The Education Innovators Podcast
The Education Innovators Podcast is hosted by Eric Byron. Our purpose is to provide a platform for folks to share their stories of innovation in education. Practical, inspirational tales of things they have tried or are doing that others may be able to learn from. We will not dwell on what is wrong but focus on what is good and improving.
Listen on:
Episodes
Friday Aug 22, 2025
Friday Aug 22, 2025
Thriving in an AI World
Stefan Bauschard is a course instructor (teaching the Introduction to AI) at Union College. He is also an AI literacy curriculum designer for Study Hall in the UK. He is also an AI Education Policy Consultant, and, as featured in his first appearance on the Education Innovators Podcast, Stefan is a debate coach.
He has come back on the show to talk about one of his weekly newsletters that struck a chord with me. Honestly, many of his newsletters strike a chord with me, but his article titled “Shifting AI Readiness Benchmarks from In-School Use to Thriving in an AI World” is particularly insightful, in my humble opinion.
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:
Stefan Bauschard:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/stefan-bauschard-4b87589/
Shifting AI Readiness:
https://stefanbauschard.substack.com/p/shifting-ai-readiness-benchmarks
Education Disrupted:
https://stefanbauschard.substack.com/p/beyond-policing-text-to-text-a-call
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
Friday Jul 25, 2025
Friday Jul 25, 2025
Blazing New Trails in Virtual Education
Annette Levesque is the Founder & CEO of The Global Education Station, a platform dedicated to providing modern resources and professional learning workshops for educators, helping them stay ahead of today’s technological advancements. She is also the host of the video podcast The Global Education Station Presents.
Annette is an award-winning author. Her book “Elearning Gold: The Ultimate Guide for Leaders” (2023), offering insights into building successful eLearning programs. With a master’s degree in distance education, she has a proven track record of developing innovative virtual education systems. In 2002, Annette founded one of the world’s first fully virtual accredited private high schools, followed by the launch of a second global virtual school in 2005, which became one of the largest online international high schools in Ontario, Canada.
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:
Book Website: https://elearninggold.com/
Author Website: annettelevesque.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annettelevesque/
X/Twitter https://x.com/Annettelevesqu_
The Global Education Station Presents:
https://globaledstation.podbean.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
The Human Intelligence movement:
https://www.humanintelligencemovement.org/
This podcast is produced entirely by Eric Byron.
You can contact Eric at eric@edinnovationpod.com
Thursday Jul 10, 2025
Thursday Jul 10, 2025
Knowledge graphs and neural networks – reimagining AI-powered math tutoring
This episode is a relatively technical discussion with a brilliant researcher about the potential of a hybrid AI solution to be used to develop an accurate and adaptive AI-powered math tutor.
Haihao Liu is currently serving as the Education Director for the Asian Community Development Center, a growing US-based nonprofit with a mission to empower the Asian American community. He is passionate about education equity and reform. He is pursuing a Master of Education in Learning Design, Innovation, and Technology at Harvard (currently on hiatus).
Haihao graduated from Rice University summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa in 2018 with dual degrees, a BS in Materials Science and Nano-Engineering and a BA in Mathematics. He worked from 2019 to 2022 as an NSF Graduate Research Fellow and PhD Candidate at MIT, researching machine learning for making new materials, LLMs (before they were large), and embedding domain knowledge explicitly into the ML model architecture itself.
His nonprofit/startup Ternity Education aims to combine the bleeding edge of AI (including knowledge graphs and multi-agent IL+RL) with our modern understanding of neuroscience and learning sciences, to ultimately transform how students learn in this century and beyond!
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:
Haihao Liu:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/haihaoliu
https://linktr.ee/hhliu
Ternity Education:
https://ternity.education/
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
Saturday Jun 14, 2025
Saturday Jun 14, 2025
AI Characters – Friend or Foe?
In this episode I talk with Sonia Tiwari who has a unique expertise in the design and development of characters that enhance learning experiences.
Sonia Tiwari holds a PhD in Learning, Design, and Technology from Penn State University where she also was an Adjunct Professor of Learning Experience Design. She has been a children’s media research consultant for almost 9 years and has developed a framework for designing AI-powered characters as facilitators of learning experiences.
This year, Sonia was selected as one of 20 scientists from across the world to participate in Falling Walls Foundation's year-long 'Female Science Talents Intensive Track' program to support significant career breakthroughs. Her research explores the impact of AI character interactions on children's learning experiences.
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:
Sonia Tiwari:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/soniastic/
Designing AI Characters for Kids:
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/soniastic_kidtech-keynote-ai-characters-activity-7296208908627374080-bde7/
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
Tuesday May 20, 2025
Tuesday May 20, 2025
Beyond AI: Student Centric Education
This episode is a follow up to my solo episode about the Alpha School, “A School with no Teachers”. My guest is here to cut through the hype and tell us the real story.
Jon Stewart is a creative strategist and leader in the education technology space, currently serving as Head of Engagement at Alpha School in Austin, TX. In this role, he crafts compelling educational narratives that reshape how families engage with Alpha’s innovative K–12 model. He leads cross-functional teams to design authentic communication touchpoints, optimize enrolment strategies, and translate complex educational concepts into emotionally resonant messages.
His expertise in storytelling and AI-assisted learning models bridges traditional education with future-focused approaches, driving academic excellence and personalized student experiences. Jon is also the founder of NarrativeDrive.org, a platform dedicated to mentoring diverse, emerging screenwriting talent and offering educational workshops globally. A passionate speaker and thought leader, Jon frequently addresses the intersection of AI, education, and storytelling, and is organizing the TEDxAlpha Austin School Youth event in May 2025.
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:
Jonathon Stewart:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jstew3/
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1139293/
The Alpha School:
https://alpha.school/
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
Tuesday May 06, 2025
Tuesday May 06, 2025
Lead with Purpose
Dr. Roger A. Gerard is the owner of Sloan & Gerard Consulting, a private consulting practice serving executives and boards in strategic planning, operational planning, executive coaching, and management development. He also specializes in process improvement, and the use of lean methodologies in bringing about significant and measurable organizational
improvement.
He is the former Chief Learning Officer for ThedaCare, an integrated healthcare delivery system, retiring from that position in 2014 after 23 years in that role. Dr. Gerard has a 52-year career history leading executive and management development initiatives, in both large
and small organizational environments. His work has been primarily within the healthcare industry, but he has also spent a quarter of his career consulting in manufacturing and service industries nationwide. In addition, he is a creative photographer and provides help to his wife Debra in her fine art business.
Previously, Dr. Gerard served as Vice President of Northern Michigan Hospitals and as the
Director of Organizational Development. Before joining NMH, he was Creative Manager for
Quality Systems for Sandy Corporation where he consulted with major clients (Burroughs, IBM, General Motors, Hyatt, etc.) on systemic leadership development and quality improvement projects.
Dr. Gerard is the author of Owning the Room: Leading with Mind, Heart and Spirit to Make
Extraordinary Choices in a Demanding World and the forthcoming title, Lead With Purpose:
Reignite Passion and Engagement For Professionals in Crisis. He also co-authored On the
Mend: Revolutionizing Healthcare to Save Lives and Transform the Industry.
Dr. Gerard has presented at numerous national conferences and locally throughout Wisconsin and Michigan on leadership and lean in the healthcare industry. He earned his Ph.D. in Management and Applied Decision Sciences from Walden University in 2001.
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:
Dr Roger A Gerard:
https://www.rogergerard.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
The Human Intelligence movement:
https://www.humanintelligencemovement.org/
This podcast is produced entirely by Eric Byron.
You can contact Eric at eric@edinnovationpod.com
Thursday Apr 17, 2025
Thursday Apr 17, 2025
AI-Powered Pedagogy
Dr. Jennifer Chang-Wathall is an independent educational consultant, author, and part-time instructor at the University of Hong Kong. With a rich background spanning over 30 years in international education, she has worked at various international schools, such as South Island School and Island School in Hong Kong, and The United Nations International School in New York.In the international arena, she has presented numerous keynote addresses and workshops about concept-based mathematics, concept-based curriculum and instruction, and educational technology to Pre-K-12 educators. Based on her master’s and doctorate in educational technology, she regularly facilitates professional learning on the innovative use of digital instructional tools and, more recently, AI-powered pedagogy. She has created numerous online courses and remains at the forefront of incorporating educational technology, using effective pedagogical practices to improve learning outcomes.She co-authored student companions for IB Diploma Mathematics courses published by Oxford University Press. Her bestselling book, "Concept-Based Mathematics: Teaching for Deep Understanding in Secondary Schools," has profoundly influenced secondary mathematics education. Jennifer's latest release, "AI-Powered Pedagogy: Redefining Education," debuted in June 2024.
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:
Dr. Jennifer Chang Wathall
https://www.jenniferchangwathall.com/
AI Powered Pedagogy: Redefining Education
https://www.amazon.com/AI-Powered-Pedagogy-Jennifer-Chang-Wathall/dp/B0D6WTYCS6
What is Concept-Based Learning:
https://guide.fariaedu.com/concept-based-learning/part-1/what-is-concept-based-learning
Mastery Transcript Consortium:
https://mastery.org/
“Co-Intelligence: Living and Working With AI” by Ethan Mollick:
https://www.amazon.com/Co-Intelligence-Living-Working-Ethan-Mollick/dp/059371671X/ref=sr_1_1
How Will AI Answer Questions We Haven’t Thought to Ask? (Ted Talk with the founder of Perplexity):
https://youtu.be/MD4W_e3dJPs
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
Thursday Mar 13, 2025
Thursday Mar 13, 2025
Tech-Intentional Education
A former middle school English teacher and parent of two, Emily Cherkin, MEd., Emily Cherkin, MEd., The Screentime Consultant, witnessed the simultaneous rise of technology use for school, and smartphone and social media use for kids. Today, Emily consults with parents, offers school presentations and professional development training, and writes about parenting, education, and screentime to bring her tech-intentional™ approach to as many people as possible. Emily’s work has been featured in The New York Times, NPR, The Washington Post, Business Insider, The Wall Street Journal, The Today Show (twice), the BBC, Good Morning, America, and more. Chuck Norris has quoted her. She has also been a guest lecturer at the University of Washington's Evans School of Public Policy. Emily is also a co-founder of The Student Data Privacy Project, a group dedicated to protecting children’s data and privacy in schools. Emily's book "The Screentime Solution: A Judgment-Free Guide to Becoming a Tech-Intentional Family" is an Amazon bestseller and available everywhere books are sold.
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:
Emily Cherkin on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-cherkin/
The Screentime Consultant Website:
Http://www.thescreentimeconsultant.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
The Human Intelligence movement:
https://www.humanintelligencemovement.org/
This podcast is produced entirely by Eric Byron.
You can contact Eric at eric@edinnovationpod.com
Thursday Mar 06, 2025
Thursday Mar 06, 2025
Beyond Academics – Life Skills
Nitin Gour is the Founder and CEO of Bloomster. He is passionate about transforming education to focus on holistic student development. Bloomster is a dynamic platform that empowers students by teaching over 25 essential life skills, helping them thrive in five key areas critical to navigating today’s ever-changing world. With nearly two decades of experience in the corporate world, spanning technology and finance, Nitin came to recognize that academic success alone isn’t enough to prepare young individuals for real-life challenges.
He saw a pressing need for an education model that fosters self-awareness, confidence, and well-rounded growth. This realization inspired him to leave the corporate sector in 2022 to establish Bloomster, a mission-driven platform dedicated to closing the gap in traditional education by equipping students with the skills they need to succeed in school and beyond. At Bloomster, the mission is to support parents in nurturing confident, self-aware, and resilient individuals who can navigate a world of constant change with ease. It has been an incredibly rewarding journey, and Nitin is proud to contribute to the holistic growth and lifelong success of today’s adolescents.
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:
Nitin Gour
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nitin-gour-b038b0/
Bloomster:
https://bloomster.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
The Human Intelligence movement:
https://www.humanintelligencemovement.org/
This podcast is produced entirely by Eric Byron.
You can contact Eric at eric@edinnovationpod.com
Friday Feb 21, 2025
Friday Feb 21, 2025
Sharon Gal-Or: Regenaissance – The Call to Heal
Sharon Gal-Or is a regenerative consultant, public speaker, and author. He caught my attention with his latest book “Regenaissance: The Call to Heal”, and with his passion for innovation in education and his transformative works that explore the intersections of spirituality, ecology, future of humanity, and regenerative movements. In this episode he takes us on a philosophical, yet practical journey to evolve from caterpillars to butterflies.
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:
Sharon Gal-Or:
https://ief.wiki/index.php/Sharon_Gal-Or
Regenaissance: A Call to Heal:
https://ief.wiki/Regenaissance%20-%20The%20Call%20to%20Heal%20-%20v1.0.pdf
Litter Spero:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DSP2DZK3
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