Getting Smart Podcast

In this week's episode, Tom is talking with Dr. Beth Rabbitt and Dr. Asaf Bitton about the state of global health, how it relates to schools, and a new initiative called the Parabola Project, which offers education leaders tools and strategies to minimize health risks while maximizing learning when reopening schools. Dr. Beth Rabbitt is the CEO of The Learning Accelerator, a national non-profit that is working to make the "potential" possible and practical for every teacher and learner. Underpinning TLA's work is a drive to ensure that each student receives an effective, equitable, and engaging education that supports them to reach their full, unique potential. Dr. Asaf Bitton is Executive Director of Ariadne Labs, a joint center for health systems innovation at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Together, Dr. Beth Rabbitt and Dr. Asaf Bitton have partnered to launch The Parabola Project to help schools minimize COVID-19 health risks while maximizing learning. Listen in as Tom speaks with Beth Rabbitt and Asaf Bitton about what schools should be doing during the pandemic, and what the current research shows. Key Takeaways: [:10] About today's episode with Beth Rabbitt and Asaf Bitton. [1:05] Tom welcomes Beth and Asaf to the podcast! [1:24] Dr. Bitton shares about Ariadne Labs; their mission, vision, and what they have accomplished thus far. [2:27] Dr. Beth Rabbitt speaks about The Learning Accelerator (TLA); their mission, vision, and what they have accomplished thus far. She also shares about the origin of The Parabola Project. [6:50] Should kids be in school right now? Dr. Bitton shares his insights. [9:03] What can schools do to safeguard staff members in an in-person school setting? [10:51] Dr. Bitton's thoughts on the risk associated with staff members' circles of interaction outside of a school setting. [13:43] Practices that can be put in place to minimize transmission risk. [15:07] Beth offers some suggestions on how superintendents could frame a community dialogue to bridge the gap between parents who want their children back in school and teachers with concerns about returning to a public setting. [18:08] Should schools be paying attention to testing, tracking, and tracing when it comes to COVID-19? And if so, how might they? [20:04] What could school districts and the government be doing better? Does Dr. Bitton see things getting better in the next few months in terms of a coordinated public health response? [23:34] What Beth is telling schools about sports. [25:27] If a school or a district doesn't have room to bring all of their students back in a safe and distant way, is a hybrid schedule still the best approach? [27:12] Dr. Bitton's advice for local health officials and school officials on how they can build a sense of trust about the path forward in terms of precautions, protocols, vaccinations, and strategies. [31:31] How should school and system leaders think about the gaps that seem to be accelerated for the most vulnerable students? [34:44] Dr. Bitton offers some holiday advice to keep in mind in the coming months. [36:43] Where to learn more about The Parabola Project. [37:33] Tom thanks Dr. Rabbit and Dr. Bitton for both joining the podcast. Mentioned in This Episode: The Parabola Project Beth Rabbitt Asaf Bitton Learning Accelerator Ariadne Labs Get Involved: Check out the blog at GettingSmart.com. Find the Getting Smart Podcast on iTunes, leave a review, and subscribe. Is There Somebody You've Been Wanting to Learn From or a Topic You'd Like Covered? To get in contact: Email Editor@GettingSmart.com and include "Podcast" in the subject line. The Getting Smart team will be sure to add them to their list!

In this week's episode, Tom is talking with author and thought leader, David Price, on the power of us. David is an author, educator, consultant, and public speaker based in North Yorkshire, UK. He has written two Amazon best-selling books, the latest titled, The Power of Us: How We Connect, Act, and Innovate Together. David has led innovation in education projects around the world for the past twenty years, following leadership roles in community, adult, further, and higher education. David is an advisor to the Mastery Transcript Consortium in the United States, the Canadian Education Association, Learnlife in Spain, and New York-based cultural consultancy, Sparks & Honey. In 2009, he was awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE) by the Queen for services in education. Tune in for the conversation as Tom speaks with David about his most recent book, The Power of Us, and some of its most important takeaways. Key Takeaways: [:10] About today's episode with David Price. [1:02] Tom welcomes David to the podcast! [1:10] David speaks about his early life, where he grew up, where he has traveled, life as a freelancer, and growing up as a musician. [4:35] About seven years ago, David wrote a famous book called, Open, which previewed the new age of open source and open talent. He shares what led him to write the book and what he wanted to accomplish by writing it. [6:58] Open both encouraged people and companies to operate in a transparent and open manner. It also outlines the new open economy and how people can lead really fulfilling and productive lives in the freelance and gig space; what John Winsor would call the open talent space. Would David agree that for everyone to be able to step into this space that it would require a new social contract? [9:25] Tom congratulates David on his new book, The Power of Us: How We Connect, Act, and Innovate Together, and reads an excerpt from the introduction. [10:44] David tells the story of his update to The Power of Us and how he came to a conclusion that felt more true than ever. [13:55] A summary of Chapter 2 of David's book, The Power of Us, on scalable learning. [16:11] An explanation of chapter 3 on people-powered innovation. [18:22] The second part of The Power of Us is on mindsets. David speaks about two mindsets he writes about in the book. [20:12] The next section of the book talks about the operating system; a shorthand way of describing how an organization works (the culture, the structure, and the systems that either collectively inhibit or enable innovation). David elaborates on how organizations either block or promote innovation. [21:41] Part 4 of the book talks about leadership. David argues that it requires a very different kind of leadership to enable bottom-up innovation. He describes what this leadership looks like in practice. [24:20] Part 5 in the book is a great toolkit with sections on trust and transparency, engagement and equity, and mastery and meaning. David elaborates on these sections in the toolkit. [28:07] David offers some advice to school heads on how they can incorporate key ideas from The Power of Us into their schools. [30:02] Tom and David further elaborate on the importance of schools focusing on agency and community. [31:30] Tom and David share what they love about High Tech High. [32:15] Why the work that the Mastery Transcript Consortium does is important to David. [35:19] Tom shares a profound excerpt from The Power of Us. [36:37] Tom thanks David for his book, The Power of Us, and shares why you should pick it up! [37:03] David gives a closing thought that sums up the opportunity that's available to us right now. [38:14] Tom thanks David for joining the podcast. Mentioned in This Episode: David Price The Power of Us: How We Connect, Act, and Innovate Together, by David Price Open: How We'll Work, Live and Learn in the Future, by David Price Mastery Transcript Consortium Canadian Education Association Sparks & Honey Learnlife Getting Smart Podcast Ep. 275: "John Winsor on the Open Talent Economy" Garry Ridge | CEO of WD-40 Larry Rosenstock | High Tech High Getting Smart Podcast Ep. 208: "Esther Wojcicki on Raising Successful People" Difference Making at the Heart of Learning, by Tom Vander Ark and Emily Liebtag — Enter code Smart20 to save 20% off the cover price! Get Involved: Check out the blog at GettingSmart.com. Find the Getting Smart Podcast on iTunes, leave a review, and subscribe. Is There Somebody You've Been Wanting to Learn From or a Topic You'd Like Covered? To get in contact: Email Editor@GettingSmart.com and include "Podcast" in the subject line. The Getting Smart team will be sure to add them to their list!

On this episode of the Getting Smart Podcast we are giving you a look at a new conversation series led by Getting Smart team member Rebecca Midles. She has been having informative and inspiring conversations with leaders in the field of competency-based education and they are all available to you at GettingSmart.com/CBE. On this episode, she is speaking with Claudette Trujillo Principal of Metropolitan Arts Academy, a PK-8 Arts innovation school in Westminster Public Schools and a longtime advocate of CBE. Claudette Trujillo is in her 21st year in the education field and her 12th year of competency-based implementation. She also has a Masters in Educational Counseling, in addition to her administration license and Bachelors of English with a secondary endorsement. Today Rebecca and Claudette unpack what it takes to successfully implement a competency-based learning model, share stories from the field and much more.

In this week's episode, Tom is speaking with Karen Cator and Vic Vuchic. Karen Cator began her career in Alaska as a teacher and a special assistant for telecommunications for the governor of Alaska. This led to Apple, where she directed their leadership and advocacy efforts in education. She then was appointed to lead the office of ed-tech in the Obama administration which culminated in her joining the Digital Promise effort as CEO in 2013. Vic Vuchic is the Chief Innovation Officer at Digital Promise Global. Before his time at Digital Promise Global, Vic consulted with a number of foundations and organizations on education technology, innovation, and philanthropy. Prior to consulting, Vic developed strategies and managed over a hundred million dollars in technology-focused grants at the Hewlett Foundation to launch and grow the open educational resources movement and create and advance the deeper learning strategy. Listen in as Tom talks with these esteemed guests about ed-tech and the invention opportunity. Key Takeaways: [:10] About today's episode with special guests, Karen Cator and Vic Vuchic. [1:09] Tom welcomes Karen and Vic to the Getting Smart Podcast! [1:17] Karen reflects on the launch of Digital Promise in 2011. [2:11] Tom shares his appreciation for Karen's leadership during her role as the Director of the Office of Education Technology for the U.S. Department of Education. [2:44] Karen shares what it was like launching Digital Promise while leading the office of ed-tech. [4:09] Digital Promise has had an important and unique role in the research and development (R&D) space of helping to link science to practice. Was that part of Digital Promise's initial mission? [8:13] When Vic took a break from studying as an engineer, he picked up the jazz flute! Does he still practice it or have a favorite flutist? [9:54] In Vic's career, he in part launched the age of open educational resources (OER) during his career at the Hewlett Foundation. [10:37] Karen highlights the innovations in learning and development that she is most excited about and thinks are potentially the most important. [13:28] Has Digital Promise's work with Verizon Innovative Learning Schools helped to advance technology and reliable internet access into the hands of students? [14:32] Vic highlights and the innovations in learning and development that he is most excited about. [17:45] Originally launched in 2011, the League of Innovative Schools now includes 114 districts and almost 3,900 schools. What is the role that the League of Innovative Schools plays in relationship to innovation? [20:02] All 114 districts within the League of Innovative Schools share the common attribute of stable and effective leadership which indicates that building support for an agenda over a long period is critical in letting innovation take root and be brought to scale. [21:02] Another important lesson from the League of Innovative Schools: the combination of a leader and their own mindset/view of innovation and the leadership of the district is critical. [21:57] Digital Promise and their partner districts have been making a push toward more inclusive leadership. Recently, they announced their Center for Inclusive Innovation. Karen elaborates on its vision and mission. [23:55] Over the last two years, Vic has developed an amazing web of research that is now searchable by case study or symptom. It helps teachers connect with important resources. As Vic thinks about the potential impact that the learner variability project can have, where and how does he think it's going to make the biggest difference? [28:05] Tom's lightning round on the theme of innovations (for both Karen and Vic): 1. When you think of the category of "learner experience," what are the innovations that you're most excited about? 2. Why are you excited about challenge-based learning? Why is it important? 3. What are you excited about with regard to measurements and credentialing? What about the challenges? [39:35] How Digital Promise has done a fantastic job of leading innovation for equity. [40:03] Learning formats and new school models that Karen is excited about. [41:22] Is Vic a fan of micro-schools or nano-schools? What does he think about new learning formats? [43:19] Tom highlights the incredible work that Karen has done in the last twenty years. [44:13] Vic thanks Karen for the great work she is doing in the world. [44:44] Tom thanks both of the guests for joining the podcast. Mentioned in This Episode: Digital Promise Karen Cator's LinkedIn Vic Vuchic's LinkedIn The Aspen Institute Verizon Innovative Learning Schools National Center for Research in Advanced Information and Digital Technologies League of Innovative Schools Virtual Teaching Academy Session One (with Tom Vander Ark and Dewayne McClary) Dewayne J. McClary | Director of League of Innovative Schools at Digital Promise Center for Inclusive Innovation — Digital Promise Difference Making at the Heart of Learning: Students, Schools, and Communities Alive With Possibility, by Tom Vander Ark High Quality Project Based Learning (HQPBL) Tuva Labs Desmos Newsela Concord Consortium Get Involved: Check out the blog at GettingSmart.com. Find the Getting Smart Podcast on iTunes, leave a review, and subscribe. Is There Somebody You've Been Wanting to Learn From or a Topic You'd Like Covered? To get in contact: Email Editor@GettingSmart.com and include "Podcast" in the subject line. The Getting Smart team will be sure to add them to their list!

In this week's episode, Tom is speaking with a father-daughter duo, Mark and Alex Milliron. Mark Milliron serves as Senior Vice President and Executive Dean of the Teachers College at Western Governors University (WGU). In addition to his work with WGU, Mark helps catalyze positive change in education through his Catalytic Conversations blog and podcast series, and through service on boards and advisory councils of leading-edge education organizations. Alex Milliron is a rising senior in the College of Education at the University of Texas at Austin. During her time at Dripping Springs High School in Texas, Alex was an honor student, a three-year varsity basketball player, a high jumper, and a regular community volunteer. Now, both Mark and Alex are co-authors as well with their new book, The Sugar Chair Stories. The Sugar Chair Stories tells three stories on the theme of learning how to "slow down, look around, and figure out how to sweeten things up." Listen in to learn more about their wonderful new book and what Mark and Alex are up to in the world of education! Key Takeaways: [:10] About today's episode with Mark and Alex Milliron. [1:01] Tom welcomes Mark and Alex Milliron to the podcast. [1:10] Mark shares his thoughts and perspective on the current state of American higher education amid a global pandemic. [3:01] With four children, has Mark had a lot of family time during the pandemic? What have they spent their time doing? [4:04] The genesis of Mark and Alex's book, The Sugar Chair Stories. [4:35] About Mark's history with WGU and his return to WGU as the Senior Vice President and Executive Dean. [5:10] Is WGU the biggest school of education in America? [6:01] How Mark thinks about the value proposition for learners in the school of education? [6:41] Has Mark seen as big of a jump in the enrollment at the school of education during the pandemic as other parts of the college? [7:48] To what extent has the school of education embraced the idea of competency and focusing on important skills? [9:59] Having grown up with one of America's great educators, what motivated Alex to pursue education as well? [10:46] What are Alex's plans post-grad? What would she like to teach? [11:53] What is a 'sugar chair' (from their book, The Sugar Chair Stories)? [13:00] The meaning behind The Sugar Chair Stories' slogan: "Slow down, look around, and figure out how to sweeten things up." [13:57] How did Alex and Mark come up with the concept of each story being for a different age group? [16:01] Why The Sugar Chair Stories is multi-generational and perfect for the whole family. [17:01] Alex shares how they collaborated on their book together. [17:33] Did Alex bring any of her athletic experience to writing the book? [18:27] Mark shares what he learned about his daughter Alex in the process of writing the book together. [19:15] Alex and Mark share their thoughts and reflections on the editing process of the book. [20:29] Did it feel like it took forever for the book to come out? [21:12] What Alex learned writing a book. [22:15] Be sure to check out The Sugar Chair Stories, by Mark Milliron and Alexandra Milliron! [23:07] Are they planning on launching a virtual book tour? [24:05] Tom thanks Mark and Alex for joining the podcast. Mentioned in This Episode: Western Governors University (WGU)Teachers College at Western Governors University College of Education at the University of Texas at Austin Catalytic Conversations Blog Catalytic Conversations Podcast Dripping Springs High School The Sugar Chair Stories, by Mark Milliron and Alexandra Milliron MarkMilliron.com TheSugarChair.com @MarkMilliron on Twitter Get Involved: Check out the blog at GettingSmart.com. Find the Getting Smart Podcast on iTunes, leave a review, and subscribe. Is There Somebody You've Been Wanting to Learn From or a Topic You'd Like Covered? To get in contact: Email Editor@GettingSmart.com and include "Podcast" in the subject line. The Getting Smart team will be sure to add them to their list!

On today's episode of the Getting Smart podcast, Rebecca Midles sits down with Tom Vander Ark to discuss the new book co-authored by him and Dr. Emily Liebtag: Difference Making at the Heart of Learning. This book stemmed out of our multi-year Future of Work campaign when our team realized that one of the hallmarks of the future of work is purposeful work contributing to communities. Through hundreds of school visits and powerful conversations with inspirational organizations across the globe, we observed changemakers in action and learners who were more ready than ever to make a difference in the world. Difference Making at the Heart of Learning, is an inspirational, yet practical guide to help educators, counselors, and youth-development leaders build on students' talents and interests to develop their desire for a better world, entrepreneurial mindset and personal leadership skills — so they can make a difference to their families, their communities, and society. In this episode, they discuss what difference making means, why it is the superpower of the new economy and how more schools can get involved with organizations who are dedicated to difference making. Mentioned in This Episode: Difference Making at the Heart of Learning Difference Making Campaign Ask About AI LEAD Innovation Studio Global Dignity Day Tara C. Chklovski High Resolves, Videos for Change Big Thought, Byron Sanders Olin College, KEEN Network Joanne McEachen Podcast Global Goals 5 Reasons High Schools Should Help Young People Find and Make Their Unique Contribution.

Today on the podcast, Tom Vander Ark is speaking with Deanna Mulligan on the topics of talent, leadership, and the opportunity gap. Deanna grew up in a small town in Nebraska, earned an MBA from Stanford, and became the Principal Engagement Manager at McKinsey & Company. After working there for eight years, Deanna launched a career in insurance where, after a two-year sabbatical, she became the CEO of Guardian Life Insurance, one of the ten largest life insurance companies in America. Additionally, Deanna served on the President's Advisory Council on Financial Capability for Young Americans from 2014–2015 and was Chair of the Board of the ACLI from 2015–2016. In 2018, Fortune named her one of the "50 Most Powerful Women in Business" and in 2019, Crain's New York Business recognized her as one of "The 50 Most Powerful Women in New York" — the fifth time since 2011! In her new book, Hire Purpose: How Smart Companies Can Close the Skills Gap, Deanna shares how companies and education institutions can work together to close the skills and opportunity gap. Listen in as Tom talks with Deanna about her career journey and her new book, Hire Purpose. Key Takeaways: [:10] About today's episode with Deanna Mulligan. [:55] Tom welcomes Deanna Mulligan to the podcast. [1:00] About Deanna's life and early education in a small town in Nebraska. [1:18] How Deanna came to work at McKinsey & Company after graduating from Stanford. [2:29] The lessons Deanna learned and the experience she gained during her eight years at McKinsey. [3:22] What drew Deanna to insurance. [4:04] About the two years Deanna took off prior to launching a career in insurance. [7:33] How Deanna came to work for Guardian. [8:11] Did Deanna's two-year sabbatical shape her views on family leave? [9:44] Deanna shares her reflections as the CEO of Guardian for nearly 10 years; how she thought about her role, as well as the biggest takeaways and lessons from her time as CEO. [12:03] What Deanna learned about talent development as CEO of Guardian. [13:26] Where Deanna's idea for her book, Hire Purpose: How Smart Companies Can Close the Skills Gap, came from. She also shares how she connected with Greg Shaw, her co-author. [17:40] Tom shares his experience with Greg Shaw and Deanna touches on what the overall process of writing Hire Purpose was like. [18:22] How companies and post-secondary can work together to close the opportunity gap, and examples of organizations that are already doing this. [21:54] While writing Hire Purpose, did Deanna and Greg have the chance to touch on the pandemic before it was released? [23:12] Now that we're deep in the midst of the pandemic, are there any additional footnotes Deanna would include in Hire Purpose if she were to release it now? [23:56] While writing, did Deanna have any changes in opinion on certain topics or areas? [25:55] Both Deanna and Guardian are very purposeful and values-based. Would Deanna say that establishing partnerships with shared values is the way to overcome and power through any challenges? [26:35] Deanna gives recommendations and advice for young adults and professionals thinking about a career or starting a career during the pandemic. [28:19] Tom thanks Deanna for joining the Getting Smart Podcast and congratulates her on her success with Guardian and her new book. Mentioned in This Episode: Deanna Mulligan Guardian Life Hire Purpose: How Smart Companies Can Close the Skills Gap, by Deanna Mulligan and Greg Shaw Clayton Christensen Hit Refresh: The Quest to Rediscover Microsoft's Soul and Imagine a Better Future for Everyone, by Satya Nadella and Greg Shaw PTech.org Infosys The Power of Place: Authentic Learning Through Place-Based Education, by Tom Vander Ark and Emily Liebtag Getting Smart Podcast Ep. 280: "Julia Freeland Fisher and Mahnaz Charania on Social Relationships and Networks" Get Involved: Check out the blog at GettingSmart.com. Find the Getting Smart Podcast on iTunes, leave a review, and subscribe. Is There Somebody You've Been Wanting to Learn From or a Topic You'd Like Covered? To get in contact: Email Editor@GettingSmart.com and include "Podcast" in the subject line. The Getting Smart team will be sure to add them to their list!

This week, Tom is sitting down with the president and CEO of Lumina Foundation, Jamie Merisotis. Jamie is a globally-recognized leader in philanthropy, education, and public policy. Jamie's foundation, Lumina Foundation, is committed to making opportunities for learning beyond high school available to all. They envision a system that is easy to navigate, delivers fair results, and meets the nation's need for talent through a broad range of credentials. In this episode, Jamie discusses his newest book, Human Work in the Age of Smart Machines. In his book, Jamie makes that case that the question is not, "What is the future of work?" but, "What is the work of the future?" Jamie and Tom discuss the new paradigm of work (one that consists of learning, earning, and serving), the importance of shifting to a model of teaching and learning about the skills and traits that are uniquely human, and how we can keep equity in the forefront in working toward building a credentialing system that works for everyone. Key Takeaways: [:10] About today's episode with Jamie Merisotis. [:43] Tom welcomes Jamie Merisotis to the podcast. [1:07] Jamie has been in the postsecondary policy space for about 30 years. At a young age, he ran a national commission on financing a postsecondary. He shares about how he landed this job and what the experience was like. [3:26] How this commission helped springboard Jamie into co-founding the Institute for Higher Education Policy in 1993. [4:40] In 2008, Jamie joined the Lumina Foundation as the President and CEO. He shares why he was interested in this opportunity. [6:58] Jamie speaks about the work they're doing at Lumina Foundation with policy advocacy, new learning models, competency-based learning, and impact investing. Jamie elaborates on impact investing as an emerging strategy. [8:59] Jamie highlights some of the major changes he has seen in education since publishing his last book, America Needs Talent: Attracting, Educating & Deploying the 21st-Century Workforce, as well the key observations that led to his newest book, Human Work in the Age of Smart Machines. [13:05] The second chapter in Human Work in the Age of Smart Machines makes the case for the work that only humans can do which blends traits such as compassion, empathy, and ethics; developed skills for problem-solving, and integrative skills. Would Jamie agree that this could also be the summary of a new outcomes framework for learning institutions? [15:53] A core insight from Jamie's book is that the new paradigm of human work is learning, earning, and serving. He elaborates on what this means and why it is important. [18:10] Jamie's book challenges the traditional academic disdain for the workplace. It reads, "Our education system does not do a good job of developing skills that human work requires, in large part because we're often divorced from the settings where human work is actually performed." Jamie elaborates on this and shares his thoughts on how we can better integrate work and learning. [22:35] The importance of shifting to a model of teaching and learning about the skills and traits that are uniquely human. [25:05] How a transparent system of credentialing could be a part of how learning institutions and work environments connect. Jamie also speaks about how we can get better at credentialing in general (and, in particular, for the skills that matter the most). [27:01] Jamie points to the Europass system as a comprehensive and dynamic system. Should we be aiming for this in America? [28:28] The importance of keeping equity in the forefront to build credentialing systems that work for everybody. [31:12] Jamie closes out with a few thoughts on revolutionizing democratic society. He describes the connection between his view of human work and the contribution that it can make to strengthening a democratic society. [34:33] Tom thanks Jamie for his new book and for imparting his wisdom on the podcast! Mentioned in This Episode: Jamie Merisotis Lumina Foundation Human Work in the Age of Smart Machines, by Jamie Merisotis Difference Making at the Heart of Learning: Students, Schools, and Communities Alive With Possibility, by Tom Vander Ark and Emily Liebtag Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP) America Needs Talent: Attracting, Educating & Deploying the 21st-Century Workforce, by Jamie Merisotis Getting Smart Podcast Ep. 273: "Conrad Wolfram on Computational Thinking" The Math(s) Fix: An Education Blueprint for the AI Age, by Conrad Wolfram Cobots CEW Georgetown — Center on Education and the Workforce World Values Survey (WVS Database) Getting Smart Podcast Ep. 229: "Eric Williams on Empowering Students to Make a Contribution" Get Involved: Check out the blog at GettingSmart.com. Find the Getting Smart Podcast on iTunes, leave a review, and subscribe. Is There Somebody You've Been Wanting to Learn From or a Topic You'd Like Covered? To get in contact: Email Editor@GettingSmart.com and include "Podcast" in the subject line. The Getting Smart team will be sure to add them to their list!

Today, Tom is speaking with Amy Klement, Managing Partner of Imaginable Futures, a global philanthropic investment firm that believes learning has the power to unlock human potential and aspires to provide every learner with the opportunity and the tools they need to imagine, and to realize, a brighter future. Amy formerly worked for eBay where she served as vice president of relationship marketing and as vice president of product strategy and operations. Joining as one of its earliest employees, Amy also worked for PayPal as vice president of product. She then went on to help lead Omidyar Network's work in Education, Financial Inclusion, Property Rights, and Consumer Internet & Mobile initiatives in key geographies. Join in on the conversation to hear all about the incredible work Imaginable Futures is doing, the grantees and investments they're making, and Amy's overall philosophy on educational philanthropy. Amy also speaks about the recent report she collaborated on with IDEO titled, "Learning Reimagined: Radical Thinking for Equitable Futures," and touches on the themes of equity, impact investing, and the importance of values. Key Takeaways: [:10] About today's episode with Amy Klement. [:40] Tom welcomes Amy Klement to the podcast. [1:06] Amy speaks a bit about her time as an early employee at PayPal. [1:24] Amy shares some highlights and key takeaways from her seven years with PayPal and interacting with some of Silicon Valley's biggest personalities. [5:47] About Amy's shift from PayPal to eBay and her experience in the VP role. [6:36] About Pierre Omidyar and why Amy decided to help him launch the Omidyar Network. [8:44] Amy and Tom highlight a few of Imaginable Futures' grantees, starting with Wonderschool. [10:30] What Amy appreciates and loves about Bridge International. [12:56] What Amy appreciates about the innovative African network, SPARK Schools. [14:20] About the incredible global network, Teach For All, and what Amy loves about it. [16:40] About Imaginable Futures; their structure, the work that they do, and more. [18:43] Is Imaginable Futures an impact organization, first and foremost? [18:54] Amy elaborates on how Imaginable Future's flexibility allows them to structure investments in a way that promotes both scaled impact and sustainability in the most efficient way possible. [20:28] Imaginable Futures has a wonderful but challengingly broad agenda; investing from early learning through post-secondary in America, Africa, and Latin America. What does Amy think about collecting the best ideas and narrowing those down to investment choices? [22:55] Imaginable Futures' beautiful set of values: where they came from, how they uphold them, and what they are. [24:15] Are Imaginable Futures' investment 50/50 between return-seeking and philanthropic? And is it by design or did it just work out that way? [24:55] The importance of taking on risk when it comes to philanthropy. [30:10] About Amy's new report, "Learning Reimagined: Radical Thinking for Equitable Futures". [31:52] Two key provocations from Amy's report: 1. What if student agency became the most important measure of learning? And, 2. What if young people connected in new ways, developed voices, organized for change across politics, climate, systemic inequities, and even their own learning? [34:25] Amy and Tom discuss other provocations in the "Learning Reimagined" report: "What if learning progressions were based on competencies?" And: "What if home-schooling became the new school if we learned more about different school formats?" Amy also shares her thoughts on whether she thinks we'll see home-schooling innovations take off as a result of the pandemic. [35:25] The importance of addressing inequities quickly (and now more than ever). [36:29] Amy's closing thoughts on what's next for Imaginable Futures. [37:58] Tom thanks Amy for joining the podcast! Mentioned in This Episode: Amy Klement Imaginable Futures Pierre Omidyar Omidyar Network Wonderschool Bridge International SPARK Schools "SPARK Schools: Scaling Affordable Excellence in South Africa," by Tom Vander Ark | Getting Smart "Low-Cost Schools Are Transforming Africa," by Tom Vander Ark | Getting Smart Teach For All "Teaching Without Internet" on WhatsApp "Learning Reimagined: Radical Thinking for Equitable Futures" IDEO African Leadership Academy Teach for India Kids Education Revolution Difference Making at the Heart of Learning: Students, Schools, and Communities Alive With Possibility, by Tom Vander Ark and Emily Liebtag Getting Smart Podcast Ep. 282: "Shauntel Garvey on EdTech Impact Investing" Get Involved: Check out the blog at GettingSmart.com. Find the Getting Smart Podcast on iTunes, leave a review, and subscribe. Is There Somebody You've Been Wanting to Learn From or a Topic You'd Like Covered? To get in contact: Email Editor@GettingSmart.com and include "Podcast" in the subject line. The Getting Smart team will be sure to add them to their list!

This month on Getting Smart, the podcasts will be focused on the theme of difference-making — which is also the subject of a new book launched just this week by Tom Vander Ark and Emily Liebtag, Difference Making at the Heart of Learning: Students, Schools, and Communities Alive With Possibility. To kick things off, Joanne McEachen is joining the podcast to have a conversation with Tom about her newest book, The Depthvale Detectives and the Great Education Crisis: A Guide to Contributive Learning in Schools. Joanne is the founder and CEO of The Learner First, an international education consultancy. The 'welcome' to her new book, The Depthvale Detectives and the Great Education Crisis, promises that all students can learn to contribute and add to the world in all manners of ways. And, when they do, no matter their plans or pursuits, they'll have what they need to find real success. This book is a story for both educators, parents, and students about using your powers (AKA what you're learning) for good. These powers can help you discover what it takes to contribute and how to make wellbeing, meaning, and fulfillment the ultimate outcomes of all that you do. In Joanne's conversation with Tom, they discuss how schools can commit to contributive learning so that all students can learn how to add to the world, what is important to measure, the key elements of deep learning, and the fascinating five-phase change process that she outlines in her newest book, The Depthvale Detectives and the Great Education Crisis. Key Takeaways: [:10] About today's episode. [1:06] Tom welcomes Joanne McEachen to the podcast. [1:18] Joanne elaborates on what her email signature, "Meaning and fulfillment is the new wealth, and contribution is the only way to earn it," means. [2:36] How Joanne thinks about contribution and what it means. [5:06] The 'welcome' to Joanne's new book, The Depthvale Detectives and the Great Education Crisis, where she first made the discovery of the sentiment described, and what it means. [7:27] Contributive learning: the new superpower. [7:49] Joanne shares about growing up in New Zealand and how her education has shaped her current philosophy around education. [8:48] All of Joanne's books indicate a strong sense of purpose and measuring what matters. She elaborates on how she developed the ideas in these books while leading two schools in New Zealand. [10:54] Joanne shares what is on her list of important things to measure and how she hopes they would be measured. [14:26] Joanne describes the elements of deep learning and what it has been like for her to write with Michael Fullan. [16:35] Joanne elaborates on what she and Michael mean when they speak about deep learning. [17:34] Why did Joanne choose a novel format for her new book, The Depthvale Detectives and the Great Education Crisis: A Guide to Contributive Learning in Schools? [19:28] Joanne cleverly worked in a five-phase change process into the story of her new book. Tom recaps the first two phases (1. Start with yourself; who are we really? 2. Pinpoint your purpose; why are we here?) and Joanne explains why it is important for teams to start with these ideas. [21:45] Joanne elaborates on the next two phases (3. Dive into outcomes; what do we want? 4. Plot your position; where are we now?). [23:22] Joanne explains what the final phase, "5: Invite teams to commit to contribution," looks like. [25:15] What Karanga is, where to find it online, and why Joanne is passionate about it. [27:29] Where to find Joanne online and learn more about what she is up to. [27:51] Tom closes out the podcast with a beautiful sentiment from Joanne, and Joanne shares how people can incorporate this idea into their school. [28:38] Tom thanks Joanne for the work that she does and for joining the podcast. [29:08] About Tom and Emily's new book, Difference Making at the Heart of Learning: Students, Schools, and Communities Alive With Possibility. Mentioned in This Episode: Difference Making at the Heart of Learning: Students, Schools, and Communities Alive With Possibility, by Tom Vander Ark and Emily Liebtag Joanne McEachen The Learner First Twitter @TheLearnerFirst Twitter @JoanneMcEachen The Depthvale Detectives and the Great Education Crisis: A Guide to Contributive Learning in Schools, by Joanne McEachen and Matthew Kane Making the Important Measurable, Not the Measurable Important, by Joanne McEachen and Jane Davidson Measuring Human Return: Understand and Assess What Really Matters for Deeper Learning, by Joanne McEachen and Matthew Kane Michael Fullan Deep Learning: Engage the World Change the World, by Michael Fullan, Joanne Quinn, and Joanne McEachen Dive into Deep Learning: Tools for Engagement, by Joanne Quinn, Joanne McEachen, Michael Fullan, Mag Gardner, and Max Drummy Getting Smart Podcast Ep. 277: "Michael Fullan on Leading in a Culture of Change" Getting Smart Podcast Ep. 151: "Michael Fullan Sees Global Momentum for Deep Learning" Our Iceberg is Melting, by John Kotter and Holger Rathgeber Karanga.org Get Involved: Check out the blog at GettingSmart.com. Find the Getting Smart Podcast on iTunes, leave a review, and subscribe. Is There Somebody You've Been Wanting to Learn From or a Topic You'd Like Covered? To get in contact: Email Editor@GettingSmart.com and include "Podcast" in the subject line. The Getting Smart team will be sure to add them to their list!