Episode 8: The Productive Struggle with Dr. Lisa Anne Floyd

In this episode, Dr. Lisa Anne Floyd joins Ryan Oliver and Melissa Sariffodeen to discuss the evolution of computer science in the classroom and the new frontier of AI in education. Drawing on her extensive background as a high school teacher, researcher, and professor at Wilfrid Laurier University, she explains the critical shift from "learning to code" to "coding to learn." Dr. Floyd offers practical insights into how building machine learning models can help students understand human bias and makes a compelling case for preserving the "productive struggle" of the learning process. From the implementation of coding in kindergarten to the ethical concerns of "psychological warfare" in social media engagement, she provides a visionary look at how technology can be used to foster curiosity and meet individual student needs. Lisa Anne Floyd is an assistant professor at Wilfrid Laurier University teaching both mathematics and science/science and technology education courses in the BEd program. She holds a PhD from Western University, focusing on coding in Teacher Education. Her current research interests are within K-12 STEM and teacher education. She has worked with over 20 school districts in Ontario and beyond supporting educators with integrating coding into their mathematics and science classes in K-9 through professional development. Show Credits Hosts: Ryan Oliver and Melissa Sariffodeen Producer: Zac Miller Editors: Zac Miller, Kyle Gordon Original Composition: Warren Frank