Ed Influencers

Christina Gardner-McCune, Ph.D., director of the University of Florida's Engaging Learning Lab and co-chair of the AI4K12 Initiative, a national initiative to strategically integrate artificial intelligence (AI) education into K-12 learning, shares why sparking students’ and educators’ interest in AI is important and relevant, and what steps we should be taking right now. In the course of the interview, Gardner-McCune discusses the guidelines for teaching AI in K-12, explains the connection to computer science and coding, and unpacks the idea of AI as a life skill for even the youngest learners. She also shares the “five big ideas” behind the progression of AI in education: computer perception; representation and reasoning; machine learning; natural interaction; and societal impacts.

Mary Helen Immordino-Yang, Ed.D., a psychology and neuroscience professor at the University of Southern California's Rossier School of Education, studies the psychological and neurobiological bases of social emotion, self-awareness and culture, and their implications for learning and schools. In this episode, she takes a deep dive into how we can build upon our knowledge about how the brain learns to best support students post-pandemic and beyond. Along the way, she discusses her recent research into how the experiences of immigrant students impact their brain and psychosocial development; how the brain develops when students are allowed to drive their own learning; and how what we learned during the COVID-19 pandemic should influence the way school is structured.

Temple Lovelace, Ph.D., professor of special education and program director of special education Programs at Duquesne University, explains the impact of COVID-19 on special needs students of color with disabilities, and describes the work needed to provide these learners with the education and support they need. An expert on social justice and education equity who’s preparing the next generation of educators, Lovelace defines emancipatory R&D, shares the inequities that emerged for students of color during the pandemic, unpacks some of the systematic oppression that was lessened for these students when they were able to learn from home, and discusses how we might rethink education for these learners moving forward. Listen to find out how Lovelace’s work is keeping equity at the forefront of education.

Carrisa Moffat Miller, Ph.D., CEO of the Council of Chief State School Officers, shares her organization's key learnings from the COVID-19 pandemic, the remaining challenges ahead for state education leaders and the different ways exemplary leaders are innovating to overcome these challenges, with equity always at the forefront. Along the way, Miller shares insights into what she identifies as education’s top three post-pandemic concerns: school reopenings, learning gaps, and mental health guidance and support. She also unpacks how top leaders are building a new normal in education, and explains how the lessons learned from the pandemic may change how learning takes place moving forward. Finally, she shares her best advice for education leaders: Don’t be afraid to act even when there’s not a clear “right” answer, and get comfortable with admitting when you don’t know something.

In the first episode of “Ed Influencers, ISTE Chief Learning Officer Joseph South sits down with Justina Nixon-Saintil, director for corporate social responsibility programs at the Verizon Foundation, to discuss her commitment to ensuring underserved and underrepresented students have access to tech-enabled learning and STEM opportunities. Nixon-Santil, an ISTE Making IT Happen Award winner, reflects on her work that includes overseeing the development, implementation and measurement of the Verizon Foundation’s philanthropic efforts. She also discusses her decision to train to become an educator after working as an engineer, what keeps her going toward her ambitious goals, what most excites her about edtech and when she’ll know that her work is done. Along the way, she shares the thrill she gets from visiting schools and seeing today’s learners immersed in digital creation and STEM learning.