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In this special FOLC Fest 2025 episode of the Learning Futures podcast, host Sean Leahy sits down with Michael J. Sorrell, president of Paul Quinn College, who delivered the conference’s opening keynote, “From Chaos to Clarity: Innovation Strategies for Leading Through Uncertainty.” Dr. Sorrell recounts his early challenges at Paul Quinn when the institution had only 30 days of cash on hand and highlights the pivotal mindset shifts and empathy-driven leadership decisions that helped transform the college into a model for academic excellence and innovation. He stresses the importance of listening, transparency, and authentic connection with those you serve, while noting that resilience is cultivated by recognizing adversity as an opportunity for growth and solidarity. Drawing from personal experiences—such as pursuing a doctoral degree while working full-time and raising a young family—Dr. Sorrell underscores the necessity of understanding the complex realities students face and shaping institutions to meet their needs. His reflections on humility, empathy, and the vital role of embracing community stories offer profound insights for current and future leaders seeking to navigate turbulent times in education. FOLC Fest 2025 [Website] Michael J Sorrell Profile [Paul Quinn College]  

Original Show Notes from April 18, 2023 ---- In this episode - Sean and Punya are joined by guest co-host Iveta Silova to talk with prominent futures scholar Keri Facer to discuss Futures education, futures literacy vs futures literacies, futures thinking, and cultivating a 'temporal imagination'.  In our conversation we learn about Keri's own academic and professional journey, and how studying the learning space of children became synonymous with studying the future. We discuss a recent publication from Arathi Sriprakash and Keri Facer on the pedagogic imperative to 'teach the future' in modern schools and the opportunities and challenges exist, and explore the importance of the differences between futures literacy and futures literacies. Guest Information:  Keri Facer – Professor of Educational and Social Futures at the University of Bristol, Visiting Professor in Education for Sustainable Development at the University of Gothenburg and August T Larsson Guest Professor at SLU, Sweden. Her work focuses specifically on cultivating the ‘temporal imagination’ – the capacity to work critically with ideas of time, rhythm, pasts and futures to open up possibilities for individual and collective agency - in conditions of environmental and technological change. Iveta Silova – Professor and Associate Dean of Global Engagement at Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College at Arizona State University. She teaches graduate courses in comparative and international education, education policy and evaluation, research design, and post/decolonial approaches to education research.    Links & Resources:  Learning Futures Collaborative: Education, sustainability, and global futuresFuturelab, former UK educational research organizationFutures journal [publisher link]Jungk and Muellert’s future workshops [actioncatologue.eu link]Futures Literacy [UNESCO link]Coldwarchildhoods.org, Iveta’s work on childhood memoriesChen, K (2010). Asia As Method:Toward Deimperialization. Duke University Press. [publisher link]Teach the FutureWorld Futures Study FederationSardar, Z. & Sweeney, J. (2015). The Three Tomorrows of Postnormal Times. Futures 75 (2016) 1–13. [article link]Turn It Around!, socially engaged artAna Dinerstein’s ‘The Art of Organizing Hope’ [video link]Tsing, A., Bubandt, N., Gan, E., & Swanson, H. (2017). Arts of Living on a Damaged Planet. U of Minnesota Press. [publisher link]The Ecoversities NetworkFacer, K & Sriprakash, A. (2021). Provincialising Futures Literacy: A caution against codification. Futures, Volume 133, October 2021. [pdf link]Punya and Iveta’s past work together: https://punyamishra.com/2022/11/17/speculative-fiction-and-the-future-of-learning/Keri Facer (2011) Learning Futures: Education, Technology and Social Change, London: RoutledgeFacer, K (2022) The University and the Social Imagination, CGHE Working PaperIn this background paper for the UNESCO Futures of Education Commission,  I talk about five different ways of doing ‘futures’ in education – and the ethical choices these raise: https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000375792.locale=enBlack Mountains College - https://blackmountainscollege.uk/The Ecoversities Network - https://ecoversities.org/Book Recommendations:Hospicing Modernity https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/675703/hospicing-modernity-by-vanessa-machado-de-oliveira/At Work in the Ruins https://www.amazon.com/At-Work-Ruins-Pandemics-Emergencies/dp/164502184XBruce Sterling – (2002). Tomorrow Now, Envisioning the Next Fifty Years. Random House. [Google Books link]Keri and Arathi’s article: Provincialising Futures Literacy: A caution against codificationHow Are the Children? - Wake Up Arcade Fire CoverSoutheast Asia collection of the Turn it Around! Youth Visions of Climate Futures

Original Show Notes ------ Sean and Punya welcome special guests Dr. Scotty Craig (ASU) and Dr. Ryan Baker (Penn) to discuss rapidly evolving field of Artificial Intelligence (AI), machine learning, and what implications it may have for education Guest Information Dr. Scotty Craig Is an associate professor of human systems engineering within The Polytechnic School of the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State University. Dr. Craig is a learning engineer and has investigated research areas of emotion and learning, multimedia learning, and intelligent tutoring systems (ITS)in both laboratory and applied classroom settings. Scotty is also a fellow member of our own AI in Education Learning Futures Collaborative here at ASU. Dr. Ryan Baker Is a professor of education and computer science at the University of Pennsylvania, and also directs the Penn Center for Learning Analytics. Dr. Baker researches how students use and learn from educational games, intelligent tutors, and other kinds of educational software. Drawing on the fields of educational data mining, learning analytics, and human–computer interaction, he develops methods for mining the data that come out of the interactions between students and educational software. He then uses this information to improve our understanding of how students respond to educational software, and how these responses influence their learning. Topics discussed: UNESCO publications on Artificial Intelligence in educationMaturity of AI in Education from both a technical perspective and practical / pedagogical perspectiveParsing student behaviors in moocs and other environments, including one that caught our eye, what Dr. Baker called “wtf” behaviorsCalls for future developments of AI to be grounded in a human-centered approachAlgorithmic bias, challenges, pitfalls and opportunitiesHow does a system like ChatGPT from Open AI impact the possible future of online learning and behavior?Big picture idea, What are we gaining and losing in seeing ourselves as essentially streams of data?Resources and Links: -Chiou, E. K., & Lee, J. D. (2021). Trusting automation: Designing for responsivity and resilience. Human factors, 0018720821100999 -Penn Center for Learning Analytics -Algorithmic Bias in Education -U Penn Learning Analytics (Online) Master of Science in Education Degree Program   MS in Human Systems Engineering with a Concentration in Intelligent Systems at ASU The Intelligent Systems Concentration provides students with a Master of Science in Human Systems Engineering that prepares them with the skills needed to improve our world by creating innovative technology-based systems that integrate into human environments. Our faculty provide a guided experience with training in theory, development, and evaluation. For more information, check out our website or email  Dr. Craig Link: https://poly.engineering.asu.edu/hse/ms/

In this special selects episode we re-listen to Sean and Punya talk about the journey and future developments of extended reality (XR) in education with Dan Beaupre and Tom Schmidt from One Giant Leap, LLC and ROAM respectively. We learn about the backstory and "origin story" from Dan and Tom and how they came together to join forces around their deep passion for education, storytelling, and emerging technologies.  Extended Reality (XR) is a term that encompasses all immersive technologies that merge the physical and virtual worlds, including virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR). It offers a new way of experiencing digital content by combining the real world with digital elements, allowing users to interact with virtual objects in a natural and intuitive way.   Guest Information:  Dan Beaupre  - Dan is the founder and principal of One Giant Leap, LLC which is a production and consulting company that inspires and empowers children of all ages to be planetary stewards. [They] create transformational experiences, memorable events, and new media. We also provide strategic support to organizations who seek to add, refresh, or expand educational programming. / formerly, Vice President, Experiences, in the National Geographic Society's Education division Tom Schmidt –  Emmy winner for TV. Emmy nominated for VR. Producer for all those mediums / the CEO and Co-Founder of ROAM - ROAMcreates shared experiences for the emerging metaverse that provide understanding, empathy and awareness. And founder of Percolate Digital LLC   Episode Links National Geographic GeoBeeOculus Rift [video link]Dan’s giant maps projecteCYBERMISSION educational competitionGrasp, Dan and Tom’s immersive training companyPowers of Ten filmThe Gailer School [Wikipedia link]Flatland book [Project Gutenberg link]Midjourney, AI image generatorHypercard, Mac software [Wikipedia link]Jane Goodall InstituteSaul Perlmutter, 2011 Nobel LaureateReeducated: Inside Xinjiang’s Secret Detention Camps (360/VR). The New Yorker.ASU’s BioSense NetworkJacob Bronowski’s The Ascent of Man, BBC documentary television series [IMDb link] [British Film Institute link]John Dewey, “father of American progressive education” [Britannica link]MIX Center at ASUGuest Links Punya’s blog: Aesthetics and science education: Beauty at Work podcast

The AI Revolution Is Already Losing SteamIn this final episode of Season 6, hosts Sean and Rachna discuss new advancements in generative AI, reflecting on its journey and the hype surrounding it. The episode begins with a light-hearted conversation about screen visibility issues and transitions into more serious topics, including the rapid adoption of AI technologies and the varied spectrum of understanding across different environments. Rachna shares her experiences with AI guidelines developed in collaboration with Northern Arizona University, highlighting the importance of understanding and cautious adoption of AI in K-12 education. Sean emphasizes the concept of "arrival technology," where new innovations like ChatGPT appeared suddenly, challenging traditional adoption curves and readiness. The hosts express their frustrations with the overhype of GenAI, discussing the unrealistic promises made by tech companies and the potential backlash this could create. They explore Amara's Law, which states that we tend to "overestimate the impact of technology in the short run and underestimate it in the long run", urging listeners to maintain a balanced perspective. The conversation also covers the ethical implications of GenAI, the importance of maintaining human agency, and the role of leadership in guiding responsible AI adoption. They conclude with a forward-looking discussion about the next school year, expressing excitement for the potential of AI to enhance personal productivity and support educators. Links: AI Guidance for Arizona SchoolsRoy Amara [Amara's Law]The AI Revolution Is Already Losing SteamGartner Hype Cycle (general description of model)

In this episode of the Learning Futures Podcast, Sean welcomes special guest Bea Rodriguez-Franson to discuss her recent TED Talk, "Unlocking Indigenous Knowledge: A New Path for Education." The conversation covers Bea's journey in uncovering untold histories, the importance of integrating indigenous knowledge into educational systems, and the development of decolonial futures. Bea shares insights from her work with ASU's NextLab, emphasizing the significance of futures thinking and responsible innovation. The episode highlights the role of temporal imagination in shaping long-term, sustainable futures and encourages listeners to co-create these futures by learning from the past.   Links from our conversation:  Seventh Generation PrincipleFutures Wheel Unlocking Indigenous knowledge: A new path for education (Link: TED Video) Bea Rodriguez-Fransen | TED-Ed Educator Talks | February 2024  

In this fun student conversation from the ASU FOLC Fest, Omkar, Ram, and Jiya (members of a student VR club) from Gary K. Herberger Young Scholars Academy, led by PhD candidate Frank Liu share the transformative potential of virtual reality in education. Through engaging anecdotes and shared experiences, they discuss how VR technology enables immersive learning experiences beyond traditional classroom constraints, highlighting projects from virtual science experiments to a flight simulator that won a school science fair. The group's journey illustrates not just the technical skills gained but the profound impact of VR on fostering creativity, collaboration, and a deeper understanding of subjects among students. This discussion offers inspiration and practical advice for integrating emerging technologies into learning environments to make education more accessible and engaging for all. Guest Information Frank Liu - PhD in Computer Engineering - Meteor Studio, ASUGary K. Herberger Young Scholars Academy - https://herbergeracademy.asu.edu 

In this episode Sean and Jake keep the conversation rolling from the first annual ASU FOLC Fest through highlights from our conversations with Megan Workmon and Medhansh Garg. Throughout this episode we explore insightful discussion on the intersection of technology, education, and creativity.  Key Highlights:  Insights from the first ever Future of Learning Community Festival held at ASUTalking with Megan we learn a lot about her role at ASU and her influence on learning experience designWe learn about projects blending technology and education, focusing on ethical considerations and the human element in learningImportance of balancing technological efficiency with the human touchPotential future of interdisciplinary collaborations and emphasis on mental health and wellness in educational settingsMedhansh shares his experiences on coding, offering a unique perspective of how foundational knowledge intersects with advanced technological tools like ChatGPT. His story is a testament to the impact of technology on personal growth and the crucial balance between embracing innovation and grounding in core principlesExploration of using AI as a thought partner in educational contexts.Ethical implications of AI in crafting educational materials and the necessity of maintaining a human-centered approachGuest Information:  Megan Workmon – Director Learning Experience Design, Enterprise TechnologyMedhansh Garg – Computer Science graduate, Seeking Full-Time Data Analytics, and or Project Management Jobs Other links:  ASU Tech Hub: https://lx.asu.edu/techhub 

In this third installment of the ASU FOLC Fest Compendium - Sean and Jake turn to the conversations with Scotty Craig, Chelsea Schlesinger, and Karla Murphy on transformative approaches and innovative methods and experiences in integrating technology and student-centered strategies in education. Some Key Points Discussed:  Technology in Learning: Scotty elaborates on the role of AI and other digital tools in reshaping educational environments, focusing on their practical use in classrooms to make learning more engaging and effective.Interactive Syllabus: Chelsea and Karla detail their method of turning syllabus review into an interactive, engaging process that empowers students and enhances their participation and interest in the course from the outset.Faculty Involvement: The discussion underscores the need for more faculty engagement in educational innovation and the importance of fostering a community that values teaching and learning advancements.Some Insights from the conversations: The integration of technology not only enhances learning but also demystifies its use for educators, facilitating a more inclusive educational environment.Adopting student-centered approaches in course design and delivery can significantly impact student engagement and learning outcomes.Encouraging faculty participation in educational forums can lead to more dynamic and inclusive educational practices.Our Guests:  Scotty Craig - Associate Professor of human systems engineering within The Polytechnic School of the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State University.Chelsea Schlesinger - Instructor in the School of Humanities, Arts and Cultural StudiesKarla Murphy - Teaching Professor in the School of Humanities, Arts and Culture Studies 

In this episode, Sean and Jake pickup where they left off exploring more experiences from the first ASU FOLC Fest, featuring interviews from Kenzie Hurst Newton and Mike Stordeur, Dee-Dee Collins-Jones, and Joy Griffin around the use of artificial intelligence in education, the integration of VR into learning environments, and the impactful ways in which these technologies are reshaping educational practices. This episode highlights the ongoing innovations at ASU, showcasing the university's commitment to integrating cutting-edge technologies like AI and VR into education. The discussions provide valuable insights for educators looking to enhance their teaching methods and for institutions aiming to modernize their educational offerings. This episode featured 3 segments:  Integration of AI in Teaching and Learning: Guests: Kenzie Hurst-Newton and Mike Stordeur from the Learning Experience Design Team discuss their experiences and initiatives at ASU, focusing on making AI tools like ChatGPT and Adobe Firefly accessible and beneficial for faculty and students through workshops and hands-on activities.Exploring Virtual Reality in Education: Guest: Dee-Dee Collins-Jones shares insights into her work with virtual reality, discussing the potential of VR technologies to enhance student engagement and the practical challenges of scaling these experiences in a large university setting.Adapting Course Design for Students: Guests: Joy Griffin highlights the pivotal role of student feedback in reshaping a leadership class, Griffin talks about her methods for making education more relevant and engaging through the integration of technology and alternative resourcesGuests:  Dee-Dee Collins JonesJoy GriffinKenzie Hurst NewtonMichael Stordeur 

In this episode, Sean and Jake (producer) talk about the pop-up podcast studio at the first ever ASU FOLC Fest – a learning festival dedicated to the integration of technology in education, and the potential impacts on teaching and student success. Special guests include Danielle McNamara and Retha Hill who are pushing the boundaries of educational practice. This episode is the first of 5 of our special coverage of the ASU FOLC Fest:  The Future of Learning Community or FOLC Fest was a two-day interactive conference hosted by the Office of the University Provost that brought together folks in teaching, technology and student success at ASU. In its inaugural year, the conference aimed to explore how ASU can realize our Charter commitment of making an ASU education accessible to all students and learners while remaining on the leading edge of technology and academic excellence.    Discussion Points: Introduction to the ASU FOLC Fest, its goals, and its significance.Reflections on the impact and future of educational technology.Interviews with:Danielle McNamara, Professor in the Department of Psychology and Executive Director of the Learning Engineering Institute at ASU. Discussion on cognitive and learning sciences, and her role in organizing the ASU FOLC Fest.Retha Hill, Professor at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Executive Director of the New Media Innovation and Entrepreneurship Lab. Insights into how emerging technologies like VR and AR are shaping journalism and education.Episode Highlights: Setup of a pop-up podcast studio at the ASU FOLC Fest.The vibrant atmosphere and enthusiastic participation from educators, students, and technologists.Discussion on how such festivals and conferences can spark new ideas and collaborations in the educational sector.Looking Ahead: The episode wraps up with thoughts on the future of such educational gatherings and their role in shaping learning environments that are inclusive, engaging, and forward-thinking. Guest Information: Danielle McNamara - Executive Director of the Learning Engineering Institute, a Professor in the Department of Psychology, and Director of the Science of Learning and Educational Technology (SoLET) Lab.Retha Hill - Faculty at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass  Communication at Arizona State University where she is the executive director of the New  Media Innovation and Entrepreneurship Lab.

In this episode, Sean talks with our special guests on the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and education, with a particular focus on fostering equity and access. Sean is joined by Meacie Fairfax from Complete College America, Dr. Linda Garcia of the Center for Community College Student Engagement from The University of Texas at Austin, and Al Anderson, CIO for Salish Kootenai College, share their expert insights and experiences.  Key highlights and takeaways from the episode: The Potential of AI in Education: The discussion opens up with the transformative possibilities AI brings to educational support services, including personalized academic advising and targeted assistance for students' basic needs.Challenges and Opportunities: Guests explore both the hurdles and the promising aspects of AI integration within educational institutions, highlighting the critical role of AI in democratizing access to learning resources.Equity and Inclusion in AI Design: A significant part of the conversation is dedicated to ensuring AI tools are designed and utilized in a way that includes and benefits all students, especially those from historically marginalized communities.Real-World Applications and Success Stories: Examples of AI applications in various educational settings are shared, showcasing how technology is making a tangible difference in students' academic journeys.Looking Forward: The episode concludes with a forward-looking perspective on how AI could reshape the educational landscape, emphasizing the need for continued innovation and inclusivity.Guest Information:  Meacie Fairfax - Strategy Director for Complete College America (CCA). She leads the work on student support strategies, which includes Active Academic Support, Proactive Advising, 360° Coaching, and Basic Needs.Dr. Linda Garcia - Executive Director of the Center for Community College Student Engagement (CCCSE) at The University of Texas at Austin. https://cccse.org/meet-cccse-teamAL Anderson -  Chief Information Officer for IT Services at Salish Kootenai College - https://www.skc.edu/ 

This episode takes a retrospective review on 2023 and one of the most transformative technologies of our time - generative AI. Our panel of experts, including Punya Mishra, Sean Leahy, Rachna Mathur, and Kellie Kreiser, explores the impact of AI on various fields and reflects on personal experiences with this transformative technology. From academic conferences to real-life applications and philosophical musings, this discussion is a must-listen for anyone interested in the intersection of AI, education, and daily life. What does this all mean - and where is it going? Key Episode Highlights include:  Introduction to the Panel: A warm welcome to our esteemed guests Punya Mishra, Sean Leahy, Rachna Mathur, and Kellie Kreiser. The Evolution of AI in Education: The panel debates how AI is becoming a normalized tool in education, shedding light on its rapid integration into lesson planning and its potential to democratize knowledge. Generational Divide in AI Perception: Discussions pivot to the varying levels of comfort and skepticism towards AI among different generations, noting a split between enthusiasts and skeptics. AI's Impact Over the Past Year: The conversation moves towards the significant advancements in generative AI in 2023, from AI-generated music to multimodal platforms combining text and imagery. AI in Family Life: Sean shares how AI has become part of his family's routine, especially with his children, reflecting on the immediacy with which younger generations have adopted and adapted to AI. Closing Thoughts: The episode concludes with a reflection on the speed of AI’s development and its implications for the future, both in education and beyond.   Shared Links:  Me|We Exhibit!  Graduate students showcase shows AI as a tool for learning, creating | ASU Enterprise TechnologyAndrew Maynard’s Substack - The Future of Being Human - https://futureofbeinghuman.comArtificial Intelligence, Responsible Innovation, and the Future of Humanity with Andrew Maynard 

Sean is joined by Rachna Mathur to talk about the successful student led event in Generative AI called Me & We in AI: Exploring what generative AI means to us and for us.  In our conversation we talked about the challenges and successes of undertaking an event like this as part of a graduate course experience focused on Education by Design. This project gave students an opportunity to go beyond the theory of design and explore the ins and outs, ups and downs of design by directly living with the experience of designing an interactive experience.  Rachna shared the details on how the aim of the event was focused on developing a hands-on experience to let users experiment with a few generative AI tools to see what these powerful technologies can do. Various stations explore how GenAI may impact aspects of our lives such as creativity, language, and learning. Special thanks to the CDI 691 Team Kevin Brown, Jami Carmichael, Theresa Hoover, Rezwana Islam, Kellie Kreiser, J'Shon Lee, Rachna, Mathur, and Lin Yan Event Website: Me & We in AI Event Guest Host: Rachna Mathur (ASU Bio)  

In this episode of the Learning Futures Podcast, Dr. Siddharth Srivastava, Associate Professor at the School of Computing and Augmented Intelligence at Arizona State University discusses the need for responsible development of AI systems that keep users informed of capabilities and limitations. He highlights exciting research on learning generalizable knowledge to make AI more robust and data-efficient. However, dangers arise from overtrusting unproven systems, so regulation and oversight are needed even as innovation continues. By prioritizing users, the current explosion in AI research can drive responsible progress.   Key topics discussed:  - Dr. Srivastava discusses his background in AI research and the journey that led him to focus on developing safe and reliable AI systems.  - The recent explosion of interest and adoption of generative AI like ChatGPT took many researchers by surprise, especially the accessibility and breadth of applications people found for these narrow systems. - It's important to distinguish narrow AI applications like generative models from general AI. Overuse of the term "AI" can lead to misconceptions. - Considerations around safety, bias, and responsible use need to be built into AI systems from the start. Keeping users informed of capabilities and limitations is key.   - Exciting new research directions include learning generalizable knowledge to make AI systems more robust and data-efficient. - Dangers arise from overtrusting unproven AI systems. Regulation and oversight will be needed, but should not stifle innovation. - Overall, it's an exciting time in AI research. With a thoughtful, practical approach focused on user needs, AI can be developed responsibly.   Links: The Alignment Problem - https://brianchristian.org/the-alignment-problem/Siddharth’s Website - http://siddharthsrivastava.net/Siddharth’s Research Group AAIR - https://aair-lab.github.io/NeurIPS 2023 Workshops - https://neurips.cc/virtual/2023/events/workshopSiddharth’s NeurIPS 2023 Workshop - https://neurips.cc/virtual/2023/workshop/66542