The Education Innovators Podcast

Chris Hess - The Zone of Proximal Development

Zone of Proximal Development – In this episode, Chris Hess, from Pearson, helps connect the dots between training for a triathlon and preparing to take an exam. By targeting the zone of proximal development, he is helping Pearson develop AI tools for education that optimize learning experiences to achieve this state of higher performance.
 
Chris Hess currently serves as the director of AI product management for higher education at Pearson, where he combines his rich experience as a former university professor with his passion for educational technology. With a Ph.D. in Biological Sciences from the University of Washington, Chris has transitioned seamlessly into the edtech space, focusing on the development and strategic vision of AI products in higher education. He has been instrumental in launching innovative AI tools for both students and instructors, enhancing the learning and teaching experience. These tools not only personalize student learning but also empower instructors with the ability to create customized assignments, thereby bridging the gap in understanding how AI can support education. Chris’s dedication to improving education through technology reflects his commitment to making learning more efficient, impactful, and enjoyable.
 
The Education Innovators Podcast is a set of conversations between Eric Byron and guests from all aspects of education around the world. We look for innovative ideas and practical examples of things happening in schools and learning environments that are of interest to teachers, corporate trainers, school administrators, EdTech providers, students, parents, and anyone else interested in education.
 
Links:
 
Chris Hess PhD:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/drchess/
 
Pearson:
https://www.pearson.com/
 
The Human Intelligence movement:
https://www.humanintelligencemovement.org/
 
Colleen Kelley – Kids Chemical Solutions
https://youtu.be/30mpnm2QgaM
 
The Education Innovators Podcast Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551034804742
 
The Education Innovators Podcast YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru4kYugzLerU1S8mQu2Jo2-jX6H_3kd3
 
This podcast is produced entirely by Eric Byron.
You can contact Eric at eric@edinnovationpod.com
 
 

Will Goldsmith - Bedales - Head Hand and Heart

Bedales – Head Hand and Heart
This episode is about a school with over 130 years of history as a progressive and innovative educational institution. An exclusive school with old world charm and new world perspectives on teaching and learning.
I am joined by Will Goldsmith who is the Head of Bedales School in Petersfield England. Founded by John Badley in 1893, it is a private school offering an alternative to GCSE courses and assessments. The school has been described as “disciplined but not rule bound” where there are no uniforms and students and teachers call each other by first name. Will joined Bedales in April 2021 as deputy head of academics and was acting head by September of that year, so he has been the head of the school for about 4 years.
“An educator by conviction, with a firm belief in the power of literature and language to improve the lives of my students. Proud to be an openly gay teacher, supporting all my students and colleagues in the expression of their identity.”
The Education Innovators Podcast is a weekly conversation between Eric Byron and guests from all aspects of education around the world. We look for innovative ideas and practical examples of things happening in schools and learning environments that are of interest to teachers, corporate trainers, school administrators, EdTech providers, students, parents, and anyone else interested in education.
 
Links:
 
Will Goldsmith:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/will-goldsmith-47200873/
 
Bedales School:
https://www.bedales.org.uk/
 
Bedales Video: Cultivating A Community of Learners:
https://vimeo.com/862425514
 
“AI Needs You: How We Can Change AI’s Future and Save Our Own” by Verity Harding:
https://www.amazon.com/AI-Needs-You-Change-Future/dp/0691244871/
 
The Education Innovators Podcast Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551034804742
 
The Education Innovators Podcast YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru4kYugzLerU1S8mQu2Jo2-jX6H_3kd3
 
This podcast is produced entirely by Eric Byron.
You can contact Eric at eric@edinnovationpod.com
 
 

Phillip Alcock - AI and Project-Based Learning

Phillip Alcock is the founder of AIxPBL, a startup focused on AI-powered project-based learning. He is experienced in STEM/STEAM education, Project-Based Learning (PBL) research and implementation, Game-Based Learning, Sustainability education, AI-enhanced curriculum design, and learner-centric pedagogies.
 
Phillip publishes a very popular and powerful newsletter on LinkedIn (link below). Phil’s writing is both informative and very practical. Often including example prompts for AI and practical guides and real examples from his own experience in the classroom.
 
This episode dives into the what and how of project-based learning and how AI can be leveraged to enhance the use of PBL for students and educators.
 
The Education Innovators Podcast is a set of conversations between Eric Byron and guests from all aspects of education around the world. We look for innovative ideas and practical examples of things happening in schools and learning environments that are of interest to teachers, corporate trainers, school administrators, EdTech providers, students, parents, and anyone else interested in education.
 
Links:
 
Phillip Alcock
https://www.linkedin.com/in/phillipalcock/
 
AIxPBL Newsletter on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/unlocking-magic-play-play-based-learning-phillip-alcock-zyhac/
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/power-ai-scenario-based-learning-sbl-phillip-alcock-oxyyc/
 
The Human Intelligence movement:
https://www.humanintelligencemovement.org/
 
The Education Innovators Podcast Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551034804742
 
The Education Innovators Podcast YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru4kYugzLerU1S8mQu2Jo2-jX6H_3kd3
 
This podcast is produced entirely by Eric Byron.
You can contact Eric at eric@edinnovationpod.com
 

Season 3 Trailer

Season 3 Trailer
This is a quick recap of some highlights from season 2 and a look forward at our aspirations for season 3.
The Education Innovators Podcast is a set of conversations between Eric Byron and guests from all aspects of education around the world. We look for innovative ideas and practical examples of things happening in schools and learning environments that are of interest to teachers, corporate trainers, school administrators, EdTech providers, students, parents, and anyone else interested in education.
 
Links:
 
The Education Innovators Podcast Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551034804742
The Education Innovators Podcast YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru4kYugzLerU1S8mQu2Jo2-jX6H_3kd3
The Human Intelligence movement:
https://www.humanintelligencemovement.org/
 
This podcast is produced entirely by Eric Byron.
You can contact Eric at eric@edinnovationpod.com
 

Michelle Ament - Human Intelligence Movement

Dr Michelle Ament is an educational pioneer renowned for creating the Learning, Experienced (LXP) model. She leads educational systems to develop Human Intelligence, the essential human-centered skills needed to be career-ready in an AI world. An architect of the groundbreaking approach to teaching and assessing social-emotional wellness with experiential learning through a build, apply and transfer instructional model. Her commitment to equitable outcomes is unwavering. Dr Michelle Ament champions responsive pedagogy, supporting educators to design relevant and authentic learning experiences with real-world impact. Her unique blend of visionary thinking, strategic acumen, and strong leadership skills has empowered educators and administrators to embrace personalized learning experiences, resulting in universal academic achievement to create more equitable and inclusive schools.
 
Dr Ament is also the Co-President of the Human Intelligence Movement. The mission of the Human Intelligence movement is to ensure that all students have the skills to thrive and succeed in an AI world. They do this by building awareness, solving problems as a community, and impacting policy-making.
 
The Education Innovators Podcast is a weekly conversation between Eric Byron and guests from all aspects of education around the world. We look for innovative ideas and practical examples of things happening in schools and learning environments that are of interest to teachers, corporate trainers, school administrators, EdTech providers, students, parents, and anyone else interested in education.
 
Links:
 
Dr Michelle Ament
https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelleament/
 
Human Intelligence Movement:
https://www.humanintelligencemovement.org/
 
“Machine Learning and Human Intelligence” by Dr Rosemary Luckin:
https://www.ai-in-education.co.uk/resources/machine-learning-and-human-intelligence
 
“The Development of Human Intelligence” by Robert J Sternberg:
https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED174658.pdf
 
The Education Innovators Podcast Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551034804742
 
The Education Innovators Podcast YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru4kYugzLerU1S8mQu2Jo2-jX6H_3kd3
 
This podcast is produced entirely by Eric Byron.
You can contact Eric at eric@edinnovationpod.com
 

Romy Alexandra - Experiential Learning

Romy Alexandra is a learning experience designer and experiential learning trainer on a mission to humanize learning spaces (in-person, online, and hybrid). She is passionate about designing and delivering transformative learning experiences that integrate experiential learning, psychological safety, emotional intelligence, the neuroscience of learning, and behavior change.
Romy brings over a decade of international facilitation experience in more than 40 countries across 4 continents. She supports individuals, teams, and organizations across the globe to harness their learning potential and cultivate learning cultures. Romy holds multiple certifications in Experiential Learning from the International Experiential Learning Network (IELN) and the Institute for Experiential Learning (IFEL), where she is now a faculty member.
Romy also holds certifications in Psychological Safety from Amy Edmondson's organization, The Fearless Organization, as well as LeaderFactor. Her client portfolio includes Netflix, Allianz, ASICS, WeTransfer, the World Bank, the UAE Government, UNDP, UN Women, Brown University, and many more.
 
The Education Innovators Podcast is a weekly conversation between Eric Byron and guests from all aspects of education around the world. We look for innovative ideas and practical examples of things happening in schools and learning environments that are of interest to teachers, corporate trainers, school administrators, EdTech providers, students, parents, and anyone else interested in education.
 
Links:
 
Romy Alexandra:
https://bento.me/romyalexandra
https://www.linkedin.com/in/romy-alexandra/
 
The Education Innovators Podcast Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551034804742
 
The Education Innovators Podcast YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru4kYugzLerU1S8mQu2Jo2-jX6H_3kd3
 
This podcast is produced entirely by Eric Byron.
You can contact Eric at eric@edinnovationpod.com
 

Joel Birch - LEGO Serious Play

Joel Birch is a longtime K-12 educator and instructional coach. He is also a Certified Facilitator and Pro Trainer of LEGO Serious Play. He relies on the power of play, stories, and solving problems by thinking with our hands. Joel works with school leaders to help them conduct the big, important conversations that help them to steer their schools towards their preferred vision of the future.
 
In this episode Joel and Eric talk about Joel’s journey from classroom educator to consultant and how he uses LEGO Serious Play to work with teachers, administrators, and parents to facilitate hard conversations and generate open communication and collaboration around important challenges facing schools.
 
The Education Innovators Podcast is a weekly conversation between Eric Byron and guests from all aspects of education around the world. We look for innovative ideas and practical examples of things happening in schools and learning environments that are of interest to teachers, corporate trainers, school administrators, EdTech providers, students, parents, and anyone else interested in education.
 
Links:
 
Joel Birch
https://joelbir.ch/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/joelbirchau/
 
LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY®
https://www.lego.com/en-hk/themes/serious-play
 
The Education Innovators Podcast Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551034804742
 
The Education Innovators Podcast YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru4kYugzLerU1S8mQu2Jo2-jX6H_3kd3
 
This podcast is produced entirely by Eric Byron.
You can contact Eric at eric@edinnovationpod.com

Moxie the Compassionate Robot

This episode was filmed on location at The Hong Kong Developmental Paediatrics and Child Neurology Centre where I got the chance to meet Moxie the Compassionate Robot and to talk with Dr. Fanny Lam and Dr Cecelia Lam.
 
Dr Fanny Wai Fan Lam - Specialist in Developmental Behaviour Paediatrics at Blue Sky Precision Medicine
 
Dr Fanny Wai Fan Lam is a Specialist in Developmental-Behavioural Paediatrics with three decades of clinical experience in Hong Kong, Canada, and Australia. Currently, Dr Lam serves as the Developmental-Behavioural Paediatrician in Hong Kong Developmental Paediatrics Neurology Centre, Matilda International Hospital, Union Hospital and Gleneagles Hong Kong Hospital. Dr Lam is also actively involved in public and professional education, as well as expert witness services in paediatrics litigations and medical council inquiries. She is committed to enabling children to develop their best potentials through parenting coaching and early identification and intervention of children developmental needs.
 
Dr Cecelia Lam – Educational Psychologist
 
Dr. Cecilia Lam is a fully registered Educational Psychologist. She applied the Integrated Scientist-Practitioner model as an Educational Psychologist. In her practice, she combines research and clinical practice and provides her services with a scientific evidence-based approach. Dr. Lam is specialized in Executive Functioning challenges, Social-behavioral challenges, including Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Conduct Disorder, School and Community Crisis Management.
 
The Education Innovators Podcast is a weekly conversation between Eric Byron and guests from all aspects of education around the world. We look for innovative ideas and practical examples of things happening in schools and learning environments that are of interest to teachers, corporate trainers, school administrators, EdTech providers, students, parents, and anyone else interested in education.
 
Links:
 
Moxie
https://moxierobot.com/
 
The Hong Kong Developmental Paediatrics and Child Neurology Centre http://www.hkdpc.com
 
The Education Innovators Podcast Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551034804742
 
The Education Innovators Podcast YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru4kYugzLerU1S8mQu2Jo2-jX6H_3kd3
 
This podcast is produced entirely by Eric Byron.
You can contact Eric at eric@edinnovationpod.com
 

Hayes Greenfield - Creative Sound Play

Hayes Greenfield is founder of Creative Sound Play (CSP), a sound-based, generative learning system for Pre-K, as well as an award-winning jazz musician, notable film composer, and innovative educator. His book, Creative Sound Play for Young Learners
(Routledge, Eye on Education Series, 2024), invites educators to use sound-making as collaborative educational play.
 
Hayes began working as a teaching artist in public and private K-12 schools. He created and implemented curricula for K-12 students, and professional development workshops for special needs District 75 teachers in New York City. Notably, he created a Pre-K program for PNC Bank’s “Grow Up Great Initiative,” devoted five years to codifying CSP at the Lenox Hill Early Childhood Center’s Head Start program, and consulted at Bank Street Head Start.
 
Founder and lead educator for CSP, Hayes guides Pre-K teachers in his sound-based
pedagogy and offers in-person and remote coaching sessions to accompany his self-paced video curriculum. An exceptional speaker Hayes has presented at the NAEYC, NHSA, A Joyous Celebration of Ideas, the Next Wave Center for Artistry and Scholarship, and other conferences.
 
A jazz musician, Hayes is proud to be endorsed by Yamaha, Vandoren, and Eventide. He has released 10 critically acclaimed CDs including two award-winning family CD’s Jazz-A-Ma-Tazz and Music for a Green Planet and has performed at festivals and venues throughout the US, Canada, and Europe. Hayes’ Jazz-A-Ma-Tazz school assembly program has reached over 300,000 young people and his music has been wonderfully received and reviewed in The New York Times, The New Yorker, Wall Street Journal, Billboard, Child Magazine, Downbeat, Jazz Times and more. As film composer, Hayes has scored more than 70 films, documentaries, commercials, animations, and TV specials.
 
The Education Innovators Podcast is a weekly conversation between Eric Byron and guests from all aspects of education around the world. We look for innovative ideas and practical examples of things happening in schools and learning environments that are of interest to teachers, corporate trainers, school administrators, EdTech providers, students, parents, and anyone else interested in education.
 
Links:
 
Hayes Greenfield
https://www.hayesgreenfield.com/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiC0eCONgJfJSXJGO6fALsA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewiBpD7mCOU
 
Creative Sound Play
https://www.creativesoundplay.com/
 
“Creative Sound Play for Young Learners: A Teacher’s Guide to Enhancing Transition Times, Classroom Communities, SEL, and Executive Function Skills” by Hayes Greenfield
https://www.amazon.com/Creative-Sound-Play-Young-Learners/dp/1032636971
 
The Education Innovators Podcast Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551034804742
 
The Education Innovators Podcast YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru4kYugzLerU1S8mQu2Jo2-jX6H_3kd3
 
This podcast is produced entirely by Eric Byron.
You can contact Eric at eric@edinnovationpod.com
 

Alan Tang - Skills for a Modern World

Alan Tang believes education can make the world a better place. He is the founder and CEO of CoLab an online program that uses games, discussions and escape rooms to teach kids skills for the modern world. He found his way here through a path that included 6 years in corporate finance in the renewable energy field and spent some time as a chef at some of London’s top restaurants. He has worked with startups as a “fractional chief of staff” and then made a transition into the education industry with a job with Synthesis, an experimental school at SpaceX.
The Education Innovators Podcast is a weekly conversation between Eric Byron and guests from all aspects of education around the world. We look for innovative ideas and practical examples of things happening in schools and learning environments that are of interest to teachers, corporate trainers, school administrators, EdTech providers, students, parents, and anyone else interested in education.
 
Links:
Alan Tang
https://www.linkedin.com/in/alan-tang-ksg/
 
CoLab
https://www.collaborationlaboratory.com/
 
The Education Innovators Podcast Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551034804742
 
The Education Innovators Podcast YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru4kYugzLerU1S8mQu2Jo2-jX6H_3kd3
 
This podcast is produced entirely by Eric Byron.
You can contact Eric at eric@edinnovationpod.com