Looking Ahead This is a short solo episode where Eric previews 6 of the episodes that will be published in the coming weeks. Season 4 has an amazing line up of diverse educators who are bravely innovating and making a difference. The Education Innovators Podcast is a set of conversations between Eric Byron and guests from all aspects of education around the world. We look for innovative ideas and practical examples of things happening in schools and learning environments that are of interest to teachers, corporate trainers, school administrators, EdTech providers, students, parents, and anyone else interested in education.   Links:   The Education Innovators Podcast Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551034804742   The Education Innovators Podcast YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru4kYugzLerU1S8mQu2Jo2-jX6H_3kd3   The Human Intelligence movement: https://www.humanintelligencemovement.org/   This podcast is produced entirely by Eric Byron. You can contact Eric at eric@edinnovationpod.com    

Let Them Play   Dr Amanda Gummer is a research psychologist, passionate about children’s play. She is the CEO of the research consultancy Fundamentally Children, home of Dr Gummer’s Good Play Guide. Amanda is also the independent chair of the Association of Play Industries. In addition, she is an NED for Families in Focus CIC and is on the advisory board of a small number of mission-led businesses. Amanda has a PhD in neuropsychology, the Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education and over 20 years’ experience working with children and families. Widely considered as the UK’s go to expert on play, parenting and child development, her book ‘Play’ was published in May 2105 and has been translated into different languages with extracts being published in the USA’s Toy Industry Association’s Genius of Play initiative for which she is an expert ambassador. Amanda has an increasing international profile and was commissioned by the Toy Association to create the STEAM toy accreditation framework, and more recently has created the MESH Toy accreditation program for toys promoting Mental, Emotional and Social Health. She is also the UK Chapter chair for Women in Toys – an international group supporting women within the toy, entertainment and licensing industries. Amanda is regularly in the media and continues to take an active role in research, presenting papers at various international conferences. She is often involved in government policy around children’s issues, presenting her Balanced Play Model at the European Parliament in September 2019.   The Education Innovators Podcast is a set of conversations between Eric Byron and guests from all aspects of education around the world. We look for innovative ideas and practical examples of things happening in schools and learning environments that are of interest to teachers, corporate trainers, school administrators, EdTech providers, students, parents, and anyone else interested in education.   Links:   Dr Amanda Gummer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandagummer/   FUNdamentally Children: https://fundamentallychildren.com/   “Play: Fun ways to help your child develop in the first five years” https://www.amazon.com/Play-child-develop-first-years-ebook/dp/B00W2WCCXC   The Education Innovators Podcast Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551034804742   The Education Innovators Podcast YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru4kYugzLerU1S8mQu2Jo2-jX6H_3kd3   The Human Intelligence movement: https://www.humanintelligencemovement.org/   This podcast is produced entirely by Eric Byron. You can contact Eric at eric@edinnovationpod.com  

University of the People   Shai Reshef is the President of University of the People (UoPeople). Shai has over 25 years of experience in the international education market and has been awarded the 2023 Yidan Prize for Educational Development, referred to as the Nobel Prize for Education and, amongst many other awards, he was selected by The Huffington Post as the Ultimate Game Changer in Education.   An expert on the intersection of education and technology, Shai has spoken internationally at conferences, including DLD, TED, World Economic Forum, EG5 Conference, and Google’s Higher Education Summit. He has also lectured at Yale, Harvard, Stanford, and Oxford, among others. Shai holds an M.A. in Chinese Politics from the University of Michigan. University of the People (UoPeople) is the first non-profit, tuition-free, American, accredited, online university dedicated to opening access to higher education globally.   The Education Innovators Podcast is a set of conversations between Eric Byron and guests from all aspects of education around the world. We look for innovative ideas and practical examples of things happening in schools and learning environments that are of interest to teachers, corporate trainers, school administrators, EdTech providers, students, parents, and anyone else interested in education.   Links:   Shai Reshef: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shaireshef/   The University of the People: http://www.uopeople.edu/   The Education Innovators Podcast Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551034804742   The Education Innovators Podcast YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru4kYugzLerU1S8mQu2Jo2-jX6H_3kd3   The Human Intelligence movement: https://www.humanintelligencemovement.org/   This podcast is produced entirely by Eric Byron. You can contact Eric at eric@edinnovationpod.com  

Jobs of the Future   This is a solo episode from Eric Byron as he rants about the threat of AI replacing humans in the workforce/classroom and makes a case that we are still in control and our greatest weapon is education that advances human intelligence.   The Education Innovators Podcast is a set of conversations between Eric Byron and guests from all aspects of education around the world. We look for innovative ideas and practical examples of things happening in schools and learning environments that are of interest to teachers, corporate trainers, school administrators, EdTech providers, students, parents, and anyone else interested in education.     Links:   The Education Innovators Podcast Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551034804742   The Education Innovators Podcast YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru4kYugzLerU1S8mQu2Jo2-jX6H_3kd3   The Human Intelligence movement: https://www.humanintelligencemovement.org/   This podcast is produced entirely by Eric Byron. You can contact Eric at eric@edinnovationpod.com    

Playing for the Planet – Inspiring Action through Gaming   Lisa Pak is the Head of Operations at Playing for the Planet - an initiative facilitated by the United Nations Environment Programme - that unites the global video games industry around a bold mission: to reduce its environmental impact and harness the power of games to inspire meaningful environmental action.    With over 3.3 billion people worldwide playing games, this entertainment medium holds a unique power to shift hearts and minds on themes like nature, climate, and the environment. Her work is driven by one clear goal: to meet people where they are - at play and at work - and help turn the industry into a force for good.    She brings over a decade of experience across the gaming and advertising sectors, with expertise in strategic partnerships, monetization, and project management. Lisa is passionate about empowering people and teams to align purpose with play - creating impact through collaboration, innovation, and creativity.    The Education Innovators Podcast is a set of conversations between Eric Byron and guests from all aspects of education around the world. We look for innovative ideas and practical examples of things happening in schools and learning environments that are of interest to teachers, corporate trainers, school administrators, EdTech providers, students, parents, and anyone else interested in education.   Links:   Lisa Pak: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paklisa/   Playing for the Planet: https://www.playing4theplanet.org/   The Education Innovators Podcast Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551034804742   The Education Innovators Podcast YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru4kYugzLerU1S8mQu2Jo2-jX6H_3kd3   The Human Intelligence movement: https://www.humanintelligencemovement.org/   This podcast is produced entirely by Eric Byron. You can contact Eric at eric@edinnovationpod.com

Teaching Game Design This short solo episode is a follow up to last week’s episode with Jussi Holopainen. Eric shares his thoughts on the impact of teaching game design and the transferable skills that students can gain from the learning experience. The Education Innovators Podcast is a set of conversations between Eric Byron and guests from all aspects of education around the world. We look for innovative ideas and practical examples of things happening in schools and learning environments that are of interest to teachers, corporate trainers, school administrators, EdTech providers, students, parents, and anyone else interested in education.   Links:   The Education Innovators Podcast Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551034804742   The Education Innovators Podcast YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru4kYugzLerU1S8mQu2Jo2-jX6H_3kd3   The Human Intelligence movement: https://www.humanintelligencemovement.org/   This podcast is produced entirely by Eric Byron. You can contact Eric at eric@edinnovationpod.com  

Game Design and Symbolic Thinking In this episode we explore how playing games is foundation for developing higher order thinking skills and Dr Holopainen shares insights into the many transferable skills that can come from studying game design. Dr Jussi Holopainen holds a PhD in Digital Game Development from Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden. He has been researching game design and gameplay experiences since 1998, having authored or co-authored scores of academic publications and patents. His PhD thesis, Foundations of Gameplay, focused on understanding how to construct conceptual frameworks to aid game design. One of these frameworks is the influential gameplay design patterns approach, which he has developed together with Prof. Staffan Björk. Jussi is a member of the Digital Games Research Association (DiGRA) executive board and has served as a member of several program committees such as Games and Culture, Game Studies, CHI PLAY, and the DiGRA annual conference. Before joining City University of Hong Kong in 2021, he was a senior lecturer of Games Computing at University of Lincoln, UK, in the School of Computer Science. Before Lincoln he worked at Centre for Game Design Research, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology as an associate researcher. He has also served in senior research management positions at the Nokia Research Center (NRC) and has been involved in coordinating several industry and academia collaboration projects.His latest research has focused on principles of game design, playful design, and aesthetics of gameplay. The Education Innovators Podcast is a set of conversations between Eric Byron and guests from all aspects of education around the world. We look for innovative ideas and practical examples of things happening in schools and learning environments that are of interest to teachers, corporate trainers, school administrators, EdTech providers, students, parents, and anyone else interested in education.   Links: Jussi Holopainen: https://www.scm.cityu.edu.hk/people/holopainen-jussi-pekka   Centre for Game Design Research: https://gamedesignresearch.net/   The Education Innovators Podcast Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551034804742   The Education Innovators Podcast YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru4kYugzLerU1S8mQu2Jo2-jX6H_3kd3   The Human Intelligence movement: https://www.humanintelligencemovement.org/   This podcast is produced entirely by Eric Byron. You can contact Eric at eric@edinnovationpod.com

Google LearnLM   This short solo episode with Eric Byron takes us through his test drive of Google’s LearnLM platform. See how he navigates learning with this AI-powered learning coach.   The Education Innovators Podcast is a set of conversations between Eric Byron and guests from all aspects of education around the world. We look for innovative ideas and practical examples of things happening in schools and learning environments that are of interest to teachers, corporate trainers, school administrators, EdTech providers, students, parents, and anyone else interested in education.   Links:   Google LearnLM: https://cloud.google.com/solutions/learnlm   The Education Innovators Podcast Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551034804742   The Education Innovators Podcast YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru4kYugzLerU1S8mQu2Jo2-jX6H_3kd3   The Human Intelligence movement: https://www.humanintelligencemovement.org/   This podcast is produced entirely by Eric Byron. You can contact Eric at eric@edinnovationpod.com

Game-Based Financial Literacy Education   Priscilla Cheung is currently helping to lead AI and digital innovation at CoCoon Foundation, an NGO that teaches entrepreneurial thinking as a life skill to youths in Hong Kong. She brings a unique blend of experiences to her work - her journey into educational game design began years ago with her Computer Science master's thesis at MIT, where she developed an augmented reality game for high school science students called "Charles River City", a project that sparked her passion for applying innovative technology to real-world problems. After a decade-long career as an equity derivatives trader, Priscilla felt a calling for a more meaningful path, one where she could use her creative and technical skills to make a greater impact.Her latest project is a perfect example of this. As a key designer on the team behind the “Marketplace Money Dash” game, part of an initiative of The Hong Kong Jockey Club Financial Education Program, she helped create an engaging, experiential learning game for primary 4-6 students, teaching financial literacy in a practical, fun way.  Aligned with a 10-lessons long curriculum, the game allows a safe space for students to practice making good decisions, develop the right attitudes, and build financially responsible behaviors, all while learning about budgeting, saving, and resisting external pressures.   The Education Innovators Podcast is a set of conversations between Eric Byron and guests from all aspects of education around the world. We look for innovative ideas and practical examples of things happening in schools and learning environments that are of interest to teachers, corporate trainers, school administrators, EdTech providers, students, parents, and anyone else interested in education.   Links:   Priscilla Cheung: https://www.linkedin.com/in/priscilla-cheung-98110210/   Hong Kong Jockey Club Financial Education Program: https://www.hkjcfep.com/   Cocoon Foundation Financial Education: https://foundation.hkcocoon.org/fe.html     The Education Innovators Podcast Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551034804742   The Education Innovators Podcast YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru4kYugzLerU1S8mQu2Jo2-jX6H_3kd3   The Human Intelligence movement: https://www.humanintelligencemovement.org/   This podcast is produced entirely by Eric Byron. You can contact Eric at eric@edinnovationpod.com

Privacy Pirates   Born a patriot, Dr. Leslie Gruis spent 30 years as a mathematician and intelligence officer at the National Security Agency, where she helped develop technology solutions that balanced national security with civil rights. She later served at U.S. Cyber Command and the National Intelligence Council. Now retired, she writes and speaks on privacy, surveillance, and democracy—making complex topics accessible for everyday Americans. Dr. Gruis is the author of Privacy: Past, Present, and Future; The Privacy Pirates, and a forthcoming third book. She also mentors K–12 STEM students, with a special focus on middle school girls.   The Education Innovators Podcast is a set of conversations between Eric Byron and guests from all aspects of education around the world. We look for innovative ideas and practical examples of things happening in schools and learning environments that are of interest to teachers, corporate trainers, school administrators, EdTech providers, students, parents, and anyone else interested in education.     Links:   Dr Leslie Gruis: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leslie-gruis-b8060b141/ https://lngruis.ag-sites.net/index.htm   The Privacy Pirates: https://www.amazon.com/Privacy-Pirates-Being-Stolen-About/dp/168053825X   The Education Innovators Podcast Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551034804742   The Education Innovators Podcast YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru4kYugzLerU1S8mQu2Jo2-jX6H_3kd3   The Human Intelligence movement: https://www.humanintelligencemovement.org/   This podcast is produced entirely by Eric Byron. You can contact Eric at eric@edinnovationpod.com  

Season 4 Trailer Welcome to Season 4. This is a short episode to grab your interest in the upcoming season with all new guests and incredible stories of innovation in education. The Education Innovators Podcast is one of the top education podcasts in Asia with a global audience. Eric Byron looks for innovative ideas and practical examples of things happening in schools and learning environments that are of interest to educators, EdTech providers, students, parents, and anyone else interested in education.   Links:   The Education Innovators Podcast Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551034804742   The Education Innovators Podcast YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru4kYugzLerU1S8mQu2Jo2-jX6H_3kd3   The Human Intelligence movement: https://www.humanintelligencemovement.org/   This podcast is produced entirely by Eric Byron. You can contact Eric at eric@edinnovationpod.com

Season 3 Review Eric takes us through a review of the blockbuster guests on the show during this season. The Education Innovators Podcast is one of the top Education Podcasts in Asia. It is a set of conversations between Eric Byron and guests from all aspects of education around the world. We look for innovative ideas and practical examples of things happening in schools and learning environments that are of interest to teachers, corporate trainers, school administrators, EdTech providers, students, parents, and anyone else interested in education.   Links: The Education Innovators Podcast Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551034804742   The Education Innovators Podcast YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru4kYugzLerU1S8mQu2Jo2-jX6H_3kd3   The Human Intelligence movement: https://www.humanintelligencemovement.org/   This podcast is produced entirely by Eric Byron. You can contact Eric at eric@edinnovationpod.com

Experiential Learning – Teaching Empathy   David (DJ) Begbie is a Director and senior spokesman for the Crossroads Foundation, a humanitarian aid and development organization headquartered in Hong Kong. This agency provides direct assistance to those in need, and an online humanitarian platform connecting corporates and NGOs globally. They currently operate out of an 8-acre former army base, and impact almost 1 million people, across 50 nations, per year.   DJ is also the Director of Crossroads’ experiential programs which have seen over 250,000 participants engage in simulations, including attendees at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. DJ holds a Bachelor of Arts in East Asian Studies and a Master of Arts in Leadership.   The Education Innovators Podcast is a set of conversations between Eric Byron and guests from all aspects of education around the world. We look for innovative ideas and practical examples of things happening in schools and learning environments that are of interest to teachers, corporate trainers, school administrators, EdTech providers, students, parents, and anyone else interested in education.   Links:   David (DJ) Begbie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-dj-begbie-248359252/   Crossroads Foundation: https://www.crossroads.org.hk/   The Education Innovators Podcast Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551034804742   The Education Innovators Podcast YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru4kYugzLerU1S8mQu2Jo2-jX6H_3kd3   The Human Intelligence movement: https://www.humanintelligencemovement.org/   This podcast is produced entirely by Eric Byron. You can contact Eric at eric@edinnovationpod.com

Designing Different   Adrian Ireland is an international educator, systems thinker, and author dedicated to reimagining the architecture of learning. With extensive experience teaching and leading across Asia and Europe, Adrian has spent his career challenging the traditional, standardized models of education by championing learner-centered approaches that value individuality, curiosity, and creativity. His entrepreneurial mindset drives him to experiment with bold ideas, test innovative systems, and design frameworks that empower both students and educators to thrive.    He wears a mix of hats that have shaped his perspectives on education: Watching the development and natural learning progressions of his two boys as father. Coaching Volleyball at both high and low levels. Teaching in the classroom in both middle and high school. Leading full school change efforts around interdisciplinary learning and  project-based learning. Redesigning time and scheduling to allow space for change and most recently Coordinating the MYP (Middle Years Program).     Rooted in both practical classroom experience and a deep understanding of educational theory, Adrian believes that the future of learning lies not in small improvements, but in daring to create something fundamentally different. His work blends systems thinking with human-centered design principles, helping schools and organizations shift toward environments that foster authentic engagement and personal growth.   In "Designing Different", Adrian shares the lessons, insights, and strategies gathered from years of navigating the complexity of educational reform, inspiring others to move beyond "better" and design the future of learning.   The Education Innovators Podcast is a set of conversations between Eric Byron and guests from all aspects of education around the world. We look for innovative ideas and practical examples of things happening in schools and learning environments that are of interest to teachers, corporate trainers, school administrators, EdTech providers, students, parents, and anyone else interested in education.   Links:   Adrian Ireland https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrian-ireland-413191278/   Book “Designing Different: A New Architecture for Learning”: https://designingdifferent.carrd.co/   The Education Innovators Podcast Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551034804742   The Education Innovators Podcast YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru4kYugzLerU1S8mQu2Jo2-jX6H_3kd3   The Human Intelligence movement: https://www.humanintelligencemovement.org/   This podcast is produced entirely by Eric Byron. You can contact Eric at eric@edinnovationpod.com

Creators and Destroyers of Worlds Iuri Melo is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with 20 years of experience and the proud father of five. He’s the co-founder of SchoolPulse, a nationwide student support service that delivers positivity, optimism, and growth mindset tools to students, parents, and faculty via text and email. After several teen suicides in his community, Iuri co-created SchoolPulse in 2017 to proactively support student well-being. He’s also the author of Mind Over Grey Matter and the teen best-seller Know Thy Selfie, and the developer of “Adventure Based Therapy.” With over 300 schools in 25+ states, Iuri’s mission to “bless the human family” is inspiring students every day through kindness, psychology, and powerful weekly videos.   The Education Innovators Podcast is a set of conversations between Eric Byron and guests from all aspects of education around the world. We look for innovative ideas and practical examples of things happening in schools and learning environments that are of interest to teachers, corporate trainers, school administrators, EdTech providers, students, parents, and anyone else interested in education.   Links: Iuri Melo: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iuri-melo-1b41482/   SchoolPulse: https://schoolpulse.org/schools/schoolpulse/   The Education Innovators Podcast Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551034804742   The Education Innovators Podcast YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru4kYugzLerU1S8mQu2Jo2-jX6H_3kd3   The Human Intelligence movement: https://www.humanintelligencemovement.org/   This podcast is produced entirely by Eric Byron. You can contact Eric at eric@edinnovationpod.com

Thriving in an AI World Stefan Bauschard is a course instructor (teaching the Introduction to AI) at Union College. He is also an AI literacy curriculum designer for Study Hall in the UK. He is also an AI Education Policy Consultant, and, as featured in his first appearance on the Education Innovators Podcast, Stefan is a debate coach.   He has come back on the show to talk about one of his weekly newsletters that struck a chord with me. Honestly, many of his newsletters strike a chord with me, but his article titled “Shifting AI Readiness Benchmarks from In-School Use to Thriving in an AI World” is particularly insightful, in my humble opinion.   The Education Innovators Podcast is a set of conversations between Eric Byron and guests from all aspects of education around the world. We look for innovative ideas and practical examples of things happening in schools and learning environments that are of interest to teachers, corporate trainers, school administrators, EdTech providers, students, parents, and anyone else interested in education.   Links:   Stefan Bauschard: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stefan-bauschard-4b87589/   Shifting AI Readiness: https://stefanbauschard.substack.com/p/shifting-ai-readiness-benchmarks   Education Disrupted: https://stefanbauschard.substack.com/p/beyond-policing-text-to-text-a-call   The Education Innovators Podcast Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551034804742   The Education Innovators Podcast YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru4kYugzLerU1S8mQu2Jo2-jX6H_3kd3   The Human Intelligence movement: https://www.humanintelligencemovement.org/   This podcast is produced entirely by Eric Byron. You can contact Eric at eric@edinnovationpod.com

Blazing New Trails in Virtual Education Annette Levesque is the Founder & CEO of The Global Education Station, a platform dedicated to providing modern resources and professional learning workshops for educators, helping them stay ahead of today’s technological advancements. She is also the host of the video podcast The Global Education Station Presents.   Annette is an award-winning author. Her book “Elearning Gold: The Ultimate Guide for Leaders” (2023), offering insights into building successful eLearning programs. With a master’s degree in distance education, she has a proven track record of developing innovative virtual education systems. In 2002, Annette founded one of the world’s first fully virtual accredited private high schools, followed by the launch of a second global virtual school in 2005, which became one of the largest online international high schools in Ontario, Canada.    The Education Innovators Podcast is a set of conversations between Eric Byron and guests from all aspects of education around the world. We look for innovative ideas and practical examples of things happening in schools and learning environments that are of interest to teachers, corporate trainers, school administrators, EdTech providers, students, parents, and anyone else interested in education.   Links:   Book Website: https://elearninggold.com/ Author Website: annettelevesque.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annettelevesque/ X/Twitter https://x.com/Annettelevesqu_   The Global Education Station Presents: https://globaledstation.podbean.com/     The Education Innovators Podcast Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551034804742   The Education Innovators Podcast YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru4kYugzLerU1S8mQu2Jo2-jX6H_3kd3   The Human Intelligence movement: https://www.humanintelligencemovement.org/   This podcast is produced entirely by Eric Byron. You can contact Eric at eric@edinnovationpod.com

Knowledge graphs and neural networks – reimagining AI-powered math tutoring   This episode is a relatively technical discussion with a brilliant researcher about the potential of a hybrid AI solution to be used to develop an accurate and adaptive AI-powered math tutor.   Haihao Liu is currently serving as the Education Director for the Asian Community Development Center, a growing US-based nonprofit with a mission to empower the Asian American community. He is passionate about education equity and reform. He is pursuing a Master of Education in Learning Design, Innovation, and Technology at Harvard (currently on hiatus).   Haihao graduated from Rice University summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa in 2018 with dual degrees, a BS in Materials Science and Nano-Engineering and a BA in Mathematics. He worked from 2019 to 2022 as an NSF Graduate Research Fellow and PhD Candidate at MIT, researching machine learning for making new materials, LLMs (before they were large), and embedding domain knowledge explicitly into the ML model architecture itself.   His nonprofit/startup Ternity Education aims to combine the bleeding edge of AI (including knowledge graphs and multi-agent IL+RL) with our modern understanding of neuroscience and learning sciences, to ultimately transform how students learn in this century and beyond!   The Education Innovators Podcast is a set of conversations between Eric Byron and guests from all aspects of education around the world. We look for innovative ideas and practical examples of things happening in schools and learning environments that are of interest to teachers, corporate trainers, school administrators, EdTech providers, students, parents, and anyone else interested in education.   Links:   Haihao Liu: https://www.linkedin.com/in/haihaoliu https://linktr.ee/hhliu   Ternity Education: https://ternity.education/   The Education Innovators Podcast Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551034804742   The Education Innovators Podcast YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru4kYugzLerU1S8mQu2Jo2-jX6H_3kd3   The Human Intelligence movement: https://www.humanintelligencemovement.org/   This podcast is produced entirely by Eric Byron. You can contact Eric at eric@edinnovationpod.com

AI Characters – Friend or Foe? In this episode I talk with Sonia Tiwari who has a unique expertise in the design and development of characters that enhance learning experiences. Sonia Tiwari holds a PhD in Learning, Design, and Technology from Penn State University where she also was an Adjunct Professor of Learning Experience Design. She has been a children’s media research consultant for almost 9 years and has developed a framework for designing AI-powered characters as facilitators of learning experiences. This year, Sonia was selected as one of 20 scientists from across the world to participate in Falling Walls Foundation's year-long 'Female Science Talents Intensive Track' program to support significant career breakthroughs. Her research explores the impact of AI character interactions on children's learning experiences. The Education Innovators Podcast is a set of conversations between Eric Byron and guests from all aspects of education around the world. We look for innovative ideas and practical examples of things happening in schools and learning environments that are of interest to teachers, corporate trainers, school administrators, EdTech providers, students, parents, and anyone else interested in education.   Links: Sonia Tiwari: https://www.linkedin.com/in/soniastic/ Designing AI Characters for Kids: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/soniastic_kidtech-keynote-ai-characters-activity-7296208908627374080-bde7/ The Education Innovators Podcast Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551034804742 The Education Innovators Podcast YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru4kYugzLerU1S8mQu2Jo2-jX6H_3kd3 The Human Intelligence movement: https://www.humanintelligencemovement.org/ This podcast is produced entirely by Eric Byron. You can contact Eric at eric@edinnovationpod.com

Beyond AI: Student Centric Education This episode is a follow up to my solo episode about the Alpha School, “A School with no Teachers”. My guest is here to cut through the hype and tell us the real story. Jon Stewart is a creative strategist and leader in the education technology space, currently serving as Head of Engagement at Alpha School in Austin, TX. In this role, he crafts compelling educational narratives that reshape how families engage with Alpha’s innovative K–12 model. He leads cross-functional teams to design authentic communication touchpoints, optimize enrolment strategies, and translate complex educational concepts into emotionally resonant messages. His expertise in storytelling and AI-assisted learning models bridges traditional education with future-focused approaches, driving academic excellence and personalized student experiences. Jon is also the founder of NarrativeDrive.org, a platform dedicated to mentoring diverse, emerging screenwriting talent and offering educational workshops globally. A passionate speaker and thought leader, Jon frequently addresses the intersection of AI, education, and storytelling, and is organizing the TEDxAlpha Austin School Youth event in May 2025. The Education Innovators Podcast is a set of conversations between Eric Byron and guests from all aspects of education around the world. We look for innovative ideas and practical examples of things happening in schools and learning environments that are of interest to teachers, corporate trainers, school administrators, EdTech providers, students, parents, and anyone else interested in education.   Links: Jonathon Stewart: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jstew3/ https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1139293/   The Alpha School: https://alpha.school/   The Education Innovators Podcast Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551034804742   The Education Innovators Podcast YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLru4kYugzLerU1S8mQu2Jo2-jX6H_3kd3   The Human Intelligence movement: https://www.humanintelligencemovement.org/   This podcast is produced entirely by Eric Byron. You can contact Eric at eric@edinnovationpod.com