Avsnitt
-
Intercultural competence—the ability to navigate cultural differences with understanding and respect—has become an essential skill in our interconnected world. This competence bridges gaps, fosters understanding, and creates meaningful connections across cultures. Technology has turned the world into one global village where in-person and online encounters with foreign cultures are the norm. However, these can be intimidating when one doesn't know how to navigate cultural differences. Technology serves as a powerful catalyst for developing this essential skill, particularly in today's increasingly multicultural educational landscapes, both on physical campuses and in online learning environments, preparing students for an interconnected future.
Cross-cultural differences can be acute in societies with a history of conflict such as Israel. Its main cultural groups are secular Jews, religious Jews and Muslim Arabs, co-living with other minorities from diverse ethnic backgrounds. This diversity is also reflected in how the state and society are organized. Israel’s education system is divided into sectors with schools that do not interact with one another. In this complex context—where historical and ongoing tensions create additional challenges—educators bear the critical responsibility of nurturing students' intercultural sensitivity, creating an urgent need for specialized training while technology-facilitated virtual spaces offer neutral ground for meaningful interaction across cultural boundaries. The TEC Center's work takes on renewed significance as it continues fostering dialogue in this challenging environment.
The TEC Center designs and implements simulations within virtual environments, utilizing advanced technologies to create immersive and interactive learning experiences. These simulations are applied in various educational settings to enhance intercultural communication, collaboration, and understanding. These carefully crafted simulations serve as transformative educational tools across various settings, specifically designed to enhance intercultural communication, foster collaboration, and deepen cross-cultural understanding.
Simulations in teacher education provide preservice teachers with practical, hands-on experience in a controlled, low-risk environment. Unlike traditional theoretical instruction, simulations allow repeated practice and experimentation, helping future educators develop essential teaching skills. These simulations range from simple text-based formats to immersive virtual reality environments (Gibson et al., 2007; Marburg et al., 2017).
Research suggests that incorporating simulations into teacher training programs enhances preparedness for real-world classroom challenges (Zibit & Gibson, 2005; Archambault et al., 2010; Badiee & Kaufman, 2014). By engaging in these controlled yet dynamic settings, preservice teachers gain valuable insights into classroom management, student engagement, and instructional strategies. Simulations also allow educators to role-play different scenarios, improving their ability to respond to diverse classroom situations effectively.
Furthermore, virtual simulations create an opportunity for preservice teachers to refine their teaching methods without the fear of making mistakes that could negatively impact actual students (Amichai-Hamburger et al., 2002). These safe-to-fail environments cultivate both confidence and competence, ensuring that future educators are better equipped to navigate the complexities of modern, culturally diverse classrooms. These environments foster confidence and competence, ensuring that future educators are better equipped to handle the complexities of modern teaching. As a result, simulations serve as an essential tool for enhancing teacher education worldwide.
AI is significantly transforming intercultural education by enhancing students' intercultural communication competence and promoting inclusive learning environments. The strategic integration of AI tools—including sophisticated chatbots, adaptive language learning applications, and culturally responsive digital assistants—facilitates highly personalized learning journeys and authentic cultural interactions, making education more accessible and effective for diverse learners. Additionally, AI-powered cultural simulations provide students with authentic global experiences, fostering deeper understanding and empathy in a rapidly globalizing world. These advancements not only improve communication across cultures but also contribute to a more inclusive and interconnected educational landscape.
The TEC center has received multiple recognitions including
The Minister of Education Prize for a pedagogic initiative that brought about change in teacher education (2013),The Jerusalem Unity Prize in the presence of the President of the State (2018).Most recently one of our guests Dr. Shonfeld received the 2025 Outstanding Service to Digital Equity award at the SITE 2025 Conference in Orlando, Florida.More at: https://mofet-web.macam.ac.il/tec/en/center/
About our guests
Prof. Miri Shonfeld is Vice President of the International Association of Intercultural Education, IAIE. She is the head of the Technology, Education, and Cultural Diversity (TEC) Center at MOFET Institute and the head of the thesis graduate program in Technology in Education at Kibbutzim College of Education in Tel-Aviv. Her research deals with intercultural education, online learning environments, collaborative work, virtual worlds, AI and faculty development.
Dr. Manal Yazbak Abu Ahmad is a Senior Lecturer, pedagogical supervisor, former Dean of Student Affairs, ex-department chair in the English Department at Sakhnin Teacher’s College, and a board member of the TEC Center. She has been coordinating TEC International Online Day for the last 6 years. Furthermore, she is an expert in using innovative digital tools in instruction and has been executing collaborative learning strategies in an online multicultural environment for more than 14 years. Her primary research areas are Intercultural Exchanges, Multicultural Education, Changing Attitudes, Intergroup Dialogues, and Online Collaborative Learning.
Dr. Wafa Zidan, Head of Digital Teaching and Learning Unit, at The Arab Academic College of Education in Israel-Haifa. She is a Lecturer in the field of ICT, computer science and research methodology, Internship workshop facilitator, a pedagogical trainer at the college, and online course developer.
Her research interests are, online teaching, implementing technology in education, developing, and implementing online courses, as well as the in the field of Internship and entry into teaching profession.
-
In Episode #227, the Silver Lining for Learning Co-hosts reflect on the transformative (and not so transformative) changes in education of the past five years. They will do such pondering with two long-time friends of SLL, David Wiley, one of the founders of the field of open educational resources and innovator in the field of virtual education who presently is Chief Academic Officer at Lumen Learning and Lin Lin Lipsmeyer from Southern Methodist University who researches in the fields of learning sciences, STEM education, artificial intelligence, and innovative and advanced learning technologies. Lin will discuss her new role as a National Science Foundation (NSF) Program Director/Officer on an Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPA) assignment.
David Wiley is the Chief Academic Officer of Lumen Learning. His work and research happen is at the intersection of open educational resources, generative AI, learning analytics, continuous improvement, and professional development. he's one of the founders of the open educational resources (OER) movement. David is also adjunct faculty in Brigham Young University's graduate program in Instructional Psychology and Technology where he was previously a tenured Associate Professor, and Director of The Brad D. Smith Student Incubator in the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Marshall University.
As an academic, he's been fortunate to receive several recognitions for his work, including an National Science Foundation CAREER grant and appointments as a Nonresident Fellow in the Center for Internet and Society at Stanford Law School, a Peery Social Entrepreneurship Research Fellow in the BYU Marriott School of Business, and a Shuttleworth Fellow. As a social entrepreneur, David has founded or co-founded numerous entities including Lumen Learning, Degreed, and Mountain Heights Academy, and was named an Ashoka Fellow. In 2009, Fast Company named me one of the 100 Most Creative People in Business. In my professional community, he was Education Fellow at Creative Commons from 2013 - 2016 and one of the original authors of the CC Certificate Program, as well as President of the international Association for Educational Communications and Technology from 2022 - 2023.
David Wiley began my teaching career in 1996 as adjunct faculty at Ashland Community College in Kentucky where I taught Introduction to E-Business. He then taught Advanced Web Techniques as an adjunct in Marshall University's Computer Science Department. And then Educational Psychology at Brigham Young University as a graduate student. Next, David held tenure-track faculty appointments at Utah State University and Brigham Young University, where he taught courses in instructional design, grant writing, open education, social entrepreneurship, social media in education, and other subjects. As an adjunct, he most recently taught IPT 515R, Generative AI for Instructional Designers, at BYU and ENT200h, The Brad D. Smith Student Incubator, at Marshall University during 2024. Find out more about David Wiley at his homepage: https://davidwiley.org/ or contact him directly at: [email protected].
Lin Lin Lipsmeyer is a Professor of Teaching and Learning at the Simmons School of Education & Human Development, Southern Methodist University (SMU, https://www.smu.edu/simmons/about-us/directory/teaching-learning/lipsmeyer). Currently, Dr. Lipsmeyer is serving as a National Science Foundation (NSF) Program Director/Officer on an Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPA) assignment. Lin earned her Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) degree in Instructional Technology and Media from Teachers College Columbia University. Lin’s interdisciplinary research spans between learning sciences, STEM education, artificial intelligence, and innovative technologies. She has co-edited 9 books and reports, authored or co-authored over a hundred refereed journal articles and book chapters, and delivered more than a hundred presentations at national and international conferences. Dr. Lipsmeyer has also served as PI or Co-PI on multiple grants. Her leadership roles include department chair, center director, conference president, and program chair. From 2018 to 2024, Lin was the Development Editor-in-Chief of the journal, Educational Technology Research and Development (ETR&D), one of the top 20 educational research journals. Her SMU homepage is at: https://www.smu.edu/simmons/about-us/directory/teaching-learning/lipsmeyer and her LinkedIn page is at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lin-lin-professor/. She can be contacted at: [email protected]
-
Saknas det avsnitt?
-
Celebrating 5 years of Silver Lining for Learning with the hosts: Chris Dede, Curt Bonk, Lydia Cao & Punya Mishra
-
Everyday AI is an innovative model for teacher professional development to advance middle and high school teachers’ AI literacy and pedagogical content knowledge in teaching AI in their inclusive classrooms. Everyday AI’s innovation is its three waves of PD: 1) an AI Book Club combined with 2) the authentic learning experience of a summer Practicum and 3) a community practice sustained throughout the academic year through monthly webinars.
Participating in Everyday AI helps teachers learn to implement the Developing AI Literacy (DAILy) 2.0 Curriculum (link) in their diverse classrooms, grow comfortable teaching foundational AI topics, and develop a deep understanding of AI concepts including AI ethics and its societal impacts. As teachers reflect on how they would modify the materials to make them more accessible, relevant, inclusive, and equitable for their diverse students, they gain ownership over the material. As teachers complete the program, they return to serve as Facilitators in subsequent years to grow new cohorts of knowledgeable AI teachers.
In this episode, we dive deep into the experiences of two teachers who've been on the front lines of integrating artificial intelligence into their classrooms. We hear from Wanda and Racquel about their journey through the Everyday AI teacher professional development program. They will share their insights on everything from the AI Book Club and summer practicum to the rewards of mentoring other teachers and ultimately facilitating the program themselves! Finally, we'll get a glimpse into their current classroom practices, discovering how they implement the DAILy 2.0 curriculum, address student misconceptions, and create impactful learning experiences. Tune in as we uncover the practical applications and transformative potential of AI in education!
About our guests
Wanda Jones, Computer Science Teacher
Wanda Jones is a Computer Science educator with over twenty-four years of secondary and undergraduate teaching experience that incorporates her unique background of computer science, education technology, and computer information system management. Ms. Jones was named one of the Amazon Future Engineer Teacher of the year 2022 - 2023 and she is currently a National Winner of the 2024 CS Teaching Excellence Award by the Computer Science Teacher Association. Ms. Jones has worked with the Everyday AI project as a piloting teacher as well as a facilitator.
Racquel Herring, Robotics & Digital Literacy Teacher
Racquel Herring is a Robotics and Digital Literacy educator with over twenty-five years of experience teaching first graders to adults. She has served as a mentor to new and veteran educators through the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards and Broward County’s New Teacher Academy. Racquel pursues educational experiences that open the world of science and technology to her students. She is one of the initial implementers of the Everyday AI Project.
Kate Moore, Research Scientist at the MIT STEP Lab
Kate Moore is a research scientist who studies how to teach middle and high school students about systems and ethics of artificial intelligence and machine learning. She earned her doctoral degree at Teachers College, Columbia University, where she studied cooperative learning and collaborative problem solving, and worked part-time as a professional development coach for STEM teachers in New York City public schools with the Center for the Professional Education of Teachers (CPET). Before entering the world of research and design, Kate served as a middle school science and special education teacher for 10 years. She has worked in public, independent, and charter schools in New York City NY, Newark NJ, and Pittsburgh PA.
-
In Episode #224 of Silver Lining for Learning (SLL), David Crandall and Selma Šabanović, from Indiana University Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering will be discussing robots for social and elderly therapy. Social robotics is an exciting field and those of us at SLL are extremely excited to feature them on this upcoming show. Importantly, talking robots can play a vital role for those who are living with dementia. Robots will play an increasing role in the space of eldercare and supporting aging overall (see link to Wired Magazine article at the bottom of this blog post). The Wired article highlights some of the ways in which conversational robots can help people gain more meaning into their lives as they age and unfortunately suffer from brain diseases like dementia. As Selma Šabanović mentioned in Wired, "“We’re interested in making a difference for people through our research now, regardless of how well the technology works or how fast it might become a product and we can hand it off to them to take it home,” Šabanović further stated, “It’s not just about the robots, it’s about making a difference, connecting with people, creating relationships with the community and having an opportunity for mutual learning.” The research is ongoing. Listen to or watch this session and learn about the results so far as well as next steps.
Luddy Professor of Computer Science
David Crandall Website:http://www.cs.indiana.edu/~djcran/David Crandall IU Homepage: https://luddy.indiana.edu/contact/profile/index.html?David_Crandall
Director of Luddy Artificial Intelligence Center
Director of Center for Machine LearningDavid Crandall received the Ph.D. in computer science from Cornell University in 2008 and the M.S. and B.S. degrees in computer science and engineering from the Pennsylvania State University, University Park, in 2001. He worked as a postdoctoral associate at Cornell from 2008-2010, and as a research scientist at Eastman Kodak Company from 2001-2003. Dr. Crandall’s main research interest is computer vision, the area of computer science that tries to design algorithms that can “see”. He is particularly interested in visual object recognition and scene understanding. He is also interested in other problems that involve analyzing and modeling large amounts of uncertain data, like mining data from the web and from online social networking sites. Take a look at Dr. Crandall's Computer Vision Lab website. IU Homepage: https://luddy.indiana.edu/contact/profile/index.html?David_Crandall
Since joining IU in 2010, he has been PI or Co-PI on over $24 million in research grants and contracts from the National Science Foundation, the Lilly Endowment, Yahoo, Google, Meta/Facebook, NVidia, the U.S. Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA), the U.S. Navy, NASA, Toyota Research Institute, the IU Office of the Vice President for Research, the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, the Office of Naval Research, the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute, the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, the Indiana Innovation Institute (IN3), the U.S. Department of Defense, and Eastman Kodak Company. He has published over 200 technical articles in top international venues, and has received best paper awards or nominations in CVPR, WWW, CHI, ICCV, and ICDL. He has received an NSF CAREER award (2013), two Google Faculty Research Awards (2014 and 2020), an IU Trustees Teaching Award (2017), a Grant Thornton Fellowship (2019), a Luddy Professorship (2021), and Distinguished ACM Membership (2022).
Selma Šabanović is a Professor of Informatics and Cognitive Science at Indiana University Bloomington. She studies social robotics and human-robot interaction, with a focus on exploring how robots should be designed to assist people in various use contexts, including mental health, wellness, education, and social participation. She works with existing and potential robot users of all ages, from children to older adults, and in various cultures, including East Asia, Europe, and the US. She currently serves as the Associate Dean of Faculty Affairs for the Luddy School and as an Associate Vice President of the IEEE Robotics and Automation Society Educational Activities Board. She previously served as the Editor in Chief of the ACM Transactions on Human-Robot Interaction from 2017-2024. She received her PhD in Science and Technology Studies in 2007 from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
Story in Wired Magazine, Feb. 8, 2024: https://news.luddy.indiana.edu/story.html?story=Wired-story-highlights-differencemaking-Luddy-School-dementia-researchJanuary 4, 2024: https://www.wired.com/story/parents-dementia-robots-warm-technology/May 10, 2024, News at IU, https://news.iu.edu/live/news/35667-future-of-social-robots-showcased-in-iu -
The National AI Institute for Adult Learning and Online Education (AI-ALOE) is a research institute led by the Georgia Institute of Technology. AI-ALOE is a leader in developing cutting-edge AI applications for improving online adult education. These efforts are bidirectional - AI is used to transform online adult learning and online adult learning to transform AI. These transformations are not “just doing things better” but “doing better things” in effectiveness, efficiency, access, scale, and personalization.
The podcast will focus on a generative-AI-based virtual teaching assistant, Jill Watson. Developed by researchers at AI-ALOE, Jill Watson is deployed on the class learning management system to engage in extended, cognitively-rich and factually grounded one-on-one conversations with students about topics in instructor-approved course materials anytime and anywhere. With its reach, Jill Watson affords opportunities for improving and democratizing post-secondary learning.
Readings and Resources: https://aialoe.org, Taneja, Karan, Pratyusha Maiti, Sandeep Kakar, Pranav Guruprasad, Sanjeev Rao, & Ashok K. Goel. "Jill Watson: A Virtual Teaching Assistant powered by ChatGPT."
Episode Guests
Ashok Goel
Ashok K. Goel is a Professor of Computer Science and Human-Centered Computing in the School of Interactive Computing at Georgia Institute of Technology and the Chief Scientist with Georgia Tech’s Center for 21st Century Universities. For almost forty years, he has conducted research into cognitive systems at the intersection of artificial intelligence and cognitive science with a focus on computational design and creativity. For almost two decades, much of his research has increasingly focused on AI in education and education in AI. He is a Fellow of AAAI and the Cognitive Science Society, an Editor Emeritus of AAAI’s AI Magazine, and a recipient of AAAI’s Outstanding AI Educator Award as well as the University of System of Georgia’s Scholarship of Learning and Teaching Award. Ashok is the PI and Executive Director of National AI Institute for Adult Learning and Online Education (aialoe.org) sponsored by the United States National Science Foundation.
Sandeep Kakar
Sandeep Kakar is a Research Scientist in the Design & Intelligence lab of the School of Interactive Computing at the Georgia Institute of Technology. His research interest centers around using artificial intelligence to improve learning outcomes in online education. He holds an MS in Computer Science. His previous education includes a Ph.D. in Physics and an MBA.
Kristy Singletary
Kristy Singletary has 15 years of experience in Georgia’s technical colleges. She currently serves as the Dean of General Education at Georgia Northwestern Technical College, as an English faculty member at Southern Regional Technical College, and as a teaching fellow at the National AI Institute for Adult Learning and Online Education (AI-ALOE).
Dr. Singletary is a passionate advocate for equitable access to higher education, with research focused on identifying and addressing barriers to student success in higher education. Recently, she has become an active contributor to research on the ethical integration of AI to enhance learning outcomes in TCSG classrooms. As an educator, administrator, and researcher, Dr. Singletary is deeply committed to providing exceptional education for students across northwest and southwest Georgia.
-
The Center on Reinventing Public Education (CRPE) is at the forefront of understanding how school districts are implementing AI technologies and addressing critical gaps in teacher preparedness. Their research explores the complex landscape of AI adoption in schools, revealing both innovative approaches and big challenges in integrating these emerging technologies into teaching and learning.
As generative artificial intelligence has begun to impact the educational landscape, the Center on Reinventing Public Education (CRPE) has emerged as a leading voice in understanding and guiding AI adoption in schools. Their recent research has shed light on how early-adopter school districts are implementing AI technologies and the challenges they face. From teacher-centered AI tools to professional development initiatives, CRPE's findings reveal a diverse range of approaches being taken by forward-thinking districts across the US.
CRPE's work has also explored significant gaps in AI readiness, particularly in teacher preparation programs. Their study of U.S. teachers colleges indicates a concerning lag in AI training for future educators, raising critical questions about how well-equipped the next generation of teachers will be to navigate an AI-infused education system. As schools grapple with the opportunities and challenges presented by AI, CRPE's research prompts important discussions about policy development, ethical considerations, and the future of teaching and learning in a post-ChatGPT world.
More about our guests and their work below the video
https://youtu.be/J7HAxlNbgYc
Some links
What can be learned from early adopters of AI? | K-12 DiveNew Survey Says U.S. Teachers Colleges Lag on AI Training. Here are 4 Takeaways – The 74Think Forward: Learning with AIMichael Berardino is a Senior Research Analyst at the Center on Reinventing Public Education. Michael’s prior research focuses on issues of equity in public education policy, with a concentration on racial equity and Multilingual Learners and creating more equitable and inclusive assessment and instructional practices. Before joining CRPE, Michael was a Senior Research Associate at the Center for Collaborative Education, studying the development of alternative assessment and accountability systems and innovative high school practices promoting post-secondary educational success. Michael has a PhD in Public Policy from the University of Massachusetts Boston and a BA in Government from Georgetown University.
Steven Weiner is a research analyst at the Center on Reinventing Public Education, where he brings an interdisciplinary lens to understanding transformative change within educational systems. His previous research has leveraged elements of organizational theory, design studies, learning sciences, and foresight methodologies to explore the institutional challenges schools face when adopting innovative educational practices. As a doctoral student, Steven received the National Science Foundation’s Graduate Research Fellowship and was named a University Innovation Fellow by the Hasso Plattner Institute of Design at Stanford University. Steven began his career as a high school physics teacher and later helped envision, design, and run a community-centered educational makerspace at a major US science center. Steven holds a BA in Classical Studies from the University of Florida and a PhD from Arizona State University’s College of Global Futures.
-
In this episode, we will hear from the MIT STEP Lab on two of their AI initiatives: Collaborative Artificial Intelligence for Learning (CAIL) and RAICA (Responsible AI for Computational Action). Collaborative Artificial Intelligence for Learning (CAIL) is a research and design project at the MIT Step Lab focused on integrating innovative AI tools in the classroom to support learning in collaborative groups. RAICA (Responsible AI for Computational Action) designs curriculum focusing on computational action with artificial intelligence for late primary, middle, and secondary students.
Collaborative Artificial Intelligence for Learning (CAIL) is a research and design project focused on integrating innovative AI tools in the classroom to support learning in collaborative groups. Students interact with AI-powered conversational agents in group work and discussions. The agent is envisioned as a peer who would promote deeper thinking on the topics instead of an efficiency tool. We also aim to provide real-time information to teachers and students to support teachers’ formative assessment and students’ self reflection. As part of the project, we are building out CAILA (Collaborative Artificial Intelligence for Learning and Analysis) to process the real-time data while keeping with human- and child-centered design principles and keeping humans in the loop. To date, we have created conversational agents to work with high school students in PBL data science workshops and investigated potential roles the agents could play in team-building exercises. Our lines of inquiry span from the personas and roles of the agents to analytic tool development to formative and reflective assessments for learning.
The goal of the RAICA curriculum is computational action with artificial intelligence for late primary, middle and secondary students. In order for students to take computational action with AI, RAICA has designed lessons that provide opportunities for students to apply computational thinking and responsible design while growing their AI fluency. We approach all of our work with a constructionist pedagogy, a belief that students learn best by constructing their own knowledge and being creative. We use Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and the Technological, Pedagogical, and Content Knowledge (TPACK) frameworks to guide the design of RAICA’s materials to support student and teacher learning.
More about our guests below the video
https://youtu.be/QtGKHYBKgoE
About our guests
Grace Lin: As an assessment scientist, Grace Lin is particularly interested in measurement and playful assessments for and of learning. Her research centers around different areas of cognition and how games can be implemented to not just help people learn, but also measure elusive constructs. She received her PhD in Education from University of California, Irvine, an Ed.M. in Mind, Brain, and Education from Harvard Graduate School of Education, and a B.A. in Psychology from New York University. At UC Irvine, she was trained as a Pedagogical Fellow and conducted teaching assistant and course design PD workshops for both first year graduate students and postdocs across various disciplines. Prior to joining MIT, Grace was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Oregon, working with nonprofit organizations and on an early childhood measures repository.
Christina Bosch: Christina Anderson Bosch is a research scientist on the RAICA project. Over the last 15 years, she has pursued a range of experiences with/in education systems in various U.S. contexts and internationally, focusing on evidence-based instruction, inclusive curriculum design and evaluation, teacher professional development, and partnerships that advance access, equity, and interest in life-long learning. Dr. Bosch’s various lines of work share creativity, rigor, and global citizenship as values. She holds a Ph.D. in Special Education from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, a M.Ed. in Mind, Brain, and Education from Harvard University, a M.A. in Special Education from American University, and a B.A. in English from the University of Vermont and is grateful for the many lineages that have shaped her perspective.
Emma Andersen: Emma Anderson has a PhD from the University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education. She holds an MA from the University of Buffalo in geology and an BA from Smith College in sociology-anthropology. Her research centers around science, art, making, and play. Prior to her doctoral studies, she worked at Baltimore Woods Nature Center as an environmental educator bringing science lessons into urban kindergarten through 6th-grade classrooms and leading summer campers around the woods.
-
Workforce Development through the Technical College System of George with Dr. Andrea Daniel - President Athens Technical College; Adie Shimandle, Executive Director - the Technical College Directors Association of Georgia; and Tammy Bryant - Director of Curriculum for Allied Health
The Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) is the backbone of workforce development in Georgia, serving every corner of the state through 22 colleges and 88 campuses. TCSG delivers high -quality education and careers that empowers Georgians with the knowledge, skills and abilities needed for success in high-demand professional and emerging fields. From innovative programs in healthcare, advanced manufacturing, and cybersecurity to robust partnerships with industries statewide, TCSG is preparing Georgia’s workforce for the jobs of the future. Each year, TCSG serves more than 500,000 Georgians through its technical education, adult education, and customized workforce training programs.
Georgia has been named the #1 state for business for 11 consecutive years by Area Development magazine, and TCSG plays a critical role in earning and sustaining this recognition. With affordable tuition, cutting-edge programs, and a strong emphasis on experiential learning, TCSG ensures that education and career advancement are accessible to all. The system has experienced significant enrollment growth in recent years and had the highest number of graduates in its history in 2024. Beyond technical programs, TCSG leads the state in adult education, high school equivalency initiatives, and workforce training for business and industry, cementing its role as a vital force in Georgia’s economy.
Areas of interest for the Podcast and the individual most knowledgeable in that area:
Georgia Match - Dr. Daniel
GEORGIA MATCH is a workforce initiative created by Governor Kemp, and championed by Chancellor Perdue, Commissioner Dozier, and State School Superintendent Woods.Direct Admissions initiative - letter to every public and private high school senior. The letter identifies all the TCSG & USG colleges that the student is academically qualified to attend based on their HOPE GPA.Articulation Agreements ) Tammy Bryant
28 TCSG courses transfer to University System of Georgia Colleges (USG)894 one-to-one articulation agreementsNursing programs and their articulation agreements
Career Plus - Dr. Daniel
Career Plus is a high school diploma program (vs. high school equivalent program) for students 21 years old and older.Students must complete nine high school core courses plus either a two-TCC pathway, a diploma, or an associate degreeDual Achievement and Dual Enrollment – Dr. Daniel
Students will graduate high school with a high school diploma and college credentials. Students must earn either two Technical Certificates of Credit or a Diploma or an associate degreeBe between the ages of 16-21Student is not considered a drop-out from their high schoolGeorgia Quick Start – A highly accomplished department of the Technical College System of Georgia - (All)
#1 Workforce Training Program in the country for 15 years, per Area Development MagazineProvides FREE workforce training for companies moving to Georgia or expanding operations in GeorgiaWorksource Georgia – Dr. Daniel
Provides workforce development and career services to more than 196,000 GeorgiansLaunched an online labor exchange portal that connects employers with job seekers. worksourcegaportal.comLeadership through Local Board of Directors - Adie Shimandle
National Science Foundation Artificial Intelligence institute in Adult Learning and Online Education Program– Adie Shimandle
11 colleges participating in the ALOE Fellowship programEpisode Guests
Dr. Andrea Daniel President Athens Technical College
Dr. Andrea Daniel currently serves as the President at Athens Technical College. She has served the College for over 27 years. Dr. Daniel began her career working in the office of Senator Sam Nunn and supported the work of the Armed Services Committee. Dr. Daniel previously worked as a senior planning analyst for the Atlanta Regional Commission on projects such as the Outer Loop Study, Vision 2020 Education Stakeholder Committee, planning and zoning studies, and Olympic Transportation Planning.
Dr. Daniel has completed the Executive Leadership Academy of the Technical College System of Georgia, and she is a graduate of L.E.A.D. Athens Class of 2008. She has also successfully completed the Georgia Tech Annual Basic Economic Development Course, and the Georgia Regional Academy for Economic Development Essentials of Economic Development course. In January 2020, Dr. Daniel was elected and nominated by a group of her peers to serve on the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) Board of Trustees. For her efforts in demonstrating excellence, creativity and success in business and furthering the goals for other professional women, Dr. Daniel was presented the Athena Award in February 2020. In November 2020, Dr. Daniel received the Elbert County Native Citizen Award during the annual meeting of the Elbert County Chamber of Commerce. Dr. Daniel has a bachelor’s degree in political science from Lander University, a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Georgia, and a doctorate in Business Administration specializing in organizational leadership from Northcentral University
Adie Eleaze Shimandle: Executive Director of the Technical College Directors' Association of Georgia
Ms. Shimandle is the Executive Director of the Technical College Directors' Association of Georgia (TCDA) under the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG). In this role, she oversees education and certification programs for local boards of directors across Georgia's 22 technical colleges and has trained and certified more than 600 local board members. She spearheaded the creation of TECH Talks, an initiative technical showcase of pioneering entrepreneurs in disruptive technologies and co-host of the Technical College System of Georgia Statewide Leadership Conference. These explosive new technologies and innovations are driving Georgia's industries and workforce. In addition to her work with TCDA, Ms. Shimandle actively advocates for technological advancements, serving as an ambassador to Georgia legislators, locally and at the federal level, and engaging in discussions on transformative innovations that enhance education and industry.
Ms. Shimandle has held senior level position in marketing, business analyst, project management and education. She is a graduate of Leadership North Fulton, created the Community Partner's Fair for the Taste of Alpharetta, Georgia, former member of Habitat for Humanity North Fulton and provided computers underserved students in the Norcross, Ga area. She was inducted into Marquis Who's Who in 2024 and recently was honored to be named the recipient of Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award December 2024. She will appear in the 2025 edition of Who's Who in America.
Ms. Shimandle earned an Associates of Science in Education from Manatee Junior Collee (now the State College of Florida), then earning a Bachelor of Science in Instructional Psychology, Training, and Technology at the University of Georgia, where she achieved academic distinction and was recognized for her leadership and scholastic excellence as a straight "A" student. She was honored to be selected as one of two graduating seniors to give the graduation speech at a UGA satellite campus. She is a founding member of the National AI Institute for Adult Learning and Online Education (ALOE), and currently resides on the executive board assisting researchers with ongoing data and advice on adult learners.
Tammy Bryant, MSN, RN, Director of Curriculum for Allied Health at TCSG
Tammy earned a bachelor’s degree in Nursing from Brenau University and a Master’s degree in Nursing from Walden University. Her first career was that of a Labor and Delivery Nurse in the Atlanta area. She then started as a nurse educator with the Technical College System of Georgia at Southern Regional Technical College (SRtC) in 1994 as a full-time instructor in the LPN Program; as she continued her educational journey she developed one of the first Gerontology Diploma Programs for the Technical College System, served as instructor, and program chair for the ASN program from 2010-2022. In 2023, she served as Dean of Nursing for SRTC from June – January of 2023. Most recently in January 2023, she accepted the position within the Technical College System as Executive Director of Health Initiatives.
Tammy received the Southern Regional Technical College’s Rick Perkins Award for Excellence in Technical Instruction twice while teaching. She has served as a member of the Nursing Education Committee for the Georgia Board of Nursing and the Steering Committee for the Inaugural Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing - Nursing Education Accreditation Conference. She was appointed to the Georgia Board of Nursing (GBON) in 2017 and reappointed in 2021 and served as the President of the GBON for 2 years.
Additionally, she is active in her community where she has served as a Board Member for the Lives without Limits non-profit organization, a member of Thomasville Health Department Committee, as well as a Member of the Georgia Association of Nursing Deans and Directors. Tammy and her husband, Danny, have one daughter and live in Thomasville.
-
Episode #219 of Silver Lining for Learning will focus on Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC) and open education in Taiwan. We will have guests from the Research Center of Higher Educational Resources for Openness (HERO) at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University. The platform they use is called ewant. Ewant is an Open Education Platform established in 2013 by National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) in Taiwan. More on this is below.
About the Ewant Open education platform: https://www.ewant.org/
The ewant Open Education Platform, established in 2013 by National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) in Taiwan, is a pioneering initiative in the realm of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). As Taiwan's first MOOCs platform, ewant has made significant strides in democratizing education, offering over 1,100 courses to a diverse audience that includes more than 650,000 enrollments. This platform collaborates with 110 educational institutions and organizations to provide high-quality learning resources across various disciplines. Over the past two years, approximately 200,000 registered users were high school students.
Ewant aims to enhance accessibility to education by breaking geographical barriers and offering courses in both Mandarin and English. Its innovative approach includes hybrid learning models that combine online and offline experiences, fostering peer-to-peer interaction and collaboration among learners. The platform has gained international recognition for its engaging content and successful partnerships, such as its collaboration with the National Palace Museum and renowned educators like Professor Barbara Oakley. With a commitment to promoting lifelong learning, ewant continues to expand its course offerings, including specialized programs in emerging fields like Artificial Intelligence and Medical Science. One notable achievement is the collaboration with the National Palace Museum, which resulted in the award-winning course "A Visit to Treasures in National Palace Museum." This course received a gold medal at the 2021 World Fest Houston International Film and Video Festival, highlighting its innovative approach to education and cultural engagement.
Additionally, ewant partnered with Professor Barbara Oakley to create a Chinese version of the highly popular course "Learning How to Learn." This collaboration expanded the course's reach, allowing Mandarin-speaking students to benefit from its insights into effective learning strategies. The platform also launched a high school version and a teacher education variant, further enhancing its educational offerings. Courses like "Mandatory Credits for College Students: Emotional Education," developed by Professor Fei-Juan Chen, have seen significant enrollment success, with over 30,000 students participating in its first semester on a major credit-sharing platform in China. Such initiatives demonstrate ewant's commitment to providing accessible, high-quality education that resonates with diverse audiences and fosters global connections among learners.
Sample project: NYCU Partners with VIS to Launch Digital Semiconductor Course: Advancing Educational Equity and Providing Quality Resources for Remote and Offshore High Schools: https://www.nycu.edu.tw/nycu/en/app/news/view?module=headnews&id=552&serno=fcf843a0-00da-4a97-b26d-bcb89cffaac8
Kenzen Chen, Associate Professor of e-Learning; and also Associate Dean of the College of humanities, arts, and social sciences; Associate Director of Higher Education Resources for Openness (HERO Center); Associate Director of faculty choir (many associates, LOL); National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taiwan.
Dr. Ken-Zen Chen is an Associate Professor at the Institute of Education at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University in Taiwan starting September 2015. Prior to becoming an academic, Kenzen was an instructional designer and research analyst at eCampus Center, Boise State University, Idaho, U.S.A. Kenzen specialized in retention research & provided instructional design consultation to support the design & delivery of online courses & programs at Boise State. In line with the state government’s mission of Complete College Idaho 2020, he assisted with learning analytics to improve online student success and provide faculty support with research collaborations for online scholarship of teaching & learning. Kenzen completed his Ph.D. in math, science & technology education in 2012, & M.S. in applied statistics in 2010 from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC); he also received an M.A in curriculum & instruction & a B.Ed. from National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU). With his experience in educational foundations, MIS, and instructional design tools, he has broad research interests & backgrounds in the areas of educational technology, learning sciences, big-data analytics in education, and curriculum & instruction. Starting 2016, Dr. Chen collaborates with Dr. Barbara Oakley to transform her famous “Learning How To Learn” MOOC into a series of culturally responsive MOOCs for Chinese-speaking learners and won great success. Currently, the “landing” LHTL is onboarding in five MOOC platforms and one Podcast platform. Dr. Chen uses these MOOCs as research sites to generate a sustainable model for MOOC development. Presently, Kenzen co-directs the ewant Open Education Platform (https://ewant.org, literally: the education you want) - Taiwan’s flagship Mass Open Online Courses platform.
Dr. Hsin-Yun Wang (Jill)
Dr. Jo-Chi Hsiao (Anna)
Adjunct Assistant Professor at the Center for Teacher Education at National Taiwan University of Science and Technology;Adjunct Assistant Professor at the Institute of Education at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University;Community leader of Dance with Stars, a professional learning network for high school English teachers in TaiwanEnglish teacher at National Hsinchu Senior High SchoolHer research focuses on teacher professional development, TESOL, and Computer Assisted Language Learning
Dr. Wen-Li Chang (Wendy)
Post Doc Fellow, Institute of Education, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taiwan
Lecturer, General Education Center and Language Center, National Chung Hsing University, Taiwan
Lecturer, Department of English and Language Center, National Changhua University of Education, Taiwan
Her research field encompasses English-medium instruction, technology-enhanced language learning, self-regulated language learning, and open educational practices.
Dr. Yi-Fang Lo (Elva)
English Teacher and The Chief of Curriculum, Yong Zhen Elementary School, Miaoli County, Taiwan
Doctoral Student, Institute of Education, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taiwan
Lecturer, Cool English website, MOE (The Ministry of Education), Taiwan
Review Expert of Examination, “Test My English” CEFR English Test System, MOE (The Ministry of Education), Taiwan
Community leader, a professional learning network for elementary school English teachers in Taiwan
Research fields:
motivation on English learningonline escape room game design on learningtechnology-enhanced language learning in elementary educationself-regulated language learning -
Episode 218 | The Brilliant Global Gem Called Christel House, 11 am Eastern, 1/11/2025
Silver Lining for Learning will start 2025 with a phenomenal project called Christel House International (https://christelhouse.org/) involving youth around the world. Christel House is a global network of schools in India, Mexico, South Africa, Jamaica, and Indianapolis in the United States. Its mission is to provide high-quality, free education from preschool age until they can secure employment after their tertiary education. For the past 25 years, Christel House has strived to provide a comprehensive approach that involves not just educational programming but also healthcare, nutrition, and family assistance. Such an approach helps to ensure the complete holistic development and well-being of every young person in their program. At its core, Christel House has been dedicated to helping empower children from under-resourced communities to maximize their potential, and, in effect, transform lives around the planet. Across their 25 years of existence, Christel House has impacted over 20,000 students across the world with the establishment of 9 schools in 5 countries. They are currently spearheading a new fully funded Fellowship program called the Global Pathbuilders Fellowship which hopes to identify and support high-potential visionary leaders and entrepreneurs in establishing Christel House schools in new countries. Among the countries under consideration are Peru, Colombia, Ghana, Kenya, Nepal, and Bangladesh. They are presently looking for partners in those countries. Selected Fellows will receive customized support to design and launch new schools, including opportunities to be embedded in different Christel House schools to learn from their experienced CEOs and their teams. Clearly, Episode #218 of Silver Lining for Learning will be one of great interest to those seeking innovative solutions to educational problems around the world.
David Harris – President and CEO, Christel House International
David Harris is President & CEO of Christel House International. Before joining Christel House, he was a partner with The City Fund. David founded The Mind Trust in 2006, which became a national model for driving urban education reform. Before founding The Mind Trust, David spent five years as Mayor Bart Peterson’s Charter Schools director, where he built a charter school office that received Harvard University’s Innovations in American Government Award. In 2024, David was recognized with the Leader in Education Innovation Award from The Mind Trust. The Indianapolis Business Journal named David one of the city’s 40 Influential People of the Past 40 Years in 2020. He has received College Summit’s Let Talent Shine Award, Teachers’ Treasures Caring Spirit Award, Hope Academy’s Faces of Hope Award, Marian University’s Franciscan Values Award, and Indy’s Best and Brightest Award from Junior Achievement of Central Indiana. He was featured as part of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s 2013 Profiles of Change series. He also was named one of Indianapolis Business Journal’s ‘Forty Under 40’ and was the inaugural winner of the St. Richard’s Episcopal School’s Eugene S. Pulliam Founders Medal for alumni who “demonstrate creative leadership and service that has benefitted society.” David received a bachelor’s degree from Northwestern University and a law degree from Indiana University.
Adri Marais – CEO, Christel House South Africa
In April 2018 Adri Marais joined Christel House South Africa as CEO. Adri has a Masters in Biochemistry, an MBA and a Post Graduate Diploma in Higher Education Studies (cum laude). Science, business and education inform her view of the world. As a social entrepreneur, she is passionate and tenacious. As a leader, deeply empathetic, straight-talking and standing in her integrity. She drives innovation from conceptualization to implementation, balancing risk and reward with humanity. The business of education was a natural home for her work towards social change. In 2004, together with three co-founders, she started TSiBA (Tertiary School in Business Administration) dedicating her life full-time to post-apartheid redress. TSiBA is a private not-for-profit business school that provides all students with full, or part, tuition scholarships to study towards an enriched, fully accredited BBA degree in Entrepreneurial Leadership.
Lauren Daniels
My name is Lauren Daniels; I am 25 years old and currently residing in South Africa. I attended Christel House South Africa from 2013-2017, which was my high school career. I matriculated top of the class in 2017 and was also the valedictorian. I went on to study business and marketing for one year at a private college on a full scholarship, and then proceeded to complete my undergraduate degree at Stellenbosch University, a Bachelor of Arts in Social Dynamics in 2021. I completed my BA Honors in Social Anthropology at Stellenbosch University in 2022. I graduated in March 2023, and I am currently working as Project coordinator in the Bursaries and Student Recruitment management division at the Growsmart Educational Program at Growthpoint Properties CSR department. I am currently pursuing my master’s degree in medical Anthropology, with a focus on public and reproductive health at the University of Johannesburg.
Indianapolis Star (front page article from January 4, 2025) This high school mentors its students long after they graduate, and it’s seeing resultsThe 74 – Op-Ed by David Harris: How Indiana is leading the way in measuring schools by what matters mostMail & Guardian – Op-Ed by Adri Marais: There is a way to address poverty in South AfricaChalkbeat Indiana – (College & Careers Collaboration): Christel House expands postsecondary support program to traditional public, charter schoolsSouth Africa - The Good News (CH Expansion): Christel House SA to open a new high school -
Hosts reflect with Chris Dede, Lydia Cao & Punya Mishra
-
Are you curious with how we might ‘flatten’ the learning landscape to provide student choice, accessibility, and equivalence through multiple global learning opportunities? If so, you are in luck. While humans reemerge in a post-COVID world to begin to learn again with other humans face-to-face as well as online and blended, educators continue to struggle with facilitating effective cross-institutional learning where students learn with their peers, not just about things. Online global collaboration encourages students to learn with others from different cultures; unfortunately, such powerful forms of global education are not typically embedded into formal curricula in higher education. In Episode #216 of Silver Lining for Learning (SLL), we will learn about innovative forms of online collaboration from Dr. Julie Lindsay who is Senior Education Technology Advisor at University of Southern Queensland. As Dr. Lindsay will discuss in this episode, we can do better. In fact, as she describes in an October 2024 article in the Times Higher Education, well-designed online global collaborative learning (OGCL) has been found to transform learning and enhance skills such as effective communication, intercultural awareness, and global perspectives. With that article as a backdrop, she will also explain how we can better prepare educators to collaborate globally. During this podcast, we will discuss the possible impact of AI on learning and teaching in higher education and why alternative approaches to learning and assessment are now vital.
More about our guest below the video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h53Y4ARlf1E
Dr. Julie Lindsay is a highly accomplished and influential figure in the field of education, with over 35 years of experience spanning K-12 schools and higher education. She is a passionate advocate for the integration of educational technologies and innovative pedagogies to drive digital transformation for teaching and learning. Notably, Julie worked in international schools for fifteen years as an educational technology and online learning leader across Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. She has designed and implemented numerous online global projects for K-12 classrooms utilizing a collaborative "working with" approach to global learning. This rich experience has informed her scholarship, leading to the publication of two influential books: "Flattening Classrooms, Engaging Minds" and "The Global Educator: Leveraging Technology for Collaborative Learning and Teaching." Julie continues to deliver presentations, workshops, and consultations on global collaboration in education internationally through her consultancy “Learning Confluence.”
Julie completed a PhD in 2019 entitled, “Online global collaborative educators and pedagogical change.” This research offered innovative insights into educator beliefs, competencies, and conceptual change as enablers to adopting a Global Collaborator Mindset with attributes of connection, openness, autonomy, and innovation. These findings have helped to shape her current research, which centers on exploring practices and approaches to embedding online global collaborative learning in higher education with a view to establishing an open community of practice and a robust framework to guide effective learning design and implementation.
Currently Julie holds the position of Senior Education Technology Advisor in the Learning and Teaching Futures Portfolio at the University of Southern Queensland. In this role, she is a thought leader and change agent seeking to reimagine traditional approaches to education and foster innovation. Artificial Intelligence is firmly on her agenda and in 2023 she established the AI for Learning and Teaching Collective, an internal, open community of practice with links to external partners that meets to share practice and develop better approaches for AI integration in higher education. In 2020, Julie was the recipient of the Research in Educational Leadership and Management Award from the Australian Council for Educational Leaders. In 2023 she was awarded the Vice Chancellor’s Excellence Award for University Educational Leadership "For fostering student reflective learning, employability and professional identity through a university-wide, sustained initiative leading to changed academic practice through integration of online portfolios."
She is actively involved in several initiatives that promote the effective integration of technology in education, including leading the global Technology and Innovation Network (TIN) in partnership with the International Council for Open and Distance Education (ICDE), further demonstrating her dedication to fostering innovation in education on a global scale. In June 2024 Julie was the recipient of an Erasmus+ Staff Mobility nomination and spent time in Germany with partner university, Justus Liebig University, Giessen. Julie can be reached via email at: [email protected] and via LinkedIn at: http://www.linkedin.com/in/julieannelindsay
Julie Lindsay’s ORCID #: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6220-8785Curriculum embedded global collaborative learning research website: https://create.usq.edu.au/global/
Learning Confluence: https://learningconfluence.com/Video #1: Online Global Collaborative Learning (7:08): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jz78Cb-JR44Video #2: Exploring curriculum-based global collaboration in higher education (3:42): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBhuBAxF31URecent Publication:
Beyond borders: how to make online global collaborative learning work, by Julie Lindsey, Times Higher Education, October 16, 2024As higher education strives to ‘reset’ in the age of AI to become more flexible, interdisciplinary, open, focused on real-world learning and with authentic assessment, curriculum-embedded online global collaborative learning (OGCL) is a key path to future-ready graduates
https://www.timeshighereducation.com/campus/beyond-borders-how-make-online-global-collaborative-learning-work -
Goodwill and the Dignity of Work: A hybrid-era renewal for a 120-year old model] with Jenny Taylor, Chief Mission Officer and Vice President of Career Services at Goodwill of North Georgia and Nick Espinosa, Branch Chief, US Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Services, Office of Employment and Training, Southeast Region Office
Goodwill was founded in Boston by Reverend Edgar J. Helms, a Methodist minister and early social innovator. Helms created the Goodwill philosophy of “not charity, but a chance” when he collected used household goods and clothing, then trained and hired people who were destitute to mend and repair the used goods. The goods were then sold or given to the people who repaired them. 120 years later, Goodwill remains a household name and leading nonprofit provider of educational and workforce-related services. The Goodwill enterprise is a network of more than 150 community-based, autonomous organizations in the United States and Canada with a presence in 12 other countries. To meet the needs of their local communities, each local Goodwill organization designs and operates its own programs and services to help people find work near where they live.
Most Goodwills did not recover their mission services to the size, scale, and performance after they were forced to shut down or significantly change during and after the pandemic. Collectively, the Goodwill movement went from placing approximately 230,000 Americans into work in 2019 to around 141,000 in 2023 which is almost a 40% decrease. Goodwill Industries of the Southern Rivers (Columbus, Ga), however, served more people than ever before starting during and after the pandemic, and Goodwill of North Georgia (Atlanta), significantly improved the quality of mission services increasing the % of people we placed into employment in living wage jobs from 16% to 87% from pre-pandemic to post-pandemic, while simultaneously recovering the high volume of people employed annually (22,083 last year) to remain the #1 Goodwill 5 years in a row for # placed into employment. To combat some of the issues of the wider movement, to utilize the lessons learned and solutions applied by these two Goodwills in Georgia, and to co-create a solution that fits with the various sizes and different territories around the country, we have convened more than three dozen decision-makers from varied Goodwills. The hybrid-era of using live synchronous video instruction from one agency paired with in-person hands-on, paid, work-based learning, case management and work supports at another in local markets has begun to renew the more than century-old model and when taken to scale, is poised to make a significant impact in moving people out of poverty.
Resources and more about our guests below the video
https://youtu.be/zREutYQtcVI
Readings and Resources:
link to Course Catalog and Goodwill of North Georgia’s Mission Impact Report: https://careerconnector.org
Episode Guests
Jenny Taylor. Jenny Taylor is a sought-after public speaker on the topics of successful large-scale public/private partnerships, employer engagement, career pathways, economic mobility, using data to drive mission impact, and employment outcomes for people with significant barriers. She is Vice President of Career Services and Chief Mission Officer at Goodwill of North Georgia, the largest in the nation for mission job placement outcomes, leading evidence-based programs with outcomes in the top 10% of the industry, as measured by the National Benchmarking Project. Her agency has a $200 million-dollar budget and operates programs that placed 22,113 people in competitive employment last fiscal year in North Georgia. The vast majority (87%) of people placed into employment in competitive, unsubsidized jobs were at or above living wages, according to the MIT living wage calculator for Georgia.
She serves as Chair of the Board of Directors for the Metro Atlanta eXchange (MAX) for Workforce Solutions, leads the technical assistance for the SNAP Employment and Training National Partnerships Grant for USDA-FNS since 2020, and is a member of the National and Georgia Rehabilitation Associations, Chief, and Mensa. She holds a Master of Rehabilitation Counseling from the University of Kentucky, a Certificate in Design Thinking from Harvard University Extension, a Bachelor of Business Administration with Non-Profit focus, and is a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor. Jenny’s favorite role is being a mom; she lives in Athens, Georgia.
Nick Espinosa
Nick Espinosa has 27 years of experience working within social services and has served in a variety of roles at the state and federal levels, as well as within non-profit organizations. Nick is currently a Branch Chief at USDA-FNS’ Southeast Region office in Atlanta where he works to support Technology, Nutrition & Integrity. Prior to federal service, Nick worked for the State of Washington as a Program Manager for both the TANF and SNAP programs. He also held positions at local and national non-profit organizations focusing on helping low-income individuals to achieve self-sufficiency. Nick is best known for co-developing the first third-party SNAP E&T model in the country and for his work promoting the untapped potential of E&T programs across the nation. Nick received a Bachelor's degree from the University of Washington and an MBA from the University of Liverpool, United Kingdom. Nick will bring an outside perspective from a partner who relies upon Goodwill to serve people.
-
The National AI Institute for Exceptional Education with Jinjun Xiong, Sean Redmond, and Dancheng Liu
Nearly 3.4 million children require speech and language services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and are at risk of falling behind in their academic and social-emotional development without timely intervention by Speech and Language Pathologists (SLPs). Unfortunately, there is a significant shortage of SLPs and the COVID pandemic has further exacerbated this gap, making it almost impossible for SLPs to provide individualized services for children. The National AI Institute for Exceptional Education (AI4ExceptionalEd) aims to close this gap by developing advanced AI technologies to scale SLPs’ availability and services such that no child in need of speech and language services is left behind. Towards this end, the Institute proposes to develop two novel AI solutions: (1) the AI Screener to enable universal early screening for all children, and (2) the AI Orchestrator to work with SLPs and teachers to provide individualized interventions for children with their formal Individualized Education Program (IEP).
In this podcast, Dr. Jinjun Xiong, the Scientific Director of the Institute, will discuss one of the many projects going on at the Institute. The project is called AutoRSR, led by the Institute’s PhD student Mr. Dancheng Liu. AutoRSR aims to leverage the power of AI to automate an evidence-based screening method developed by an SLP expert, Dr. Sean Redmon. Evidence-based early screening for children with speech and language challenges is critically important as it provides opportunities for those impacted children to receive diagnostics early and hence the needed invention. But conducting screening instruments is typically time-consuming and requires specialized training for those who conduct the screening. Can we leverage the power of AI to automate some of those screening processes so that more children can receive such a screening test? What would be some of the research challenges and capability gaps in developing such a solution? What are some of the dos and don’ts of carrying out such interdisciplinary research? Through this podcast’s discussion about the AI4ExceptionalEd Institute and the development of the AutoRSR project, we hope to shed some light on those questions.
More resources and information about our guests below the video
https://youtu.be/ollQZW7JID8
Readings and Resources:
Hadley, P. A., & Xiong, J. Researchers Partner on AI to Free Up SLPs for Direct Services. https://leader.pubs.asha.org/do/10.1044/leader.FTR1b.28092023.AI-ethics-slp-aud.50/full The ASHA LeaderLive, 2023.
Episode Guests
Jinjun Xiong
Dr. Jinjun Xiong is an Empire Innovation Professor with the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at the University at Buffalo (UB). He also serves as the Scientific Director for the $20 M National AI Institute for Exceptional Education (http://ai4exceptionaled.org), Director for the SUNY-UB Institute for Artificial Intelligence and Data Science (https://www.buffalo.edu/ai-data-science.html), and the AI Thrust Lead for the $10M National Center for Early Literacy and Responsible AI (CELaRAI). Prior to UB, he was a Senior Researcher and Program Director for AI and Hybrid Clouds Systems at the IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center. He was the former co-founder and co-director of the IBM-Illinois Center for Cognitive Computing Systems Research (C3SR), the success of which in 5 years has led to the 10-year $200M expansion of the center to the IBM-Illinois Discovery Accelerator Institute. His research interests are in across-stack AI systems research, including AI applications, algorithms, tooling, and computer architectures.
Professor Sean M. Redmond is a Fellow of the American Speech Language and Hearing Association and Board-Certified Specialist in Child Language. Dr. Redmond received his PhD from the University of Kansas in 1998 and joined the faculty at the University of Utah shortly thereafter. He has over 45 peer-reviewed publications as well as book chapters on the topics of pediatric language disorders, socioemotional behavioral disorders, and differential diagnosis. His scholarship has been funded by the National Institutes of Health. Dr Redmond has served as Editor in Chief for the Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research and is a founding member of the website https://dldandme.org/
Dancheng Liu is a PhD student in the Computer Science and Engineering Department at the University at Buffalo, where he is also affiliated with the National AI Institute for Exceptional Education. Before joining UB, he completed both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at the University of California, San Diego. His current research explores the intersection of AI and speech-language pathology, with a particular focus on advancing AI technologies to scale the availability of speech-language pathologists. He aims to create innovative tools to streamline SLPs’ tasks with state-of-the-art deep learning models and advanced algorithms. He led the development of AutoRSR which enables fully automated Redmond Sentence Recall assessments, allowing the entire process to be automated, opening up the potential for enabling universal speech disorder screening in the future.
-
Episode Description:
In the last decade, education has exhibited a call for sweeping transformation across K-12, postsecondary, and workforce training, marked by the need for shifting from traditional lectures as the core of instruction to dynamic models of bridging formal and informal educational experiences with open, active learning using online, blended, and competency-based education models. These changes have not only redefined what is possible but also impacted student expectations of how to learn in K-12, higher education and career pathways. In Episode #213 of Silver Lining for Learning, we welcome Susan Patrick, a leader in the field of education technology and a champion of competency-based education. Susan's career includes leading the Aurora Institute (formerly iNACOL), where she supported innovations in K-12 online learning and new models of education that align with research on how students learn best. Beyond this, Susan's work spans state government, federal government, and two universities working in postsecondary education and workforce readiness, advocating for system-wide change that bridges gaps in opportunity and increases access for learners of all ages. Join us as we discuss the future of personalized, competency-based pathways and the role of technology in transforming education systems to serve all learners more equitably.Susan Patrick is currently an independent consultant and author. Susan is the former President & CEO of Aurora Institute and iNACOL. She is the former Director of the Office of Educational Technology at the U.S. Department of Education. Prior, Patrick served as legislative liaison for Governor Hull from Arizona. She served as legislative staff on Capitol Hill. She is a Pahara-Aspen Institute Fellow and an USA Eisenhower Fellow. She was awarded the AECT System Change Leader Award 2020 for making significant contributions to the evolution of learning, demonstrating systems thinking and positive impact aligned to future-focused education. She was awarded a 2024 Women in AI Fellowship from EDSAFE. She can be reached in LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susan-patrick-0a90a64/ and in Twitter/X: https://x.com/susandpatrick?lang=en
Susan Patrick Bio Continued:
Susan Patrick is a deep content expert in education innovation who has garnered significant influence and impact within the field of K-12 education. With a track record of success, she has founded successful organizations, provided professional learning and advised federal, state, district and classroom leaders, convened global, state, and local leaders, and shaped policy conversations at the highest levels. As the former leader of Aurora Institute and iNACOL, Susan cultivated a membership base of practitioners in the thousands, solidifying both her own reputation and creating the largest community of active practitioners in a networked organization serving as a resource and a national force in educational change for advancing policy and breakthrough practices for innovation in education.
Her expertise has been sought by several presidential administrations (including being the former Director of the Office of Educational Technology at the U.S. Department of Education) and numerous states, districts, and foreign governments, where she has played a pivotal role in rethinking and reshaping approaches to education transformation. Susan is globally recognized for her leadership in making educational opportunities more equitable and effective. She champions competency-based and personalized learning, advocating for approaches that support human-centered approaches to building skills and knowledge with flexibility, learning anytime, anywhere, over traditional "seat time" requirements. She has published 120 publications on online, blended, and competency-based learning. She grounds efforts in research on how people learn, aiming to modernize education on a scalable level to meet the needs of a changing world.
Throughout her career, Susan has been dedicated to breaking away from the industrial-age model of education, working tirelessly to provide greater access and better opportunities for success to a wider range of students of all ages throughout their lifetimes. Her work has supported the growth of successful online and place-based learning opportunities. In the face of resistance to educational innovation, Susan has demonstrated exceptional foresight, listening to concerns, building relationships, and organizing networks to advance important ideas and threshold concepts. She has catalyzed discussions about the future of education worldwide, influencing key stakeholders and shifting the conversation towards student-centered, personalized approaches.
Susan’s impact extends beyond vision; she possesses the capacity to engage with key stakeholders, effecting deep cultural change necessary for meaningful progress. Her dedication and persistence have empowered others to take ownership of these vital ideas, making her a true change leader in the field of education. As co-author of a necessary future, Susan continues to contribute to the ongoing evolution of education. Her work ensures a brighter future for learners and communities of all backgrounds, solidifying her legacy as a pioneering figure in educational innovation.
Aurora Institute: https://aurora-institute.org/Video (6:58): iNACOL Is Now the Aurora Institute: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYLA9T_N6z8&t=1sGetting Smart Podcast: Susan Patrick on Transforming Education Systems for Equitable High-Quality Learning (August 28, 2019): https://www.gettingsmart.com/podcast/podcast-susan-patrick-on-transforming-education-systems-for-equitable-high-quality-learning/One Good Question with Susan Patrick: How Can We Build Trust in Our Education System? (December 16, 2016): https://aurora-institute.org/blog/one-good-question-with-susan-patrick-how-can-we-build-trust-in-our-education-system/ -
As AI reshapes the landscape of the world, workforce, and education, there emerges an imperative for Hybrid Intelligence—where human and AI capabilities co-evolve to achieve more than either could alone. Understanding how humans interact, learn, and work with AI across modalities is becoming essential, especially within the multiverse, where digital, physical, and augmented realities converge, unlocking new possibilities for learning, interaction, and collaboration.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming how we live, work, and learn, creating significant changes in the workforce, education, and society. In education, AI is increasingly integrated to facilitate personalized learning experiences, as discussed in the OECD Digital Education Outlook 2023, which outlines the necessity for adapting pedagogical models to embrace these evolving technologies and prepare the workforce for this era. This rapid shift brings the need for Hybrid Intelligence, where humans and AI work together to achieve more than either could alone. Hybrid Intelligence combines human abilities - like creativity, empathy, and ethical thinking - with AI's computational power, precision, and data processing speed. This approach is not just about working together but evolving together.
As Hybrid Intelligence continues to develop, understanding the nature of human-AI interactions across multiple modalities becomes increasingly critical. These interactions are not limited to text and speech but extend into rich, multimodal environments where gestures, visual cues, and even emotional responses come into play. Within the multiverse - a convergence of digital, physical, and augmented realities - these evolving interactions take on new dynamics and dimensions. The multiverse brings forth opportunities to innovate how we learn, work, and collaborate. Educational environments are no longer restricted to a classroom or a digital platform; they are expanded into immersive spaces where physical and virtual worlds merge, allowing entirely new forms of interaction. These hybrid environments offer unprecedented possibilities for experiential learning, critical thinking, and collective knowledge construction. Understanding how to optimize these interactions will be key to harnessing the full potential of Hybrid Intelligence in the years to come and that is what we hope to build in our team https://www.letxresearch.com/home
https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/oecd-digital-education-outlook-2023_c74f03de-en.htmlAbout our guests
Andy Nguyen is an Assistant Professor (tenure-track) in Hybrid Intelligence: Human-AI Co-evolution and Learning in Multi-realities (HI) profiling program and working at the Learning & Educational Technology (LET) Research Lab, Faculty of Education and Psychology at the University of Oulu, Finland. He holds the title of Docent (Adjunct Professor) in Applied Artificial Intelligence at the Faculty of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering (ITEE) at the same university. He is also a Research Council of Finland (formerly Academy of Finland) Postdoctoral Research Fellow. His work has been published in well-known journals and conference proceedings in the field of Educational Technology and Information Systems (IS), including in Studies in Higher Education and the European Journal of Information Systems (EJIS) (Basket of Eight IS Journal, A*-ranked under ABDC list). He is currently a co-chair of the Advances in Teaching and Learning Technologies minitrack at Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences (HICSS), an Associate Editor of ICIS2024 “Digital Learning and IS Curricula” track, an Editorial Advisory Board Member of Artificial Intelligence in Education (Emerald), an Associate Editor of the journal of Policy Futures in Education, and an Editorial Board Member of British Journal of Educational Technology.
Research Team Website: https://www.letxresearch.com/homeLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andynguyenxuan/Belle Dang is a researcher at the Learning & Educational Technology Research Unit (LET) at the University of Oulu, where she focuses on the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and education. Her work investigates how AI can enhance learning environments, particularly through understanding and supporting how learners regulate their own learning processes. Her business background has shaped her interest in conducting research that not only advances theoretical understanding but also has practical applications with real-world impact.
Research Team Website: https://www.letxresearch.com/homeORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0006-8734-6697.LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/belle-dang-402252b0/ -
Teenagers in Nepal have been learning from massive open online education (MOOCs) for much of the past decade. That use accelerated during the pandemic. Several of these young learners appeared on Silver Lining for Learning for Episode 33 in back October 24, 2020 and will return for this episode to give us an update on the benefits and challenges of MOOCs on their lives during the past four years. Attend this episode of SLL and learn how MOOCs and open educational resources can make a difference at the K-12 level. More about our guests below the video.
Richa Suri: Richa completed high school and now preparing for the earning a placement at a US institution. Amazingly, she ran two workshops on taking MOOCs for the teachers and students in her district last year. It had the participation of around 70 participants.
Sneha Adhikari: She completed her high school and now is studying Software Engineering at Pokhara University, Nepal. She has been fortunate enough to learn from Massive Open Online Courses since she was in Grade 10 and used them for her studies at her undergraduate level too.
Bivushi (Manushi) Timilsina is originally from Pokhara, Nepal. She is now a sophomore at Sweet Briar College, majoring in Engineering Science with a 4.0 GPA. Last year, she was honored with the Emerging Leader Award (2023-2024) during the annual Student Involvement Recognition Ceremony. Over the summer, she became the first-ever counselor from Nepal at Kennolyn Camps, serving as a STEM counselor. Recently, she received the Emilie Watts McVea Scholar Award (2024-2025), given to the highest-ranking member of each class. She is also involved on campus through leadership roles such as Vice President of the Multicultural Communities Council, Resident Advisor, and Communication Lead for the Google Developer Student Club, among others. This semester, she is exploring courses in Cybersecurity and Web Development through CodePath, deepening her passion for tech and community engagement.
-
The NSF AI Institute for Engaged Learning with James Lester, Guatam Biswas, and Kip Glazer
This episode will feature the NSF-funded National AI Institute for Engaged Learning (EngageAI). The EngageAI Institute is one of the five education-focused AI Institutes supported by the National Science Foundation’s National Artificial Intelligence Research Institutes Program. The EngageAI Institute is guided by a vision of learning that supports and extends the capabilities of students and teachers with AI. The Institute conducts research on narrative-centered learning technologies, collaborative narrative-centered learning, and multimodal analysis of engaged learning to create deeply compelling story-based learning experiences. Driven by a learner-centered vision of AI-augmented learning, the Institute develops learning environments that create narrative-centered learning experiences designed to promote student engagement. The Institute’s AI-enabled narrative-centered learning environments build on rapid advances in AI spanning natural language processing, computer vision, and machine learning. Woven throughout the Institute’s activities is a strong focus on ethics, with an emphasis on creating AI-augmented learning that is deeply informed by considerations of fairness, accountability, transparency, trust, and privacy.
This episode will feature a discussion of AI-enabled narrative centered learning, collaborative narrative-centered learning, and multimodal learning analytics. The discussion will explore how narrative-centered learning capabilities draw on emerging advances in large language models to create interactive narrative planning and generation technologies as well as emerging narrative-centered learning authoring technologies that leverage generative AI to support both authoring and customization that will enable designers and educators to meet the specific needs of their students, classrooms, curricula, and research programs. It will also include a discussion of the Institute’s advances in core AI technologies that support its design and development of narrative-centered learning environments, as well as a discussion of the Institute’s connections with diverse stakeholders that ensure that the learning environments it creates promote diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Readings and Resources
James Lester, Mohit Bansal, Gautam Biswas, Cindy Hmelo-Silver, Jeremy Roschelle, and Jonathan Rowe. The AI Institute for Engaged Learning. AI Magazine, 45(1), 69-76, 2024.
Episode Guests
James Lester
James Lester is the Goodnight Distinguished University Professor in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning at North Carolina State University. He is the Director of the National Science Foundation AI Institute for Engaged Learning. His research centers on transforming education with artificial intelligence. His current work ranges from AI-driven narrative-centered learning environments and virtual agents for learning to multimodal learning analytics and sketch-based learning environments. He is the recipient of a National Science Foundation CAREER Award, four Best Paper Awards, and the International Federation for Autonomous Agents and Multiagent Systems Influential Paper Award. At North Carolina State University, he has been recognized with the Alumni Association Outstanding Research Award, the Outstanding Teacher Award, and the Alexander Quarles Holladay Medal for Excellence. He has served as Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Artificial Intelligence in Education. He is a Fellow of the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI).
Gautam Biswas
Gautam Biswas is a Cornelius Vanderbilt Professor of Engineering and Professor of Computer Science and Computer Engineering in the Department of Computer Science at Vanderbilt University, where he is also a Senior Research Scientist at the Institute for Software Integrated Systems. He is Co-PI of the National Science Foundation AI Institute for Engaged Learning. His research focuses on AI-enabled learning technologies, including open-ended learning environments for learning and instruction in STEM domains. He has developed innovative learning analytics frameworks for studying students’ learning behaviors and linking them to their metacognitive and self-regulated learning strategies. His current work focuses on multimodal learning analytics. He is on the editorial board of International Journal of Artificial Intelligence in Education. He is a Fellow of the IEEE Computer Society, the Prognostics and Health Management Society, and the Asia Pacific Society for Computers in Education.
Kip Glazer
Dr. Kip Glazer is Principal of Mountain View High School in Mountain View, California. She is a native of Seoul, South Korea, and immigrated to the United States in 1993 as a college student. In 2002, she graduated Cum Laude from California Polytechnic University in San Luis Obispo with a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. She earned her Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Chapman University in 2004, while receiving her California Single Subject Teaching Credential in both Social Studies and English. Since then, she has earned additional teaching credentials in Health, Foundational Mathematics, and School Administration. She earned a Doctorate in Learning Technologies from Pepperdine University in 2015. She has won numerous teaching and service awards. Most notably, she was named the Kern County Teacher of the Year in May of 2014. She received the 23rd Congressional District of California Inspirational High School Educator Award in May of 2015. In June of 2016, she won The Best of NMC Judges' Award from the New Media Consortium Idea Lab. She has appeared numerous on podcasts such as Principals of Success and Politico.
-
Hosts reflect with Chris Dede, Yong Zhao, Lydia Cao & Punya Mishra
- Visa fler
