Author: BelieveAgain

Dr. Jorge Petit is a Psychiatrist with extensive experience leading non-profit organizations focused on social justice and helping those who society has left out. He joins host Mike Palmer in a conversation about leadership lessons from the giving professions, the challenges inherent in serving those in need, and how broader trends in education and the broader culture may impact the future of work for folks who want to give back. We hear Jorge’s origin story, get his advice on leadership, and hear his perspectives on the future of work. As we conclude, Jorge shares his concerns about polarization and the…

Alan Safran is the CEO and Chair of Saga Education and AJ Gutierrez is its Chief Policy and Public Affairs Officer. They join Mike Palmer in a conversation about the work they are doing at Saga to bring evidence-based high-impact tutoring interventions to students who need them. We begin by hearing how Saga got started and how AJ and Alan met. AJ shares his personal experiences in school when he was attending Alan’s charter school where high-impact tutoring was integrated into the program. From there, we learn how they’ve grown with Saga as the effectiveness of the program has become…

Tom Adams is The Chair and Co-Founder of Pedago Studios and the President and Co-Founder of Quantic Business School. He’s also the former CEO of Rosetta Stone. He joins host Mike Palmer in a conversation about the strategic approach he and team are taking in building new learning programs informed by the impending revolution in interactive learning. We hear how Tom got his start in the early days of EdTech, successfully taking Rosetta Stone public as CEO. From there, we learn what drew him into the new initiative that is driving the work at Quantic and beyond. Tom paints a…

Tony Wan is the Head of Platform for Reach Capital. He is also one of the Co-Founders of EdSurge. He rejoins host Mike Palmer in a conversation about what it’s like to write and think about venture capital in Ed Tech at a time when AI is everywhere. We begin by hearing Tony’s thoughts on writing while experimenting with GPT where he was able to train a bot to write like him. What does this mean for writing? Is it about the product or the process? From there, we explore his latest article exploring the cooling of EdTech investment in…

Mike shares his thoughts coming out of the Smithsonian Institution’s National Education Summit that was recently held in Washington, DC. We hear what it’s like to bring a 4-year-old to an education conference and learn more about the Palm Court Podcast whose launch is coinciding with the release of this episode! We reflect back on Dr. Monique Chism’s previous appearance on Trending in Ed before diving into three key sessions from this year’s summit. Mike talks about the tradeoffs of blending a family getaway with an education summit built around the theme of Together We Thrive: Fostering A Sense of…

Note: the following show notes were created using Anthropic’s Claude.ai – It seemed a propos after all: How should we prepare students for a rapidly automating world? On this episode, host Mike Palmer explores that question with Dr. Tim Dasey, author of Wisdom Factories: AI, Games, and the Education of the Modern Worker. Dasey explains why traditional educational models focused on expertise are becoming less relevant. As AI handles more routine analytical tasks, humans will need to excel at higher-order skills like critical thinking, creativity, and managing complexity. Dasey advocates revamping curricula to teach these “wisdom” capacities. He sees great…

Reuben Ogbonna is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of The Marcy Lab School. He joins host Mike Palmer in a conversation about why he founded the school and how they are reimagining post-secondary education to design pathways for students traditional higher education has left out. We begin by hearing how Reuben’s upbringing in Shreveport, Louisiana, and his experience with Teach for America inspired him to create an alternative career-focused postsecondary option. Reuben explains how Marcy Lab School operates as a one-year program for underserved young adults interested in tech careers like software engineering. The curriculum balances technical skills with liberal…

Preview in new tab Inspired by architect Buckminster Fuller and the Kindergarten movement, Mike Acerra designed Lux Blox to reimagine the building blocks of learning. Co-founder and President of Lux Blox, Acerra brings an interdisciplinary background spanning art, architecture, physics, and education. His unique system aims to develop children’s spatial skills, creativity, and confidence through intuitive play with forms based on nature. Lux Blox provides an open-ended platform for educators and parents to engage students kinesthetically. The blocks encourage insight and exploration using complex geometric shapes not found in typical toys. Acerra designed Lux Blox to align with principles from…

Mike Palmer and Robin Naughton explore coding and robotics for kids with Michelle Acaley, Senior Director of Product at Sphero. They discuss how Sphero’s coding toys teach critical thinking, collaboration, and grit through play. Michelle shares how products like Sphero’s Indi allow kids 4-8 years old to learn coding concepts by directing a robot car activated by colored tiles. She explains how Sphero’s modular robotics kit for high schoolers aims to make engineering feel approachable and easy to use. As Mike and Robin share their experiences with their 4-year-old playing with Indi, the hosts talk about modeling failure and perseverance…

Michelle Cheang is the Program Director of the Catalyze Challenge. She joins host Mike Palmer in a conversation about the career-connected learning grants offered through Michelle’s organization. Catalyze aims to fund innovation in career exposure and preparation for ages 11-22 through grants, shared learning, and storytelling. Michelle explains how Catalyze takes an equity lens, seeking to expand opportunities for historically excluded groups. The new Catalyze Challenge runs through September 22nd and will fund exploratory projects on two themes: career exploration for young teens and meaningful employer partnerships. So there’s still time to submit. Michelle stresses the application process is simple,…