Hosted by John Mikton and Dan Taylor. Every two weeks we discuss all aspects of technology and life in International Schools.
Episodes
Saturday Jul 20, 2024
Saturday Jul 20, 2024
Join us for a conversation with Jeff from the CERN Teacher Training Program. We explore the evolving landscape of science education. We'll discuss the interplay between innovative teaching methodologies and the integration of Artificial Intelligence, examining both the challenges and opportunities AI presents in enhancing student engagement and addressing the critical issue of the gender gap in STEM fields. Learn how CERN's teacher and student programs are supporting schools worldwide, shaping a future where education seamlessly integrates with innovation. CERN, the world's largest particle physics laboratory, welcomes over 10,000 scientists from more than 100 countries each year to utilize its facilities, which boast some of the most sophisticated and complex scientific instruments ever developed.
About Jeff Wiener
Jeff Wiener is a staff scientist at CERN, the European Laboratory for Particle Physics, managing all national and international teacher programmes that are flagship education programmes of CERN’s International Relations Sector.
Jeff received his PhD in physics from the University of Vienna and holds an Executive Master in International Relations degree from the Geneva School of Diplomacy. He is currently pursuing an Executive Certificate in Public Policy at Harvard Kennedy School.
In the past, Jeff worked as a high-school physics, philosophy, and psychology teacher in Vienna, Austria and he frequently volunteered at an orphanage in Siem Reap, Cambodia.
Jeff Wiener on Social Media
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drjeffwiener
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DrJeffWiener
Resources
CERN Teacher Programmes: https://teachers.cern
CERN Physics Education Research: https://cern.ch/PER
CERN Educational Resources: https://cern.ch/educational-resources
International Masterclasses: https://physicsmasterclasses.org
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
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
Saturday Jul 06, 2024
Saturday Jul 06, 2024
Join us for a conversation with members of The International Taskforce on Child Protection (ITFCP).
As the taskforce celebrates its 10th anniversary, we take this opportunity to hear the story behind its founding and its mission to protect children across the international schools community and beyond.
We'll explore how international schools have and continue to adopt and adapt safeguarding standards, overcoming cultural and operational challenges to ensure a safe learning environment for all students. Our guests and members of the taskforce share their own learnings, opportunities, and challenges of collaborating across multiple international schools and organizations. We will also learn about the resources, services and professional development the taskforce provides to international school leaders and educators.
About Jane Larson
Jane Larsson has led the Council of International Schools (CIS) as Executive Director since her appointment in 2010. Over the past 25 years, Jane has led the international education community with a focus on the development of collaborative partnerships to enable and support educational exchange and the development of international and intercultural perspective.
Prior to her appointment at CIS, Jane was Director of International Partnerships with the Visiting International Faculty Program (VIF) in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, where she led outreach to promote international educational exchange, establishing relationships with ministries of education, universities, international schools and educational associations. She began her career in international education as the Director of Educational Staffing and Publications for International Schools Services (ISS) providing recruitment services and resources to international schools.
Jane lends her voice to key topics shaping the future of international education, those which enable school and university communities to provide socially responsible leadership as they continually develop their programs. She currently serves as Chair of the International Taskforce on Child Protection and on the Board of Directors of the International Commission Advancing Independent School Accreditation (ICAISA).
https://www.linkedin.com/in/janelarssoncis/
About Jane Foster-Sarre
Director, Safeguarding Works Ltd
Area of expertise provided as part of the CIS Affiliated Consultant Network:
- Student Wellbeing: Protection, Safety, & Security including but not limited to
- School safeguarding audits
- Response to allegations of abuse and low level concerns
- Safe recruitment and safe working practice
- Policy development and review
- Investigations and risk assessments
Jane is an independent safeguarding consultant providing expert advice on safeguarding and child protection. She specialises in promoting safe organisational culture, safeguarding in the workplace, and managing allegations and low level concerns against adults working with children.
Jane is a qualified teacher, who has also worked in schools as the Designated Safeguarding Lead and Safeguarding Governor across ages 4–18 years. She has also worked for statutory education and children’s services departments in the UK.
Following the exposure of the criminal actions of William Vahey who abused more than 50 children when employed at an international school based in the UK, Jane was part of the statutory case panel convened to review the case and lessons learned and worked closely with the school to restore confidence in the community and reinforce the safeguarding structure.
Jane is an accredited safer recruitment specialist and has contributed to IICSA - the UK Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual abuse. She is also a co-author of the International Protocol for Managing Allegations of Child Abuse by Educators and other Adults and the Guidance on Managing Low Level Concerns.
Jane is currently Co–Chair of the International Taskforce for Child Protection (ITFCP) Recruitment Reporting & Regulations Group.
Jane is an experienced auditor of safeguarding practice and has worked with international schools across the UK and Europe, Asia and Africa, both promoting best practice and responding to serious incidents where schools and boards need support.
Jane has extensive experience of designing and delivering safeguarding training including delivering the CIS Foundation Workshop on Safer Recruitment and supporting the Deep Dives.
As an independent advisor Jane has provided high-level safeguarding advice and training across the sectors including schools, universities, religious and sports organisations, charities, and private clients.
Jane is also a specialist advisor to the safeguarding boards of a UK Premier League football club, a private equity company providing residential care for children, and a faith organisation and is a member of the National Safeguarding Panels for both the Football Association and Sports Resolutions which offers advice to a range of sports
In addition to her independent role Jane is also a consultant for Barnardos, a UK based Children’s Charity. Jane is a regular speaker at events and is a well-known figure to many private, public and third sector organisations working with children, including state, independent and international schools.
About Dr. Christine Brown
Dr. Christine Brown is an international consultant specializing in advising educators on Program Design for Teaching and Learning, Child Protection, Social Emotional Learning initiatives, World Language and ELL programing, working with challenging student placements and managing parent expectations. From 2013 to 2023, Brown served as one of six Regional Education Officers (REOs) in the Office of Overseas Schools, United States Department of State. She covered the Western European Region and for several years also the South America region. Brown also served the DOS as one of 5 initial co-founders of the International Task Force on Child Protection.
As REO, she served on the Boards of ECIS, AAIE and AMISA. Prior to joining the Department of State in July 2013, she served as Deputy Director at the Carol Morgan School in the Dominican Republic. Brown served as an administrator in the Glastonbury, Connecticut Public Schools for 28 years, first as the Director of K-12 Foreign Languages and ELL, and for 8 years as the Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction.
Brown has served as a president of state, regional and national language teacher organizations including the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages over her career. She chaired the American Language Standards Writing Task Force sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education as well as served as the consultant to the national Arabic and Korean language standards projects and as a consultant to the Startalk Language Project for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.
She served as a board member of the National Defense Education Language Program. Brown chairs the AERO World Languages Standards writing project for DOS. She has testified before the United States Congress on behalf of language education, and initiated and co-chaired the Year of Languages Campaign in the United States. In February 2019, she was awarded the Keith Miller Innovation Award from the Association for the Advancement of International Educators for her work in Child Protection around the world.
In March 2019 Brown received the Outstanding Graduate Student Award at Gwynedd Mercy University for her Doctoral Dissertation, The Effects of Early Foreign Language Study on English Reading Comprehension. In 2023, she received the NEASC Educator of the Year Award. In 2024, she received an AAIE Outstanding Educator Award and the ECIS Outstanding Educator of 2024 award.
About Keith Cincotta
Director of School Services andSenior Leadership Executive, International Schools Services
Keith has worked in the International Education sector for 25 years first as a School Counselor, later as a High School Principal and most recently as a Senior Leadership Executive and the Director of School Services at International Schools Services. As a school counselor in Allentown PA, Islamabad Pakistan and Dubai he worked with many survivors of abuse and was part of teams that responded to reports of abuse.
At ISS Keith is the representative to the International Task Force on Child Protection, is responsible for safeguarding initatives across ISS’ managed schools and presents professional development and training sessions for educators. Keith is a trained facilitator for Darkness to Light and has facilitated the program for school, church and community groups. Keith holds Master of Education degrees in both Counseling and Educational Leadership from Lehigh University.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/keith-cincotta-578b1a17/
About Debbie Downes
In August 2022, Debbie Downes joined The International Centre of Missing and Exploited Children as the Director of Global School Initiatives. In this role, she develops and provides child protection training, support, and resources to schools around the world. She has been supporting ICMEC’s work as a regional trainer since July 2020.
Debbie has worked in international education for 18 years, first as an elementary teacher, then as school principal, and then as Accreditation and Child Protection Lead for Quality Schools International. She developed and revised handbooks, policies, and resources to support child protection efforts at a group of 36 international schools. She also supported schools with on-site and virtual professional development.
Debbie’s background in child protection includes an MSW from the University of California at Berkeley and several years of experience working in the court unit of Children and Family Services in Contra Costa County, California. Debbie’s overseas career began with 3 years as a health education volunteer with the Peace Corps in Kolda, Senegal. She has since lived with her husband, 2 children, and 2 rescue dogs in Thailand, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Slovenia, and her current location of Minsk, Belarus.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/debbie-downes-educator/
Resources
- ICMEC EdPortal
- International Taskforce on Child Protection
- Child Protection Resources and Information
- CIS Global Education Blog
- Child Protection Workshop Online | Improving Safeguarding Practices in Schools
- International Schools Services
- ITFCP Managing Allegations Protocol
- ITFCP Safer Recruitment Checklist
- Make the Call: Verifying References: An Essential Practice for International School Leaders
- ITFCP Student Voice: Data, Guidance, and Resources
- Social-Emotional Learning and Child Self-Protection Curriculum Standards & Benchmarks
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
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
Saturday Jun 22, 2024
Saturday Jun 22, 2024
Makerspaces: rooms filled with tools and gadgets or creative havens that are transforming learning in international schools? Join Sarah & Elizabeth: two Makerspace educators share their experiences and insights. We delve into pressing questions: Why are Makerspaces essential in today's education? What are the common myths and misunderstandings surrounding them in schools? Discover how schools can foster a culture of making, integrating it seamlessly with design thinking principles to engage students across various mediums. How through Makerspaces educators and schools can nurture problem-solving skills and innovative approaches to learning across all ages in an international school
About Sarah Woods
Innovation Integration Coach & Design Teacher currently living in the Caribbean and teaching at Cayman International School, but heading to Prague in the fall to work at ISP and teaching design and computer programming (lite) . Previously I've lived in Uzbekistan, Amsterdam, Ukraine, and Hong Kong. I'm keen on all things that involve some kind of making stuff (3D printing! Crochet! Everything in-between!). I'm also super enthusiastic about tools that make work more efficient which has gotten me into doing a lot of using Google products, which led me to being a Google Trainer, Innovator, and Champion.
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-woods01
About Elizabeth Perry
I am a teacher, writer, and artist with a particular interest in making, tinkering, and play. I have been at the International School of Prague since 2015, where my current title is Design and Innovation Coach. Before moving overseas, I taught for many years in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I have also consulted for Google in K-12 education and outreach, and have been a fellow at the Studio for Creative Inquiry at Carnegie-Mellon University. I am a lifelong maker, with particular interests in textiles, mechanical toys, and wearable tech. I draw something every day. My pronouns are she/her/hers.
I am @elizabethperry on Twitter, but now that it has taken a turn towards X, I am there less and less. @elizabethperry on Threads, which may become a successor/replacement? On Instagram I am @elizabethperry (photography and some making projects) and @elizabethperrysketchbook (daily drawings - current location for a project approaching its twentieth year)
Resources
Mark Rober: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCY1kMZp36IQSyNx_9h4mpCg
Tinkercad: https://www.tinkercad.com/
Toys from Trash - Arvind Gupta - A site full of activities and things to make requiring no budget and no complex tools, but many projects teach scientific and engineering principles - all are fun!
Instructables - crowdsourced DIY - consider having students contribute as well as use the site. A great place to find project ideas. (As with everything crowdsourced, read through all the comments and corrections!)
The Art of Tinkering, by Karen Wilkinson and Mike Petrich - not a new book, but a very useful one.
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
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
Sunday Jun 09, 2024
Sunday Jun 09, 2024
Join Kathleen, Eric, and Michael for a conversation, as they share their extensive experience in supporting international schools, leaders, and educators, with a special focus on online learning. Together they share their insights into the diverse lessons learned from online and blended learning experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. Why some schools have embraced change in the post-pandemic era, while others have maintained their pre-pandemic practices. A look into the innovative approaches and developments that have emerged in the realm of online education since. Exploring the essential systems, mindsets, and structures that are crucial for transformative online learning. How might educators, leaders, and international schools leverage these opportunities to enhance their learning communities.
About Eric Hudson
Eric is a facilitator and strategic advisor who supports schools in making sense of what’s changing in education. He specializes in learner-centered assessment, human-centered leadership, and strategic program design. Most recently, Eric spent a decade at Global Online Academy (GOA), first as an instructional coach and ultimately as Chief Program Officer, working with schools around the world to rethink where, when, and how learning happens. Prior to GOA, he was a teacher at the middle school, high school, and college levels. The classroom is where he developed his passion for designing learning experiences. Eric serves on the board of the Association of Technology Leaders in Independent Schools (ATLIS). His Substack newsletter “Learning on Purpose” has been featured in The Marshall Memo and The Educator’s Notebook. He has a M.A. from University of California, Berkeley, and a B.A. from Cornell University.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ejhudson/
About Kathleen Ralf
Kathleen Ralf is the Blended and Online Learning Coordinator at Frankfurt International School as well as teaches Genocide & Human Rights for Global Online Academy. She is also a member of the ELMLE Steering committee which organizes a conference each year that supports teaching and learning for European Middle School educators.
As the pandemic loomed, her skills and experience in designing interactive blended and online courses were vital in coaching teachers to help their students feel more empowered and in control of their learning in online spaces.
She has been working in International Education for 15 years, and worked as a public school teacher for 14 in Washington state. She has a Masters in Educational Technology from Walden University.
LinkedIn: Kathleen Ralf
About Michael Nachbar
Michael Nachbar, Executive Director of GOA, leads a global network of schools and educators aiming to reshape learning. His work focuses on bridging foundational principles of teaching and learning with emerging technologies and innovative pedagogy.
Michael is a regular speaker at national and international conferences, and presents on topics such as non-profit leadership and trends in educational innovation.
In addition to his responsibilities at GOA, Michael serves on several educational boards, including those of Lakeside School and the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS). He was a founding board member of the Mastery Transcript Consortium and has served as a trustee for Summer Search, the Independent School Association Network (ISAnet) and JUMP! Foundation.
He holds a B.A. in both English and Psychology from Indiana University, and earned a M.A. in Education Leadership through the Klingenstein Center at Columbia University’s Teachers College. Michael began his teaching career as a Teach For America corps member.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-nachbar/
Resources
- Learning on Purpose blog: erichudson.substack.com
- Any of GOA’s Teacher professional development offerings.
- Classroom Management in the Digital Age
- World Economic Forum 6 Work & Workplace Trends to Watch
- https://globalonlineacademy.org/insights
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
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
Saturday May 25, 2024
Saturday May 25, 2024
Join us for a conversation with John Nash, Associate Professor, Director, Laboratory on Design Thinking and speaker on educational innovation and leadership. In this discussion, John shares his research from the University of Kentucky, focusing on the challenges and opportunities schools face in balancing structured curriculums with the need for adaptability in education. We explore how schools are addressing skill gaps among educators amidst rapid advancements in AI and how these changes intersect with traditional teaching methods. We also discuss the potential impact of emerging technologies, like deep fakes, on media literacy instruction and how schools can develop strategies to foster independent thinking and effectively leverage generative AI.
About John Nash
John Nash was born and raised in Silicon Valley and has 30 years of experience in leadership development, strategy design, and social science research. In his work he champions the creation of learner-centric schools via design thinking as the faculty director of the Laboratory on Design Thinking at the University of Kentucky.
He also serves as a reliable source for educators and policy makers on generative AI, from the federal government to universities and P-12 schools. He is on the generative AI advisory boards at the University of Kentucky and the MidPacific Institute in Honolulu. He’s presented on AI for the Kentucky Association of School Superintendents, the U.S. State Department, and offices in Kentucky State government, as well as appeared on National Public Radio affiliates.
John's passion lies in helping educators in schools, colleges, and universities use human centered design to create programs and services that delight their students, teachers, and community. He is the author of the book "Design Thinking in Schools: A Leader’s Guide to Collaborating for Improvement" (Harvard Education Press).
John has held faculty positions at Iowa State University and the University of Texas at El Paso and was a social research scientist at Stanford University where he directed interdisciplinary and international teams of research scientists examining the application of innovative technologies on learning.
John Nash on Social Media
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jnash/
Resources
Book: Design Thinking in Schools: A Leaders’ Guide to Collaborating for Improvement, published by Harvard Education Press, is a practical guide for educators, particularly school leaders, on implementing design thinking principles to foster student-centered learning and improve school systems.
Podcast: John Nash and Jason Johnston are the co-hosts of “Online Learning in the Second Half,” a podcast that explores various topics related to online education, such as pedagogy, psychology, technology, design, and research. They interview experts and practitioners and researchers to shares insights and best practices that inspire and inform listeners who are interested in improving online teaching and learning. You can listen to the podcast at this link.
dLab: http://dLab.uky.edu
I quoted Marissa Mayer in the podcast (Leaders should have “a healthy disregard for the impossible.”). Here is the reference to the article from which that quote was drawn:
Mayer, M. A. (2006). Creativity Loves Constraints. BusinessWeek, 3971, 102.
This article may be of interest:
Why Constraints Are Good for Innovation, Harvard Business Review (may have paywall)
Listeners may try out the Generative AI Guidelines Canvas here.
Folks may learn about the School Leadership AI Bootcamp here.
Generative AI chatbots a new user may like to try:
Dr. Brandeis Marshal: What’s Un AI-able.
Dr. Michelle Miller: Teaching from the Same Side
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
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