Trending In Ed

Bruce Dahlgren, CEO of Anthology, joins host Mike Palmer for an edtech discussion informed by Bruce's extensive IT background and higher ed governance along with his vision for the growth of the platform. With over four decades across enterprise software, data infrastructure, fintech (financial technology), and cybersecurity, Bruce brings valuable outside perspective to leading this major edtech player. He shares unique insights on leveraging AI, analytics, and integrated platforms to enable personalized, seamless learning. Bruce discusses Anthology's ecosystem spanning the Blackboard LMS (learning management system), ERP (enterprise resource planning), CRM (customer relationship management), and more. As a technology expert and voice in higher ed governance, Bruce makes the case that AI and analytics can create a more holistic student journey from recruitment to career outcomes and alumni engagement. Key themes include using Anthology's AI Design Assistant for quickly building courses, its ethical AI framework, and the critical role of security in edtech. We also reference this white paper. Bruce argues his multifaceted background helps connect enterprise tech innovation with higher ed trends. He provides perspective on using edtech to drive student engagement, preparedness, and institutional success. Don't miss it! Subscribe to Trending in Educationwherever you get your podcasts. Visit us atTrendinginEd.comfor more sharp takes on what’s emerging in the learning universe.

Dr. John Harnisher, who leads the education practice at DataKind joins host Mike Palmer in a conversation about how data science can drive social impact in education. Having known each other for over 10 years, we have an engaging conversation reflecting on John's journey in the learning field. John gives us an inside look at DataKind's mission of bringing data science and AI capabilities to social impact organizations. He shares a case study from their work with John Jay College in New York, where they built machine learning models to predict which students were at risk of not graduating. By providing this data to academic advisors, John Jay was able to improve graduation rates by 30%. We discuss the importance of keeping humans involved when implementing AI, rather than just optimizing for the technology. We also cover topics including trust in data, the hype cycle around AI, and how to measure impact. John emphasizes that we should focus AI on core problems facing education organizations, not just chase the latest "new hotness." Don't miss this chance to learn more about how data science and AI can make a social impact in education and beyond. Subscribe to Trending in Educationwherever you get your podcasts. Visit us atTrendinginEd.comfor more sharp takes on what’s emerging in the learning universe.

In this episode, host Michael Palmer welcomes back Dr. Bror Saxberg, Founder of LearningForge, to continue their exploration of learning and its implications for the future. We dig into core concepts like working memory vs long-term memory, deliberate practice and the 10,000 hour rule, and what the latest research reveals about differences (and similarities) in learning rates. Dr. Saxberg emphasizes the brain's lifelong neuroplasticity and potential for acquiring new skills and knowledge. The conversation then shifts to expertise more broadly, including how cognitive scientists study it and the decline in professional skill "half-lives." Bror and Michael discuss organizational training, creativity from combinatorial expertise, and the unique human capacity for shared meaning. We explore how improving learning environments and motivation, per a recent study, can help accelerate expertise development across all levels of learners. The episode wraps with optimism about human potential to gain new competencies and value, aided by learning science insights and emerging technology. Subscribe to Trending in Education wherever you get your podcasts. Visit us at TrendinginEd.com for more sharp takes on learning, media, and the future of work.

In this week's episode of Trending in Education, Ryan Craig, author of the new book Apprentice Nation: How the "Earn and Learn" Alternative to Higher Education Will Create a Stronger and Fairer America, joins host Mike Palmer to dive into how "earn and learn" models like apprenticeships can bridge the growing experience gap facing young workers seeking their first good job. Craig makes a compelling case for why apprenticeships should be a mainstream option for high school graduates, not just a pathway for trade occupations. He argues apprenticeships can provide the work experience and skills training needed to prepare young people for high-demand roles in fields like cybersecurity, healthcare, and software development while presenting a less risky alternative to the loan-based approach that predominates in higher education. The discussion reveals how apprenticeships have languished in the US compared to countries like Switzerland and Germany. Craig advocates passionately for greater government investment and support for intermediaries that can set up and run apprenticeship programs at scale. Without this kind of backing, companies lack incentives and capacity to provide these earn-and-learn opportunities. The lively exchange offers thought-provoking ideas around closing both the skills gap and the growing "experience gap" faced by college graduates who aren't graduating ready to work. Craig warns that employers are increasingly expecting entry-level hires to already have real work experience. Apprenticeships and other earn-and-learn models can help bridge this divide. If you care about creating new pathways to economic mobility and opportunity for young Americans in the digital age, you won't want to miss this forward-thinking discussion. Tune in to hear Craig's compelling vision for how an "Apprentice Nation" could transform education and workforce training. Subscribe to Trending in Education wherever you get your podcasts. Visit us at TrendinginEd.com for more sharp takes on the future of education.

Get pumped! The Trending in Education crew is heading to SXSW EDU 2024 to kick off the podcast stage in style. Mike Palmer will be joined by his dream team of past guests - his wife, information scientist Dr. Robin Naughton, enterprise strategy expert Melissa Griffith, and AI authority Beth Rudden. This all-star panel will break down the top trends for 2024 and launch their annual March Madness brackets, where you get to vote on the #1 trend of the year. Will AI and ethics lead the pack? Or will an underdog like the creator economy take the crown? Get the inside scoop on each panelist and a preview of the hot topics they'll be bringing to the stage. You'll hear Mike and Robin connect as parents and educators navigating our changing times. Melissa will draw on her expertise across higher ed and workforce development to spotlight key shifts. And Beth will ground the AI hype in human needs and social science highlighting her work with Bast AI and her book AI For the Rest of Us. No matter what brings you to SXSW EDU 2024, make sure to add the Trending in Education session to your schedule. This high-energy panel of diverse perspectives will get you thinking and connect you to a community of forward-looking educators. Meet us at the convention center on March 4th as we set the tone for an amazing week of learning and engagement! Subscribe to Trending in Ed wherever you get your podcasts. Visit us at TrendinginEd.com for more sharp takes on the future of learning.

In this episode of Trending in Education, we explore how to keep students, teachers, and parents connected in the learning process. Our guest is Matt Given, CEO of Seesaw, an edtech platform focused on early childhood education. We refer to this white paper from Seesaw during the conversation. Given explains how Seesaw aims to capture the tactile, joyful moments of real-world learning through photos, videos, and voice recordings. This multimedia capturing allows teachers to share authentic examples of student progress across each child's learning network - not just test scores, but videos of them reading aloud, showing marked improvement from the beginning to the end of the year. Given notes this is especially powerful for parents, even those overseas, to see tangible evidence of their children's growth. Throughout the discussion, we explore principles for quality K-6 education laid out in Seesaw's white paper. Given stresses that technology should facilitate, not replace, human connections. Edtech tools like AI-enabled translation can help bridge communication gaps between teachers and non-English-speaking parents. But the human relationships remain essential, especially for young students still developing their learner identity. Given emphasizes designing tools that remove barriers to inclusion rather than forcing users into a particular mold. The takeaway? For educational technology to succeed, it should bring students, teachers, and parents closer together in the learning loop - not push human stakeholders out. Subscribe to Trending in Educationwherever you get your podcasts. Visit us atTrendinginEd.comfor more sharp takes on what’s emerging in the learning universe.

In this episode of Trending in Education, we talk with Brian Rosenberg, author of the new book Whatever It Is, I'm Against It: Resistance to Change in Higher Education. Rosenberg is the President Emeritus of Macalester College and a Visiting Professor at Harvard's Graduate School of Education. We discuss the paradox of why higher education, which often speaks of transformation, is actually highly resistant to change. Rosenberg outlines the stark economic realities facing many colleges today, with unsustainably high tuition discount rates and declining demographics. He argues we've reached an untenable situation of economic unsustainability and unacceptable outcomes, especially for underrepresented students. Powerful campus stakeholders like administrators and tenured faculty have little motivation to push for dramatic reforms that could threaten their positions. Meanwhile, marginalized groups like non-tenure track faculty and students lack power, despite having the greatest desire for change. Rosenberg calls for small experiments and building innovation centers as "green fields" within existing institutions. We explore innovative models like the African Leadership University, focused on empowering self-directed learners. Rosenberg believes solutions will emerge from scrappy startups and developing world contexts, not elite U.S. institutions. He urges those who care about higher education to take on the challenge of doing the "hard things" needed to build a more equitable and financially sustainable future. Subscribe to Trending in Educationwherever you get your podcasts. Visit us atTrendinginEd.comfor more sharp takes on what’s emerging in the learning universe.

On this week's episode of Trending in Education, we chat with Nicolle Merrill about conversation design, AI literacy, and preparing for the impacts of artificial intelligence in the workplace. Nicolle is the founder of The Boring AI Company, where she teaches organizations about AI. But Nicolle also has hands-on experience designing conversational AI, having worked on chatbots and voice assistants prior to the release of chatGPT and other large language models. We discuss how Nicolle has had to evolve her own career as these new AI capabilities have emerged. The hype around "prompt engineering" as a new lucrative career, she notes, doesn't match reality. Prompt engineering is an important skill but not a standalone job paying hundreds of thousands per year. A big focus of our conversation is around AI literacy and skills needed to work with AI. Nicolle outlines a framework for understanding how AI works, how it's applied, and what impact it has. Critical thinking and communication skills are key. We have to get comfortable asking "dumb" questions, being vulnerable, and talking to technologists to further our literacy. Nicolle shares how she's building chatbots to actually facilitate this learning, creating "AI helpers" that workshop participants can query to learn AI concepts in an accessible way. We reflect on the need for a maker's mindset in using these tools while also being aware of potential dangers like misinformation. If you're interested in learning more, visit Nicolle's site SoBoringAI.com for AI literacy courses and resources. The future of work is here, and we all need to skill up on AI. Subscribe to Trending in Educationwherever you get your podcasts. Visit us atTrendinginEd.comfor more sharp takes on what’s emerging in the learning universe.

How can higher education evolve to better prepare graduates for the rapidly transforming world of work? On this episode, host Mike Palmer talks with Brandon Busteed, the newly appointed CEO of BrandEd, about the future of colleges and universities in bridging the gaps between education and career readiness. They discuss today's challenges facing higher ed, including rising costs, student debt, doubts about graduate preparedness, and political polarization. Brandon explains how BrandEd's model focuses on more relevant, experiential education through partnerships with iconic brands like Sotheby's, New York Times, and Condé Nast. He shares how this approach can provide uniquely transformative learning focused on work-integrated opportunities. Exploring the future of work disruption, Brandon stresses the importance of constant learning and upskilling. He talks about the need for more long-term "cathedral building" in education focused on fundamentals, despite rapid change, and the blurring of distinctions between learning and work environments. Tune in for an insightful discussion on how higher education can evolve to better connect students to rapidly changing workplace needs and support lifelong skill development.

In this episode of Trending in Education, we speak with Michael Strawser, an associate professor of communication at the University of Central Florida. He provides insights and practical tips on delivering effective instructional communication. Strawser explains how the field of instructional communication examines how communication impacts learning in all instructional contexts. He notes that clear communication is key for instructing audiences amidst our cluttered media landscape. Strawser aims to diminish student emails by proactively addressing their questions through clear assignment instructions and weekly overview videos. Building rapport and relationships with students can help remove barriers to learning, Strawser says. He suggests simple rapport-building techniques like using student names in emails and following up on personal anecdotes they share. Strawser also cautions against assumptions that younger generations are inherently tech-savvy. He cites a survey where managers felt Gen Z lacked technical literacy, expecting social media fluency to translate to workplace software. Strawser believes we need increased focus on tech, media and AI literacy so audiences can navigate information sources wisely. He advocates adaptability regarding new technologies, urging educators to avoid simply adopting gadgets without tying them to good pedagogy. As instructors, Strawser concludes we should remember teaching is only part of our identity. Finding balance helps us approach instruction with humanity, clarity and care for the whole student.