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Author: Palmer Media
Welcome to a compelling conversation on Trending in Education, where we explore how innovative thinking and technology can transform public education. In this episode, Mike Palmer talks with Michelle Vilchez, CEO, and Sean Michael Hardy, Vice President of National Organizing and Advocacy, from Innovate Public Schools. They discuss their groundbreaking work in empowering parents and leveraging artificial intelligence to create a new tool called AI-EP, a project developed in collaboration with Northeastern University’s Burnes Center for Social Change. Why You Should Listen: Empowering Parents: This episode highlights how a nonprofit organization is shifting power to parents, particularly those from marginalized…
Mike Palmer is joined on this episode of Trending in Ed by Rich Braden and Tessa Forshaw, co-authors of the new book, Innovation-ish: How Anyone Can Create Breakthrough Solutions to Real Problems in the Real World. They talk about the core concepts of their book, including the “creativity gap,” “innovation mythology,” and “cognitive caution”. We discuss how these ideas apply not only in business but also in education, and why creativity is not a magical quality but a skill that can be taught and cultivated. We also explore the role of AI in the creative process and how it can…
On this episode of Trending in Ed, Mike Palmer is joined by Howard Blumenthal and Dr. Bob Pianta, co-authors of the new book, Kids on Earth: The Learning Potential of 5 Billion Minds. We discuss the research and ideas behind their book, which explores how learning takes place for kids in real life and how that can be better translated into schools. We also delve into the distinction between “old school,” “not school,” and “new school” models of education. Key Takeaways Reinventing Education: We need to recognize that the traditional “old school” model, which relies on an industrial approach and…
Trending in Ed is back for its 10th season! Mike Palmer is kicking things off by reflecting on the past nine seasons and sharing what’s in store for the Fall. We’re excited to announce that the podcast will be offering dedicated feeds for listeners who want to go deep on specific topics like AI, K-12, higher education / the future of work, and author interviews about books. In this kickoff episode, Mike shares his eight trends for Fall 2025: Independent Media & Free Speech: Highlighting the importance of independent media and calling out the “chilling effects” on free speech in…
Shalinee Sharma is the CoFounder and CEO of Zearn and the author of Math Mind: The Simple Path to Loving Math. She joins host Mike Palmer in a conversation about what it takes to instill a genuine love of math in all kids. We begin by hearing Shalinee’s origins in consulting at Bain before she jumped into the opportunity to cofound Zearn and lead its growth to where it is today. She demonstrates ways to make math resonate with Mike as a sample pupil. Of course, there is talk of AI and how a love of math fits into the…
Mike Palmer welcomes Doug Lemov, founder of Teach Like a Champion, to the podcast. Lemov discusses his journey from teacher to education innovator and the evolution of Teach Like a Champion. He highlights the importance of the new book, The Teach Like a Champion Guide to the Science of Reading, co-authored with Colleen Driggs and Erica Woolway. The conversation delves into the critical role of attention in reading, the impact of technology on cognition, and the power of shared reading experiences in the classroom. Lemov also explains the significance of close reading and knowledge-based comprehension, advocating for bringing complex texts,…
On this episode of Trending in Education, Mike Palmer is joined by Elliot Felix, a returning guest, to discuss his new book, The Connected College: Leadership Strategies for Student Success. The book, releasing July 22nd, focuses on how higher education can become more agile, connected, and break down silos. Elliot Felix shares his mission of student success, drawing on his experience consulting with over 120 colleges and universities to improve student experiences through transformations in physical spaces, support services, and technology systems. He explains that his new book aims to provide an evidence-based playbook for higher education professionals to collaborate…
Join us as Mike Palmer reveals Trending in Ed’s Summer Reading List 2025! Mike shares the books that resonate most with the learning zeitgeist based on conversations with folks like Isabelle Hau, Horacio Sanchez, Kathleen DeLaski, and Eddie Watson. Plus get sneak peaks at upcoming book episodes with Elliot Felix, Doug Lemov, and Shalinee Sharma up next in the Trending in Ed feed. Don’t miss this high-quality list of books that change your perspective and help move the needle in the world of education. Mike also shares book recommendations featuring Ethan Mollick, Chris Hayes, and Kevin Roose to round out…
Join us on this episode of Trending in Education as Mike Palmer talks with Dr. Margaret Honey, President and CEO of the Scratch Foundation. We dive into the world of Scratch, the visual programming language that’s empowering a new generation of creative thinkers and makers. Dr. Honey shares her unique career path, starting from her high school days reading about experimental schools to her impactful work at Children’s Television Workshop (now Sesame Workshop) and the New York Hall of Science. We explore how Scratch, developed at the MIT Media Lab by Mitch Resnick, isn’t just about teaching kids to code…
On this episode of Trending in Education, host Mike Palmer sits down with Dr. Keith Sawyer, a renowned creativity researcher and professor at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. Dr. Sawyer, author of the book Learning to See: Inside the World’s Leading Art and Design Schools, shares insights from his career journey and extensive research into creativity and learning. Key Takeaways: The Power of Constraints: Dr. Sawyer reveals that in leading art and design schools, creativity is often enhanced by constraints, not hindered by them. Professors use “highly constrained project assignments” or “parameters” to guide students, even in fields…