Closing the opportunity gap is a tall order, especially during a pandemic when new challenges have compounded previous difficulties. In this episode, Dr. Wendy Oliver interviews Susan Bearden, Director of Digital Programs for Innovate EDU, to investigate how innovative thinking can move the education system toward some solutions.

Wendy and Susan discuss how socioeconomic status contributes to the opportunity gap and the digital divide, and reflect on the ways the pandemic has exacerbated the difference between the haves and have-nots in education. They also discuss what it means to be innovative in the classroom. (Hint: It might not mean what you think.)

Susan has been at the forefront of K-12 innovation throughout her career, and you won’t want to miss her thoughts.

About the host:

Dr. Wendy Oliver is a highly qualified Tennessee teacher and administrator who has pioneered digital learning across multiple states and school districts. She has authored digital teaching standards and developed software that allows teachers to self-assess their knowledge of digital instruction. No matter which hat she's wearing, her goal is simple -- to empower learners. Dr. Oliver is currently the Chief Learning Officer for EdisonLearning. Follow Dr. Oliver on Twitter @oliver_dr and learn more about EdisonLearning by visiting https://edisonlearning.com/

About today’s guest:

Susan Bearden is the Director of Digital Programs for Innovate EDU, a non-profit whose mission is to eliminate the achievement gap by accelerating innovation in standards aligned, next generation learning models and tools that serve, inform, and enhance teaching and learning. In Susan’s career as an educator and technologist, she has served as the Chief Innovation Officer for the Consortium for School Networking (CoSN), as a Senior Education Fellow in the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Education Technology, and as a Director of Information Technology in a school setting, among other roles. Follow Susan on Twitter @s_bearden