Best School Education Podcasts (2024)

1
Soft and Squishy Robots in the Classroom, with Dr. Holly Golecki 48:22

1y ago48:22

48:22

Modern robotics can interact with the human body in newer, innovative ways, using flexible materials and compliant actuators. Dr. Holly Golecki, Ph.D., wants to teach young people all about it, recently sharing her team’s K-12 curriculum in soft robotics in The Science Teachermagazine. A professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, …

1
Engineering Meat Cruelty-Free, with Dr. Katie Kam 28:19

2y ago28:19

28:19

Cultivated meat has the potential to disrupt the meat industry, and engineer Dr. Katie Kam joins the podcast to talk about it. Katie founded BioBQ, her startup that’s developing cultivated beef brisket. She explains how cultivated meat – also known as “cultured meat” or “lab meat” – is real meat that avoids animal slaughter by being grown in a bior…

1
Solve Real Problems and Win Real Prizes, with Autumn and George Dowdy and Ann Woo 56:46

2+ y ago56:46

56:46

The Solve for Tomorrow design competition from Samsung is starting up again, and three guests join the podcast to explain how it works, and why schools and businesses should invest in K-12 STEM education. George Dowdy led his students at Porter High School to win the most recent competition, while Autumn Dowdy led her students at the same school to…

1
Four-Day School Weeks Are Coming Faster Than We Thought: What Do You Need to Know in Advance? 19:29

2+ y ago19:29

19:29

The four-day school week is not known, but the speed at which schools are adopting the model is breathtaking. Largely driven by the difficulty in attracting and retaining teachers, school districts are making the leap at increasingly rapid rates. In this episode we ask, what do teachers and school leaders need to consider ahead of time to be prepar…

1
Teaching Coding to the Community with a Small Business, with Amy Pirzada 39:26

2+ y ago39:26

39:26

Amy Pirzada started My Coding Place as an educational business focused on teaching coding to kids in Austin. But she soon expanded to teach chess, game design, 3D modeling, 3D printing, and more technical topics in problem-solving to wider audiences. She talks about the mission of her entrepreneurial business, how to teach kids programming effectiv…

1
Two Teachers, a Lawyer and a Couple of Talk Show Hosts Walk Into a Bar, the Conversation Was... 31:19

2+ y ago31:19

31:19

We invited the authors of three books written to teach us how to talk with people we disagree with on just about everything. Each shared with us their framework for navigating difficult discussions with difficult people in school, at work, and in life. This episode is the first in a series aimed and learning how to talk about those sensitive social…

1
When Student Behavior Disrupts Learning, and You’ve Done All You Know How to Do, Consider This…. 11:52

2+ y ago11:52

11:52

Across the nation, at all levels, educators are reporting a rise in troublesome student behaviors. The list of causes is wide and deep, but the first professionals expected to manage student behavior are classroom teachers. This episode takes an unvarnished look at the new genre of student behavior challenges and how some educators are handling the…

1
The Physics Circus Teaches Science, with Joseph Ziegel 29:28

2+ y ago29:28

29:28

The Physics Circus at The University of Texas at Austin tries to attract kids to science using loud and entertaining demonstrations that might not be as accessible to the average school. Led by graduate students doing the latest in physics research, The Physics Circus is getting back into live shows again. Joseph Ziegel is one of the coordinators o…

1
How Teachers Are Managing the Rapid Stream of Small (and Big) Decisions We Make Daily 13:38

2+ y ago13:38

13:38

In this episode, we pause to examine the seemingly endless minor and high-stakes decisions that we need to make in our classrooms every day. Listen in as we identify ways to manage the decision fatigue that some feel. Follow on Twitter: @katyfarber @Non_Toxic_Kids @dubioseducator @drchriscip @Jonharper70bd @bamradionetwork Dr. Katy Farber is a clas…

1
Navigating Sensitive Cultural, Social and Civc Discussions 101: Identify the Right People 17:12

3y ago17:12

17:12

There’s so much we urgently need to talk about, mask mandates, transgender issues, race relations, growing incivility, threats to our democracy, but so little we can safely discuss in mixed company. Increasingly, what starts out as a cordial and benign conversation can get weird quickly. In this second episode, we talk about why the way we often ma…

1
The Science Journal for Kids, with Tanya Dimitrova 48:58

3y ago48:58

48:58

Do scientific research articles sometimes sound like another language? To K-12 students, very often it’s yes. Tanya Dimitrova tried to help solve this problem by founding the Scientific Journal for Kids, where her team of writers, designers, and teachers translates articles from scientific research journals into more kid-friendly language. Tanya ta…

1
Sustaining Emotional Energy and Resilience During an Extremely Tough School Year: What Works, What Doesn’t? 11:06

3y ago11:06

11:06

As we all push through another exceptionally challenging school year, we pause to talk about proven ways to sustain our emotional energy and resilience. Join us as we separate what works from what doesn’t. Follow on Twitter: @brightmorningtm @a_rebora @ascd @ILascd @MASCD @iowaASCD @TXASCD @ASCDConf @scASCD @bamradionetwork @jonharper70bd Elena Agu…

1
Compliant Students or Passionately Motivated Students: Which Are You Seeing Most in Your Classroom This Year and Why? 13:23

3y ago13:23

13:23

Many, maybe even most, students see school as a grade game. "What do I have to do to get an A?" Many of us have been driven to see teaching as a compliance game. "What do I have to do to get my students to meet the course requirements?" In this episode, we talk about practical strategies we can use to change the game of school (at the classroom lev…

1
Design Biomolecular Circuits, with Dr. Xiaojing Gao 27:53

3y ago27:53

27:53

What is synthetic biology? Researcher and professor Dr. Xiaojing Gao introduces this cutting edge field. He explains how his lab at Stanford University engineers biomolecular circuits, which are meant to be programmable, reproducible, and friendlier to mammalian cells than non-biological molecules. Xiaojing hopes to create the building blocks of th…

1
A Video Game for Designing Robots, with Dan White 51:40

3y ago51:40

51:40

Learning in robotics doesn’t have to take weeks, if you can design, build, and test a robot in hours in a video game. Dan White, CEO of Filament Games, introduces RoboCo, their game meant to teach principles of robotics to players, from the mechanical design all the way to testing in the 3D world. Dan discusses cofounding Filament Games with partne…

1
Spoiler Alert: The Most Valuable 21st-Century Skill We Needed To Teach and Learn Is Not What We Expected 11:27

3y ago11:27

11:27

Remember when we were consumed with teaching the skills that would be needed in the future? Well, what 21st-Century skill is more valuable than the ability to talk constructively about the brave new world we're all trying to figure out and navigate daily? Join us as we travel the globe looking for people who can teach us how to discuss the things t…

1
Why Ignoring Learning Recovery Is a Privilege Many Students and Teachers Don't Have 26:01

3y ago26:01

26:01

We are still searching for an "acceptable" phrase to define what teachers around the world are doing this school term. Many are avoiding the term "learning recovery" like a carton of milk past the expiration date. In this episode, we found out why ignoring, dismissing, or simply overlooking learning recovery is a privilege that many students and te…

1
Protecting Our Freedom to Teach What We Know Is Best for Students 3:24

3y ago3:24

3:24

In this premier episode, we consider the riveting story of a teacher who is committed to doing the right thing, teaching the right things, and serving his students’ best interests. So why is he out of work, and why should his story matter to you? Follow our PLN on Twitter: @RitaWirtz @jonHarper70bd @bamradionetwork @JorgeDoesPBL @ideasforteacher @m…

1
‘Assessments Don’t Have to Suck’ – 3 Ways We Can Make Teaching and Learning More Relevant, Riveting and Fun 16:01

3y ago16:01

16:01

Eavesdrop on a delightfully down-to-earth, insightful, and inspiring discussion with the head of ISTE about the exciting opportunities we have sitting in our laps and what we can do to make the most of the moment. Follow on Twitter: @ISTE @mrhooker @RCulatta @cmurcray @jonHarper70bd @bamradionetwork Get the Book: Digital for Good Richard E. Culatta…

1
Reach Youth by Listening to Them, with Scott Steward 1:17:31

3y ago1:17:31

1:17:31

Chicago educator and entrepreneur Scott Steward breaks down his teaching philosophy, rooted in getting to know his students. Steward founded Genius Lab in Chicago, where he teaches young people technology, business, and how to become an adult. He honed his curriculum from teaching in Chicago Public Schools classrooms for fifteen years in largely bl…

1
Ignore the ‘Learning Recovery’ Label, Close Your Classroom Door, Do What’s Best for Kids 13:37

3y ago13:37

13:37

We don’t like the term “learning loss,” and we see learning recovery as a pig with lipstick. But we know learning recovery mandates are coming our way. In this premiere episode of We Just Want to Teach, we begin our search for practical strategies for teaching a classroom full of students with widely different subject knowledge and unique emotional…

1
SPECIAL REPORT: Safe Spaces In Schools, How to Create Them, Why They Matter More Now 16:38

3y ago16:38

16:38

ISTE REWIND: In this special edition of Learning Unleashed, we air a panel discussion about the need for safe spaces and places in schools, why the pandemic has made these spaces even more important, and how to create them. Follow on Twitter: @Mx_Collins @ISTE @mrhooker @Packwoman208 @juliaerin80 @JorgeDoesPBL @sarahdateechur @cmurcray @jonHarper70…

1
Robotics Competitions after 2021, with Dan Mantz 37:29

3+ y ago37:29

37:29

The Robotics Education and Competition (REC) Foundation has been running robotics programs for youth for years, including the widespread global competitions sponsored by VEX Robotics. Dan Mantz is the CEO of the REC Foundation, leading this nonprofit through the pandemic, after previously working in industrial engineering and robotics for over twen…

1
Teach This, Not That: How Will You Tell Your Students That Including Their Point of View Is Now Against the Law? 11:44

3+ y ago11:44

11:44

Can we teach critical thinking while omitting obvious facts, and self-evident truths? How will you relate to students whose perspectives are no longer allowed in your classroom? How do you plan to teach, now that legislation around the nation is converting your classroom into a flashpoint in the culture wars? Follow on Twitter: @MsSackstein @tomwhi…

1
SPECIAL REPORT: Sliver Linings in the Pandemic, Myths Shattered, and Inspiration for the Next School Year 43:05

3+ y ago43:05

43:05

ISTE REWIND: In this special edition of Learning Unleashed, we air a panel discussion about the silver linings our guests found in the pandemic, the new possibilities they discovered, the myths and misconceptions that were shattered during pandemic teaching, and reasons to be excited and inspired about the school year ahead. Follow on Twitter: @rde…

1
Teach Harder Math and Problem-Solving, with Richard Rusczyk 59:35

3+ y ago59:35

59:35

Math is fundamental to engineering education and other disciplines. That’s part of why Richard Rusczyk wants to teach kids harder math than they often see in school. As the CEO of Art of Problem Solving, he wants to challenge more young people mathematically, hopefully giving them an earlier chance to achieve math mastery. He talks about national m…

1
Teach 3D Printing, with David Seto and Michael Welch 49:38

3+ y ago49:38

49:38

Kids can learn CAD for 3D printing, but teaching it doesn’t have to be a hassle. David Seto and Michael Welch wrote a set of books to make teaching and learning the subject easier. They based it on their own experiences with 3D printing, learning it as beginners, coming from finance and mobile games industries, and then teaching CAD for 3D printing…

1
We Made It Through the School Year! Take a Bow: Now It’s Time to Reevaluate Everything 18:03

3+ y ago18:03

18:03

This school year is largely in the rearview mirror and many of us are exhausted. But after you've had some rest, you'll want to listen to this special episode on reevaluating everything we thought about teaching and technology before the pandemic. (Get the book) Follow on Twitter: @ISTE @mrhooker @possbeth @KarenJan @mmatp @attipscast @cmurcray @ba…

1
Trans Engineers You Should Know, with Dr. Ada-Rhodes Short 39:09

3+ y ago39:09

39:09

Mechanical engineer Dr. Ada-Rhodes Short studies robot brains, having previously worked in industry and academia for commercial toy companies, NASA, Texas A&M, and more. She also advocates for diversity and inclusion in education and STEM for trans people, including her time founding the Sexual Identity Forum at Baylor University. Dr. Short talks a…

1
Aiming for Equity in K-12 Computer Science, with Rosemary Kamei 35:39

3+ y ago35:39

35:39

The Silicon Valley Education Foundation (SVEF) is a nonprofit running several programs in K-12 STEM education, including its Computer Science Institute for middle and high school teachers. Rosemary Kamei is the Chief Development and Innovation Officer of SVEF, and she talks about why SVEF piloted its CS Institute a few years ago and how it has been…

1
Strategies for Testing and Grading Students at the End of This Exceptionally Challenging School Year 11:04

3+ y ago11:04

11:04

We're finding that the pandemic is impacting students in ways that require us to rethink how we grade them. Join us as we share the various ways we are adapting our thinking and grading as we close out this unusual school year. Follow on Twitter: @ideasforteacher @peter_santoro @MrHabegger @DrBioTom @jonHarper70bd @jonbergmann @bamradionetwork Jake…

1
Avoiding Equity Traps: If You’re Uncomfortable You’re Probably on the Right Track 8:17

3+ y ago8:17

8:17

Join us for a candid discussion about the traps, tropes, and pitfalls we often encounter as we work to support equity and inclusion in our schools. In this episode, we discuss why the successful journey to equity starts with awareness and includes inescapable discomfort. Follow on Twitter: @jamiladugan @ASCD @a_rebora @bamradionetwork @jonHarper70b…

1
What We Learned About Teaching from the Derek Chauvin Verdict 10:45

3+ y ago10:45

10:45

The Derek Chauvin verdict was announced right before #edchat was set to begin, so we switched topics. That’s how this group of educators found ourselves in the middle of a raw, real, and relevant discussion, as the world was reacting in real-time. Follow on Twitter: @Oldbay84 @MsSackstein @tomwhitby @sgthomas1973 @HarveyAlvy1 @ShiftParadigm @bamrad…

1
Using the Pandemic to Teach Math, Coding, and Problem Solving Skills 13:20

3+ y ago13:20

13:20

Our guests believe that we need to make math, coding, and problems solving skills relevant to their everyday lives of our students. How can we convince students, parents, and ourselves that the pandemic is a good opportunity to teach these skills? Follow on Twitter: @ISTE @mrhooker @NicolRHoward @keithehoward @jonHarper70bd @Mx_Collins @bamradionet…

1
CAD in a Web Browser, with Amanda Hough 34:15

3+ y ago34:15

34:15

The pandemic has spurred teachers like Amanda Hough to teach CAD remotely, but how do you do that if students don’t have the hardware to run resource-heavy CAD software? Amanda uses cloud-based CAD platform OnShape, and her students run it in a web browser, no installs needed. She talks about her experience switching over to OnShape this year, its …

1
Strategies for Testing and Grading Students at the End of This Exceptionally Challenging School Year 14:52

3+ y ago14:52

14:52

We’re finding that the pandemic is impacting students in ways that require us to rethink how we grade them. Join us as we share the various ways we are adapting our thinking and grading as we close out this unusual school year. Follow on Twitter: @ideasforteacher @peter_santoro @MrHabegger @DrBioTom @jonHarper70bd @jonbergmann @bamradionetwork Jake…

1
Preparing for the Increasing Types of SEL Issues Students Are Bringing to Class 7:54

3+ y ago7:54

7:54

How can we prepare to help students with the increasing volume and types of SEL issues they are bringing to class? Join us for a discussion about when, where, and how to get started. Follow on Twitter: @JorgeDoesPBL @ISTE @mrhooker @jonHarper70bd @Mx_Collins @bamradionetwork #ISTE20 #ISTEturns40 #edchat #edtech #edtechchat Jorge Valenzuela (@JorgeD…

1
How Some Teachers Are Getting Higher Student Engagement in the Midst of the Pandemic 10:18

3+ y ago10:18

10:18

Even as many of us wrestle with the myriad frustrations of remote and hybrid teaching, some teachers are experiencing exceptional levels of student engagement. In this episode, we talk about some strategies and tools that are getting and keeping students’ attention during the pandemic. Follow: @JaimeDonally @ISTE @mrhooker @jonHarper70bd @bamradion…

1
What Can We Do Now to End This Extraordinary School Year Well and Prepare for the Next? 9:51

3+ y ago9:51

9:51

As we move through spring break, we begin looking ahead to the end of the school year. Join us as we consider how to end this extraordinary year well and prepare for whatever the coming school year will bring? Follow on Twitter: @ASCD @a_rebora @mattrkay @bamradionetwork @jonHarper70bd Matthew Kay is a founding English teacher at Science Leadership…

1
Better K-12 Engineering Post-COVID, with Dr. Corey Hall 45:49

3+ y ago45:49

45:49

STEM curriculum specialist Dr. Corey Hall shares tips and resources for teaching engineering effectively at the K-12 level in 2021, both during and beyond COVID. Corey recommends teaching strategies and products based on her 24 years of experience in education, as a school librarian, middle school teacher, professor, and online teacher. She discuss…

1
How We Became More Effective Teachers By Asking Other Educators for Help 10:34

3+ y ago10:34

10:34

We’ve become more effective teachers by leaving isolation behind. Support when we’re struggling, professional development, improved well-being, and inspiration to do better are among the benefits of reaching out to other teachers for help. In this episode, we discuss specific ways to find and reach out to other educators. Follow on Twitter: @ESL_fa…

1
Bouncing Back When Teaching to a Screen Reaches a Tipping Point 12:07

3+ y ago12:07

12:07

In this episode, we look at why pandemic learning and typical teaching burnout are very different. More importantly, what are we doing about it? Follow on Twitter: @jonbergmann @burnedinteacher @ideasforteacher @bamradionetwork @jonHarper70bd #edchat #flipclass #teachers SsRPeAmFlCr Michele S. Gorman is the founder and principal of the Richland Sch…

1
The Four Types of Support We Need to Finish This School Year Well… 13:14

3+ y ago13:14

13:14

We are dedicated, committed teachers, but how do we deal with the elements of pandemic teaching and learning that seem beyond our control. The consensus is that there are four types of support that can allow us to finish the school year well. Follow on Twitter: @ideasforteacher @peter_santoro @MrHabegger @DrBioTom @jonHarper70bd @jonbergmann @bamra…

1
Time to Hit the Pause Button and Take Care of Ourselves 12:49

3+ y ago12:49

12:49

As school leaders, we often consider busyness a badge of honor — until we hit the wall. Our guest says, “There were days I felt so low that if I didn’t do something I don’t know what could have happened.” In this episode, we talk about knowing when to hit the pause button and take care of ourselves. Follow on Twitter: @Dwight_Carter @gustafsonbrad …

1
How to Change the Education System, with Suzanne Demallie 59:35

3+ y ago59:35

59:35

The education system can change top-down, or bottom-up. Author Suzanne DeMallie wrote “Can You Hear Me Now?” – a book about how parents and teachers might change our schools from the bottom-up. She draws on her own experiences in Baltimore County Public Schools as an elementary math teacher from 2011 to 2019, a parent of children in BCPS, and an ad…

1
The Single Best Response When Virtual School Isn’t Working 11:00

3+ y ago11:00

11:00

I’ve made many mistakes while overseeing pandemic learning in my district. Among them, I’ve found that too often I jump to hasty conclusions when teaching and learning are not happening as expected. Over the last year, I’ve learned the single most important thing I can do when virtual school isn’t working. Follow @jonHarper70bd @bamradionetwork @dr…

1
Legendary LEDs, with Dr. Russ Dupuis 53:10

3+ y ago53:10

53:10

LEDs, or light-emitting diodes, have changed the world – and continue to do so. This energy-efficient electronics technology came from decades of design and discovery in engineering. Dr. Russell Dupuis is one of the engineers behind LEDs, and he recently was one of five winners of the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering for his work in this techn…

1
I Love Teaching More Than Ever Before, It’s Just So Exhausting Now: Suggestions? 27:00

3+ y ago27:00

27:00

We absolutely love teaching, and we’ve all had moments of burnout, but pandemic teaching is different. This week we talk about relieving the stress and exhaustion we’re feeling. Follow on Twitter: @ideasforteacher @peter_santoro @MrHabegger @DrBioTom @jonHarper70bd @jonbergmann @bamradionetwork Jake Habegger is an 8th grade US History Teacher in Fr…

1
Teaching HTML/CSS, Unplugged and Offline, with Sam Taylor 39:50

4y ago39:50

39:50

How do you learn web development without a computer, or without any electronic device? Sam Taylor wrote a book to help learners do just that. As a former middle school teacher and current tech worker, Sam wrote the newly released educational book titled The Coding Workbook, which intends to teach the basics of HTML and CSS, but with no computer req…

1
Aerospace Engineering Entrepreneur, with Mishaal Ashemimry 53:02

4y ago53:02

53:02

Mishaal Ashemimry is an aerospace engineer and pilot who, after working for major aerospace organizations, formed her own aerospace startup to design rockets for small, low-Earth orbit satellites. As a Saudi American, she got interested in the stars when she was young, looking up at the sky while visiting Saudi Arabia. She describes many parts of h…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

School Education Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Quick Reference Guide