Designing for What Matters: Agency, Action, and the Human Side of Learning with Summer Howarth

In this episode of the Education Vanguard Podcast, host Justin Hardman sits down with Summer Howarth, founder and director of The Eventful Learning Company and a leading voice in student agency and educational innovation.Summer shares why meaningful participation requires more than good intentions. Drawing from her experience designing events and learning experiences across international schools and education systems, she explains how clarity of purpose, authentic roles, and thoughtful structure shape whether students lean in or quietly disengage.Together, they explore what it takes to design for agency, how to avoid performative practices, and why the human side of learning must remain central in an increasingly complex education landscape.A must-listen for school leaders, event designers, and educators committed to designing experiences that truly matter.