Trending In Ed with Mike Palmer

On this episode of Trending in Education, host Mike Palmer welcomes Liz Cohen, Vice President of Policy at 50CAN and author of the new book, The Future of Tutoring: Lessons from 10,000 School District Tutoring Initiatives.

We explore the massive, rapid mobilization of tutoring efforts in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated learning disruptions. We look at the key components of effective high-impact tutoring—small groups, consistent adults, and regularly scheduled in the school day—and how the strong evidence base has galvanized educators and advocates toward a unified solution. Liz shares her "constellation" metaphor, distinguishing between "bright stars" (districts deeply committed to sustained funding and implementation) and those still struggling with scale, funding, and strategy.

Beyond the academic gains, we discuss the powerful role of tutoring as a catalyst for human connection and a potential pipeline for new educators. We also debate the future scenarios for tutoring, including the role of AI tools, outcomes-based contracting for responsible spending, and how this moment of change proves the public education system is capable of renovation.

Key Takeaways:

The High-Impact Tutoring Surge: About 80% of U.S. school districts launched some form of tutoring post-pandemic, with two-thirds aiming for high-impact models: small groups, in-school, at least three times a week, and led by a consistent adult.

A Unified Solution: The convergence of a clear problem (learning disruption), evidence-based research (like the Saga program's impact on Algebra I scores), and massive federal funding created a rare moment of unity in education reform.

More Than Academics: The success of tutoring is deeply rooted in human relationships; it helps young people feel they "matter," building motivation through demonstrated competence and productive struggle in a high-support, high-standards environment.

The Future Workforce Pipeline: Tutoring roles, especially those engaging college students and young adults, are proving to be effective on-ramps into the teaching profession.

The Funding Cliffhanger: With one-time federal funding largely spent, the future depends on districts embedding tutoring into their core strategy and utilizing tools like outcomes-based contracting to ensure they only pay for measurable results.

Why You Should Listen:

If you are a district leader, educator, education advocate, or parent, this episode offers a clear-eyed view of what the most successful districts are doing to accelerate learning and how they are planning to sustain those efforts. You will gain an understanding of how to leverage research-backed practices, why buy-in from principals and teachers is critical, and the innovative ways technology can support—but not replace—the essential human element of tutoring. Liz Cohen provides the framework for turning a pandemic response into a lasting positive change for the American education system.

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Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome

01:08 Liz Cohen's Background and Professional Journey

01:59 The Evolution of Tutoring During COVID-19

04:18 The Impact of Federal Funding on Tutoring

09:03 Challenges and Successes in Implementing Tutoring Programs

11:51 The Future of Tutoring and Education

20:16 Motivation and the Science of Learning

22:53 Challenges and Choices in Education Funding

24:07 Parent Empowerment and School Strategies

24:39 State-Level Overhauls and Tutoring Initiatives

32:59 The Role of Technology in Tutoring

36:39 Outcome-Based Contracting in Education

39:11 Broader Educational Takeaways and Final Thoughts

Welcome back to Trending in Education! This week, we dive headfirst into the accelerating world of emerging technology with Gerry White, Dean of Academic Technology for ECPI University. Gerry, an English and Music major turned tech enthusiast, shares his fascinating career trajectory and the work he is doing to keep ECPI University at the forefront of the AI revolution.

We explore the current landscape of AI in higher education, noting the split between institutions that forbid its use (even reverting to blue books and oral exams) and those that are running with the technology. Gerry advocates for integrating AI responsibly, modeling its use for students, and leveraging it as a powerful tool for deeper critical thinking and better writing.

We also discuss the very real dangers of over-reliance—the "training wheels problem"—where students risk losing critical thinking skills and agency by letting the AI write for them. For Gerry, the loss of human agency is perhaps the biggest threat posed by this new technology.

Finally, we shift into the sci-fi lane as Gerry shares details about his recent science fiction novel, Edge of Control, which explores the dystopian possibilities of an integrated, unregulated Enterprise AI. We wrap up with practical advice for listeners to start experimenting with AI tools like ChatGPT and Gemini, and look ahead at the next horizon: Augmented Reality (AR) glasses that integrate with AI.

🔑 Key Takeaways:

The AI Split in Higher Ed: We note that universities are divided, with some outright forbidding AI use (favoring traditional methods) and others actively integrating it into the curriculum.

Agency is Key: The greatest danger in the age of AI is the loss of human agency and the erosion of critical thinking skills due to over-reliance on generative models.

Incorporate AI Responsibly: The best approach is to model responsible AI use by integrating it into every stage of the writing process after students start with their own thoughts and text.

Focus on the Question: The quality of the questions students ask is now far more important than the answers, as we are "drowning in a sea of answers".

What's Next: AR and AI: Beyond the current AI boom, the integration of Augmented Reality (AR) glasses with AI—bringing screens and information off our devices and onto our faces—is the next significant technological shift.

💡 Why You Should Listen:

If you are a student, educator, or simply a human trying to navigate the seismic shifts brought on by Artificial Intelligence, this episode is your essential guide. We not only share practical, immediate advice on how to leverage AI tools like ChatGPT and Gemini for personal and professional growth, but we also wrestle with the profound philosophical questions about human competence, mental health, and the future of learning. Listen to understand how to stay in charge of the technology, and to hear a real-life science fiction author discuss how the future is already here.

Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Visit us at TrendinginEd.com for more.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome

00:51 Gerry White's Career Journey

02:34 Emerging Trends in Higher Education

03:36 Incorporating AI in Education

05:30 Challenges and Risks of AI

07:29 Future of AI and Higher Education

14:07 Science Fiction and AI

16:16 Practical Advice for AI Adoption

19:41 Emerging Technologies Beyond AI

22:02 Balancing Technology and Humanity

29:27 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

On this episode of Trending in Education, host Mike Palmer sits down with Jon Deane, CEO of GreatSchools, for a deeply informed conversation about the choices—and complexities—facing modern parents. GreatSchools' mission is simple: to help every parent cut through the noise and truly understand their children's educational options. As a parent to a 6-year-old, Mike knows firsthand that the pressure to choose the right path is real, and it often doesn't get the attention it deserves.

Jon's professional journey—from accountant to school principal to philanthropy and now to leading GreatSchools—is a testament to the fact that education itself is a profoundly complex system. Now, we're asking the million-dollar question: what do parents really need to know to give their kids the best support? GreatSchools, an organization that’s been tackling this challenge for over 25 years, is here to help us unpack it.

🔑 Key Takeaways:

The School Choice Paradox: School choice isn't a future trend; it's a current reality, with some districts presenting over 100 options just for kindergarten. We explore how this proliferation of options is driven by a collective need to ensure every kid finds the "right fit".

The Problem of "Noise": Parents are bombarded by information from every corner—teachers, schools, districts, and the media—making it nearly impossible to find the essential signal in the deafening noise. GreatSchools' solution involves providing data on outcomes, programs, and robust parent reviews to create a coherent, usable picture.

Progress Over Scores: The conversation pivots away from teaching to the test. Jon explains that GreatSchools' metrics focus on academic progress—how much students are actually growing—a measure he considers as, if not more, important than pure test scores.

AI as a Personal Matchmaker: How can technology address the reality that every child is wildly different? We look at how GreatSchools is using AI to gather more descriptive data and refine a search to find the perfect fit for "Mike Palmer and your 6-year-old," moving beyond generic recommendations.

Learning Beyond the Building: The future of educational support lies outside the classroom. Jon unveils GreatSchools’ next strategic horizon: integrating information about learning opportunities like public library programs and coding classes to help parents create a comprehensive, ongoing learning narrative for their families.

💡 Why You Should Listen:

If you've ever felt like you're treading water trying to make sense of school data, this episode is essential listening. We uncover the critical work GreatSchools is doing to transform information—and even new trends like micro-schools and AI —into curated, actionable guidance.

We discuss the ethical use of data, why transparency and explainable AI are non-negotiable in this space , and how school leaders can actively "claim" and own their school's narrative on the platform. Jon also provides vital advice for parents: get to know your child’s needs, ask the right questions, and use data to ask for the options that might not be right down the street.

Find more transparent resources and make sense of your options at GreatSchools.org.

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00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome

01:05 Jon Deane's Professional Journey

02:33 Great Schools: Mission and Impact

04:07 Navigating School Choices

07:13 Data and Reviews in Education

13:23 AI and Future of Education

15:39 Engaging with Parents and Schools

27:32 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

The global landscape of education and work is changing at a pace that requires an entirely new approach to measurement. Trending in Education host Mike Palmer welcomes Amit Sevak, CEO of ETS (Educational Testing Service), the organization responsible for millions of assessments worldwide, to discuss the high-stakes transformation of how we identify talent.

We explore how the trillion-dollar education sector is struggling to measure outcomes and why reliable data is essential to driving progress. Amit details the foundational work ETS is doing across K-12, higher education, and the workforce to shift the focus from traditional testing to competency-based learning and work-ready skills. We dive deep into the urgency of establishing an AI literacy framework and how technology is powering a new era of "test-less" performance assessments.

Why You Should Listen Now:

The War for AI Talent: Amit explains why the lack of a common AI literacy framework is a strategic challenge for the U.S. and how other nations are already standardizing AI education for young children.

The Crisis of Underemployment: We break down the alarming statistics showing high unemployment and underemployment for new college graduates, highlighting the massive societal and economic pressure to measure job-relevant skills.

The Future of Measurement: We get an inside look at how ETS is using AI, data science, and neuroscience to create innovative, personalized assessments that track complex skills like collaboration and communication—moving beyond the multiple-choice bubble sheet.

3 Key Takeaways from Our Conversation:

AI Literacy is a New Language: We must introduce the fundamentals of AI to pre-elementary and elementary students to hardwire it as a first language, similar to English or Spanish.

Data is the "New Oil": ETS produces over 5 billion data points annually, representing an amazing opportunity to reimagine products and drive social value through technology.

The Two-by-Two of Transformation: The future of assessment is moving to measure both emerging skills (like AI and durable skills) and using innovative measurement methods (like performance and AI-enabled assessments).

Join us to understand how better measurement is the key to unlocking human potential globally.

Like what you hear? Please like, follow, and subscribe to Trending in Education wherever you get your podcasts. It helps us get the word out!

00:00 Introduction and Welcome

01:13 Amit Sevak's Origin Story

03:28 Joining ETS and the Importance of Measurement

05:47 ETS's Role in Education and Assessment

11:35 Innovations in Testing and AI Integration

12:43 Global Trends and Workforce Development

16:32 The Future of AI Literacy and Skills Measurement

28:31 Global Perspectives on Education and Leadership

34:30 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

On this episode of Trending in Education, Mike Palmer welcomes author Scott R. Levy to discuss his new book, Why School Boards Matter: Reclaiming the Heart of American Education and Democracy. Scott shares his journey from Wall Street to serving on his local school board in 2015, driven by the unintended negative consequences he observed from federal programs like Race to the Top.

We dive into how school boards transitioned from being a "quiet part" of civic society to a focal point of public consciousness during the COVID years and following George Floyd, dealing with intense issues from school reopening to DEI and curriculum. Scott draws parallels between corporate and educational governance, noting that while corporate boards are studied and considered central to organizational success, school boards have historically been overlooked or even suggested for abolition despite their vital role.

Scott argues that school boards are the true front lines of democracy, operating with a level of public engagement and accountability—through open meetings and public comment periods—that other levels of government often lack. We explore the political dynamic of power shifting away from local school boards to state and federal governments across both red and blue states, leading to a loss of the crucial local control element. Scott advocates for a balanced approach, emphasizing that local control allows for the necessary nuance to address unique community issues, foster civil discourse, and serve as a buffer against potentially authoritarian or ill-fitting laws from above.

We wrap up by outlining ways to strengthen school boards, stressing the importance of high voter turnout in local elections and the need for members to adopt a thoughtful governance partner role—avoiding both micromanagement and being a "rubber stamp" for the administration.

Key Takeaways:

School Boards as the Democratic Core: School boards are a unique and essential layer of American democracy, operating in the open with mandated public comment, which forces direct engagement and local accountability unlike other governing bodies.

The Power of Local Control: Despite a uniform, bipartisan trend to shift power to the state level, local control is necessary for districts to tailor solutions to their unique challenges (like academic outcomes, mental health, or absenteeism) and for "island districts" (e.g., Austin, Texas, or conservative towns in liberal states) to manifest their values.

Essential School Board Member Skills: Effective board members must take a big picture view, act as a thoughtful governance partner for the district (not a micromanager or a rubber stamp), and, crucially, listen carefully to their constituents before making decisions for the overall community.

If you've ever felt disconnected from national or state politics, this conversation offers a powerful reminder that your voice matters most at the local level. We present a strong, affirmative case for the importance of school boards, an often-overlooked institution that shapes the education of over 50 million students and serves as a vital model for civil discourse in our fractured society. Tune in to understand why engaging in school board elections and meetings is a direct way to strengthen public education and make our democracy healthier.

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00:00 Introduction Scott's Background

In this special episode of Trending in Ed, host Mike Palmer is LIVE! at Google's Headquarters in Chicago for Collegis Education's DisruptED event, providing highlights from six in-depth interviews with nine leaders in higher ed, technology, data, market analysis, and research.

We begin by hearing from Kim Fahey, the CEO of Collegis, who provides some framing about the role her team plays providing managed services to schools trying to leverage technology, data and innovation in new and relevant ways. Kim kicks things off and helps frame the context and the conversations that follow.

Then Mike interviews Charles Elliott from Google and Matt Lachey from Collegis about how Google's AI capabilities can transform higher ed delivery, rethinking textbooks, providing real-time translation, and reimagining what AI-powered learning might look like.

From there, we catch up with Casey Evans and Amanda Gulley from EdPlus at ASU about the genuinely disruptive work Michael Crow and team are continuing to do at scale and what can be learned from their example.

Phil Hill is a Higher Ed Blogger, Speaker, and Market Analyst, who joins Mike to share his unique takes on the current state of the higher ed market, the unique opportunities of this turbulent moment, and the profound impact and potential of AI on the space. Don't miss it!

Dan Antonson heads up data engineering for Collegis and shares his insights and takes on how to get higher ed caught up and ready from a systems abd data perspective so that higher ed leaders can truly leverage the transformative capabilities that are emerging with AI and more.

And then we conclude by exploring new research on Retention with Jim Fong and Tracy Chapman as we wrap up an incredible "lightning round" on the future of education from an intense and productive Fall day in Chicago.

Thanks to Alyssa Miller, Wes Catlett-Miller and the teams at Collegis and Google for helping make this episode a reality. Be on the lookout for the full interviews in upcoming episodes of Trending in Ed and as we light up the new Trending in Higher Ed feed in coming months.

Subscribe to Trending in Ed wherever you get your podcast. Rate and review us and spread the word so we can continue to dive into what's new and emerging from the world of education.

00:00 Mike's Introduction

01:37 Kim Fahey

05:03 Charles Elliott and Matt Lachey

09:36 Casey Evans and Amanda Gulley

14:04 Phil Hill

18:54 Dan Antonson

23:04 Tracy Chapman and Jim Fong

In K-12 education, the urgency of children's needs often eclipses strategic thought, resulting in constant reaction and a "whack-a-mole" approach to problems. We talk with co-authors Elizabeth "Liz" City and Rachel Curtis about their new book, Leading Strategically: Achieving Ambitious Goals in Education, which offers a practical, accessible framework for leaders at all levels—from teachers to superintendents—to shift from constant doing to intentional, effective action.

Liz City, a Senior Lecturer at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and Rachel Curtis, a consultant with deep experience in the Boston Public Schools, draw on their decades of work to move beyond the traditional "strategic plan" that often falls flat. We explore their five-part framework that helps leaders navigate the complex emotional, intellectual, and human-interaction challenges of their daily work. This framework emphasizes that effective leadership is developmental, not something people are simply born with, and provides the tools for all educators to grow their strategic capacity.

We dive into the importance of anchoring in purpose, making deliberate choices, and cultivating a culture of learning. We discuss why taking a pause and prioritizing listening are among the most strategic actions a leader can take, especially in the face of challenges like polarization and emerging technologies such as AI.

Key Takeaways:

The Five Elements of Strategic Leadership: We break down the framework's components:

Discern: Getting crystal clear on your purpose, what success looks like, and the root cause of a problem to avoid tackling mere symptoms.

Relationships: Cultivating care and humanity between one another while intentionally connecting cross-functional elements of work that are often siloed in school systems.

Understand Context and History: Being mindful of what is happening both inside and outside the organization, and acknowledging past initiatives and current capacities before moving forward.

Harness Power: Recognizing that power is always flowing and learning to leverage both formal and informal authority in service of the greater good.

Think Big, Act Small, Learn Fast: Using purpose as an anchor, breaking strategies into manageable pieces, and building a mechanism for learning from both anticipated and surprising outcomes.

Moving Past "Leaders are Born": We encourage a shift in mindset, acknowledging that leadership is a skill that is developmental, and we can all get better at it.

Strategy vs. Plan: We distinguish between an actual strategy—a focused choice on what to do—and an overstuffed strategic plan that doesn't actually guide daily work.

The Joy of Leadership: Despite the difficulty, K-12 leadership is deeply meaningful and joyful work, a narrative that we must not lose sight of.

Why You Should Listen:

If you are an educator who feels overwhelmed by the day-to-day demands of your role, this conversation provides an actionable framework to step back, discern root causes, and lead with intentionality. We offer concrete tactics for dealing with uncertainty, building the capacity of your team, and making your work more effective and resilient—all of which are essential in the current K-12 environment. Moreover, we help you understand how to cultivate a powerful learning culture for adults, which directly impacts the success of students.

Subscribe and Learn

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We are thrilled to welcome a fellow podcaster and longtime education journalist, Jeff Young, to the show. Many know Jeff's work from his time hosting the weekly EdSurge Podcast, where he was a consistent voice covering the intersection of technology and learning. Now, Jeff is out on his own and has launched a new project to tackle the biggest story in education: AI and the fundamental questions it raises about what it means to learn.

Jeff and Mike dive into his extensive background—from his early days at The Chronicle of Higher Education covering the dawn of the internet on college campuses to his time building EdSurge's higher ed coverage and producing over 300 episodes of the EdSurge podcast. We explore how that history prepared him for this current moment, where AI feels different and more "existential" than previous tech disruptions like MOOCs.

Jeff's new podcast, Learning Curve (LearningCurve.fm) is his attempt to cut through the hype and inform a critical conversation about how education adapts to AI and what kinds of learning need protecting in the "AI gold rush". We discuss the frameworks and mental models needed to navigate this new "agentic era", focusing on both the critical questions and the potential for a positive upside.

AI is an "Internet-Level Disruption" with Existential Questions: Unlike previous trends like MOOCs, which questioned the delivery of education, AI forces us to ask deep questions about the value of college, how to prove student knowledge, and the very nature of learning when generative AI can perform tasks once thought to be uniquely human.

Reframing the AI Role: We need to critically examine the narratives around AI in education, such as the idea of an "AI tutor". Jeff questions if AI's capabilities—like providing content or getting students unstuck—are truly "tutoring" or something valuable but distinctly non-human, and whether labeling it as a tutor risks pushing out high-value human interaction.

The Power of "Hybrid Intelligence": A key mental model for navigating this time is hybrid intelligence, which focuses on harnessing the power of Large Language Models (LLMs) and blending it with what makes us human, extending our brains and expressing our human capabilities to the best.

Seeking Killer Apps Beyond the Classroom: Jeff is actively looking for high-impact use cases for AI in higher education outside of cheating and basic classroom functions. A promising area is college advising, where AI can quickly handle the bureaucracy and information lookup, freeing up human advisors for more high-value, personal connection time that is crucial for student success.

Student Involvement in Adoption is Key: Universities like Babson College are smartly involving students—who are highly motivated to understand AI due to its impact on entry-level jobs—in the strategy for campus-wide AI adoption. This approach aligns with the growing truism that "AI won't take your job; somebody who doesn't know AI's job will".

This is a vital, grounded conversation that moves past the hype and dystopian fears to help you build a constructive framework for thinking about the future of learning.

Get a historical perspective on the wave of technology hitting education from one of the industry's most respected journalists.

Learn the essential questions about human skills, cognitive models, and what learning needs protecting in this new era.

Gain a balanced view of AI's potential, from how it can change college bureaucracy to its power to augment human capabilities.

Find more of Jeff's work at LearningCurve.fm or wherever you listen to podcasts.

If you like what you hear, subscribe to Trending in Education wherever you get your podcasts so you never miss a critical conversation like this one.

Mike Palmer welcomes back Friend of the Show, AJ Gutierrez, the pioneering co-founder of Saga Education, now CEO of Equal Opportunity Schools (EOS).

AJ shares his transition from direct service to a focus on systemic change, detailing the crucial, often overlooked, mission of EOS: identifying and accelerating equitable opportunity for high-potential students. Historically, education equity conversations focus on raising students to grade level; EOS tackles the issue of "stranded brilliance" by finding students—disproportionately Black and Brown students experiencing poverty—who are ready for advanced coursework but are being overlooked. AJ cites compelling research from Mathematica demonstrating that students placed in AP classes through the EOS process perform just as well as control groups, confirming they were ready all along.

The conversation pivots to the broader K-12 landscape, touching on threats to federal data infrastructure (e.g., IES, NSF funding) and the role of AI. AJ stresses that while technology is a powerful tool for decision support, summarization, and translation (like with IEPs), it's not a silver bullet. He outlines his vision for the "next derivative" of EOS—leveraging their extensive student and teacher survey data (300,000 students surveyed annually) to act as a crucial data backbone for districts. This involves connecting district leaders with high-leverage information to evaluate the return on investment across specific initiatives (e.g., STEM, absenteeism) and empowering families with simple, accessible data to shape their children's educational trajectories.

Key Takeaways:

Addressing "Stranded Brilliance": Equal Opportunity Schools (EOS) focuses on finding and placing high-potential students who are overlooked into advanced coursework, a crucial and effective pathway for systemic equity.

Data Backbone for Districts: The next phase of EOS involves using its large survey dataset to serve as a central source of strategic data for district leaders, connecting initiatives, vendors, and outcomes.

AI as Decision Support: Generative AI's greatest educational utility lies in summarizing complex data and translating information (like IEPs) for better family accessibility, not in replacing human decision-making.

The Power of Policy & Practice: True systems change requires demonstrating successful practice (like high-impact tutoring) to inspire policy shifts and empower districts to sustain effective models locally.

Why You Should Listen:

If you are concerned about educational equity, the integrity of educational data, or how district leaders can make smarter investment decisions with limited resources, this episode is a must-listen. AJ offers an optimistic and evidence-based perspective on how to leverage data to shake up the status quo, ensuring that every student who is ready for advanced opportunity gets the chance to pursue it.

Subscribe to Trending in Ed wherever you get your podcasts so you never miss a conversation like this one!

Welcome to an inspiring conversation on the future of learning with Michael Ioffe, founder of Arist, a company doing really interesting work in education. Michael is a Forbes 30 under 30 and a Thiel fellow. Michael joins host Mike Palmer to share his journey, beginning with his early obsession with education, influenced by his parents who were refugees. His experiences, including scaling free live conversations with entrepreneurs to 500 cities in 50 countries by age 18, led to a critical insight in a war zone in Yemen: the best way to deliver learning where educational resources and internet access are limited is via text message. This led to building Arist, which focuses on meeting people where they are and making learning conversational and digestible.

We explore how constraints drive innovation and how Arist was ahead of the curve, foreseeing that most workplace communication would shift to messaging tools and leveraging the power of early AI models like GPT-3. We discuss how being text-based puts Arist at the native environment of LLMs and how conciseness forces clarity in learning design. Michael explains that Arist courses are not "micro learning" in a way that suggests they are less significant, but are intentionally designed to chunk information into bite-sized, conversational, and practice-oriented pieces.

We also cover the importance of making instruction feel human, using custom data and custom workflows to ensure content is reliable, and how Arist enables rapid upskilling in the flow of work for enterprises. For example, a client with 30,000 employees was able to push out content on AI and data literacy immediately using Arist, compared to the six months it would have taken with existing tools.

The conversation culminates in a discussion about the shift from focusing on skills to focusing on outcomes, and why agency is the single most important human skill in the age of AI. Michael shares that the role of the teacher is evolving from knowledge-provider to curator, facilitator, and mentor, helping students define their ambitious outcomes. The limit in the age of exponentially better AI models is no longer the model, but our own ability to ask better, smarter, and more interesting questions.

Key Takeaways

Learning in the Flow of Work: Learning should meet people where they are, making it digestible and conversational, often via messaging tools.

The Power of Constraints: Challenges, such as a lack of internet access in a war zone, can drive innovations like text message courses, which then prove widely relevant.

AI and Frictionless Learning: Leveraging AI to create content delivered through messaging makes learning completely frictionless for both the creator and the end-user.

Focus on Outcomes Over Skills: The future of education needs to shift its focus from building and measuring skills to achieving specific, desired outcomes, with AI accelerating the path to those outcomes.

Agency is the Core Skill: The number one skill that matters with AI is human agency—the ability to figure out the outcome you care about and what you need to do to accomplish it.

New Role for Educators: Teachers and leaders shift to curators, facilitators, and mentors who help students define ambitious goals and push them to achieve more than they thought possible.

If you're interested in how disruptive technology like AI is reshaping corporate learning, instructional design, and career readiness, this episode offers a forward-thinking perspective. We break down the evolution of learning delivery and why focusing on human agency is key to thriving in the future of work.

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