Fast cars or magic mushrooms would have been a better clickbait title for this. Damn our ethics. In this episode we’re joined by the fab Luke Pearce to talk about linear and nonlinear learning, and which might be best for your teaching needs. To do so we’ll be examining Grand Theft Auto, the much beloved… Continue reading GTA or Mario, which design philosophy makes for a better curriculum? (Ft. Luke Pearce)

In this episode Mike is joined by the OU’s own Tom Olney to discuss their love of detective shows and the seed of all good learning design, Learning Outcomes. You’ll find some of the papers Tom references here:Kennedy, D (2007) Writing and using learning outcomes: a practical guide https://cora.ucc.ie/items/e866d6e9-4fcb-4c00-a80c-478cdf55e7ef Moon, J (2004) Linking levels, learning… Continue reading What can vintage detective shows Columbo and Murder She Wrote tell us about good intended learning outcomes?

We did a live show! And it worked! In May 2024, to celebrate the launch of our book we travelled to Aberystwyth University (Mike’s alma marta) at the invitation of friend of all edu professionals, Mary Jacob. As well as some workshops, some giveaways and a takeover session that we’ll be shortly releasing on our… Continue reading Pedagodzilla Live! Rapid fire panicked panel show in Aberystwyth 2024

In this episode we revisit social constructivism, expand on the ideas around it – and work out how the council of Elrond use it to destroy the One Ring. You’ll be able to hear the clinking of chains in the background as the deep nerds within us are restrained for your listening sanity. An uncut… Continue reading How does the council of Elrond use social constructivism to destroy Sauron’s ring?

Episode 2 of our very late miniseries recorded at the Playful Learning 2023 conference, where we discuss what we can learn from Fabulous Formative Failures, and the Danish movement of Pissedårlig undervisning, or Piss Poor Teaching. Alistair Aitcheson (Alistair Aitcheson) and Laura Mitchell (York University) have a second go at recording their experiences of a… Continue reading Fabulous formative failure with Alistair Aitcheson and Laura Mitchell at Playful Learning 2023

In this episode we’re joined by the fab Dr Elliott Spaeth to discuss UDL (universal design for learning), the least played game in the world D&D (Dungeons and Dragons), and how it’s possible to get halfway through an episode before you realise you’ve been asking the wrong questions all along. Also we actually remembered to… Continue reading How can applying UDL principles make you a better dungeon master in D&D?

Ye gods, we recorded this episode a year ago, a year ago! That’s how far behind we are with our editing. Shameful. In this episode we discuss much loved snuggly sunday blanket TV show All Creatures Great and Small, based on James Herriot’s awesome books, and use it to understand Apprenticeships as a pedagogic model.… Continue reading How can (All) Creatures Great and Small boost employability through apprenticeships?

It’s been a while since we’ve done an old style Mike and Mark jobby – remember when these were all we did? We’re tackling ZPD! Everyone’s favourite flipping long way of saying graspable learning. And we’re bouncing it off beloved stabby franchise, Assassin’s Creed. We mention a few things in the episode by the way,… Continue reading How does the Zone of Proximal Development make you a better parkour murderer in Assassin’s Creed?

It’s over, and it’s been an absolute belter of a conference. Join us for an explosive opener from write-the-theme-tune sing-the-theme-tune, join our our headliners for the day, and finally Mark Mike and Nic sit down to reflect on the conference, and start mulling plans for next year.

It’s another very scrappily pulled together daily update, hastily yanked from the RodeCaster on to Mike’s laptop, clumsily mushed together and then chucked out in to internet land. In it, we’re joined by Alex Mosely and Rosie Jones (Playful Learning Organisers) and Giskin Day the headline act to talk about her keynote, how everyone’s doing… Continue reading Playful Learning 2023 Day 2 Recap