Design and Symbolic Thinking In this episode we explore how playing games is foundation for developing higher order thinking skills and Dr Holopainen shares insights into the many transferable skills that can come from studying game design. Dr Jussi Holopainen holds a PhD in Digital Game Development from Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden. He has been researching game design and gamep...

Google LearnLM   This short solo episode with Eric Byron takes us through his test drive of Google’s LearnLM platform. See how he navigates learning with this AI-powered learning coach.   The Education Innovators Podcast is a set of conversations between Eric Byron and guests from all aspects of education around the world. We look for innovative ideas and practical examples of things happening in...

Game-Based Financial Literacy Education   Priscilla Cheung is currently helping to lead AI and digital innovation at CoCoon Foundation, an NGO that teaches entrepreneurial thinking as a life skill to youths in Hong Kong. She brings a unique blend of experiences to her work - her journey into educational game design began years ago with her Computer Science master's thesis at MIT, where she develop...

Privacy Pirates   Born a patriot, Dr. Leslie Gruis spent 30 years as a mathematician and intelligence officer at the National Security Agency, where she helped develop technology solutions that balanced national security with civil rights. She later served at U.S. Cyber Command and the National Intelligence Council. Now retired, she writes and speaks on privacy, surveillance, and democracy—making...

Season 4 Trailer Welcome to Season 4. This is a short episode to grab your interest in the upcoming season with all new guests and incredible stories of innovation in education. The Education Innovators Podcast is one of the top education podcasts in Asia with a global audience. Eric Byron looks for innovative ideas and practical examples of things happening in schools and learning environments th...

Season 3 Review Eric takes us through a review of the blockbuster guests on the show during this season. The Education Innovators Podcast is one of the top Education Podcasts in Asia. It is a set of conversations between Eric Byron and guests from all aspects of education around the world. We look for innovative ideas and practical examples of things happening in schools and learning environments...

Experiential Learning – Teaching Empathy   David (DJ) Begbie is a Director and senior spokesman for the Crossroads Foundation, a humanitarian aid and development organization headquartered in Hong Kong. This agency provides direct assistance to those in need, and an online humanitarian platform connecting corporates and NGOs globally. They currently operate out of an 8-acre former army base, and i...

Designing Different   Adrian Ireland is an international educator, systems thinker, and author dedicated to reimagining the architecture of learning. With extensive experience teaching and leading across Asia and Europe, Adrian has spent his career challenging the traditional, standardized models of education by championing learner-centered approaches that value individuality, curiosity, and creat...

Creators and Destroyers of Worlds Iuri Melo is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with 20 years of experience and the proud father of five. He’s the co-founder of SchoolPulse, a nationwide student support service that delivers positivity, optimism, and growth mindset tools to students, parents, and faculty via text and email. After several teen suicides in his community, Iuri co-created SchoolPulse...

Thriving in an AI World Stefan Bauschard is a course instructor (teaching the Introduction to AI) at Union College. He is also an AI literacy curriculum designer for Study Hall in the UK. He is also an AI Education Policy Consultant, and, as featured in his first appearance on the Education Innovators Podcast, Stefan is a debate coach.   He has come back on the show to talk about one of his weekly...

Blazing New Trails in Virtual Education Annette Levesque is the Founder & CEO of The Global Education Station, a platform dedicated to providing modern resources and professional learning workshops for educators, helping them stay ahead of today’s technological advancements. She is also the host of the video podcast The Global Education Station Presents.   Annette is an award-winning author. H...

Knowledge graphs and neural networks – reimagining AI-powered math tutoring   This episode is a relatively technical discussion with a brilliant researcher about the potential of a hybrid AI solution to be used to develop an accurate and adaptive AI-powered math tutor.   Haihao Liu is currently serving as the Education Director for the Asian Community Development Center, a growing US-based nonprof...

AI Characters – Friend or Foe? In this episode I talk with Sonia Tiwari who has a unique expertise in the design and development of characters that enhance learning experiences. Sonia Tiwari holds a PhD in Learning, Design, and Technology from Penn State University where she also was an Adjunct Professor of Learning Experience Design. She has been a children’s media research consultant for almost...

Beyond AI: Student Centric Education This episode is a follow up to my solo episode about the Alpha School, “A School with no Teachers”. My guest is here to cut through the hype and tell us the real story. Jon Stewart is a creative strategist and leader in the education technology space, currently serving as Head of Engagement at Alpha School in Austin, TX. In this role, he crafts compelling educa...

Lead with Purpose   Dr. Roger A. Gerard is the owner of Sloan & Gerard Consulting, a private consulting practice serving executives and boards in strategic planning, operational planning, executive coaching, and management development. He also specializes in process improvement, and the use of lean methodologies in bringing about significant and measurable organizational improvement.   He is t...

AI-Powered Pedagogy Dr. Jennifer Chang-Wathall is an independent educational consultant, author, and part-time instructor at the University of Hong Kong. With a rich background spanning over 30 years in international education, she has worked at various international schools, such as South Island School and Island School in Hong Kong, and The United Nations International School in New York. In the...

Tech-Intentional Education A former middle school English teacher and parent of two, Emily Cherkin, MEd., Emily Cherkin, MEd., The Screentime Consultant , witnessed the simultaneous rise of technology use for school, and smartphone and social media use for kids. Today, Emily consults with parents, offers school presentations and professional development training, and writes about parenting, educat...

Beyond Academics – Life Skills   Nitin Gour is the Founder and CEO of Bloomster. He is passionate about transforming education to focus on holistic student development. Bloomster is a dynamic platform that empowers students by teaching over 25 essential life skills, helping them thrive in five key areas critical to navigating today’s ever-changing world. With nearly two decades of experience in th...

Sharon Gal-Or: Regenaissance – The Call to Heal   Sharon Gal-Or is a regenerative consultant, public speaker, and author. He caught my attention with his latest book “Regenaissance: The Call to Heal”, and with his passion for innovation in education and his transformative works that explore the intersections of spirituality, ecology, future of humanity, and regenerative movements. In this episode...

Mila Devenport – A Vision for Digital Wellbeing   Mila is an AI ethicist and the Founder and Chief Education Officer of the Kigumi Group, a social enterprise here in Hong Kong doing digital well-being for digital natives, including teaching them about AI ethics, cybersafety, and metacognitive skills. She is a certified AI ethics assessor by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and...

Laura Jacob is the Superintendent of the California Area School District and founder and CEO of California Academy of Learning Charter School.    In her current capacity as Superintendent of Schools, she maintains a focus on creating schools where all children love learning, with a focus on teaching environmental sustainability. The Moonshot Program eliminates grades, and grade levels and establis...