Top Class: The OECD Education Policy Podcast | Teachers, PISA, Students
OECD Education & Skills
Everything you need to know about teaching and learning in one podcast. Top Class, the OECD Education Podcast, interviews leading educators, researchers and policy experts about the big issues facing education systems around the world.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed and arguments employed on the "TopClass" podcast and the recordings contained therein do not necessarily represent the official views of the OECD, its member countries, or non-members who have participated in any related work. This site may display third party videos or recordings. The inclusion of such videos or recordings does not imply any endorsement of, or responsibility for, the opinions, ideas, or information presented in these videos. The "TopClass" podcast is subject to the Disclaimers section of the General Terms and Conditions of the OECD website. http://www.oecd.org/termsandconditions/
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed and arguments employed on the "TopClass" podcast and the recordings contained therein do not necessarily represent the official views of the OECD, its member countries, or non-members who have participated in any related work. This site may display third party videos or recordings. The inclusion of such videos or recordings does not imply any endorsement of, or responsibility for, the opinions, ideas, or information presented in these videos. The "TopClass" podcast is subject to the Disclaimers section of the General Terms and Conditions of the OECD website. http://www.oecd.org/termsandconditions/
Episodes
Mentioned books
Jul 17, 2024 • 29min
Rethinking teacher education to foster student creativity
How do you create a classroom where students are actively creating, innovating and problem-solving? A part of the answer involves empowering teachers with the tools and training they need to help students be more creative. But what does that involve? In this episode of Top Class, OECD Editor Duncan Crawford speaks to US Primary School Teacher Billie Freeland and Jennifer Mansfield, Senior Lecturer in Science Teacher Education at Monash University in Australia, about how to rethink teacher training so that teachers are better prepared to foster creativity in students.
Jul 5, 2024 • 41min
Should smartphones be banned in schools?
Do smartphones help support learning in classrooms or are they a distraction that harms education? A growing number of governments have implemented restrictions on the use of smartphones in schools. Even without nationwide bans, many schools collect phones at the start of the day or insist on children keeping them in lockers during lesson time. Are the bans justified? In this episode of Top Class, OECD Editor Duncan Crawford speaks to two educators on opposing sides of the debate: Matt Miles, an American teacher and co-author of “Screen Schooled: Two Veteran Teachers Expose How Technology Overuse Is Making Our Kids Dumber” and Damian Maher, a senior lecturer from University of Technology Sydney, who backs the use of smartphones in schools.
May 28, 2024 • 27min
How to make teachers take bullying seriously
Bullying is an urgent issue in many schools and crucial steps need to be taken to address it. In this episode of Top Class, Professor James O’Higgins Norman, the UNESCO Chair on Bullying and Cyberbullying, highlights a common but flawed response from teachers: “I haven’t seen it therefore it doesn’t exist.” What can schools and policymakers do to ensure bullying is tackled effectively, including extreme forms of bullying such as violent attacks? Professor O’Higgins Norman, who is based at Dublin City University where he is also Director of the DCU Anti-Bullying Centre, tells the OECD’s Duncan Crawford about the best practices and techniques to combat bullying and support victims.
Apr 10, 2024 • 44min
Is AI a superpower for the classroom?
As artificial intelligence integrates into the world of education, how can we ensure it supports effective learning in the classroom? AI learning bots and other AI tools are increasingly being used by students and teachers, but not every agrees this is a good thing. While supporters champion AI as a transformative force that improves personalised learning and efficiency, sceptics are concerned about the erosion of critical thinking skills, the potential for algorithmic biases and privacy issues. In this episode of Top Class, Adeel Khan, Founder of MagicSchool AI, and Associate Professor at University College London, Wayne Holmes, speak to OECD Editor Duncan Crawford about the potential benefits and risks of AI, and the balance between technological progress and educational integrity.
Feb 13, 2024 • 34min
How to navigate ADHD in the classroom
Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, commonly known as ADHD, is a growing concern for many policymakers around the world. It affects approximately 5% to 10% of children globally and can influence how they learn and behave, including through hyperactive and impulsive behaviour. In this episode of Top Class, Sam Pittis, a British radio presenter who was diagnosed with ADHD and hosts the podcast “You're Wrong About ADHD”, discusses how to navigate ADHD in schools with OECD Editor Duncan Crawford, alongside OECD analyst Cecelia Mezzanotte, who has worked extensively on how to support children with ADHD.
Jan 29, 2024 • 27min
The Taliban, school and me: how an Afghan girl risked everything for an education
Sola Mahfouz was pulled out of school in Afghanistan at the age of 11 after a group of men threatened her safety if she continued studying. After years with no education, she began to secretly teach herself through online classes. Against the odds, Sola later passed a college entry test, travelled to the US to study and is now a quantum computing researcher at Tufts University. Writing under a pseudonym, she is also co-author of her memoir Defiant Dreams: The Journey of an Afghan Girl Who Risked Everything for an Education. In this episode of Top Class, she tells OECD Editor Duncan Crawford her remarkable story and reflects on life with the Taliban.
Dec 7, 2023 • 26min
Why are maths and reading scores dropping globally? New PISA results are out
While some countries have maintained or improved performance in maths and reading, many countries across the globe have seen large drops in educational performance, according to the latest Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) results. Almost 700,000 15-year old students from 81 countries and economies took the PISA test in maths, reading and science in 2022. Why have there been such large drops in performance? In this episode of Top Class, OECD Director for Education and Skills Andreas Schleicher speaks to OECD Editor Duncan Crawford about the findings and what they mean for global education
Dec 1, 2023 • 45min
How AI tutors and teaching assistants will transform education
Sal Khan is the founder and CEO of Khan Academy, a non-profit which aims to provide free, world-class education for everyone. His organisation has developed an AI tutor and teaching assistant that he believes will transform global education for the better. Is he right? In this edition of Top Class, OECD Editor Duncan Crawford explores the far-reaching implications that thinking and learning machines pose for students, teachers and society as a whole.
Oct 30, 2023 • 30min
How to empower students to help stop climate change
On a daily basis, academic studies, reports and news tell us that the Earth’s ecosystem is in danger. But are schools doing enough to help raise awareness about climate change? OECD PISA test results show that schools play a central role in educating kids about environmental issues.
In 2018, about 90 percent of school principals across the OECD reported that climate change and global warming were covered in the school curriculum. However, Matthew Pye, a philosophy teacher and founder of
The Climate Academy, argues that schools and teachers need to be doing much more. In this episode of Top Class, he tells the OECD’s Duncan Crawford that schools should have a far greater focus on climate education.
Sep 13, 2023 • 34min
What should the teaching profession look like in the future?
Rapid developments in technology and society mean education is constantly on the move. These developments are having a profound effect on both students and teachers. So what should the teaching profession look like in the future?
In this Top Class podcast, Professor A Lin Goodwin from the Lynch School of Education and Human Development at Boston College and Marco Snoek, Professor of Teacher Development and School Innovation at Amsterdam’s University of Applied Sciences, speak to OECD Editor Duncan Crawford about their visions for the future.
You can read more about the OECD’s work on teacher professionalism here: https://www.oecd.org/education/ceri/new-professionalism-future-of-teaching.htm
