Hosted by John Mikton and Dan Taylor. Every two weeks we discuss all aspects of technology and life in International Schools.
Episodes
29 minutes ago
29 minutes ago
56 min
How international schools can offer more than one post-16 pathway and help students choose the route that suits them best. It also explores what this means in practice for families, teachers, school leaders, and students planning for university and beyond.
About Sarah O'Regan
Sarah O'Regan is the Principal CEO of GEMS Wellington Academy Silicon Oasis, she has been part of the school’s journey for almost 15 years, including as a founding member of the community. She also serves as a GEMS Wellington Brand Ambassador, supporting collaboration, leadership development, and the sharing of best practice across the Wellington family of schools.
Her leadership focuses on helping every child flourish through academic excellence, strong pastoral care, innovation, and personalised learning. She is passionate about creating flexible pathways and inclusive school communities that prepare young people with the confidence, character, resilience, and skills they need for the future.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-o-regan-a054461b7/
About James Rostron
James is Whole School Vice Principal for Curriculum and Assessment at GEMS Wellington International School in Dubai. With more than a decade of senior leadership experience, he has helped shape the school’s curriculum, assessment, academic pathways, and wider academic strategy.
He is particularly interested in personalised learning and creating flexible pathways that give students greater choice, including both International Baccalaureate and A Level options. James is passionate about curriculum innovation, effective school leadership, and designing learning experiences that prepare young people to thrive in a complex and connected world.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-rostron-79622959/
About Nicola Huggett
Nicola Huggett is the Executive Principal and CEO. An experienced educator and school leader, she studied at Oxford University before beginning her career in advertising and later moving into teaching. She went on to serve as Principal of two highly regarded schools in the UK before joining GEMS Education to lead Wellington International School in Dubai.
She is passionate about ambitious, well-rounded education that helps students grow in confidence, character, knowledge, and skills. Her leadership is closely aligned with the school’s values of integrity, empathy, and fortitude, with a strong focus on preparing young people for both academic success and life beyond school.
https://www.wellingtoninternationalschool.com/About-Us/Our-Team/Executive-Team/Nicola-Huggett
About Robert Curry
Robert is Vice Principal at GEMS Wellington Academy Silicon Oasis, where he has been part of the school community for more than 13 years. During that time, he has supported the school’s growth and played a key role in developing its IBDP, IBCP, and A Level pathways, as well as leading timetabling, examinations, and data management.
Originally a Physics teacher and a graduate of Durham University, Robert has 15 years of experience in education and 11 years in leadership. He is particularly interested in future-ready education, evidence-informed school improvement, and creating high-performing schools where academic excellence, innovation, and student wellbeing go hand in hand.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-curry-31b058119/
Resources
https://www.wellingtoninternationalschool.com/
https://www.gemswellingtonacademy-dso.com/en/
https://www.gemseducation.com/en/
John Mikton on Social Media
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jmikton/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jmikton
Web: beyonddigital.org
Dan Taylor on social media:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/appsevents
Twitter: https://twitter.com/appdkt
Web: www.appsedu.com
Listen on: iTunes / Podbean / Stitcher / Spotify / YouTube
Do a full security audit of your Workspace for free at https://workspaceaudit.com
Would you like to have a free 1 month trial of the new Google Workspace Plus (formerly G Suite Enterprise for Education)? Just fill out this form and we’ll get you set up bit.ly/GSEFE-Trial
Aug 22, 2026
Aug 22, 2026
56 min
This episode explores Jeff Utecht’s new book, The Next Turn, and his thinking on AI, leadership, and the changing nature of work. We discuss what schools can learn from this shift, especially around judgment, trust, human responsibility, and what still needs to remain deeply human.
About Jeff Utecht
Jeff Utecht is an educator, consultant, author, and speaker who has spent many years helping schools and leaders think differently about learning and technology. He has worked with more than 75,000 educators around the world and consulted with over 200 school districts.
Jeff’s work focuses on how schools and organisations respond to change, especially with the rise of generative AI. His book Human Still Required is written for school leaders and explores how AI is changing education, while reminding us that trust, judgment, culture, and human connection still matter deeply.
He is also the author of The Next Turn, which looks at how AI and different generations in the workplace are reshaping leadership and the future of work. Through his writing, speaking, and consulting, Jeff helps leaders think carefully about what should remain human in a fast-changing world.
Website: https://www.jeffutecht.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffutecht/
Resources
- https://nextturnleadership.site/
- https://humanstillrequired.com/media/press-kit.html
- https://pod.shiftingschools.com/
- https://www.shiftingschools.com/
John Mikton on Social Media
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jmikton/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jmikton
Web: beyonddigital.org
Dan Taylor on social media:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/appsevents
Twitter: https://twitter.com/appdkt
Web: www.appsedu.com
Listen on: iTunes / Podbean / Stitcher / Spotify / YouTube
Do a full security audit of your Workspace for free at https://workspaceaudit.com
Would you like to have a free 1 month trial of the new Google Workspace Plus (formerly G Suite Enterprise for Education)? Just fill out this form and we’ll get you set up bit.ly/GSEFE-Trial
Aug 8, 2026
Aug 8, 2026
56 min
A conversation with Samuel Holston and Kirun Goy of BrainTools Lab and Podcast on simple brain tools for focus, learning, and better decisions at school and at work.
About Kirun Goy
Kirun works at the intersection of leadership, cognitive science, and intentional living. He helps people think more clearly, lead more effectively, and move out of autopilot.
Over the past 14 years, Kirun has delivered more than 1,600 workshops and keynotes for leaders around the world. His work focuses on practical leadership skills such as staying clear under pressure, building emotional intelligence, and learning how to learn.
He is the host of the BrainTools Podcast, which has reached more than 62,000 people in 100 countries. He is also a Senior Leadership Facilitator for Harvard Business Impact, where he supports leaders in large organisations to navigate change with more clarity and intention. He’s also the author of “The Imperfect Learner”.
Whether speaking to a large audience or leading a smaller workshop, Kirun’s style is practical, relatable, and focused on giving people tools they can use straight away.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirungoy/
Website: https://www.kirungoy.com/
About Samuel Holston
Samuel Holston works at the intersection of education, technology, and learning.
Sam has worked at the intersection of technology, AI, cognitive science, education and learning for the last decade. He’s run SEL camps reaching thousands of students, delivered cognitive-science based workshops to schools and built learning products used by over 100,000 students and teachers.
He’s co-host of the BrainTools podcast, where he shares practical neuroscience and helps people understand how their brain works. He is also the co-founder of BrainTools Labs, who created science-backed resources, products and tools to help schools teach the human skill skills AI can’t replace.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samuel-holston/?skipRedirect=true
About BrainTools Lab
BrainTools Lab is a science-backed educational tools company founded by Kirun Goy and Samuel Holston. Its flagship product, ATL Lab, is designed for IB (International Baccalaureate) schools and helps students develop the Approaches to Learning (ATL) skills - thinking, communication, research, self-management, and social skills - that underpin deep, transferable learning.
What We Do
ATL Skills Lab — A curriculum-aligned programme for MYP schools that teaches, tracks, and develops ATL skills using neuroscience-informed tools and workshops. Designed to give MYP coordinators and teachers a structured, evidence-based way to embed skill development across subjects.
BrainTools at School Podcast — Hosted by Samuel, the podcast explores how cognitive science, AI, and practical pedagogy intersect, with a focus on what this means for teachers, coordinators, and school leaders. Available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Key Numbers
- 80,000+ students reached
- 5,000+ teachers trained
- 300+ schools served
- 1,600+ workshops and keynotes delivered (Kirun)
- 62,000+ podcast listeners in 100 countries
Links
- BrainTools Lab: https://www.braintoolslab.com
- Kirun Goy: https://www.kirungoy.com
- BrainTools at School Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/braintools-at-schools/id1815817672
- Samuel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samuel-holston/
- Kirun on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirungoy/
- BrainTools Lab on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/braintools-lab/posts/?feedView=all
John Mikton on Social Media
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jmikton/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jmikton
Web: beyonddigital.org
Dan Taylor on social media:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/appsevents
Twitter: https://twitter.com/appdkt
Web: www.appsedu.com
Listen on: iTunes / Podbean / Stitcher / Spotify / YouTube
Do a full security audit of your Workspace for free at https://workspaceaudit.com
Would you like to have a free 1 month trial of the new Google Workspace Plus (formerly G Suite Enterprise for Education)? Just fill out this form and we’ll get you set up bit.ly/GSEFE-Trial
Jul 25, 2026
Jul 25, 2026
1 hr 1 min
A conversation with Brooke Fezler, M.A. in Counseling, Co-Founder and Co-Director of ISCA, on how schools can move from separate wellbeing efforts to a clear, connected system of support.
About Brooke Fezler
Brooke Fezler is the Co-Founder and Co-Director of International School Counselor Association (ISCA) and has spent more than twenty years supporting student well-being in international schools across the world. She has worked at international schools in Indonesia, Argentina, France, Brazil, and Spain. Her work at ISCA focuses on building preventative, schoolwide counseling programs, with a strong emphasis on SEL, life skills, and support systems for students, teachers, and families. Brooke is also the co-developer and co-researcher of the International Model for School Counseling Programs, published in 2011 and 2022.
Based in Barcelona, Brooke continues to support international school counselors and educators through training, consulting, teaching, writing, and speaking.
Brooke Fezler on Social Media
https://www.linkedin.com/in/brooke-fezler-235058a1/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/international-school-counselor-association
Resources
Website: https://iscainfo.com/
ISCA Model: https://iscainfo.com/the-model/
ISCA Student Standards: https://iscainfo.com/student-standards/
Learning Progression: https://iscainfo.com/learning-progression/
SEL Toolkit: https://iscainfo.com/sel-toolkit/
ISCA Blogs: https://iscainfo.com/blogs/
https://iscainfo.com/professional-ethical-standards/
John Mikton on Social Media
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jmikton/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jmikton
Web: beyonddigital.org
Dan Taylor on social media:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/appsevents
Twitter: https://twitter.com/appdkt
Web: www.appsedu.com
Listen on: iTunes / Podbean / Stitcher / Spotify / YouTube
Do a full security audit of your Workspace for free at https://workspaceaudit.com
Would you like to have a free 1 month trial of the new Google Workspace Plus (formerly G Suite Enterprise for Education)? Just fill out this form and we’ll get you set up bit.ly/GSEFE-Trial
Jul 11, 2026
Jul 11, 2026
1 hr 34 sec
A conversation with Timothy Cook (Director, The Cognitive Privacy Project & Connected Classroom | Psychology Today Columnist, The Algorithmic Mind) on exploiting how AI may be changing the way children think, learn, and grow.
About Timothy Cook
Timothy Cook, M.Ed., is an international educator, AI researcher, and Director of the Cognitive Privacy Project. With more than a decade of teaching experience across four countries, he studies how AI and algorithmic systems are reshaping children’s thinking, learning, identity, and development. Timothy is also the founder of Connected Classroom and writes The Algorithmic Mind for Psychology Today, where he explores the impact of AI on cognition, creativity, student agency, and well-being. His current work focuses on cognitive privacy: the idea that children’s attention, judgment, reasoning, motivation, and developing sense of self need protection as AI becomes increasingly embedded in schools and society. In his recent writing, he argues that many young people are already sensing a contradiction: they are told AI may weaken learning, while also being told they must use it to prepare for the future.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timothy-cook-092713138/
Resources
connectedclassroom.org
cognitiveprivacyproject.org
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-algorithmic-mind
John Mikton on Social Media
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jmikton/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jmikton
Web: beyonddigital.org
Dan Taylor on social media:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/appsevents
Twitter: https://twitter.com/appdkt
Web: www.appsevents.com
Listen on: iTunes / Podbean / Stitcher / Spotify / YouTube
Do a full security audit of your Workspace for free at https://workspaceaudit.com
Would you like to have a free 1 month trial of the new Google Workspace Plus (formerly G Suite Enterprise for Education)? Just fill out this form and we’ll get you set up bit.ly/GSEFE-Trial