Mike is joined by Helen Lee Bouygues, the Founder of the Reboot Foundation, to discuss the research her foundation has published about critical thinking. We begin by exploring what drove Helen to found Reboot and why critical thinking is so essential to a healthy, relevant, and fulfilling life in these confusing times. Helen shares research into the adverse impact of social media use on understanding of the realities relating to the Covid-19 pandemic and provides tips and tools for parents who are trying to instill good critical thinking in their children beginning at an early age. Helen also warns of the dangers of fake news and deep fakes as it becomes increasingly tempting to seek instant gratification when searching for answers in the digital world. Helen and the Reboot Foundation are doing fascinating and relevant research and we're happy to help raise awareness of the essential importance of critical thinking skills in human development in the turbulent age in which we are living. We hope you enjoy listening.

Mike is joined by Zachary Davis, the President and Founder of Lyceum, an educational podcasting platform that is launching now. Zachary is also the organizer of the Sound Education conference and the host of the podcast Ministry of Ideas. He's also the host of a new podcast called Writ Large that is debuting now with the launch of Lyceum.. Zachary tells the story of how he became focused on educational audio after working at HarvardX, one of the early MOOCs associated with EdX. Despite doing great work there, he was frustrated by the low completion rate of the early MOOCs and eventually gravitated to podcasting as a way to make amazing educational content more broadly accessible to a global audience. This has led to the recent launch of Lyceum which is a curated educational audio platform with community features that allow for deeper engagement with folks who listen to educational podcasts. We explore why audio is such an emotionally powerful and affordable format and how in many ways it is a rising trend that is more flexibly available than video and more intimate and emotionally resonant than the written word We also explore some of the ideas discussed in Writ Large which dives into the impact that key books have had on the world around them after the ink has dried. Finally, we conclude with Zachary's thoughts about how the broader trends towards audio may signal the dawn of a new audio age in which longer form lectures and conversations may begin to supplant print formats in the future. It's a fascinating conversation and we hope you enjoy listening.

In today's episode, Angela Siefer, Executive Director of the National Digital Inclusion Alliance, joins Mike to revisit the topic of digital inclusion in light of the new, stark realities of the Covid-19 pandemic. When we're told to shelter at home and engage in social distancing, what does this mean for those on the other side of the digital divide? Angela and her not-for-profit provide information and resources at digitalinclusion.org and they are looking for help from those of us who understand the digital world we're living in to help bridge in the elderly, those suffering from poverty, and anyone who for whatever reason does not have the tools, skills, and access necessary to engage with the digital world. What was once about digital equity is now about public health and safety. When you don't know how to access information and resources digitally, you're much more likely to seek those things by leaving your home and in light of the pandemic, that is a truly dangerous proposition. Angela and team are doing what they can to help in this global crisis. We thank them for their service as we grapple with new challenges to bridge the digital divide while respecting the new rules of social distancing.

Mike catches up with Adi Hanash, a virtuoso online instructor with deep experience in teaching, training teachers, and managing online programs for large organizations like General Assembly and Kaplan. In light of the rapid shift to remote learning (and teaching) driven by the covid-19 pandemic, Adi is running a series of webinars to provide teachers and learning leaders with insights from over 12+ years of experience providing amazing online experiences. We dive into much of this in today's show. While lamenting how the traditional conception of "webinars" is limiting, we explore how teaching online unlocks new opportunities to drive accountability and engagement. We also talk about the transformative power of taking a platform-agnostic and decidedly non-technical approach to innovating around synchronous learning. We close by exploring how the response to the coronavirus is a forcing function and potentially a watershed moment in the understanding of what can be done online. In the process Adi shares some tips and tricks on how to make the most of the rapid global shift to teaching online. Hope you enjoy the listen.

Mike engages in a fascinating discussion with Dr. Paul Reville, a Professor of Educational Policy at Harvard Graduate School of Education, Founder of the Education Redesign Lab, and former Secretary of Education for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Paul recently wrote a book titled Broader, Bolder, Better: How Schools and Communities Help Students Overcome the Disadvantages of Poverty. We discuss why we have historically avoided the topic of poverty when establishing educational policy in the US. We also explore how reframing the context for education as something broader and more community-based opens up opportunities to fundamentally change how we think about education. This will help prepare the rising generations for the transformation of work that is on the horizon with the onset of the new industrial revolution we are beginning to see with the advent of automation and machine learning. Paul walks us through several case studies that expand the focus beyond the traditional triangle of Teacher, Student, Content which has been prevalent in education in recent years. Thinking more broadly (and more boldly) opens up opportunities to address educational challenges in ways that are more holistic and integrated into the support systems of the community. It's an important conversation and we very much appreciate the opportunity to speak with Dr. Reville about this critical topic to the future of education.

As part of our ongoing coverage of the. coronavirus, Mike sits down with Bryan Alexander, a noted futurist who focuses on Higher Education, to talk about the potential directions the outbreak may take. Using a wide-ranging collection of examples from both science fiction and our history, Bryan walks us through where there should be concern and where there may be hope as we brace ourselves to battle Covid-19. Bryan also points out critical resources to find good information on the virus and its impact on higher education which he curates on his blog bryanalexander.org. Which schools have canceled classes altogether and which ones have moved online? How might this play forward as we head towards the completion of the academic year in the US? As always, Bryan brings a thoughtful and informed perspective to a complex and evolving situation with a meaningful impact on our lives and the educational landscape of higher education in the US.

Melissa, Dan, and Mike regroup to discuss the cancellation of SXSW which hit us close to home at Trending in Education. We were planning to head to Austin to record a live podcast episode for SXSW EDU but were thwarted by the cancellation of SXSW by Steve Adler, the Mayor of Austin. How are we holding up in light of the cancellation? What does this signal about the response to the virus? What can conferences, cities, companies, and educational institutions do to maintain public health and safety while retaining what we value in our lives and lifestyles. We work through our grieving process and explore how we can continue to cover the trends and transformations that may be driven by the unprecedented response to Covid-19. And be on the lookout for more on this as we bring in more experts to understand the impact on education as an increasing number of schools are canceling classes and/or moving them offline. The world has changed fast and we'll be here to track it with you. As Mike says in the show, "If we stop podcasting due to this, the coronavirus wins!" So we'll keep podding. And we're hoping you'll keep listening and begin to spread the word. As the World Health Organization officially declares Covid-19 a pandemic, thanks again for listening to our podcast which is both safe and most likely good for you! Be safe out there.

Mike sits down with Ulrich Boser, the Founder and CEO of the Learning Agency and the Learning Agency Lab, to lean into a wide-ranging conversation about the science of learning and how it relates to social emotional learning, AI and Natural Language Processing, Cognitive Load and much more. You can learn more about what the Learning Agency Lab is doing at https://www.the-learning-agency-lab.com/ Thanks again to Ulrich for a fascinating conversation.

We'd like to wish everyone a happy International Women's Day. In honor of the day, Melissa and Mike discuss an article in Forbes by Blake Morgan that spotlights 50 Leading Female Futurists. Do Mike and Melissa consider themselves futurists? How can we break our habits and biases to include a broader range of guests? We have at least one idea to pursue here. Listen in to find out more.

Mike and Dan break down the first-round matchups in Trending in Education's 4th Annual March Madness Brackets. Beyond listening, we'd love to get your perspective on these trends. You can vote on these trends by going to the polls you can find in the pinned tweet at our Twitter account @TrendinginEd where we'll be tracking the tourney to its conclusion throughout the month. This year, we've expanded the field and are beginning with 12 first-round matchups which we'll describe and analyze on this episode. You gotta be in it to win it and we'd love to get your input as we try to make sense of where the world of learning, media, and education is heading as we enter the 2020s.

It's March and that means it's time for Trending in Education's Fourth Annual Learning Trends March Madness Brackets. And to help kick off the festivities, we spend time with Dan, Melissa, Brandon, and Mike as they remember tourneys past and gear up for an amazing March Madness for 2020. Plus, we hype our upcoming live show at SXSW EDU later this month and give some insider's takes on smart picks to take the prize this year. Be sure to follow us on Twitter at @trendingined throughout March to vote in polls and make predictions in the pursuit of excellence in learning prognostication. Lots of stuff happening and we'd love to hear more from our listeners about where we see the world of learning and education heading in 2020.

Mike welcomes old friend, Brandon Jones, back to the show to talk about Steve Brown's prediction that we'll see more disruptive innovation in the next 10 years than we've seen in the previous forty. Layering in the likelihood that human creativity and lateral thinking will outstrip AI's capabilities in that regard for the next 10 years, how should we take a longer view when making plans for the future everything? Mike and Brandon aim to bring some 2030 Farsight to bear as we peer into possible futures for the 2020s on this week's show. Play with your head up, avoid stagnating danger zones, and have a listen!

Mike and Melissa talk about the idea espoused by futurist, Steve Brown, that the next ten years will see more innovation and disruption than the previous forty. This is driven in part by advances in artificial intelligence and sensors which will allow for a transformation in healthcare that we dig into a bit. The pair also explore a recent Fast Company article by Tim Schwiesfurth and Rene Chester Goduscheit that purports that human intelligence will likely continue to be more creative than AI for the foreseeable future. What are the potential implication of all of this to the future of work, the world, and everything? Listen in to find out how to stay sharp and frisky in the transformative decade that is just beginning.

Mike connects with Andrea Samadi, the host of the Neuroscience Meets Social Emotional Learning podcast, and the two talk about the brain, how it connects to social and emotional aspects of human behavior, learning, and cognition. Andrea recounts her background as an educator who formed a consultancy, AchieveIT360.com, and has recently launched a podcast on this fascinating intersection between the latest research in neuroscience and its potential application in the classroom. We hope you enjoy the conversation.

Following up on our previous show on Kobe, The Impeachment Trial, and Everything, today we explore the ins and outs of the Coronavirus which is receiving tremendous media attention. Mike works through his version of Michael Jordan's "Flu Game" as we once again explore how to engage and/or turn off the Mass Hysteria Spectacle Machine when things like the new variant of the coronavirus happen. What do we need to know about the new coronavirus? How do we stay engaged enough without falling prey to all the hype? You can start by listening to this episode.

This week Mike engages with noted author, speaker, and futurist, Bryan Alexander to discuss the challenges and potential futures emerging for higher education focusing on the US. Bryan has recently authored a book called Academia Next in which he explores trends and describes multiple possible futures for the higher ed ecosystem. What are the threats that are emerging to the traditional model of higher education in the US? How do adjuncts fit into the picture? Is Clayton Christensen's concept of The Innovator's Dilemma relevant to the future of higher education or are there reasons why it doesn't apply? We explore all of these questions and get Bryan to describe several of his possible futures during a free-flowing and imaginative conversation about where the world of higher education is heading. And we also talk a bit about science fiction for good measure. In all, we got a lot out of the conversation and hope you find value in listening.

Dan and Mike regroup to reflect on the relentless media barrage that is life in 2020. We take time to talk about the tragic death of Kobe Bryant, his daughter, and seven others in a helicopter crash. Despite the tragic nature of the story, was it somehow a wake-up call for the importance of family? Our leading #girldad weighs in. At the same time, the Impeachment Trial approaches its conclusion as global fears of the coronavirus pick up, how does one find balance and focus amid all of this? Needless to say, the collective zeitgeist is fraught these days, but we have some recommendations based on learning science that steer us towards quiet time to reflect and consolidate things into long term memory. Yes, we’re living in interesting times in 2020, The key is to control what you tune in and tune out amid the spectacle. Embracing a little JOMO can help. Thanks for listening.

Melissa, Dan, and Mike dive into the complicated topic of implicit bias and the spate of recent training programs based on the concept. Does raising awareness of unconscious biases drive positive change or is it a necessary, but not sufficient, component in a diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging program? A lot comes down to how you measure success and how much the program is integrated into the broader organizational culture. So it turns out, it’s complicated. We hope you enjoy joining us as we begin the conversation.

Following up on our recent show covering the educational research highlights of 2019, Mike sits down with Youki Terada from Edutopia who authored the article. Youki is the Research and Standards editor for Edutopia which means he reviews and edits contributions from Edutopia's writing staff to ensure it's evidence-based, well-designed, and relevant to Edutopia's target audience of K12 Educators. We talk about areas of research that Youki has found particularly interesting and explore several examples with an eye towards practical application for educators. We also talk about the importance of curation and the risks of fast or sloppy research when looking for good applications of emerging learning research.

This week, Mike sits down with Frank Britt, CEO of Penn Foster, to talk about the future of work from the perspective of "middle-skilled" employees. Middle-skill jobs require a high school degree and some additional training, but do not require a bachelors degree. Middle-skill jobs account for roughly half of the jobs in the US, and that figure is not expected to change much in the 2020s. Frank explains the impact of automation on middle-skill jobs and the importance of empathizing with this part of the workforce and the social impact of providing training to this workforce to protect their ability earn. We also touch on "outskilling," "first-mile" services, and some forward thinking about how the middle-skills educational marketplace will transform in the next decade.

This week, Mike, Dan, and Melissa explore what’s new and noteworthy coming out of the Consumer Electronics Show 2020 which recently concluded in Las Vegas. We discuss the highlights from the show itself and also take time to dive into a recent critique by Cindy Gallop of Cosmopolitan magazine that focuses on the patterns of sexism and “bro culture” that have pervaded CES since its inception in the late 1960s. CES is trying to respond but is it enough? And of course, we explore the pros and cons of a new wave of cute, therapeutic, SEL-friendly robots. What’s good and what might be the first steps on the road to dystopia? Listen in to catch up on the tech and some varied perspectives. Enjoy!

In this cybersecurity extra, Mike dives into a fascinating conversation about the skills gap and workforce development with Simone Petrella, Jung Lee, and Sam Meisenberg from the cybersecurity training company, CyberVista. How does the field of cybersecurity understand the skills needed to be an effective professional? Are there basic competencies that are foundational to advancing in cybersecurity? How should we think about developing the right mix of technical capabilities combined with the communication skills and domain expertise needed to thrive in cyber in the 2020s? We dig into all of this and begin to brainstorm ideas for a cybersecurity screenplay on this week's extra. Hope you enjoy!

This week, Mike sits down with best-selling author Rohit Bhargava to talk about Rohit's new book Non-Obvious Megatrends which launches this week. We discuss what it's been like to put together a trendspotting book each year for the past ten years and how shifting the focus to Megatrends this year has provided new perspective heading into the 2020s. Then we dig into a few of Rohit's Megatrends from the book to talk about how Instant Knowledge and Attention Wealth, among others, relate to learning and education in 2020. We hope you enjoy the conversation about where the world of learning may be heading in the near and further distant future.

We ring in the new year with a fascinating conversation with world renowned author and speaker David Meermam Scott heading into the release of his new book, Fanocracy, which launches this week. What can we learn from our shared experience of fandom? How do concepts like mirror cells and our understanding of physical space provide clues into become a more effective instructor or presenter? How is being a fan part of what it means to be human? And can all of this help us to be optimistic heading into the new decade? We cover all of this and explore the power of releasing true ownership to the fans in a fascinating conversation to kick off 2020. We hope you enjoy!

Mike and Dan welcome Brandon Jones back to Trending in Education to get his quick takes on trends to be on the lookout for in 2020. Mike and Dan gear up for prediction season which will cover both 2020 Vision and 2030 Farsight! Welcome to the conversation. Here’s to an amazing year and an even better decade! Let the prognostication commence!!

Dan and Mike dig into an Edutopia article by Youki Terada outlining the key findings in educational research in 2019. What sorts of findings jump out and which stories did we cover on Trending in Education? We take some time to look back as we gear up to peer forward into 2020 and the decade to come on this week’s episode. We hope you enjoy!

Dan and Mike welcome Brandon Jones back to the show to talk through the best gifts for kids and lifelong learners this holiday season. What toys and games make sense for kids and what sorts of gifts might work for adults who want to stay sharp and fresh in this modern day and age? We also take some time to step back from the commercialism of the shopping season to explore how to model generosity and empathy as we engage with those we love this holiday season. We hope you have a wonderful season and we’re very grateful that you are listening.

Mike, Dan, and Melissa discuss the work of Dr Douglas Belshaw on “digital literacies” based on a recent talk Mike attended at the Ithaka The Next Wave Conference on the future of Higher Education in New York Is “digital literacy” a monolithic, binary thing or is it a set of mindsets and skillsets that are best understood on continua? How does this relate to “surveillance capitalism” and the pervasive revenue models of many of the dominant digital platforms of the 21st Century? How much of this is learnable and teachable and who is best-positioned to provide education about all of this? We dig all of this on this week’s show and look forward to diving back in more in the future.

For this week’s extra, Mike is joined by Design Anthropologist and Podcaster, Dr Adam Gamwell, to explore how robots, science fiction, and anthropology are interrelated. In a free flowing and imaginative conversation, we explore how the narratives and secular myths of pop culture and our collective consciousness provide insights into how we understand what it means to be human, how we engage with the Other, and how we grapple to understand how new technologies are driving profound changes to the world around us. Listen in for an illuminating conversation. We hope you enjoy!

Mike sits down with Sarah Daniels, the CEO of Blue Canoe, an English Language Learning (ELL) company specializing in professional spoken English. Sarah walks through the brain science behind the techniques they’ve incorporated into the Blue Canoe App to ensure their learners can master the nuances, vagaries, and seeming inconsistencies of spoken English. There’s a lot to be learned and we get in our share. We hope you enjoy listening.

Mike and Dan welcome Tarlin Ray back to the show as the trio breaks down the recent sensation associated with the phrase Ok Boomer. We trace the trend back to its origins on Tik Tok to its “jump the shark” moment in New Zealand Parliament to its recent appearance at a protest that halted the start of The Game, Harvard and Yale’s yearly football matchup. How does the Ok Boomer phenomenon impact our broader thinking about generations? How does this tie to research about generational differences, stereotypes, and metastereotypes? We connect this conversation to research and insights about group dynamics, decision-making, and diversity in a fun and free-flowing conversation. We hope you enjoy.

This week Mike dives into a conversation about entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial education with Sergei and Vadim Revzin, the hosts of The Mentors podcast. We begin by exploring each brother’s origin story of how they got involved in entrepreneurship and mentorship for aspiring entrepreneurs. How do storytelling, asking for help, and having drive contribute to being a successful entrepreneur? How much can be taught and what techniques work best when mentoring? We also explore how entrepreneurship and thinking like an entrepreneur is relevant to just about everyone, whether you’re pitching to venture capitalists or simply trying to stay relevant, inspired, and creative in your professional life. There’s plenty to learn from and be inspired by in this show and from The Mentors. Thanks again to Vadim and Sergei for joining. We hope you enjoy listening!

Mike and Dan explore the concept of gratitude from a few different angles as we gear up for Thanksgiving in the US. How can we learn to be more grateful and what kinds of gratitude work best? Can we be more other-pleasing with our gratefulness and can we learn to be grateful even for the hard times and the challenges of desirable difficulty. We’re very thankful for our listeners and hope you enjoy this Thanksgiving bonus edition!

Mike sits down with Russell Glass, the CEO of Ginger, the behavioral health app. We dig into the importance of coaching and proactive, preventative mental health as ways to address the growing mental health crisis in the US. Can an app help address the emerging epidemic of social isolation? Does digital help open up access to help in new and surprising ways? Or does it reinforce our addiction to screens? And how do mindfulness and gratitude factor into the equation? Have a listen, focus on your breathing, and find out!

Mike shares his experiences with Dan after attending the HolonIQ Global Summit on the Future of Learning and Talent which was recently held in New York City as part of a Global tour. We dive into where the world of education is heading from a venture capital and investment lens based on Mike's impressions from the summit. In particular, we explore how companies like Western Governors University, Penn Foster, and Cluster, among others, are investing in new models to reach learners who may not easily fit into traditional models of post secondary education. We also revisit themes we covered on our recent show based on HolonIQ's Education 2030 report which looks at broader growth and investment trends in education which we're expecting to continue through the next ten years. We hope you'll listen in and enjoy.

This week, Mike is joined by Colonel Chris Mayer, Associate Dean for Strategy & Initiatives at West Point, to talk about teaching strategic leadership in a VUCA world. As a quick disclaimer, the views expressed herein are those of Chris, our guest, and do not reflect the official policy or position of the United States Military Academy, the Department of the Army, or the Department of Defense. We begin by breaking down the concepts behind the VUCA acronym as we explore how best to lead in an increasingly Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, and Ambiguous world. Chris imparts insight based on his experience teaching cadets at the military academy as we share perspectives on the ideas outlined in the first chapter of Bob Johansen's book, The New Leadership Literacies. In a world where SNAFUs go FUBAR on the regular, how should we evolve our leadership thinking from traditional command-and-control hierarchies into dynamic, responsive, shapeshifting organizations? What roles does positivity have to play and why is it good to embrace fear and think about possible futures ten or more years out? Engage your strategic mindset and lean in to hear a fascinating conversation with an outstanding guest. We hope you enjoy! If you enjoy what you're hearing, subscribe to Trending in Education wherever you get your podcasts and visit us at TrendinginEducation.com

We give ourselves an overall grade of "It's Complicated" as Mike and Dan dig into the results of the 2019 NAEP exams, aka our "National Report Card." The news isn't great on the Reading front with 2019 US Reading Scores dropping 1 point on 4th Grade Reading and 3 points on 8th Grade Reading versus 2017 scores. US Mathematics Scores for 2019 were flatter with 4th Grade Mathematics scores up 1 point and 8th Grade Mathematics scores down 1 point versus 2017 scores. This launches us into a discussion of what inferences we can and cannot make based on these results, and we caution against gravitating to the more provocative and clickbaity angles on the story. We also return to earlier conversations we've had about growth versus proficiency and charter schools / school choice to see where they are and are not related to the results of the most recent NAEP exams. We conclude by shifting the focus to the types of reading interventions that might turn around this short term dip while remembering that the overall trend has been positive since the NAEP was first introduced in the early 1990s. Hope you enjoy!

As an extra this week, Mike and Dan spend time with Jaye and Adam Fenderson, the filmmakers behind the new documentary, Unlikely. The film explores the problem of low graduation rates among US college entrants through the stories of 5 students and their families. We explore why this problem hasn't yet elevated to the national consciousness despite the fact that the US trails major industrialized nations with a college completion rate of less than 50%. This is made evident through an exploration of the challenges faced by "non-traditional" students balancing their educational needs with other financial, familial, and professional demands in 21st Century life. Rather than dispiriting, however, the film is ultimately inspirational by spotlighting innovative programs like the iPromise School, the Starbucks/ASU College Achievement Plan, and Year Up, among others, that are opening up access to opportunity for students who our higher ed system might have otherwise forgotten.

This week, Mike and Dan spend time with friend of the show, Dr Mark Sanders, discussing civic engagement as Election Day 2019 approaches. Mark describes the ways in which he's been engaging with students and the community at UNC Charlotte where Mark is a Philosophy professor. What lessons can be learned about civic engagement during an off-year election like this one? Beyond voting and serving on jury duty when called, what else is essential to civic engagement in the 21st century? How can philosophy provide us with techniques and ways of thinking about problems that elevate our understanding and drive more critical engagement with civic matters? We model good critical thinking and civil discourse as we think ahead to a year from now and grapple with yet another complex spate of issues on this week's show. Have a listen and enjoy!

In an emerging Trending in Education Halloween tradition, we take time to talk brains, BCIs in particular. Building on our recent episode about Data Privacy, the team dives into an exploration of recent news about Brain Computer Interfaces (BCIs). Over the summer, researchers at Carnegie Mellon demonstrated that non-invasive BCIs could enable the generation of simple commands in computers through use of helmets or other wearable tech. No surgery or implanting of chips required. We take a moment to celebrate the levels of access technology like this will open up before digging into some scarier hypotheticals that tie back to topics of cyber security, ethics, and informed consent. Oh and we talk a bit about how the Terminator's back once again on a very special Halloween Extra. Enjoy!

Mike and Dan catch up on the developing story that is Operation Varsity Blues. With Felicity Huffman serving 11 days of her 14-day sentence while Lori Loughlin and her husband are fighting their charges, we explore how the ongoing coverage of this scandal hints at a deeper sense of simmering cultural unease about fairness, equity, and college admissions. A Lifetime movie is already out and James Van Der Beek was tweeting about this long before he was Dancing With the Stars. It’s everywhere in the zeitgeist, so we try to make sense of this education story that is one part reality tv, one part morality play, and a whole lot of myth-making. We stay mostly on the frothy surface story but at times try to plumb the depths on this week's show. We hope you enjoy your listen.

For this week's extra, Mike is joined by Ron Reed and Greg Rosenbaum from SXSW EDU to talk about trends in learning and education over the past 10 years as the conference gears up for its 10th anniversary run in March 2020. What has changed over the years and what has remained the same? What's it like to run a learning conference as part of SXSW? How is SXSW EDU operating in a way that is inclusive and representative of the community and how does it continue to explore the cross disciplinary nature of the education landscape in the 21st Century? You'll hear about all of this and also get some news about the launch of a dedicated Podcast Stage featuring a live recording of Trending in Education which is on tap for SXSW EDU in the coming Spring. Have a listen to learn more! And join us next March in Austin if you can https://www.sxswedu.com/attend/ !

A Complex Nexus: Melissa Griffith is back with Mike and Dan as we dive into the complex and highly relevant topic of data security and data privacy with special attention to the learning implications for consumers, brands, and educators. We focus on recent research from Pew and elsewhere that indicates that a majority of Americans don’t understand key terms and concepts in data privacy and cybersecurity. You can read up more about this topic in a recent article by Nicole Lindsey from CPO Magazine: https://www.cpomagazine.com/cyber-security/new-pew-research-study-a-majority-of-americans-know-little-about-digital-security-and-privacy/ Questions Covered in Today's Show: What is GDPR and why is it relevant? How do the different ways in which the US, China, and the EU address data privacy and data innovation set the stage for an emerging AI Race? Do private companies have a fiduciary responsibility to their customers to protect their data? Is government regulation the answer or will it stifle innovation? How does cybersecurity factor into the conversation? And what's the best way to learn and develop emerging skills to help navigate all of this? If you like spirited conversations from varied perspectives on topics like this, we think you'll enjoy. Have a listen.

Mike and Dan recap their time at the Sound Education conference and explore some of their key takeaways. How does our own podcast fit into the growing learning audio ecosystem? How might new entrants like Luminary, Himalaya, and Lyceum change the way we understand educational audio? Is there a freemium model that will allow learning podcasts to remain free but allow for more growth and sustainability? We discuss all this and more on our latest Trending in Education.

Mike is joined by Chris Ryan and Dr Jeff Koetje to explore several key concepts in learning science and social and emotional learning (SEL). How can mindfulness help manage the self-doubt of the Impostor Syndrome? How is Growth Mindset a key reminder that there is discomfort and desirable difficulty when learning? And how do these concepts relate to emerging thinking around equity, diversity, and inclusion? We explore these concepts and try to connect them to real life experiences as learners, teachers, and education professionals. 

This week, Mike and Dan dive into everything there is to know about the world of edutainment. What does edutainment mean and what are some alternative portmanteaus that also might foot the bill? We talk through the history of edutainment in the US ranging from the early days of Children's Television right on through the present day. We conclude with several recommendations of excellent examples of contemporary edutainment in the emerging world of learning media. If you like to add some fun to your learn, this is the show for you. Listen in and enjoy!

For those of you who just can’t get enough of Trending in Education’s breakdown of the 2019 edition of the Gartner Hype Cycle, we’re providing a bonus edition with Melissa Griffith. Mike and Melissa dive into the trends and spend time thinking about the future of learning and education based on the trends identified (and omitted) in the 2019 Report.  Listen in and enjoy!

Mike and Dan dive into the maelstrom of activity coinciding with the launch of a formal Impeachment Inquiry in the US House of Representatives. We talk about the amount of noise this will generate and how it will become increasingly important to find reliable primary sources to understand what’s going on. We also discuss the growing need to turn off the 24-hour news cycle and find time to reflect.  How do civics and legal education relate to the emerging zeitgeist? How do we create safe places to learn in a world where manipulated outrage is turned viral by social media and the need for hot takes? How do we stay informed without being consumed by our chaotic and cacophonous times? We don’t have too many answers but we grapple a bit with some big questions on this week’s show. Enjoy!