Author: Palmer Media

Sam Smith and Clara Gillan from MedSchoolCoach join host Mike Palmer to talk about the power of audio as a learning tool. Sam hosts the hugely popular MCAT Basics podcast and Clara heads up Product for MedSchoolCoach. We hear of Sam’s humble beginnings in podcasting and how it and audio-based instruction has become a central component of the new MCAT Go product from MedSchoolCoach, which is designed as an Audio Learning Experience. In what ways is audio superior to video and other formats? How have learning contexts changed due to the pandemic and how might audio microlearning fit into the…

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Rahul Singh is the Head of the EdTech Business line at the Harbinger Group, a global provider of software products and services since 1990. Rahul joins host Mike Palmer in a conversation about emerging trends in educational technology including AR/VR and the Metaverse, AI, Robotics, and the Blockchain. We reference several of Rahul’s articles including one exploring how AI can help with the massive skilling, upskilling, and reskilling challenges that are facing industry and the private sector. We discuss the role higher ed and online universities might play in response to the significant needs in the skilling space. We also touch…

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Abby Falik is the Founder/CEO of Global Citizen Year (GCY), a non-profit organization that re-imagines the transition into adulthood as what it has the potential to be: a transformation. Abby joins host Mike Palmer to talk about what led her to found the organization and what it’s been like leading it through these challenging times. She describes Global Citizen Year’s mission to create a new generation of global leaders who learn through travel experiences after high school and before college. It’s all about using the formative transition into adulthood to shape values, identity, and purpose in ways that classroom learning…

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Chris Ryan and Leslie Kerner are the Cofounders of Silverquicken, a rigorous enrichment program for kids aged 9-13, that uses puzzles and immersive narrative to help kids learn while fostering a sense of wonder and fun in their studies. Leslie Kerner, Cofounder and COO Chris Ryan, Cofounder and CEO Chris and Leslie join host Mike Palmer to explain what led to the founding of the company and what it’s been like launching and iterating on the product set during a pandemic. We learn what drove Chris to write the story and characters that drive the experience of Silverquicken and why…

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Matt Riley is the Co-Founder and CEO at Blueprint Prep where he is redefining lifelong professional prep for students and professionals in the medical and legal industries. He joins host Mike Palmer in an exploration of trends in medical education. We begin by hearing Matt’s origin story in LSAT test prep which culminated in the founding of Blueprint in the early 2000s. From there we learn how Matt has shifted the focus from Test Prep to lifelong professional education for the medical and legal professions. We learn how the pandemic has driven profound shifts in the dynamics of the employment landscape for…

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Frances Valintine is the CEO and Founder of both The Mind Lab and Tech Futures Lab, innovative education providers for adults wishing to upskill, reskill, stay relevant and embrace change. recently wrote her first book, titled Future You which is available in New Zealand and soon internationally. She joins host Mike Palmer in a conversation about skills, disruption, and future-proofing your career path with special attention to mid-career professionals. We begin by hearing Frances’ origin story beginning in technology in London in the 1980s and a subsequent career path that has focused increasingly on education and the future of work. This leads…

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With Elon Musk back in the news with his recent bid to take over Twitter, we take this opportunity to return to 2017 when we first began covering the mercurial CEO’s exploits. Host Mike Palmer reflects on recent news including the Brooklyn Subway Shooting as well as Elon’s attempt to acquire Twitter before we showcase highlights from two episodes with Mike, Dan Stafford, and Brandon Jones from the early days of Trending in Ed. We start by returning to Episode 38 from May of 2017 when we review Michael Simmons’ article in Quartz which dives deep into how Musk learns…

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Debbie Gibb is the Senior Managing Director of N Ventures at the New School for Social Research where she leads a team that’s expanding access to Parsons School of Design. She joins host Mike Palmer in an exploration of her perspectives on innovation, partnerships, leadership, and higher education. Debbie tells her origin story and describes the innovation projects she leads that span online courses with companies like Coursera, 42 Courses, Future Learn and Yellow Brick to licensing deals to partnerships in K12 like their recent work with the City of Newark to launch Newark School of Fashion and Design. We…

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Jennifer Lee is the Chief Growth Officer of Photomath, an AI=powered math app that’s been downloaded over 270 million times to help solve over a billion math problems each month. She joins host Mike Palmer in a conversation about helping math learners feel empowered when faced with challenging math. We explore what it’s like to work with a company with such a large and dynamic data ecosystem focused on math problem solving and how that is powering their AI platform. Jennifer shares some insights based on trends in the usage of Photomath. Along the way, we dig into the use…

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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 publishers and edtech companies. He explains how the advent of generative AI has disrupted and accelerated the content creation process, leading to the integration of AI architects and engineers into his team. We explore the intricate dance between human expertise…

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