Learning Unboxed

We’re speaking to a number of people from one of Ohio’s leading STEM schools, the National Inventors Hall of Fame School, including Sam Crews, a founding teacher at the school with over 20 years of experience in schools. Joining him are two former students, Mar Lin and Camryn Woodley. They share their learning experiences at the National Inventors Hall of Fame School and how what they learned there has carried with them throughout their young adult lives.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:The story behind the National Inventors Hall of Fame SchoolHow the school’s strong founding ethos carries on throughout the yearsCreating meaningful experiences for studentsRolling out STEM education to the broader school communityMaking the decisions that are best for kidsResources:invent.orgLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sam-crews-bb795512a

Many schools are excited by the idea of collaborative maker spaces, putting large amounts of funding into getting them built. But once those spaces have been built they start to struggle. What do we do with these spaces to make them a success? Nikil Ragav is the founder and CEO of inventXYZ, a program devoted to bringing high-tech, hands-on education to students everywhere by setting up maker workspaces at partner schools across the country. We talk about how he’s working with schools to make the process of building and using maker spaces more streamlined, and how schools everywhere can get involved.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:The problems districts face when building maker spacesHow inventXYZ is making it easier to put maker spaces in schoolsAccelerating the rate of teaching standard educationBecoming involved with inventXYZResources:inventxyz.comLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/nikil-ragav

With a wicked problem in mind, choosing relevant issues tied to a school, a community partnership, technical apprenticeship, or continuing education reveals many paths that lead down numerous avenues of inquiry—all relating back to the issues at hand. Sustainability, world health, and local environments are larger issues with multiple facets, with the potential to generate years’ worth of projects for students. We can use this approach to create a new model for learning that increases the motivation of students, supports teachers’ professional development, and engages community industry partners. It would be a system that prepares students for the future and serves us all far better.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:The benefits of addressing local or current problems in educationThe extraordinary results that come from partnering industry experts with educatorsCreating a new, problem-based model of education and learningRecalibrating our education system to be relevant to the future

Education starts from the moment we take our first breath, but we often only give it our full attention as kids get closer to their careers. Today we’re going to be talking about our littlest learners and how to prepare them for further education and their futures.Willowell Foundation’s “Wren’s Nest” program, a holistic, interdisciplinary, and sensory-based approach to learning, and a companion program to Willowell’s nationally-recognized outdoor high school program The Walden Project. The goal of Wren’s Nest is to foster students’ independence and an initial understanding of their interconnectedness with the whole world.Joining us are Tasha Ball, the administrative director of the Willowell Foundation, and Jen Olson, an early childhood educator and teacher at the Wren’s Nest. We talk about embracing kids’ natural curiosity and desire to explore, getting them immersed in nature, and how we can scale outdoor education.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:What Wren’s Nest does and how it worksThe va

Original summarization of the episode. Greet the reader and/or introduce the guest. Preview the person’s area of expertise, qualifications, accomplishments, or hook for being on the show. One sentence to connect relevant subject matter to the audience. Consider finishing with a list rounding out other included topics. Quick sign-off CTA. Educational, open-minded tone.Part of our core philosophy at Learning Unboxed and the PAST Foundation is how the current educational system fails to prepare students for the future of work. We spend a lot of time focused on the educational aspect of that, but we rarely get a chance to dive into the workplace.Marie Gervais is the CEO of SHIFT Management, which specializes in helping supervisors learn to lead with confidence by developing their people skills and supporting their teams in meeting business objectives effectively. We discuss the ways in which we consider how the workplace and education relate to each other and their futures.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.org

There’s a severe disconnect between the preparation of students coming out of K-12 education and career success. Though the founders of the PAST Foundation each came from diverse areas of science, they each found they were seeing the same problem in students and young employees who worked in their labs: As intelligent as they were, when it came down to rolling up their sleeves and working there were some key skills and understandings that were missing. That is largely because the K-12 education system was rooted in a 19th-century factory-based model—one that is now obsolete. We need a complete overhaul of the system—so what’s that going to look like? Let’s discuss it together.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:Why our education system is failing usHow the PAST Foundation is bringing education closer to reflecting real lifeThe opportunity presented in wicked problems

Shawn Young is the co-founder and CEO of Classcraft, an innovative platform that helps educators make learning meaningful and motivate students through gamification. SInce its launch, Classcraft has had an incredible impact, with over 10 million students making use of the platform. He has a background in teaching himself, and in fact built Classcraft to meet the needs of his own classroom before it became a tool that is deployed in classrooms around the world. We talk about why gamification is such a great tool for encouraging student participation, and how Classcraft presents these features in a way that puts real-world learning upfront and wraps it in an appealing package.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:How Classcraft came aboutThe gaps that Classcraft fills in the classroomWhy gamification increases intrinsic motivationAddressing the concerns about adopting ClasscraftBringing Classcraft into your classroomResources:Learn more: classcraft.comInstagram: @classcraftgame

One of the main goals of education is to prepare our kids for the future, and that often means preparing them for a career. A great way to do that is through internships, capstones, and mentoring programs. Erika Reeves is the Bodies Early College Experience Coordinator at Metro Early College High School, who we’ve spoken with on the podcast before. She’s joined by a student, Shirish Parasa, who has been participating in the Bodies program this past year and gave an incredible capstone presentation. Together, they talk about the benefits of early work education programs and how they can give more opportunities to kids.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:What the Bodies Learning Center isEmbedding children in the research processHow students connect with what they learn and experienceThinking about the role of the mentorMeeting the needs of each individual studentResources:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/erika-reevesP3 Applied: pastfoundation.org/p3-applied-mentorship-series

In this special issue of Learning Unboxed, we are kicking off a multi-part series we call “Hacking School.”The disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, while awful in its own right, brought to light several long-standing issues in the education system—specifically when it comes to equity, technology, and pedagogy. We’ve come to understand that the current system does not prepare students adequately for life or the workforce. Let’s explore how we can take this opportunity to rethink the very foundations of how we teach kids and prepare them for the future.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:The unexpected upside of the pandemicWhy the present education system is obsoleteHow we can rethink education

Art is such a powerful way to expand our creativity and explore unique ways of thinking, but the traditional art world can be uninspiring to outsiders and limiting to the artists themselves. Thankfully, people like Allyson Lupovich mean to change that. Allyson is the Director of Brand Content for Meow Wolf, an immersive art experience company in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Their goal is to inspire creativity through their art and to remind people of the power of play. We talk about all sorts of things, from how Meow Wolf approaches creating their maximalist, impressive art installations to collaborating on creative projects and more. We also discuss how to bring some of this sense of art and inspiration into your own backyard.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:What Meow Wolf is and how it got startedHow these experiences are designedGiving everyone a voice in creatingWhat Omega Mart is and how it was designedBringing creativity to your neighborhoodResources:meowwolf.comInstagram: @meow__wolfLinkedIn:

High school internship programs can be a fabulous experience for students and, when done well, are incredibly productive for all parties involved. Internships can run from work-based experiences to being fully embedded in a workplace. Tammy Cooper has been the internship coordinator at the Marysville Early College STEM School for the past five years. She talks about some of the benefits of internships, how students can get involved, and what’s in it for the businesses that participate as well.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:What Marysville Early College STEM School is and what they doWhat students get out of an internshipThe experience for the company during an internshipGetting workplaces on board for internship opportunitiesResources:Marysville Early College STEM SchoolLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tammy-cooper-a27003104

Travel is a wonderful thing, and so much learning can happen while doing it. Creating opportunities for learning takes a lot of work however, and it isn’t always accessible. How can we make it easy for anyone to learn as they travel?That’s the goal of the Smithsonian Adventure Labs. Anne-Marie Gilliland a volunteer organizer at the Smithsonian Castle. Adventure Labs is an app based on the idea of geocaching, where you use your phone’s GPS to go on a scavenger hunt to different locations. In the app, you discover new locations, all the while learning more about their history, and you are encouraged to visit and discover new areas and new things you may never have noticed before. While it is made by the Smithsonian, anyone with the app can set up their own Adventure Lab.Anne-Marie shares with us how, using the Adventure Lab app, you can bring exploration-based learning to your community without the need to invest in tour guides that by necessity limit what can be covered.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.org

How do we get our kids through childhood and teenage years to adulthood?The world is changing rapidly, and that’s leaving young adults with having to make important decisions about their future—without knowing if the advice that worked for their parents, or even their peers, will work for them in the future. Things like whether or not college is necessary, what jobs will be around in the next five to ten years, or whether or not they’re prepared to live on their own.Thankfully, there’s Raising the Next Gen, an organization out of central Ohio that helps high school students make smart career and college decisions to become successful adults—regardless of whether that student is college-bound or going right into the workforce. Traci Bakenhaster is the founder of this organization, and she’s going to share with us why this organization exists and what it does to help young adults thrive.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:How most adults learn things the hard wayThe foundations of adultingKeeping e

How do we create good stewards of Mother Nature from a young age and give our kids a well-rounded education—while having fun? Jessica Kaknevicius is the Vice President of Education at Sustainable Forestry Initiative where she leads the initiative to advance environmental literacy, stewardship, and pathways to green careers. She also leads and directs Project Learning Tree. Sustainable Forestry Initiative is all about the broad aspect of sustainability but approaches it through the lens of forestry. Teachers often don’t have the resources or permission to get their kids outdoors and learning in a natural environment, so anything that helps with that is a huge win.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:The mission of the Sustainable Forestry InitiativeExploring the benefits of trees and forestsHow the pandemic has affected outdoor educationBringing programs to your communityLearning from indigenous communitiesResources:forests.orgplt.orgLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jessica-kaknevicius-00431525Learning Un

Food is essential to our lives, but kids rarely get a chance to understand where it comes from – or how to participate in the process. Jim Bruner is the farmer extraordinaire at the Mezzacello, an urban farm in the middle of downtown Columbus which hosts programs that expose local kids to urban farming. We discuss how last year’s events went and what lessons he’s learned that will be applied as the project moves in the future.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:Why Jim created MezzacelloMezzacello summer camp programmingCreating a positive learning environment through playLessons Jim learned working with kidsLong-term impact of the programDesigning your own backyard curriculumResources:mezzacello.org2022 Summer CampLearning Unboxed is produced, in part, by Crate Media.

When given trust and resources, students can do some incredible things. One Stone is a student-led and directed nonprofit that makes students better leaders and the world a better place. Through allowing students to pursue their passions and interests, they learn to become more confident, empowered, and self-sufficient. Jesse Ross is the director of senior partnerships at One Stone. He’s joined by two senior students, Saumya Sarin and Elani Waight, who share why they joined the program and what they get out of it.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:What One Stone is and why it’s necessary in educationWhy students are choosing One Stone for their high school experienceBalancing educational requirements with new, creative ideasThe youth innovation challengeExperiential learning opportunitiesResources:onestone.orgLearning Unboxed is produced, in part, by Crate Media.

Elly Blanco-Rowe is an expert in K-8 mathematics, with over 20 years of experience in teaching, coaching, and school leadership. We’re talking about Teaching Matters, a national New York City-based nonprofit whose mission is to close the opportunity gap of a radically unequal education system for underserved and historically marginalized children. We take a look specifically at their Math Acceleration pilot program and how it helps to build kids up in their critical areas of education.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:The background of Teaching MattersHow Teaching Matters offers support to students and educatorsAsking kids their perspective on their educationHow the learning experience changes from elementary to middle schoolWorking with the individual schoolsResources:teachingmatters.orgLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/elly-blanco-rowe-2b797a7Learning Unboxed is produced, in part, by Crate Media.

High school is a critical age for students. As our kids’ social lives expand, it can be harder to keep them interested in learning. And the skills that they are taught in school may not be the most readily applicable for their future. So what can be done to improve that system?Giant Leaps Learning provides an after school enrichment program that helps prepare creative and curious students for life in college, the workplace, and beyond. Michael Trezza is the founder and CEO; his perspective aligns well with ours here at the PAST Foundation. We discuss how teaching kids the skills of critical thinking and self-learning can carry them much further than most archaic classroom lessons.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:How the world is changing faster than our current education system can keep upWhat Giant Leaps Learning doesHow coaching meets educational needsTeaching kids critical thinking skillsResources:giantleapslearning.comLearning Unboxed is produced, in part, by Crate Media.

Little Inventors is a creative education organization that inspires imagination by taking young peoples’ amazing ideas seriously. Dominic Wilcox is a British artist and designer who creates innovative and thought provoking work that is shown in galleries and museums across the world, as well as the founder of Little Inventors. Mark Muzzin is a K-12 STEM consultant for the Macomb Intermediate School District. He loves to develop new initiates, collaborate, and leverage his experience to empower others. Together, they share how kids can learn to think of themselves as inventors and the synergy that comes when working together with teachers and engineers to come up with innovative programming.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:The story behind Little InventorsGiving kids a sense of agencyHow schools can shake things upGetting schools to buy into an ambitious new programBalancing open source and formal educationResources:littleinventors.orgFollow Dominic on Instagram: @dominic_wilcoxLearning Unboxed

Today’s guest has had a remarkable journey in the innovation and entrepreneurship space within education. His name is Josh Chernikoff and he is an innovative entrepreneurship advisor and strategist with over 20 years of experience in education, broadcast journalism, sales, marketing, and communications. He’s used that unique combination of skill sets and applied them to a wide range of work. We hear about his successes, failures, and the thinking that goes on behind the scenes.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgResources:joshchernikoff.comcascadego.coLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/joshuachernikoffLearning Unboxed is produced in part by Crate Media