Hosted by Jenny Anderson, the Learnit podcast showcases global learning leaders re-imagining what students need to know, how they will learn it and the technology they are using to get there. We look at school leaders, tech entrepreneurs, and learning engineers who are closing equity gaps, accelerating academic learning and instilling in every learner the drive and skills to learn and thrive. Jenny is a former financial journalist who loves to tell a story, interrogate the numbers and uncove ...
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
#54 Paul LeBlanc, President, Southern New Hampshire University: Power of love to transform lives at scale
38:58
With 4,000 students on campus and 180,000 online, President of Southern New Hampshire University, Paul LeBlanc aims to transform lives at scale by putting students at the centre of the education experience.In this episode, we talk a lot about the power of love, the difference between belonging and mattering, and why competency based education is fi…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
#53 Sam Chaudhary & Liam Don, Co-founders, Class Dojo: A mission to give every kid an education they love
41:28
As Co-founders of Class Dojo, Sam Chaudhary and Liam Don have built a community of 51 million teachers, parents and students, to share kids’ learning moments. They’re now building a virtual sandbox for kids who already know each other, to hang out, create and play. We discuss their recent funding, privacy and data and how they continue to make prog…
…
continue reading
As co-founder and CEO of tiney, a venture capital backed social enterprise, Brett Wigdortz is looking to fix the very broken child care market. We discuss the exodus from the profession, the needed changes to government policy and how his tech platform provides support and a community for those caring for society’s smallest and most vulnerable. Sho…
…
continue reading
As Founder and CEO of Apna, an Indian jobs and networking platform, Nirmit Parikh believes employment is the tool to addressing poverty and accelerating education. In this episode we discuss how Apna matches their 25 million job seekers with employers, how they raised $190 million, and how Nirmit balances being both a pirate and a navy captain. Sho…
…
continue reading
With a career spanning education minister and employment minister, to digital technology executive, the Rt Hon Lord Jim Knight of Weymouth is advocating for greater climate education. We discuss a number of models of sustainable citizenship, changes to national funding formulas, the new British natural history GCSE and the role of legislation to ma…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
#49 Sbusisiwe Myeni, Imbeleko Foundation: Bringing online education to vulnerable children in rural communities
34:21
Building on our last episode, this week we talk to Sbusisiwe Myeni, Co-founder and CEO of Imbeleko Foundation, a South African charity based in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, running after-school programmes for children with academic promise but who face challenges getting an education. We discuss creative ways non-profits like hers can partner wit…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
#48 Robert Paddock, Valenture Institute: Addressing the massive shortage of schools across South Africa
38:58
With the need for new schools far outstripping the available budget to build them, how can South Africa meet the needs of its growing student population? As Founder and CEO of Valenture Institute, Rob Paddock is working to address this imbalance by scaling quality education through online learning. We discuss how the rise in online schooling during…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
#47 Sarah Fletcher, St Paul’s Girls’ School & Peter Hyman, Big Education: No more high stakes exams?
42:29
Does the UK education system help learners develop a love of learning, acquire life skills and develop knowledge? As High Mistress of St Paul’s Girls’ School, a high achieving independent school in London, and Co-Director of Big Education, a multi-academy trust and social enterprise, Sarah Fletcher and Peter Hyman are convinced we need to change th…
…
continue reading
As CEO of Coursera, Jeff Maggioncalda has witnessed the open online course provider grow from 42 million learners pre pandemic to over 80 million. We discuss the future of learning and work, the ways the two intersect and the impact increased remote working has had on diversifying workforces. We also examine the edtech market, current valuations an…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
#45 Dr. Valerie Bridges, Superintendent, Edgecombe County Public Schools: giving students a voice in their education
38:41
Awarded North Carolina’s 2022 Superintendent of the Year, Dr. Valerie Bridges’ is dedicated to innovation and providing students with the rich experiences to inspire their learning and give them a voice in their education. As Superintendent of Edgecombe County, a rural, high needs district serving 14 schools and 6,000 students, Valerie discusses ho…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
#44 Pablo Jaramillo Quintero, Director General, Alianza Educativa: fixing school culture, eroded by pandemic
40:00
As Director General of Alianza Educativa, a non-profit organization which runs 11 charter schools across Colombia, Pablo Jaramillo Quintero provides examples of what's been lost during the pandemic and ideas on how to regain it. Serving 12,000 children in some of the most challenging neighbourhoods, Pablo discusses rebuilding trust, supporting teac…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
#43 Graeme Lawrie, Partnerships Director, ACS International Schools: Neurodiverse ways to support neurodiverse children
40:27
As Partnerships Director at ACS International Schools, Graeme Lawrie is transforming what partnership in schools can be. Having established the UK’s largest school-based festival of science, he’s now organising a STEAM day for 10,000 children at the amusement park Thorpe Park. We talk about how his autism is a superpower which enables him to focus …
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
#42 Maria Adelaida Lopez, Executive Director, aeioTU: Advocating for early childhood education
40:59
aeioTU, a social enterprise in Colombia, provides high-quality early childhood education and care, trains educators, creates resources and advocates for early learning to local regional and national governments.As Executive Director, Maria Adelaida Lopez talks about how they’ve scaled to reach over half a million children, how they work outside the…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
#41 Sir Anthony Seldon, former Vice-Chancellor, University of Buckingham: Why we need a fourth education revolution
35:59
As former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Buckingham and former Head of Wellington College, Sir Anthony Seldon is one of Britain’s leading voices calling for radical change in education. He wants to move from what he calls the third education revolution – which was marked by homogenisation, heavy administrative burdens and little social mobili…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
#40 Lauren Herckis, Carnegie Mellon University: Understanding Why Some Educators Adopt New Technologies & Others Don't
36:01
Why do university faculty at Carnegie Mellon University - an institution renowned for its learning sciences and advances in technology enhanced learning - so often fail to adopt them? As anthropologist at CMU, specialising in faculty culture and use of technology, Lauren Herckis offers key insights, and useful advice on how leaders might navigate r…
…
continue reading
Transcend is a non-profit addressing the lack of R&D departments for education, by working with schools to figure out what they want to change and then helping them do it. Jeff Wetzler, Co-Founder and Jenee Henry Wood, Partner, discuss how their guiding principles will shift schools from an industrial model of mass production which sorts and ranks,…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
#38 Caitlin Baron & Alemayehu Hailu Gebre, Luminos Fund: Packing 3 Years of Learning into 10 Months
42:45
The Luminos Fund is an education non-profit that aims to get the most marginalized students into mainstream schools in Ethiopia, Liberia, Lebanon, and Ghana. Caitlin Baron and Alemayehu Hailu Gebre shed light on how the accelerated learning program packs 3 years of learning into 10 months by building a learning mindset and involving the community i…
…
continue reading
Launched in September 2021, Boris Walbaum founded Forward College, a pan-European university designed to develop all forms of human intelligences and skills. Students learn in small groups with full-time teachers, a high dose of formative assessment, and one-to-one tutoring. Boris believes that education should be the most meaningful experience for…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
#36, Rangina Hamidi, Former Acting Minister of Education: Affecting Change From Outside the System
44:36
As former acting education minister of Afghanistan, Rangina Hamidi committed to reforming teacher training, modernizing the massive education department, and implementing a national education policy. We discuss her decision to flee Afghanistan after the Taliban’s takeover, and how to effect change from outside the system, when she had so clearly de…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
#35, Erika Carlson, Director of Digital Learning, Leadership Development International: Building an Online School in China
38:35
As former head of Wuhan Yangtze International School, Erika Carlson now heads up iSC Academy, an all online school, primarily for Chinese nationals abroad, which has since attracted many Chinese families too. Erika and I talk about how to better integrate digital learning, how to achieve community and relationships online, and what's driving the mo…
…
continue reading
As founder of GoStudent, a 1:1 video tutoring platform operating in 17 countries, Felix Ohswald believes the biggest problem in education is a lack of access to great teachers. Having raised €291M, the platform connects 7000 tutors to 18,000 students. We discuss whether online 121 tutoring is more effective than in-person, whether tutoring can redu…
…
continue reading
As Co-founder and Co-CEO of MeeToo, Suzi Godson has built an app that allows young adults aged 11 to 25 to anonymously seek and offer advice from peers in their age range. With real life moderators making sure the advice is sound and signposted, 50k students now use MeeToo and they’ve recently launched a mirror version, for teachers. We discuss wha…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
#32 Shonogh Pilgrim, Formerly Principal, Ansford Academy; Now Director of Secondary, Whole Education: Unspoken Crisis, Student Exclusion
45:02
As Principal of rural comprehensive Ansford Academy, Shonogh Pilgrim spent the last 7 years designing for and around student agency. We discuss how the pandemic accelerated the move toward giving students independence, why every school should have a flexi schooling option and an entirely different approach to student exclusion. This episode is spon…
…
continue reading
Omega Schools is a network of 35 low cost, pay as you go, private schools in Ghana, serving 8,500 students. Joining as interim CEO in 2014, Alain Tanefo was brought in to turn around the business. Last year, Rising Academies bought Omega. We discuss the challenges with the low fee private school model, ways they stay committed to the most marginali…
…
continue reading
At 3:30pm every day, thousands of teachers answer three multiple choice questions via the Teacher Tapp app, about their day or their opinions on teaching. Teacher Tapp then analyses and shares the resulting real time data from frontline education workers. Co-founder Laura McInerney shares their reasons for starting the app, what she’s learned from …
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
#29, Ellen Mahoney, CEO & Co-founder, Circulus Institute: Social & Emotional Learning...For Teachers
43:14
The Circulus Institute offers the first competency based, adult social and emotional learning certification; a set of courses and coaching built around teacher well being. As CEO and Co-founder, Ellen Mahoney’s work supports teachers in order to better support children. We discuss the motivations behind their work, navigating resistance and the imp…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
#28, Ed Fidoe, Co-founder & CEO, London Interdisciplinary School: Teaching the Skills Employers Want
42:39
Opening in September 2021, the London Interdisciplinary School radically challenges a lot of assumptions within higher ed. As the first new university (with degree awarding powers) in Britain since the 1960s, their curriculum is designed around solving real-world problems. With faculty from Oxford and Harvard, Co-founder and CEO Ed Fidoe discusses …
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
#27, Maia Sharpley, Co-founder & Managing Partner, Juvo Ventures: Is EdTech Spending Here To Stay?
33:53
Money is pouring into edtech. In 2010 there was $500 billion of venture funding; last year it was 32 times that. As Co-founder and Managing Partner of Juvo Ventures, a venture capital firm focused on early stage technology-enabled education companies, Maia Sharpley makes a compelling case for why this acceleration is here to stay. We discuss everyt…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
#26, Camilla Leirvik, Rector, Elvebakken High School: Open book tests + flexible schedules = success?
31:36
Renowned for being progressive, Elvebakken VGS is one of Oslo’s biggest public schools. As Rector, Camilla Leirvik shares their approach to building skills such as collaboration and time management, and how this approach generates success for all students, not just high achieving ones. We also unpack her claim that Elvebakken is a “not a regular sc…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
#25, Dr. Arunabh Singh, Director-Principal, Nehru World School: The Quantum Leap Envisioned For India’s New Education Policy
38:51
Di Learnit
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
#24, Matthew Glotzbach, CEO, Quizlet: How the Pandemic Has Affected Study Habits Per Country
33:51
Valued at $1 billion, digital study platform Quizlet has 50 million active users in 130 countries, and has seen growth of 300-400% during Covid. CEO Matthew Glotzbach discusses the perils and possibilities of self-directed learning, shocking insights from Quizlet’s data on how the pandemic has affected study habits by country and how to address the…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
#23, Wendy Kopp, CEO & Co-Founder, Teach For All: How Do We Unleash the Leadership of Our Existing Educators & Students?
28:54
As CEO and Co-Founder of Teach For All, Wendy Kopp leads a global network of over 50 independent organisations cultivating leadership through locally rooted social entrepreneurs. We talk about successful innovations from around the world, the nature of leadership, what this moment means, and whether she thinks we will decide to do anything with it.…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
#22, Dr. Laurie Santos, Professor Psychology, Yale University: How to be Happy in a Pandemic
52:08
We could all use strategies to help us cope, and where possible, positively navigate the continual stresses of pandemic life. Dr. Laurie Santos, Head of Silliman College, Professor of Psychology at Yale University, and founder of The Happiness Lab, is a leading specialist on human cognition and the cognitive biases that can negatively impact our li…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
#21, Diane Tavenner, Co-Founder & CEO, Summit Public Schools: How Does a Model of High Tech & High Touch Fare During a Pandemic?
33:05
As Co-founder & CEO of Summit Public Schools, a network of 11 public charter schools in Washington State and California, Diane has built a model focused on mentoring, building student agency and supporting learning through projects. We talk about how their focus on self-directed learning paid off during the pandemic, whether tech can be used to bui…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
#20, Yuli Tamir, President of Beit Berl College: Teaching Resilience & Adaptability, to Train Teachers for a World of Uncertainty
29:10
As President of one of Israel’s largest teaching colleges, Yuli is reforming their entire teaching curriculum, focusing on resilience and adaptability, to allow teachers to be more autonomous and build the support system they need for an age of uncertainty. We talk about Israel’s cautionary tale of how not to open schools, their vaccination program…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
#19 Bailey Thomson Blake, SPARK Schools: "Schools Change Communities for the Better." Creating Affordable, Values-led Private Education
35:03
A network of 18 affordable, globally competitive independent schools in Gauteng and the Western Cape regions of South Africa. We talk about their values-led model; what that means, how they measure it and how it positively impacts academic performance. We also talk about navigating COVID and the importance of relationships when keeping a private sc…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
#18 Shai Reshef, University of the People: Delivering higher ed to 53k students on a budget of $13M
33:45
With 53k students and a budget of $13 million, University of the People provides a nonprofit, tuition free, online university. And last September, they established the first Arabic language, online degree program, after seeing students, in particular refugees, flocking to their program. We discuss their peer to peer learning model, their liberal ar…
…
continue reading
Frustrated at the lack of market intelligence for the education sector, Maria co-founded HolonIQ, to synthesize the billions of data points into rich global insights. We explore how Covid-19 has affected the education market, and discuss five predictions about the future of learning - including what people hope will happen versus what they expect t…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
#16 Pamela Cantor, M.D., Turnaround for Children: Using Scientific Knowledge to Help Kids Thrive & Navigate Trauma
41:28
Having spent two decades as a child and adolescent psychiatrist, Pamela’s work with Turnaround for Children translates scientific knowledge about how children develop and learn, so that teachers and schools can support children where they are, and help them get where they need to be. We talk about the relationship between our genes and what we beco…
…
continue reading
Over the last 15 years, Remake Learning has invested $100M, making a series of "small bets" to support and invest in a network of people igniting change, and empowering those ready for it. Their first annual Remake Learning Day saw 30,000 families take part in what he calls an “amusement park of innovative learning”, bringing to life what the futur…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
#14 Wisdom Amouzou & Olivia Jones, Empower High School: What Happens in a Student-led School?
35:21
Wisdom and Olivia founded Empower High School to develop young leaders who can transformatively resist systems of oppression and build new systems of liberation. With a school led by students, guided by educators and co-created with the community, things can get messy, but they’re committed to being comfortable with continual change and to resistin…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
#13 Christopher Pommerening, Learnlife: A future of education without teachers, classrooms or schools
36:02
With a map of global learning innovations and a Learning Hub in Barcelona, Chris aims to give educators a vision of what the future of education might look like, as well as a plug and play toolkit to allow educators to pick and choose the ideas, practices and mindsets they want to put into their own schools and communities. Show notes: - Twitter: h…
…
continue reading
With 4.2 million paid subscribers, BYJU’S is one of the largest global edtech companies and has seen students’ time on their platforms increase from 71 to 110 minutes during Covid-19. Having raised $2 billion, company founder Byju’s ambition is to harness students’ innate curiosity and enable students to learn, unlearn and relearn in order to thriv…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
#11 Jim Steyer, Common Sense Media: Tech, Kids & Education - Which Side of History Will Big Tech Be On?
28:37
At a time when technology is essential to remote learning, Jim believes there has never been a more important time to hold tech companies accountable. As founder of Common Sense Media & author of "Which Side of History?”, Jim campaigns to ensure tech is used for good, to protect our kids, families & the future of democracy. Show notes: - Details of…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
#10 David Miyashiro, Cajon Valley Union School District: What Can Business Teach Us About How to Build Equitable Classrooms?
32:46
With the risk of inequities growing, Miyashiro is committed to ensuring all families, not just wealthy ones, have choices. Looking to the world of business for solutions, Cajon Valley Union School District remains committed to innovation & is trialling new approaches to keep kids in classrooms. Show notes: - Twitter: @davidmiyashiro - Details about…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
#9 Bertie Hubbard, MyTutor: Making Tutoring Accessible & Affordable to Every Child in the UK
29:30
Until now, tutoring has been out of reach for most children - too expensive, hard to access and largely an opportunity for the privileged few. With an online offer, working with both schools and parents, and government investment to deliver tutoring to those who need it most, MyTutor is growing. Fast. Show notes: - Twitter: @Bertie_Hubbard @MyTutor…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
#8 Kaya Henderson, Reconstruction: Rebuilding the Black Community Through an Unapologetically Black Curriculum
30:19
Veteran educator and activist Kaya Henderson has launched Reconstruction, an organisation providing unapologetically Black education to help kids understand their rich history and empower them to see themselves positively in school and in life. Will building safe and culturally connected communities catalyze young adults to lead the change that is …
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
#7 Lisa Barrett, WhiteHat: Revolutionising Apprenticeships to Provide an Equal Alternative to University
35:42
Elite jobs are hard to get. Tech startup WhiteHat is working to democratise access to the best careers through offering an alternative to university; apprenticeships. Despite a national reduction in apprenticeship applications in 2020, WhiteHat’s UK applications are increasing, and fast. As VP Learning & Delivery, Lisa Barrett shares some of the Wh…
…
continue reading
As a feminist activist, Chernor Bah’s work as CEO and Co-Founder of Purposeful focuses on giving girls the curriculum, the social capital and the space, to find, develop and use their voices. We explore how learnings from the Ebola epidemic have shaped Sierra Leone’s response to COVID-19 and how a transformative approach has resulted in 21% of the …
…
continue reading
As head of Surrey Square Primary School at 29, Liz was the youngest headteacher in England. She has continually championed values as a route to achieving positive impact, for the children but also the communities the school serves. At Big Education, this work has continued, helping headteachers deliver a more holistic education, focused around the …
…
continue reading