Learning Unboxed

In this episode of Learning Unboxed, we have the privilege of delving into the personal journey of Kapono Ciotti, CEO of the Pacific American Foundation and co-author of the Landscape Model of Learning. His story, inspired by his parents and his own empowering school experiences, resonates with our shared commitment to reimagining education as a space where students are the protagonists of their learning journey.We explore the origins of the PEAK model, rooted in the work of "What School Could Be," and its focus on fostering purpose, essential skills, student agency, and deep, applied learning. Kapono's emphasis on celebrating schools' successes beyond standardized testing is a beacon of hope, providing a pathway for certification of distinction and encouraging schools to spotlight and build on what they're doing well. Kapono shares insights into the challenges of educational reform, from systemic bureaucracy to integrating AI, and introduces the 'island change model,' a practical

In this episode of Learning Unboxed, we’re joined by Alan Tang, co-founder of Collaboration Laboratory (CoLab), an award-winning online program that teaches kids life skills through immersive, game-based learning. CoLab combines elements of Pokemon and Sherlock Holmes, using interactive challenges to help kids develop confidence, leadership, and critical thinking—all while having fun.Alan shares his unconventional career journey from corporate finance to education and how his experiences led him to create a platform that engages students in authentic learning. CoLab’s global approach fosters collaboration between children from different cultures, allowing them to learn through negotiation, experimentation, and shared problem-solving. The program’s impact isn’t just limited to kids—companies and leadership teams are using CoLab’s methodology to improve teamwork and decision-making.Tune in to hear how CoLab is redefining education by making learning engaging, accessible, and truly transformative. Whether you’re

Dr. Maggie Broderick is the Dissertation Chair in the Department of Teacher Education at National University. National University has doctoral students all over the world and credentials the most PK-12 teachers in the state of California. Because of her position, Maggie has an incredible view of the latest research in teacher education. Today, she joins the show to share the latest trends in doctoral research in this area.We discuss the surge of interest in social-emotional learning and the concept of teacher dispositions. We also touch on generational differences and the role of technology. To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:How teacher education needs to be agileReasons for the increased interest in social-emotional learning researchThe new field of questions about the role of teacher dispositions  Resources:Read “Mindset” by Carolyn DweckLearn more about the work of Ken RobinsonProduced by NOVA Media

Amber Humm Patnode has spent over a decade researching the root causes of chronic absenteeism and how to address them effectively. She joins us today to explain what the data shows.Amber is the Acting Director of the Proving Ground program, part of Harvard University’s Center for Education Policy Research. She helps school districts assess the data they have related to chronic absenteeism, analyze it, and come up with timely solutions.In today’s episode, we talk about the three main categories of root causes– physical, aversion, and disengagement– and what educators can do about them.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:The physical barriers leading to absenteeism: illness, transportation, suspensions, etc.The “aversion” reasons for absenteeism: perception of safety, social-emotion difficulties. etc.The “disengagement” root cause of absenteeism: When students or families don’t see how attendance is going to help students reach their goals.Resources:Learn more about Proving GroundLearn more about A

What if instead of pushing every high schooler into Algebra 2, we let them choose a math route that focused more on data science and computers? That’s what Chris Orban and the Math Pathways project are working to make happen in the state of Ohio.On the show today, Chris describes how he’s helping increase access to computer science education for kids across the state through math course offerings. He walks us through what those courses can look like, including a project on the Nintendo64 Mario game.Chris gives an excellent, deep-in-the-weeds perspective of what it takes to make this kind of systemic change.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:How a course can serve as both a math class and a computer science classWhat systems change looks like from an in-the-weeds perspectiveHow community members can be impactful in education policy change Resources:Learn more about the Math Pathways projectProduced by NOVA

Kasondra Wilson was a first generation college student and now works at one of the top consulting firms in the world, Deloitte. She knows firsthand what boost students need in order to thrive in the professional environment. Kasondra is one of our industry partners here at the PAST foundation, and we’re thrilled to have her on the show today.Kasondra walks our listeners through how to attract and retain industry partners in the education and youth development space. If you’ve been hesitant about reaching out to local industry partners for your own organization, you’ll definitely feel more confident after tuning in to this episode.  We are so proud of our partnership with Kasondra and Deloitte. Thank you to all our industry partners out there!To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:How to look through an corporate org chart to identify potential partnersWhat collaboration looks like between educators and industry professionalsHow industry partners can identify what they have to offer studentsResources

Welcome back for the third episode of our four-part series all about our Portable Innovation Labs (PILs). Today, we have a conversation with two community partners who use PILs for their workforce development missions.Iddrisu Seidu from Makerspace Central and Rich Granger from DriveOhio explain how they team up with our rocket-focused PIL. By using 3D-printing, the PIL allows children to immerse themselves in rocket science– yes, rocket science. Aerospace and aviation are important industries in Ohio’s economy. Through the rocket-based PIL, we can build a more diverse and talented future workforce together.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:Why Makerspace Central and DriveOhio decided to use PILsHow PILs increase diversity in STEMHow PILs can be adjusted for different age groupsResources:Listen to Episode 49. Planes, Trains, & Automobiles: The Role of Education in Smart Mobility & InfrastructureAccess DriveOhio’s free Educator ToolkitLearn more at MakerspaceCentral.orgFollow Makerspace C

If assessments measured how a student is smart, not if a student is smart, our education system would be in a better place. That’s the future Sonn Sam and Big Picture Learning are building towards. And they already have examples of it working.In this conversation, we do a deep dive into learner-centered assessment. We talk about the resistance to it, but also about where it’s finding support with families and businesses who care about the future workforce.Learner-centered assessment demands change for the better. It’s a path toward more culturally relevant and locally derived education. And increasingly, it looks like the best path for the future.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:Big Picture Learning’s trifecta model: semi-savvy student, semi-savvy advisor, and semi-savvy mentorWhat it means for assessment to be learner-centeredThe power of slowing down for authentic reflectionResources:Listen to Episode 247. Learner-Centered Schools in Every State with Sonn SamLearn more at BigPicture.orgLearn

Imagine if instead of having to cram for tests and sit through lessons, high schoolers could graduate by navigating six “passages” that prove their practical, creative, and logical skills. Fifty years ago in Jefferson County, Colorado, a group of parents and educators created a school just like that and it’s still thriving today. Melyssa Dominguez and Jenny Long from the Open School join us today to talk about their unique program.Melyssa and Jenny describe the “Walkabout” high school program. They explain each of the six “passages” and show how the model is supported by an advisory system and authentic evaluation process. Not only do Open School’s Walkabout graduates get eagerly accepted by colleges and universities, but the skills the students develop during their “passages” make them more likely to finish their diplomas than the national average. Listen in to learn what aspects of “Walkabout” you can apply to your own learning environment. To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:The six “passages”

When Jessica Fields carries a PAST Foundation Portable Innovation Lab (PILs) box into a school, kids’ eyes light up. They know they’re about to do something cool and fun. What they probably don’t realize is that they’re also going to be learning standard-aligned content that keeps them on-track with their curriculum. Jessica is a 21st Century Learning Coach for Grandview Heights Schools and she is our guest on the show today.Jessica describes how PILs helps her schools jumpstart innovative education. Just one lab can help students come alive to learning and help teachers trust this approach to teaching. Multiple labs can build a culture of inquiry-based learning.If you’re a teacher, school leader, after-school programmer, or workforce development specialist, take a listen to this episode and discover what PILs can do for your students.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:How PILs help connect private partners with schools for workforce developmentWhy starting the school year with a lab-based lesso

Microschools are positive disruptors of our modern education ecosystem. Today, CEO of Changemaker Microschools, David K. Richards, joins the show to help us dig a little deeper into the phenomenon.We discuss the ingredients to starting and sustaining a microschool: finding the right teachers; navigating facility and funding options; and deeply engaging student families. We also talk about microschools’ position in the wider education ecosystem. All signs point to the growth of microschooling, so tune in and see if this model might work for your community. To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:Recruiting and training teachers for self-directed learning modelsFamily engagement in opening new microschoolsHow microschools obtain fundingResources:Learn more at DavidKRichards.comCheck out MicroSchoolingCenter.orgProduced by NOVA Media

The most important part of a child’s education is developing a love of learning. That’s Amir Nathoo’s motto and what led him to co-found OutSchool. Amir joins the show today to talk about future-proofing education by allowing students to engage with what they are most interested in.OutSchool is a marketplace for live online classes for K-12 learners. It has helped over a million students explore their interests with live online classes in nearly any subject you can think of: learning social skills through Minecraft, to gaming clubs, to learning veterinary topics.As both parents and teachers are increasingly unhappy with the traditional education system, OutSchool hopes to act as a disruptive force to bring much needed change from outside the system. Tune in to hear Amir’s thoughts about the future workplace, technology, and happiness.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:How to future-proof educationWhy developing a love of learning is the most important part of a child’s educationWays to address t

Welcome to our new mini-series on our Portable Innovation Labs (PILs). Here at the PAST Foundation, we’ve been working hard to make this offering a reality. Now we want to tell you all about it! Our own Brianna Agomessou joins the show today to give an overview of our PIL program.The PIL program is made up of over 40 labs that educators can borrow for 2-3 weeks for free. The labs come with equipment, materials, and even curricula. The best part: They’re completely free. Besides talking about the nuts and bolts of PIL, we also dive deep into topics about partnering with companies, diversity in STEM, and how to scale up this initiative.Stay tuned for the next episode where we have an educator discuss their experience with PILs!To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:What Portable Innovation Labs areWho can use Portable Innovation LabsHow Portable Innovation Labs are scaling upResources:Learn more about Portable Innovation LabsProduced by NOVA Media

Dr. Keeanna Warren, CEO of Purdue Polytechnic High School, says her school is a school without walls. She means that metaphorically of course, but it did physically come to fruition through a student project at one point. Dr. Keeanna Warren joins us on the show today to explain.Purdue Polytechnic High School is a school without walls in the sense that it has strong relationships with industry partners. Industry partners are always welcomed in the school and students are always going out to industry partner sites. But it’s also a school without walls –or at least a few less walls– because a few years ago students successfully advocated tearing down some of the classroom walls that were hindering learning.That’s the essence of Purdue Polytechnic High School. They empower their students to engage in real world problems and have their voices heard. Tune in to hear all the details from Dr. Keeanna Warren.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:What’s needed for successful private-public partnershipsHow Pu

There are lots of conversations today about AI’s role in education. To help us more deeply discuss it, we have invited Ian Zhu on the show today. Ian is the co-founder and CEO of SchoolJoy.We have a conversation about SchoolJoy, an AI-powered education management platform that provides dynamically updated personal learning preference plans, as well as a comprehensive extended learning program management. We dig into issues of bias, data protection, data fidelity. Ian suggests we analyze AI’s value not by what it can do, but what it can support. In the case of his SchoolJoy project, AI supports teachers building strong relationships with students and better organizing student data. Tune in and let us know what you think about AI’s role in innovative, student-centered education.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:The role of AI in EdTechHow teachers can help each other better understand individual studentsAddressing bias and data protection in EdTechResources:Learn more at SchoolJoy.comProduced by

There’s a good chance your state’s policies actually allow for more innovative and student-centered learning than you think. Sonn Sam is the National Director of Partnerships at Big Picture Learning and he’s our guest on the show today. He explains how they have been able to create more space for innovative student-centered over the last 30 years.Big Picture Learning’s mission is to activate the potential of schools, systems, and education through student-driven, real-world learning with a vision that all students live lives of their own design, nurtured by supportive mentors, meaningful relationships, and equal opportunities to succeed. Big Picture Learning now has 111 schools in the US and 150 internationally.Sonn explains Big Picture Learning’s emphasis on locally-infused school design, working through everyday obstacles to community-based learning like transportation issues, and helping teachers become well-connected generalists.If you’re looking for practical ways you can make student-centered learning p

Andrea Vescelius is a Ohio public school teacher who has eliminated homework and limited grades to just quarterly marks for her students. In this episode, we ask her how she pulled this off and what impact it has had on her students.Andrea takes us on her 24-year teaching journey. She notes when and why her thoughts on homework and grades changed. She also describes the small steps she took, and continues to take, to make her teaching more centered on student needs.If you’ve ever dreamed of making your classroom less checkbox-driven and more student-led, this episode is for you.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:The benefits of no homework and no gradesAndrea’s journey to not assigning homework and limiting graded workHow other teachers can move in the direction of no homework and gradesProduced by NOVA Media

Laksh Dhir’s goal is to revolutionize how informal education is being done in classrooms around the world. Laksh is the CEO and Chairman of Youth for STEM Equity, and he is our guest on the show today.Laksh explains that informal education has three main strengths. It helps students imagine themselves in the professional field they are learning about. It deeply engages students in key educational subjects. It also connects students with professionals in the industries they are learning about.Youth for STEM Equity harnesses the power of informal learning through an escape room model. Take a listen as Laksh describes some of the STEM-based escape rooms they have put on. You’ll want to jump in and do one yourself!To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:What “equity” means in the context of educationThe unique strengths of informal learningThe power of the escape room model for STEM engagement and retentionResources:Learn more about Youth for STEM Equity at yforse.orgFollow Youth for STEM Equity on Insta

Usually, one-on-one coaching is reserved for business executives, but Joel Nicholson’s mission is to bring it to students. Joel is the co-founder of Youthfully, a coaching and development platform for students. He’s our guest on the show today.Joel explains Youthfully’s holistic and non-directive coaching philosophy. He walks us through their process, starting with an intake assessment all the way through application of the student’s stated goal. He also lays out his vision for scaling up the platform so more families can benefit from it.Bloom’s 2 Sigma problem has been around for a few decades now– how do we achieve the outcomes of one-on-one teaching while being limited by resources. Joel is tackling this problem head-on and has a lot to teach us about the lessons he’s learned along the way.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:What the term ‘holistic’ means in educationHow to scale up one-on-one coachingThe three levels of the Youthfully process: foundations, experiences, applicationsResources:L

Dr. Tyler Thigpen co-founded The Forest School in Fayetteville, GA and from there he also co-founded the Institute for Self Directed Learning. Tyler is our guest on the show today and shares with us key practices he has researched and used to nurture student-led environments.We talk about the concept of mastery and how to measure it with single point rubrics, with an emphasis on longitudinal growth. We discuss the role exhibitions and practicals play in developing student responsibility. We also get into how to create space for students to forge their character and learn how to manage conflict.The Forest School is a model for all of us interested in education innovation, and its Institute for Self Directed Learning is a resource to help us achieve it. To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:How Tyler implements self directed learning at the micro school he co-founded, The Forest School.The importance of measuring longitudinal growth in a mastery-based environment.How to create an environment where ki