The Education Innovators Podcast

Rachel Chan - A Troublemaker

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.
 
Rachel Chan has extensive experience working in/with public, private and NGO sectors. In 2007, she founded InnoFoco to propel the development of strategic design and innovation in Hong Kong. Recently, she has been working on the Hong Kong Design Centre’s ‘Unleash!’ programme that seeks to broaden and deepen the application of design thinking across different sectors in Hong Kong. In addition to her consulting work, Rachel teaches an undergraduate course on ‘Values-Driven Innovation’ at the University of Hong Kong.
Rachel works with a number of NGOs, especially in youth education and development. Her latest venture is Esperanza, a non-profit organization that aspires to make Hong Kong a better place to live, learn and work through cross-sector, multi-disciplinary, cross-border and inter-generational collaborations.
 
This episode is part 1 of 2 of my conversation with Rachel. In this part, we hear about Rachel’s journey and history of stirring up trouble. Rachel is a champion for EdTech and entrepreneurship and her passion is infectious. In part 2 we will hear more about the non-profit organization she leads that promotes and supports EdTech companies and initiatives throughout Southeast Asia and beyond.
 
Links:
 
Rachel Chan
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-chan-5256651/
 
EdTech Month
http://www.edtechmonth.hk
 
Esperazna
https://www.esperanza.life
 
The Education Innovators Podcast Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551034804742
 
This podcast is produced entirely by Eric Byron.
You can contact Eric at eric@edinnovationpod.com
https://twitter.com/ericrbyron
 

The Future of Jobs

The Education Innovators Podcast is a normally a 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.
 
This episode is a solo performance by Eric. He goes on a bit of a rant about the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs report for 2023 and recalls some of the conversation he had with Fred Chann, a kindred spirit and friend whose been following the WEF Future of Jobs reports and writing and speaking on the topic for years.
 
 
Links:
 
World Economic Forum – The Future of Jobs Report 2023
https://www.weforum.org/reports/the-future-of-jobs-report-2023
 
World Economic Forum – Defining Education 4.0: A Taxonomy for the Future of Learning
https://www.weforum.org/whitepapers/defining-education-4-0-a-taxonomy-for-the-future-of-learning/
 
 
The Education Innovators Podcast Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551034804742
 
This podcast is produced entirely by Eric Byron.
You can contact Eric at eric@edinnovationpod.com
 

From Player to Page - Finalist Interviews

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.
 
This is a bonus episode, recorded on location at the From Player to Page writing competition, which is for Secondary school students in Hong Kong. The students are invited to write about a video game they play. There were 3 categories: Review writing, Character development, and script writing. We’ve got a compilation of 9 short interviews I did with finalists from the competition, ranging in age from about 13 to 18.
 
If you want to see real evidence that not all video game playing is a waste of time or an evil addiction, listen to these kids talk about how much they enjoyed writing and how creative and thoughtful they were about the characters and narratives in the games they play.
 
Thank you to Simon Engerer and the Cicero Group for giving me the opportunity to participate in the awards ceremony for From Player to Page and a big thank you to each of the students who spent a few minutes with me for this episode.
 
Links:
 
Cicero - https://cicero.com.hk/
 
From Player to Page: https://fromplayertopage.com/
 
Genshin Impact – Fontaine OST Album
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRI7vd4Ojh8&ab_channel=GenshinImpact
 
Overcooked 2 trailer:
https://youtu.be/uKLb8D36YKk?si=cSUQaJd2pSegZE1T
 
Cookie Run – OvenBreak
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwQyv-izgtA&t=27s&ab_channel=CookieRun
 
The Education Innovators Podcast Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551034804742
 
This podcast is produced entirely by Eric Byron.
You can contact Eric at eric@edinnovationpod.com
 

André Thomas - A Calculus Adventure Game

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.
 
André Thomas' passion for game-based learning resonates inside and outside of the classroom. A graduate of LCAD MFA in Game Design Andre is currently pursuing a PhD in Curriculum and Instruction. André founded and serves as the director of the LIVE Lab in the School of Performance, Visualization and Fine Arts at Texas A&M University, where he also teaches game design, game development and interactive graphics techniques. In 2014, he founded Triseum, where he serves as CEO and leads the creation of its award-winning educational video games. André has been named one of the top 100 EdTech influencers. He is an EdTech Leadership award winner, former National Academy of Sciences board member, National Arts Education Association lead instructor, and Chillennium Game Jam chair. André also has been invited to speak at numerous education and technology events both in the U.S. and abroad, including SXSW, TEDx, ASU-GSV, BETT, Chinese Academy of Fine Arts, Austrian Ministry of Education and European Schoolnet. His game-based learning insights and ideas are featured in The Conversation, the Huffington Post, Austin Business Journal, eCampus News and Learning Solutions Magazine, to name a few.
With more than 25 years in CGI production, André has worked around the world on legendary video games, live action feature films and memorable commercials. Previously he was Head of Graphics for EA Sports Football games (including NCAA, Head Coach, NFL Tour and Madden NFL, the longest running and most successful sports franchise in games industry). He also created graphics for such notable films as Men in Black, Con Air, Independence Day, Valiant, Ant Bully and Tomorrow Never Dies.
 
In this episode, which is part 2 of my conversation with André, he tells us more about the calculus adventure game they created and how they measure learning outcomes from playing the games.
 
Links:
 
ARTé: Mecenas is the first game in the ARTé suite, which supports student achievement in Art History and Art Appreciation courses. By playing a Medici banker during the Italian Renaissance, students also learn financial literacy and decision making skills that will last a lifetime.
 
https://triseum.com/arte-mecenas/#introvideo
 
Variant: Limits
PRE-CALCULUS & CALCULUS ADVENTURE GAME
Explore the vibrant 3D world of Variant: Limits as Equa uncovers the secrets of the mysterious Manthan civilization. Master continuity, functions, limits, and asymptotes to unlock the power of the Manthan technology and save the planet from destruction.
 
https://triseum.com/variant-limits/#variantvideo
 
The Education Innovators Podcast Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551034804742
 
This podcast is produced entirely by Eric Byron.
You can contact Eric at eric@edinnovationpod.com
 

André Thomas: Game-Based Learning

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.
André Thomas' passion for game-based learning resonates inside and outside of the classroom. A graduate of LCAD MFA in Game Design Andre is currently pursuing a PhD in Curriculum and Instruction. André founded and serves as the director of the LIVE Lab in the School of Performance, Visualization and Fine Arts at Texas A&M University, where he also teaches game design, game development and interactive graphics techniques. In 2014, he founded Triseum, where he serves as CEO and leads the creation of its award-winning educational video games. André has been named one of the top 100 EdTech influencers. He is an EdTech Leadership award winner, former National Academy of Sciences board member, National Arts Education Association lead instructor, and Chillennium Game Jam chair. André also has been invited to speak at numerous education and technology events both in the U.S. and abroad, including SXSW, TEDx, ASU-GSV, BETT, Chinese Academy of Fine Arts, Austrian Ministry of Education and European Schoolnet. His game-based learning insights and ideas are featured in The Conversation, the Huffington Post, Austin Business Journal, eCampus News and Learning Solutions Magazine, to name a few.
With more than 25 years in CGI production, André has worked around the world on legendary video games, live action feature films and memorable commercials. Previously he was Head of Graphics for EA Sports Football games (including NCAA, Head Coach, NFL Tour and Madden NFL, the longest running and most successful sports franchise in games industry). He also created graphics for such notable films as Men in Black, Con Air, Independence Day, Valiant, Ant Bully and Tomorrow Never Dies.
 
In this episode, André shares his story of transitioning from industry to education and how their first game, which teaches Art History, came into being.
 
Links:
 
ARTé: Mecenas is the first game in the ARTé suite, which supports student achievement in Art History and Art Appreciation courses. By playing a Medici banker during the Italian Renaissance, students also learn financial literacy and decision making skills that will last a lifetime.
 
https://triseum.com/arte-mecenas/#introvideo
 
Variant: Limits
PRE-CALCULUS & CALCULUS ADVENTURE GAME
Explore the vibrant 3D world of Variant: Limits as Equa uncovers the secrets of the mysterious Manthan civilization. Master continuity, functions, limits, and asymptotes to unlock the power of the Manthan technology and save the planet from destruction.
 
https://triseum.com/variant-limits/#variantvideo
 
The Education Innovators Podcast Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551034804742
 
This podcast is produced entirely by Eric Byron.
You can contact Eric at eric@edinnovationpod.com
 

Amanda Bickerstaff: AI for Education

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.
 
This week’s guest is Amanda Bickerstaff. Amanda is the Founder and CEO of AI for Education. A former high school biology teacher and EdTech executive with over 20 years of experience in the education sector, she has a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities that AI can offer. She is a frequent consultant, speaker, and writer on the topic of AI in education, leading workshops and professional learning across both K12 and Higher Ed. Amanda is committed to helping schools and teachers maximize their potential through the ethical and equitable adoption of AI.
 
This episode is part 2 of my conversation with Amanda. This episode will make more sense if you listen to part 1 first.
 
Links:
 
Amanda Bickerstaff LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanda-bickerstaff-edu/
 
AI for Education:  https://www.aiforeducation.io/
 
The Education Innovators Podcast Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551034804742
 
This podcast is produced entirely by Eric Byron (a one-man band).
You can contact Eric at eric@edinnovationpod.com
 

Amanda Bickerstaff - Doing it the Hardest Possible Way

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.
 
This week’s guest is Amanda Bickerstaff. Amanda is the Founder and CEO of AI for Education. A former high school biology teacher and EdTech executive with over 20 years of experience in the education sector, she has a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities that AI can offer. She is a frequent consultant, speaker, and writer on the topic of AI in education, leading workshops and professional learning across both K12 and Higher Ed. Amanda is committed to helping schools and teachers maximize their potential through the ethical and equitable adoption of AI.
 
Links:
 
Amanda Bickerstaff LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanda-bickerstaff-edu/
 
AI for Education:  https://www.aiforeducation.io/
 
The Education Innovators Podcast Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551034804742
 
This podcast is produced entirely by Eric Byron (a one-man band).
You can contact Eric at eric@edinnovationpod.com
 

Simon Engerer: From Player to Page

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.
 
This week’s guest is Simon Engerer from Cicero Group. My conversation with Simon Engerer was absolutely inspiring and I’m thrilled to be able to share it with you. We covered so much cool stuff that I had to break it into two parts. In the first part we talked about how they use video games that are not developed or sold as learning games, to teach English and writing.  In this second part we dig into the writing competition that Cicero hosts called “From Player to Page” and continue our discussion of using video games to teach children English and writing.
 
Originally from the UK, Simon came to Hong Kong in 2010. He worked as an English teacher in several secondary schools across the city, before founding Cicero Group in 2019 to address the falling interest in English studies happening in the local school system. Together, Simon and his business partner, Nelson Leung, have developed video game-adjacent courses for schools and have launched and grown the “From Player to Page” competition into a popular writing contest across Hong Kong.
 
Links:
 
Simon Engerer https://www.linkedin.com/in/simon-john-engerer/
 
Cicero - https://cicero.com.hk/
 
From Player to Page: https://fromplayertopage.com/
 
Celeste - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70d9irlxiB4&ab_channel=PlayStation
 
The Education Innovators Podcast Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551034804742
 
This podcast is produced entirely by Eric Byron.
You can contact Eric at eric@edinnovationpod.com
 

Simon Engerer: Video Game-Adjacent Courses

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.
 
This week’s guest is Simon Engerer from Cicero Group. My conversation with Simon Engerer was absolutely inspiring and I’m thrilled to be able to share it with you. We covered so much cool stuff that I had to break it into two parts. In this first part we talk about how they use video games that are not developed or sold as learning games, to teach English and writing.  Our discussion is awesome, and you need to hear Simon’s story.
 
Originally from the UK, Simon came to Hong Kong in 2010. He worked as an English teacher in several secondary schools across the city, before founding Cicero Group in 2019 to address the falling interest in English studies happening in the local school system. Together, Simon and his business partner, Nelson Leung, have developed video game-adjacent courses for schools and have launched and grown the “From Player to Page” competition into a popular writing contest across Hong Kong.
 
Links:
 
Simon Engerer https://www.linkedin.com/in/simon-john-engerer/
 
Cicero - https://cicero.com.hk/
 
Video Games Referenced and source of some audio in the podcast:
 
What Remains of Edith Finch - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0kKF5f8nS0&ab_channel=GameTrailers
 
Celeste - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70d9irlxiB4&ab_channel=PlayStation
 
Typoman - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wtxex2uUHw&ab_channel=PlayStation
 
Florence – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPUwFEhgvVA&ab_channel=AnnapurnaInteractive
 
Subnautica: Below Zero - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdix1XxaZyU&ab_channel=Subnautica
The Education Innovators Podcast Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551034804742
 
This podcast is produced entirely by Eric Byron.
You can contact Eric at eric@edinnovationpod.com
 

Season One Trailer

Welcome to the Education Innovators Podcast, 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.
 
My season one guests include Andre Thomas, director of the LIVE Lab in the School of Performance, Visualization and Fine Arts at Texas A&M University, who was named one of the top 100 EdTech influencers, Sean McMinn, the Director of the Center for Education Innovation at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Amanda Bickerstaff, a former biology teacher in the Bronx and now the CEO and found of AI for Education, and Stefan Bauschard, the author of Chat(GPT): Navigating the Impact of Generative AI Technologies on Educational Theory and Practice.
 
Our show is global, talking with folks from the US, Canada, UK, Australia, and Hong Kong and that is just in the first few episodes. We will hear stories from K-12, University, and corporate training. We will talk to teachers, school administrators and folks in EdTech. And, I promise, we will have fun along the way. We don’t do interviews, we have conversations. We will ask hard questions and challenge norms and occasionally stir up some controversy.
 
I’m honored to have the opportunity to talk with some of the brightest minds in education on the planet and share the conversations with you.
 
The Education Innovators Podcast Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551034804742
 
This podcast is produced entirely by Eric Byron.
You can contact Eric at eric@edinnovationpod.com