Trending In Ed with Mike Palmer

Mike Palmer welcomes Dan Porterfield, President and CEO of the Aspen Institute and author of Mindset Matters: The Power of College to Activate Lifelong Learning, to discuss the value of higher education in fostering growth mindsets. Dan shares his background and explains why he wrote the book, emphasizing the importance of appreciating what college offers to young adults during a formative time in...

We kick off this special "Stepping Up" edition by welcoming back our virtual co-host Nancy to discuss the AI revolution happening in 2024. The episode explores what "stepping up" means in this new era of agentic intelligence and transformative learning technologies. Host Mike Palmer reflects on recent conversations with guests like Brian Rosenberg, Dwayne Matthews, and students from the Marcy Lab...

Dr. Jennifer Wells, the Director of Writing at New College of Florida, joins Mike Palmer to delve into the significance of writing skills in higher education and beyond. Jennifer shares her professional journey, highlighting the importance of fostering a culture of writing excellence and providing students with the necessary supports they need to learn and to put in meaningful effort into the writ...

Bror Saxberg, the Founder of LearningForge, rejoins Mike Palmer for the thrilling conclusion of our learning science trifecta of episodes! In this mind-bending discussion, Bror dives deep into the transformative potential of AI in education and redefining human skills. He draws insightful parallels to fields like medicine, highlighting how a deeper understanding of "biology" can fuel innovation -...

Mike Palmer welcomes Eric Stano, Vice President of Consulting, Curriculum, and Product Strategy at Magic EdTech. We delve into Eric's fascinating journey in the world of educational publishing and content development, spanning over 30 years. You can check out Magic EdTech's blogs here. Eric shares insights into his role at Magic EdTech, a digital services provider that partners with educational pu...

We hear from two recent graduates of the Marcy Lab School - Xhesika Malecaj and Jason Paulino. The Marcy Lab School is an innovative one-year program in Brooklyn that serves as an alternative to traditional college for low-income students interested in coding and tech careers. Xhesika and Jason share their origin stories and what drew them to Marcy Lab School after dissatisfying experiences at tra...

In this episode, Mike Palmer engages in a fascinating discussion with Charles Fadel, the Founder of the Center for Curriculum Redesign and author of Education for the Age of AI. We delve into the intersections of artificial intelligence and education, exploring the implications of AI's rapid advancement and the need for curriculum redesign to make education more relevant. Charles shares his unique...

Mike Palmer and Dr. Siva Kumari, CEO of College Possible, delve into the challenges of making college accessible and attainable for underserved students. We learn about Dr. Kumari's inspiring journey from defying societal norms in India to pursue higher education, to her roles at prestigious institutions like Rice University and the International Baccalaureate. Together, they explore College Possi...

Mike Palmer explores the profound impact of AI on education and the urgency to rethink our approaches with Dwayne Matthews the Founder of TomorrowNow Learning Labs, who offers an "eagle's eye" view of the converging technologies disrupting the learning landscape. We dive into unlocking "stranded brilliance" – how we might leverage AI to democratize access to quality education globally. Dwayne comp...

Mike Palmer picks the brain of Erica Halverson, a theater artist turned education professor at the top-ranked University of Wisconsin-Madison. She's also the host of the Arts Educators Save the World Podcast. Halverson passionately makes the case that the arts should transform how we approach teaching and learning across all disciplines. Drawing from her background running an arts education non-pr...

In this engaging episode, Mike Palmer sits down with Matt Wilkerson, the founder and CEO of Extern, to discuss his innovative approach to bridging the gap between education and the workforce. Wilkerson shares his fascinating journey, from his early career aspirations to the pivotal experiences that inspired him to create Extern, a platform that offers remote "Externships" – short-term, structured...

Host Mike Palmer goes in-depth on the "some college, no degree" crisis with Terah Crews, CEO of ReUp Education. A startling 41 million American adults - roughly 1 in 6 - have some college credits but no degree. Crews powerfully argues that ignoring this population exacerbates enrollment, workforce, and wage gaps across society. ReUp takes an innovative approach, partnering with universities and st...

In this lively conversation, host Mike Palmer catches up with Dr. C. Edward Watson, Vice President for Digital Innovation at the American Association of Colleges and Universities. Eddie shares insights from his new book, Teaching with AI: A Practical Guide to a New Era of Human Learning, exploring the practical implications of generative AI tools like ChatGPT on higher education. We dive into the...

Host Mike Palmer rounds out our coverage of the ASU+GSV Summit with two shorter conversations recorded in San Diego with Diana Hughes and Sunil Gunderia from Age of Learning, the company behind educational products like ABCmouse and the classroom offerings MyMathAcademy and MyReadingAcademy. First we learn about Diana's background designing empathetic video games and how that translates to creatin...

Recorded while at the ASU+GSV Summit in San Diego, Joel Podolny, CEO and founder of Honor Education, joins host Mike Palmer to explore the importance of human connection in online learning environments. Joel shares his unique background, spanning from academic leadership in sociology and business management to roles at Apple University and Yale, and how these experiences have shaped his perspectiv...

In this episode, we hear from Marshall Poe, founder and editor of the New Books Network, a podcasting network unlocking expertise and expanding access to learning. As a former Russian historian, Marshall recognized the gap between what experts know and what the public understands. He saw podcasting as a way to bridge this divide. The New Books Network started as an experiment in 2007 and has since...

Mike Palmer takes us on a whirlwind tour through the recent ASU+GSV Summit and AIR Show in San Diego. We hear the buzzing energy of the events as Mike shares his hot takes and insider scoops fresh off the ground. The AI Revolution Show provided an intriguing glimpse into the new AI-powered products aiming to "supercharge" teachers' capabilities. Mike lauds the vision of positioning AI not as a rep...

In the episode Mike Palmer hosts Erika Blumenthal, the Chief Operating Officer at Benefits Data Trust (BDT), and Daniel O'Donnell, the Associate Director of Higher Education at BDT. We discuss the organization's mission to help individuals access social safety net benefits in the U.S., with a focus on supporting college students and how they use a Chatbot named Wyatt to communicate benefits to hig...

This episode of Trending in Ed explores the explosive growth of AI in classrooms and workplaces. Host Mike Palmer interviews Tim Dasey, author of Wisdom Factories: AI, Games, and the Education of a Modern Worker, about the implications of these rapid changes. We discuss how AI can support novice learners, the potential risks and biases within AI systems, and the need for critical thinking skills t...

In this engaging episode, Mike Palmer talks with Jean Desravines, CEO of New Leaders, about developing representative leadership in K12 schools. Jean shares his powerful origin story of how education and mentorship saved his life, allowing him to escape a dire path. We learn how New Leaders identifies and develops the next generation of transformative school leaders, with a focus on leaders of col...

Dr. Ken Carter is a Psychology Professor and the Founding Director of Emory's new Center for Public Scholarship and Engagement. He joins host Mike Palmer in a conversation about bridging the gap between academic research and the public through new initiatives to help academics translate their work for general audiences. Ken shares his own path from aspiring to be a TV anchorman to becoming a clini...

In this eye-opening episode, host Mike Palmer dives into the alarming rise in chronic absenteeism among U.S. students, as highlighted by a recent New York Times article. The conversation pivots to explore how AI-powered chatbots and personal virtual assistants like "Ed" from AllHere are being leveraged to combat this issue getting notice for their work in the LA Unified School Disctrict. Mike revi...

In this special episode recorded live at SXSW EDU 2024, host Mike Palmer moderates a powerful panel on breaking down silos in education. Featuring multilingual learning consultant Dana Gastich-French, special education expert Dr. DeShanna Reed, and parent coach Punam Saxena, the conversation dives into the trifecta of community, culture, and collaboration. Learn how to be a link, while busting sil...

Mike Palmer sits down with Spencer Russell, the founder and CEO of Toddlers CAN Read while at SXSW EDU, just after Spencer delivered a keynote there. Spencer shares his journey from being a kindergarten and first grade teacher to taking the leap and starting his own business focused on helping parents teach their toddlers to read. We explore his motivational, step-by-step methodology that breaks d...

In a lively and thought-provoking session at SXSW EDU 2024, Mike Palmer, host of the Trending in Education podcast, and a panel of experts delve into the "Sweet 16" of learning trends for the year. The discussion covered a wide range of topics, from hyper-personalized learning and the role of AI in education to the importance of mental models and the responsibility of being an "accomplice" in driv...