In this episode, James Lane, the Digital Sector Manager at NCFE, and Dr Gray Mytton, from the NCFE Innovation Team, discuss the evolving role of artificial intelligence within education and its broader implications.

Join the team as they discuss how AI, particularly generative AI, is currently being used by colleagues, and the wider education sector, primarily for routine tasks and as a creative brainstorming tool.

The conversation touches on the ethical considerations of AI, including security concerns and bias in AI training data.  James and Gray also explore the potential future of AI in assessments, emphasising the importance of changing assessment models to integrate AI ethically and effectively.

The discussion concludes with insights into NCFE's innovative projects, including a generative AI exam builder and efforts to develop locally hosted large language models, presenting a forward-thinking approach to AI in education.

00:00 Introduction to AI at NCFE

01:50 Conversational AI and its applications

05:53 Exploring free AI tools and their evolution

07:37 Prompt engineering and AI tool comparisons

09:39 Ethical considerations in AI usage

16:19 AI in exam and assessment creation

21:27 Generating and using AI data sets

24:26 Security concerns and open source LLMs

26:31 Exploring user interfaces for local LLMs

28:01 Creating an internal document library

29:34 DIY vs. buying AI solutions

33:33 Training data and quality control

36:45 Using AI in exams and assessments: challenges and opportunities

42:11 Future of AI in Education

47:46 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

New here?

You've joined us in season 6 and, if you've enjoyed this conversation, you might want to visit our episode feed and subscribe to POD-CACHE for more. New episodes are published once a fortnight and there are lots of great conversations to catch up on. 

Want to hear more from this week's guests?

You can find information about the Assessment Innovation Fund, discussed during the episode, on the NCFE website, and can read the OU Research report on developing robust assessments using generative AI.

In addition, you might want to join Gray for this useful recorded session which explores current AI writing detectors, showing why their accuracy measures are hard to understand, the tools available to disguise AI outputs, and practical suggestions for the use of AI writing detectors in education.

If you enjoyed this podcast, please share it with your colleagues and remember to like, subscribe and leave us a review. 

Visit cachealumni.org.uk to join 25,000+ members from across care, health, early years and education. Membership starts at free, and you'll gain access to our member magazine, events, resources and a member discount and benefits scheme. 

Join us this week as we chat to Dr Kathryn Murray, founder of Future Strong Education and creator of the Brain-SET Environments Formula.

In the episode, Kathryn shares how her personal experiences, combined with her research into brain development, led to the creation of the Brain-SET formula, which focuses on designing educational environments that make children feel safe and secure.

Reflecting on the principle that "a calm brain is a thinking brain", we explore how these feelings of safety directly impact brain functions like memory, communication, and decision making, and how simple adjustments, such as arranging furniture or creating small, defined spaces can enhance children's learning and wellbeing.

We also discuss the adaptability of the Brain-SET formula for children of all ages and how it translates to settings outside of the classroom. 

We'll be back with our final episode of the season on 4 September. 

Chapters

0:00- Intro

2:30-Kathryn’s interest in brain development and how Brain-SET was born

7:50-What is Brain-SET, how does it work?

15:35-Ad break

16:32-The child’s journey as they move across the classroom environment

21:45-How educators can start their journey with brain development and environment planning

24:05-The educator’s feedback on applying the Brain-SET formula

27:50-Starting with the small changes to avoid being overwhelmed

31:46-Ad break

32:05-How does the formula adapt to the needs of older children

37:47-Observing the success and trusting in your own skillset

41:45-How the Brain-SET formula translates to environments outside the classroom

44:30-The future of brain development

45:35-Final notes and signposting

New here?

You've joined us in season 6 and, if you've enjoyed this conversation, you might want to visit our episode feed and subscribe to POD-CACHE for more. New episodes are published once a fortnight and there are lots of great conversations to catch up on. 

Want to hear more from our guest?

You can learn more about Kathryn and her work by visiting her websites: 

https://futurestrongeducation.com/ 

https://brainsetformula.com/ 

You can also find Kathryn on her social media channels:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-kathryn-murray-25299314/ 

If you enjoyed this podcast, please share it with your colleagues and remember to like, subscribe and leave us a review. 

Visit cachealumni.org.uk to join 25,000+ members from across care, health, early years and education. Membership starts at free, and you'll gain access to our member magazine, events, resources and a member discount and benefits scheme. 

Join us this week as we chat to Cheryl Warren, an award-winning trainer and consultant from Aperion Training, specialising in neurodiversity in the early years. 

In the episode, Cheryl discusses her career journey and personal mission, sharing how her lived experience has shaped her professional approach. As a parent, Cheryl offers valuable insights into supporting neurodivergent children and their families, understanding the pressures they face.  

As an educator, Cheryl understands the importance of applying a neuroaffirming lens in practice, recognising that each child's needs are unique and embracing their differences. She emphasises the role of the curious educator, seeking to understand the 'why' behind every action, and having a strength-based approach that focuses on what children CAN do. 

We also explore the strategies for creating inclusive and supportive environments, including conducting environmental audits that address sensory distractions and sensitivities, and encouraging movement.

We'll be back with a whole new episode on 21 August. 

Chapters

0:00- Introduction to Cheryl and her career journey

4:35- Cheryl’s personal mission and experience with neurodivergence

7:57- Understanding different individuals’ needs and that it is a spectrum

13:50- How families and educational settings recognise the signs

18:20- Ad break

18:40- How Cheryl’s lived experience informs her professional approach  

20:35- Supporting families to navigate a world that doesn’t understand neurodivergence

24:50- Understanding that ALL brains are different

28:05- What is the neuroaffirming lens and why is it important to use it in practice

31:40- Being the curious educator and looking for the ‘why’

32:40- Letting children be their true authentic selves whilst also providing support

36:16- Practical ways of creating inclusive spaces for all children

40:46- Ad break

41:44- The sensory distractions in the environment and sensory sensitivities

44:55- What motivated Cheryl to start Aperion Training

47:05- Feedback from training

49:20- Making the environment better for everyone

51:48- Advice to anyone starting their career in education and final notes

New here?

You've joined us in season 6 and, if you've enjoyed this conversation, you might want to visit our episode feed and subscribe to POD-CACHE for more. New episodes are published once a fortnight and there are lots of great conversations to catch up on. 

Want to hear more from our guest?

You can learn more about Cheryl and her work by visiting her website: https://www.aperiontraining.co.uk/ 

You can check out Cheryl's podcast 'Not Your Typical Podcast' here: 

https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/cheryl-warren7 

You can also find Cheryl on her social media channels:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cheryl-warren-aperion-training-11568b11b/ 

If you enjoyed this podcast, please share it with your colleagues and remember to like, subscribe and leave us a review. 

Visit cachealumni.org.uk to join 25,000+ members from across care, health, early years and education. Membership starts at free, and you'll gain access to our member magazine, events, resources and a member discount and benefits scheme. 

Join us this week as we chat to Jane Maria Harding da Rosa from Enriching ELT about English language learning and teaching.

During our conversation, we learn about Jane's fascinating journey from mime and dance to her career in language education. Jane shares her research aimed at making language learning more memorable and engaging with rhythm, chanting and games and explains the nuances of teaching different groups of learners. We also discuss the crucial role of CPD and how Jane's work is supporting EAL teachers to foster their pupils' full potential.

We'll be back with a whole new episode on 7 August. 

Chapters

0:00- Introduction and career journey

5:05- How teaching in Portugal shaped Jane’s approach to teaching language

7:30- Jane’s research into rhythm and intonation

8:40- Having fun with language learning regardless of age

10:20- Ad break

11:15- Teaching English to native speakers vs. as an additional language

13:25- Referencing your first language to learn a second language

16:45- How past experiences and reason for learning affects language learning

18:42- Importance of other forms of communication

19:45- Teaching teachers vs. traditional students

22:30- How Jane’s EAL course differs to other formal qualifications

25:00- Mini ad break

25:20- How to encourage people to engage in CPD and continue learning

26:23- Triple M framework that inspired Jane’s work

30:38- Mime, dance and language

32:33- Advice for anyone entering a career in teaching language

33:50- Jane’s passion for language learning and signposting

New here?

You've joined us in season 6 and, if you've enjoyed this conversation, you might want to visit our episode feed and subscribe to POD-CACHE for more. New episodes are published once a fortnight and there are lots of great conversations to catch up on. 

Want to hear more from our guest?

Jane will be hosting a 90 minute masterclass for CACHE Alumni on 12 September 2024.  Buy your tickets, or register for your free CACHE Alumni Plus space in the CACHE Alumni Plus Portal; https://cache.learnupon.com/store/3989077-bridging-language-barriers-introduction-to-english-language-teaching-elt-90-mins-jane-maria-harding-da-rosa

You can also find Jane on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jane-maria-harding-da-rosa/ 

If you enjoyed this podcast, please share it with your colleagues and remember to like, subscribe and leave us a review. 

Visit cachealumni.org.uk to join 25,000+ members from across care, health, early years and education. Membership starts at free, and you'll gain access to our member magazine, events, resources and a member discount and benefits scheme. 

Join us this week as Dean Blewitt, NCFE's Senior Innovation and Investments Manager, chats to Charlotte Jones, Operations and Project Manager from the Greater Manchester Learning Provider Network (GMLPN) and Seamus Mannion, Chief Operating Officer of Digital Advantage.

In the episode, Charlotte and Seamus discuss their organisations' work on the Inclusive Pathways Autism Support Project, which provides tailored support to help autistic individuals navigate vocational pathways and secure employment.

Charlotte emphasises the project's approach of complementing existing services rather than duplicating them, collaborating with stakeholders like the DfE and National Autistic Society to bridge the gap between education and employment.

Seamus shares inspiring success stories, illustrating how their flexible learning environments and innovative approaches have overcome systemic challenges, providing meaningful career opportunities for the people that they work with. 

We'll be back with a whole new episode on Wednesday 24 July. 

Chapters

0:00 - Introduction 

3:05 - Primary objectives of the project 

5:35 - Seamus' role in the project 

8:05 - Challenges/barriers encountered in the project 

10:08 - What contributes to the challenges  

13:20 - Ad break 

14:20 - Overcoming obstacles, navigating different individuals' needs and success stories 

21:30 - Highlights of the project and complementing existing services 

24:25 - Best practice toolkits and how they were developed 

27:37 - Ad break  

28:35 - Best practice tips from Seamus 

31:55 - Future plans for the project 

32:55 - What needs to change in the system 

35:23 - Follow up from discussion 

New here?

You've joined us in season 6 and, if you've enjoyed this conversation, you might want to visit our episode feed and subscribe to POD-CACHE for more. New episodes are published once a fortnight and there are lots of great conversations to catch up on. 

Want to hear more from our guests?

Find GMLPN's best practice toolkits on the 'inclusive Practice' pages of the CACHE Alumni website;

You can also find the Inclusive Practice CPD training course on the CACHE Alumni Plus member portal, free for everyone.

And, as mentioned by Seamus, the Get Autism campaign website has links to everything else that you might need. 

If you enjoyed this podcast, please share it with your colleagues and remember to like, subscribe and leave us a review. 

Visit cachealumni.org.uk to join 25,000+ members from across care, health, early years and education. Membership starts at free, and you'll gain access to our member magazine, events, resources and a member discount and benefits scheme. 

Join us for this throwback episode of POD-CACHE and re-listen to Dr Diane Boyd on sustainability in education and childhood development.   

We'll be back with a whole new episode on Wednesday 10 July. 

00:00 What's Coming Up?

We also touch on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and how they can be seamlessly woven into early years education. From fostering empathy and inclusion to promoting environmental awareness, Diane shows us that it's all interconnected. She gives practical tips on how practitioners can start small and build children's natural curiosity and observations.

If you're a parent, teacher, or just someone passionate about making a difference, this episode is a treasure trove of ideas and inspiration. Diane's approach is all about collaboration, innovation, and making learning a joyful, impactful experience for learners and practitioners! 

If you enjoyed this podcast, please share it with your colleagues and remember to like, subscribe and leave us a review. 

Visit cachealumni.org.uk to join 25,500+ members from across care, health, early years and education. Membership starts at free, and you'll gain access to our member magazine, events, resources and a member discount and benefits scheme. 

Want more on this topic? 

Join us this week as we chat to Claudio Sisera from Male Childcare and Teaching Jobs 

In the episode, we discuss equality in early years employment and explore the challenges and opportunities for men working in early years and childcare roles.  

We also discuss gender inclusivity at work and the possible reasons that we still see such disparity in the numbers of men entering the early years workforce, with Froebel Trust estimating that there are fewer than 2% of the early years workforce who identify as male, and that that number is currently in decline.

What can we do about it?  Claudio has some ideas, and talks us through how Male Childcare and Teaching Jobs are working to make meaningful change.  Come in and join us as we explore the possible solutions and try to better understand how we can help. 

We'll be back with a whole new episode on Wednesday 26 June. 

Chapters

Want to hear more?

Find Male Childcare and Teaching Jobs (as well as lots of resources) on their website;

You can also find Claudio / Male Childcare and Teaching Jobs on social media: 

• X (formerly Twitter): @MaleChildcare

If you enjoyed this podcast, please share it with your colleagues and remember to like, subscribe and leave us a review. 

Visit cachealumni.org.uk to join 25,000+ members from across care, health, early years and education. Membership starts at free, and you'll gain access to our member magazine, events, resources and a member discount and benefits scheme. 

Join us this week as we chat to Sass Boucher and Kate Collier from SelfCare Psychology, an organisation dedicated to providing support for practitioners at risk of professional trauma and fatigue. 

In the episode, we explore the complex challenges faced by those working in care through the lens of SelfCare's 'Umbrella of Professional Trauma and Fatigue', and we examine the strategies for mitigating these issues by following their 'Five Pillars of Protection' framework.

We also discuss how to recognise the signs of professional trauma, practical tips for prioritising personal wellbeing, how we can contribute to creating a supportive working environment and much more...

We'll be back with a whole new episode on Wednesday 12 June. 

Chapters

Want to hear more?

SelfCare Psychology Website: www.selfcarepsychology.com

You can also find SelfCare Psychology on social media: 

• X (formerly Twitter): @SelfCarePsy

If you enjoyed this podcast, please share it with your colleagues and remember to like, subscribe and leave us a review. 

Visit cachealumni.org.uk to join 25,000+ members from across care, health, early years and education. Membership starts at free, and you'll gain access to our member magazine, events, resources and a member discount and benefits scheme. 

Join us this week as we chat to Dr Shelly Newstead, practitioner, trainer, author, editor, publisher and researcher with over 30 years of experience in the playwork field, and the creator of the PARS model of playwork practice. 

In the episode, we chat about what PARS is, how it was developed and how pracitioners can start their journey with PARS. We also discuss the importance of creating a relaxed play environment, how practitioners can navigate boundaries and freedom in play, and much more...

We'll be back with a whole new episode on Wednesday 29 May. 

Chapters

(0:00-01:35) Introduction to Shelly

(01:35-4:00) What is the PARS model?

(4:00-6:40) What made Shelly passionate about PARS

(6:40-10:05) Why it's important for children to play without adult intervention 

(10:05-17:27) Navigating boundaries vs. stepping back when adapting PARS

(17:27-18:24) Ad break

(18:24-22:12) Deciding if PARS is for you with level 1-4 PARS courses

(22:12-25:50) The crossover and differences between PARS and other approaches to play

(25:50-31:48) Measuring the approach's success

(31:48-34:20) Playwork Mirror Theory and creating a relaxed environment 

(34:20-40:05) Building in more freedom into your practice - reflexive practice and necessary 'adulteration' 

(40:05-44:25) Wearing different hats when navigating the PARS model and family life

(44:25-45:35) Ad break

(45:35-50:12) Putting on a PARS hat on when dealing with other adults

(50:12-54:00) Managing differing opinions on approaches and challenges to the PARS method

(54:00-57:45) Why the model translates so well to different settings globally

(57:45-59:05) Final notes and goodbye

Want to hear more about PARS?

Website:  https://www.parsplaywork.com/

More support and publications: https://www.commonthreads.org.uk

If you enjoyed this podcast, please share it with your colleagues and remember to like, subscribe and leave us a review. 

Visit cachealumni.org.uk to join 25,000+ members from across care, health, early years and education.  Membership starts at free, and you'll gain access to our member magazine, events, resources and a member discount and benefits scheme. 

Join us for this episode about navigating the food landscape, the relationship between food and wellbeing, and the importance of nutrition in the early years. We'll be back with a whole new episode on Wednesday 15 May. 

Louise Mercieca, a nutritional therapist and early years nutrition consultant, emphasises the intricate relationship between food and our overall wellbeing. Moving beyond simply labelling food as 'good' or 'bad', she urges a focus on how different foods affect us. Highlighting the critical impact of early years nutrition on children's long-term health, she stresses the value of educating children about the connection between food and health and engaging them in projects such as allotments and community farms. Louise also addresses the influence of the food industry and the importance of taking ownership over our food choices. 

Chapters

Want to hear more from Louise?

Website: https://www.thehealthkick.co.uk/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/louisemercieca/

If you enjoyed this podcast, please share it with your colleagues and remember to like, subscribe and leave us a review. 

Visit cachealumni.org.uk to join 25,000 members from across care, health, early years and education.  Membership starts at free, and you'll gain access to our member magazine, events, resources and a member discount and benefits scheme.