Podcast
The Learnit Podcast
Hosted by Learnit · EN
Hosted by Jenny Anderson, the Learnit podcast showcases global learning leaders re-imagining what students need to know, how they will learn it and the technology they are using to get there. We look at school leaders, tech entrepreneurs, and learning engineers who are closing equity gaps, accelerating academic learning and instilling in every learner the drive and skills to learn and thrive.
Jenny is a former financial journalist who loves to tell a story, interrogate the numbers and uncover the impact learning innovations have on children and adults. This is a podcast for edtech geeks, teachers and educators as well as parents who want to know the secrets to unlocking rich, deep learning.
Jenny is a former financial journalist who loves to tell a story, interrogate the numbers and uncover the impact learning innovations have on children and adults. This is a podcast for edtech geeks, teachers and educators as well as parents who want to know the secrets to unlocking rich, deep learning.
11episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
#54 Paul LeBlanc, President, Southern New Hampshire University: Power of love to transform lives at scale
Dec 22, 202200:38:58Tap to summarizeWith 4,000 students on campus and 180,000 online, President of Southern New Hampshire University, Paul LeBlanc aims to transform lives at scale by putting students at the centre of the education experience.In this episode, we talk a lot about the power of love, the difference between belonging and mattering, and why competency based education is finally taking off.Show notes:More about Southern New Hampshire University, https://www.snhu.edu/More about Gregory Elliot’s work at Brown University:, https://www.brown.edu/academics/sociology/people/gregory-elliottMore about David Graeber’s work: https://davidgraeber.org/Favourite book about learning: ‘Death at an Early Age’, Jonathan KozolFavourite book: ‘Anna Karenina’, Leo Tolstoy
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#53 Sam Chaudhary & Liam Don, Co-founders, Class Dojo: A mission to give every kid an education they love
Dec 1, 202200:41:28Tap to summarizeAs Co-founders of Class Dojo, Sam Chaudhary and Liam Don have built a community of 51 million teachers, parents and students, to share kids’ learning moments. They’re now building a virtual sandbox for kids who already know each other, to hang out, create and play. We discuss their recent funding, privacy and data and how they continue to make progress on the mission they defined in 2011: to give every kid on the planet an education they love.Show notes:Class Dojo: https://www.classdojo.com/Previous successes: https://qz.com/791388/meet-mojo-a-monster-stanford-helped-create-to-teach-your-kids-that-effort-matters-more-than-iqFavourite books about learning: ‘Mathematical Mindsets: Unleashing Students' Potential through Creative Math, Inspiring Messages and Innovative Teaching’, Jo Boaler and ‘Theory of Fun for Game Design’, Ralph KosterFavourite books: ‘A Mathematical Theory of Communication’, Claude E. Shannon and ‘The Beginning of Infinity: Explanations that Transform the World’, David Deutsch
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#52 Brett Wigdortz, Co-Founder & CEO, tiney: Providing care for the carers
Nov 17, 202200:39:43Tap to summarizeAs co-founder and CEO of tiney, a venture capital backed social enterprise, Brett Wigdortz is looking to fix the very broken child care market. We discuss the exodus from the profession, the needed changes to government policy and how his tech platform provides support and a community for those caring for society’s smallest and most vulnerable.Show notes:- tiney’s website: https://www.tiney.co/- Early years framework: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-foundation-stage-framework--2- Favourite book about learning: ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’, Daniel Kahneman- Favourite book: ‘Never Let Me Go’, Kazuo Ishiguro
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#51 Nirmit Parikh, Founder & CEO, Apna: An Indian unicorn with a job-market solution
Sep 22, 202200:38:33Tap to summarizeAs Founder and CEO of Apna, an Indian jobs and networking platform, Nirmit Parikh believes employment is the tool to addressing poverty and accelerating education. In this episode we discuss how Apna matches their 25 million job seekers with employers, how they raised $190 million, and how Nirmit balances being both a pirate and a navy captain.Show notes:More about Apna: https://apna.co/Favourite book about learning: 'High Output Management', Andrew S. Grove & 'Tribe of Mentors: Short Life Advice from the Best in the World', Timothy FerrissFavourite book not about learning: 'When Breath Becomes Air', Paul Kalanithi
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#50 Rt Hon Lord Jim Knight of Weymouth, Suklaa Ltd: Models for greater climate education
Jul 6, 202200:29:52Tap to summarizeWith a career spanning education minister and employment minister, to digital technology executive, the Rt Hon Lord Jim Knight of Weymouth is advocating for greater climate education. We discuss a number of models of sustainable citizenship, changes to national funding formulas, the new British natural history GCSE and the role of legislation to make sustainable citizenship more equitable.Show notes:- Suklaa Education: https://www.suklaa.org/- Teach the Future: https://www.teachthefuture.uk/- Alliance for Sustainability Leadership in Education: https://www.eauc.org.uk/home- Lorenzo Fioramonti’s work: https://lorenzofioramonti.org/the-author/- The Eden Project’s teaching resources: https://www.edenproject.com/learn/schools/teaching-resources- Aim Hi Earth: https://www.aimhi.earth/- David Dixon, ‘Leadership for Sustainability: Saving the Planet One School at a Time’: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59205119-leadership-for-sustainability- Stephen Heppell’s Learnometer: https://gratnellslearnometer.com/- Favourite book about learning: Ken Robinson, ‘Finding Your Element’- Favourite book not about learning: Vikram Seth ‘A Suitable Boy’
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#49 Sbusisiwe Myeni, Imbeleko Foundation: Bringing online education to vulnerable children in rural communities
Jun 23, 202200:34:21Tap to summarizeBuilding on our last episode, this week we talk to Sbusisiwe Myeni, Co-founder and CEO of Imbeleko Foundation, a South African charity based in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, running after-school programmes for children with academic promise but who face challenges getting an education. We discuss creative ways non-profits like hers can partner with platforms like UCT Online (a digital high school in partnership with the University of Cape Town) to fill critically important gaps, the difficulties of bringing online education to poor, rural communities, and what works (and what doesn’t) for vulnerable children.Show Notes:More about Imbeleko Foundation: https://www.imbeleko.org/?mkt_tok=MzQ0LUFFWi04OTEAAAGFMDF0s6bpP9aVLVVJ9l8dTG6ds4GGE9Yki9RhPReSqxaprZwpZKbGFWFG4dfoCRRYIegh8MKdEaDeNO8odpAMore about UCT Online High School: https://www.uctonlinehighschool.com/Our previous episode: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/48-robert-paddock-valenture-institute-addressing-the/id1518322612?i=1000565743400
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#48 Robert Paddock, Valenture Institute: Addressing the massive shortage of schools across South Africa
Jun 9, 202200:38:58Tap to summarizeWith the need for new schools far outstripping the available budget to build them, how can South Africa meet the needs of its growing student population? As Founder and CEO of Valenture Institute, Rob Paddock is working to address this imbalance by scaling quality education through online learning. We discuss how the rise in online schooling during Covid resulted in a pivot in their business model, how their solution addresses the massive teacher shortage, lightens the load on teachers and how a coordinated partnership with University of Cape Town gets high quality learning to thousands of students across South Africa, at an affordable price point.Show notes:- More about Valenture Institute: https://www.valentureinstitute.com/- More about UCT High School: https://www.uctonlinehighschool.com/- More about GetSmarter: https://www.getsmarter.com/- Favourite book about learning: ‘The War of Art: Winning the Inner Creative Battle’ by Steven Pressfield - Favourite book not about learning: ‘Autobiography of a Yogi’, Paramahansa Yogananda
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#47 Sarah Fletcher, St Paul’s Girls’ School & Peter Hyman, Big Education: No more high stakes exams?
May 6, 202200:42:29Tap to summarizeDoes the UK education system help learners develop a love of learning, acquire life skills and develop knowledge? As High Mistress of St Paul’s Girls’ School, a high achieving independent school in London, and Co-Director of Big Education, a multi-academy trust and social enterprise, Sarah Fletcher and Peter Hyman are convinced we need to change the way we assess students in the UK. We examine the condemning data which backs the case for change, what we should be assessing and what we can do to get closer to an education of head, heart and hand.Show notes:- More about St Paul’s Girls’ School: https://spgs.org/- More about Big Education: https://bigeducation.org/- More about School 21: https://www.school21.org.uk/- HMC survey on curriculum and assessment: https://www.hmc.org.uk/blog/hmc-survey-finds-curriculum-and-assessment-is-no-longer-fit-for-purpose/
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#46 Jeff Maggioncalda, CEO, Coursera: diversifying the future workforce
Apr 21, 202200:44:52Tap to summarizeAs CEO of Coursera, Jeff Maggioncalda has witnessed the open online course provider grow from 42 million learners pre pandemic to over 80 million. We discuss the future of learning and work, the ways the two intersect and the impact increased remote working has had on diversifying workforces. We also examine the edtech market, current valuations and Coursera’s own stock price.Show notes:- More about Coursera: https://www.coursera.org/- Coursera’s 2021 Global Skills Report: https://www.coursera.org/skills-reports/global- Favourite ‘book’ about learning: ‘Learning How to Learn’ course on Coursera, https://www.coursera.org/learn/learning-how-to-learn- Favourite book not about learning: ‘The Big Picture’ by Sean Carroll, https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26150770-the-big-picture
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#45 Dr. Valerie Bridges, Superintendent, Edgecombe County Public Schools: giving students a voice in their education
Mar 17, 202200:38:41Tap to summarizeAwarded North Carolina’s 2022 Superintendent of the Year, Dr. Valerie Bridges’ is dedicated to innovation and providing students with the rich experiences to inspire their learning and give them a voice in their education. As Superintendent of Edgecombe County, a rural, high needs district serving 14 schools and 6,000 students, Valerie discusses how their micro school has allowed them to test some of their ideas - a different kind of school day, a different kind of curricula - and how she is scaling that success.Show notes:Case study on Edgecombe County Public Schools & Transcend: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pI5MECv2g7ayKpWN26UnPoWYiM2sB4W1/viewCase study video: https://www.ednc.org/we-drive-it-inside-the-north-phillips-school-fo-innovation-short-film/More about Edgecombe County Public Schools: https://www.ecps.us/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=1637934&type=d&pREC_ID=1779439Twitter: @ECPS_DrBFavourite book about learning: ‘The Listening Leader: Creating the Conditions for Equitable School Transformation’, Shane SafirFavourite book not about learning: Anything by John Grisham“Leading with love”, Learnit Podcast episode featuring Michael Sorrell: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1-michael-sorrell-leading-with-love-during-a-time-of-crisis/id1518322612?i=1000477785314
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