No Such Thing: Education in the Digital Age

Sangita Shresthova, PhD is a multilingual scholar specializing in civic participation, popular culture, and the intersections of digital media and intercultural communication. She leads a range of projects examining civic engagement in both digital and physical spaces. Shresthova’s expertise in designing and executing complex qualitative research is exemplified by her leadership in a multi-year study of youth activism in the digital age, which culminated in the publication of By Any Media Necessary: The New Youth Activism.Shresthova’s published works include Practicing Futures: The Civic Imagination Action Handbook and Popular Culture and the Civic Imagination: Case Studies of Creative Social Change, which explore how imaginative practices and popular culture can foster creative social transformation. She is also a co-creator of the Digital Civics Toolkit, a widely recognized resource designed to support educators and community leaders in guiding youth learning in digital environments. The toolkit was named one of the “Best Edtech of 2018” and continues to be a vital resource for fostering digital literacy and civic engagement.Her two recent books,  We Are Civic Media (Northwestern University Press) and Connected Cultures: How to Parent Across Borders (Channel View Publications) further expand her contributions to civic media studies and cross-cultural communication.Links:www.sangitashresthova.comWe are Civic MediaTransformative Media PedagogiesPracticing Futures: A Civic Imagination Action HandbookPopular Culture and the Civic Imagination: Case Studies of Creative Social Changehttps://www.multilingual-matters.com/page/detail/the-cross-cultural-parenting-playbook/?SF1=work_id&ST1=CVIEW-684985269b12f Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Desmond Patton is the 31st PIK University Professor at the University of Pennsylvania, with joint appointments in the School of Social Policy & Practice and the Annenberg School for Communication, where he is the Waldo E Johnson Jr. Professor of Communication. He also holds secondary appointments in the Department of Psychiatry at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia & Perelman School of Medicine. He is founding director of SAFElab, founding faculty director of the Penn Center for Inclusive Innovation & Technology, and Chief Strategy Officer for the School of Social Policy & Practice.Professor Patton’s groundbreaking research examines the relationship between social media and gun violence, grief, and loss, focusing on how online communities influence offline behavior. His work has made him the most cited and widely recognized scholar in this critical area of social science. Early research focused on detecting trauma and preventing violence on social media has evolved into broader investigations of language analysis and algorithmic bias in artificial intelligence. He currently serves as a member of Spotify’s Safety Advisory Council, the Ethics and Equity Advisory Council (EEAC) at Axon, TikTok’s U.S. Content Advisory Council, and is a trusted advisor to several AI startups.As a social work scientist, Patton identified that traditional data science methods often fail to capture the cultural and linguistic nuances of predominantly Black and Hispanic youth. In response, he developed the Contextual Analysis of Social Media (CASM) framework, which integrates culture, context, and inclusion into machine learning and computer vision analysis. He is also pioneering a new research agenda on joy, developing a practical and theoretical framework for integrating joy into AI model development as a tool for equity, imagination, and human connection.Dr. Patton is a member of the National Academy of Medicine, an Obama Foundation USA Leader, a Mozilla Rise 25 Change Agent, a Presidential Leadership Scholar, and one of RockHealth’s Top 50 in Digital Health.Links:https://sp2.upenn.edu/person/desmond-upton-patton/https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:dxheqqkccc6z5kqgw34shta7https://www.linkedin.com/in/desmond-patton-49a7b59/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Vanessa Chang builds communities and conversations about art, technology, people, and planet. She writes, curates, and teaches about new and old media, the history and philosophy of technology, design, disability and creative access, cities, comics, animation, circuses, and more.  She is Director of Programs at Leonardo, the International Society for the Arts, Sciences, and Technology.  She earned a Ph.D. in Modern Thought and Literature from Stanford University, where she was a Geballe Fellow at the Stanford Humanities Center and also ran the Graphic Narrative Project. She's also taught in Visual & Critical Studies at California College of the Arts and was lead curator with CODAME Art & Tech. She grew up in Singapore and Australia and is now based in San Francisco.​​ Her first book, The Body Digital: A Brief History of Humans and Machines, from Cuckoo Clocks to ChatGPT, will be published on 4 November 2025. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tinsley Galyean, Author of Reframe is a technologist, designer, and co-founder of Curious Learning, a global nonprofit dedicated to eradicating illiteracy. He holds a PhD from the MIT Media Lab and works at the intersection of education, storytelling, and digital innovation, creating interactive experiences for museums and programing for networks like Discovery Kids, Disney, and Warner Bros.Under Galyean’s leadership, Curious Learning has made its literacy apps available in 60 languages, reaching children in diverse communities worldwide, many with little or no access to formal schooling. By partnering with parents, educators, NGOs, and governments, the organization has helped children in some of the most resource-constrained settings begin their reading journey. Curious Learning’s work is recognized for its commitment to mother-tongue instruction and its focus on data-driven evaluation to ensure real, lasting impact.LInks:https://www.businessexpertpress.com/books/reframe-how-curiosity-and-literacy-can-redefine-us/https://www.curiouslearning.org/https://medium.com/authority-magazine/high-impact-philanthropy-tinsley-galyean-of-curious-learning-on-how-to-leave-a-lasting-legacy-with-1c9b04d7b6fc Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Dalio is the founder of Endless, a visionary initiative dedicated to empowering youth to become creators of technology rather than passive consumers. His work spans three pillars: Endless Studios, a youth game-making studio; Endless Access, which tackles device affordability and connectivity; and Endless OS, an education-focused operating system designed to teach coding and digital skills through games.Matt’s journey began with formative experiences in China, where he founded the China Care Foundation as a teenager to support orphans—an early signal of his lifelong commitment to equity and empowerment. He’s also the son of Ray Dalio, founder of Bridgewater Associates, and credits his father’s ethos of purpose-driven work as a guiding influence, while forging his own path in education and technology.In 2024, Matt announced a major partnership with Arizona State University to launch the Endless Games and Learning Lab, a $5M initiative aimed at scaling personalized, game-based learning for millions of students worldwide.Links:Media Kit / Bio:https://kitcaster.com/matt-dalio/Social:https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattdalio/Website:https://www.endlessstudios.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dr. Julia Stoyanovich, an expert in AI ethics and education at NYU, explores pressing topics around AI's impact on society. She highlights the need for public literacy in AI, arguing that informed citizens can better engage in technology decisions. Julia critiques the limitations of traditional engineering training and advocates for a blend of technical and social sciences in education. She introduces the 'greedy algorithm' concept to illustrate companies' conflicts of interest and shares her vision for responsible AI, emphasizing human oversight and collective action.

Diane Levitt, Senior Director of K-12 Education at Cornell Tech, discusses groundbreaking efforts to reshape computer science education with a focus on equity. She highlights the significant gap between demand and implementation in schools, while promoting innovative partnerships to bridge this divide. The conversation dives into the importance of comprehensive support for teachers and the necessity of adapting educational methods to local contexts. Additionally, Levitt emphasizes empowering students to navigate AI technologies responsibly, alongside enhancing parental engagement in tech education.

In this episode of No Such Thing, I talk with Laura Slover, Managing Director of the Skills for the Future initiative—a joint effort by ETS and the Carnegie Foundation. We explore what it means to move beyond the century-old Carnegie Unit and toward a system that captures the full spectrum of what learners know and can do.From internships to outdoor leadership, from dashboards to transcripts that actually reflect growth—this conversation is for anyone thinking about how we build a more human, equitable, and future-ready education system.Links:Sasha Bruce Youthwork https://www.sashabruce.org/https://aschoolwithoutwalls.org/https://www.hightechhigh.org/ETS's official Skills for the Future page – This outlines the initiative’s goals, including competency-based learning and skill recognition, backed by ETS’s expertise in educational measurement.Carnegie Foundation’s Skills for the Future initiative – A deep dive into how the program is shifting education from time-based to competency-based learning, with a focus on essential skills beyond traditional academics.Indiana State Board of Education report – A detailed research paper discussing the transition from time-based education models to skill-based insights, highlighting the empirical evidence supporting this shift.Explainer on modern skills-based assessment – A paper from Carnegie Foundation discussing the limitations of traditional assessments and how Skills for the Future is innovating measurement techniques.ETS & Carnegie’s framework for durable skills – A breakdown of the essential skills identified for success across life domains, emphasizing developmental skill progressions and personalized learning.https://www.carnegiefoundation.org/resources/publications/carnegie-unit/https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1057177https://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=38https://www.nagb.gov/news-and-events/news-releases/2025/nations-report-card-decline-in-reading-progress-in-math.htmlhttps://christophegaron.com/articles/mind/how-do-kids-change-during-the-summer-insights-on-summer-growth-in-children/https://www.tulsakids.com/brains-on-break/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Exploring how simulations are shaping education research and practice, with insights from the book Promoting Equity through Approximations of Practice in Mathematics Education. It examines how approximations of practice can help educators sharpen their skills while keeping equity at the forefront. It’s not just about improving instruction; it’s about ensuring that all students, regardless of background, have access to high-quality learning experiences.Links:Lee, C., Bondurant, L., Sapkota, B., Howell, H. (2025). Promoting equity in approximations of practice for mathematics teachers. IGI Global. https://doi.org/10.4018/979-8-3693-1164-6Benoit, G., Barno, E., & Reich, J. (2025). Simulating Equitable Discussions Using Practice-Based Teacher Education in Math Professional Learning. In C. Wilkerson Lee, L. Bondurant, B. Sapkota, & H. Howell (Eds.), Promoting Equity in Approximations of Practice for Mathematics Teachers (pp. 165-200). IGI Global Scientific Publishing. https://doi.org/10.4018/979-8-3693-1164-6.ch008 Shaughnessy, M., Boerst, T. A., Garcia, N., & Claiborne, B. (2025). Orienting to Student Sense-Making: Using Simulations to Support the Development of Equitable Mathematics Teaching. In C. Wilkerson Lee, L. Bondurant, B. Sapkota, & H. Howell (Eds.), Promoting Equity in Approximations of Practice for Mathematics Teachers (pp. 253-276). IGI Global Scientific Publishing. https://doi.org/10.4018/979-8-3693-1164-6.ch011 Howell, H., Shaughnessy, M., Stengel, B., Lee, C., Bondurant, L., Sapkota, B., Benoit, G., & Lai, Y. (2025). Editorial insights: Reflections on the volume and charge to the field. In C. Lee, L. Bondurant, B. Sapkota, & H. Howell (Eds.), Promoting equity in approximations of practice for mathematics teachers (pp. 395-414). IGI Global. https://doi.org/10.4018/979-8-3693-1164-6.ch017Ataide Pinheiro, W., Kaur Bharaj, P., Cross Francis, D., Kirkpatrick Darwin, T., Esquibel, J., & Halder, S. (2025). An Investigation of Gender Biases in Teacher-Student Interaction in Mathematics Lessons Within a Virtual Teaching Simulator. In C. Wilkerson Lee, L. Bondurant, B. Sapkota, & H. Howell (Eds.), Promoting Equity in Approximations of Practice for Mathematics Teachers (pp. 201-228). IGI Global Scientific Publishing. https://doi.org/10.4018/979-8-3693-1164-6.ch009 MIT’s Teacher Moments digital simulation platform: https://teachermoments.mit.edu/ Becoming a More Equitable Educator https://openlearninglibrary.mit.edu/courses/course-v1:MITx+0.503x+T2020/about Reich, J. (2022). Teaching drills: Advancing practice-based teacher education through short, low-stakes, high-frequency practice. Journal of Technology and Teacher Education, 30(2), 217-228. https://doi.org/10.70725/023707spaywm Bima’s lit review: https://doi.org/10.1080/14794802.2023.2207088  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For decades, the conversation around youth and technology has been dominated by powerful voices—media, researchers, and word-of-mouth warnings—painting a picture of digital tools as the looming threat to young people’s well-being. But what if that narrative isn’t the whole story? What if, instead, we favored the spectrum of possibilities in the digital present and future, instead of a good or evil binary. It would take a a vibrant counter-movement, led by passionate advocates and young people themselves, determined to reclaim the digital world for good. And good news, there is one.This episode was recorded live at Sesame Workshop, bringing together a true who's who of leaders and do-ers in the world of “Digital Wellness for Young People.” At the heart of our conversation is Young Futures—a startup initiative funding projects through the crucial lens of digital wellness. Young Futures is empowering the next generation to create, innovate, and advocate for a healthier digital landscape, supporting ideas that prioritize well-being over profit.Joining us are visionaries from the Scratch Foundation, the organization behind the world’s largest free creative coding platform for kids, empowering millions to express themselves and solve problems through technology. We’re also honored to welcome leaders from the Joan Ganz Cooney Center, a research and innovation lab that advances learning in a digital age, inspired by the pioneering spirit of Sesame Street.Links:https://www.youngfutures.org/https://joanganzcooneycenter.org/initiative/ritec/https://www.scratchfoundation.org/https://joanganzcooneycenter.org/initiative/well-being-by-design-fellowship/https://www.gamesforchange.org/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.