Mr Barton Maths Podcast

In this episode of the Mr Barton Maths podcast, Craig sits down with Bibi Groot, behavioural scientist at Eedi, to unpack the rigorous research behind their ed-tech work. Bibi traces her journey from the UK's Behavioural Insights Team — where she applied frameworks like EAST (Easy, Attractive, Social, Timely) to public policy — to becoming Eedi's first behavioural scientist after a stint completing a PhD at UCL and having twins. The conversation builds methodically from the fundamentals of randomised control trials (and why they're so notoriously difficult to run well in schools) through the headline results of Eedi's two-year, 20-school RCT showing that students using the platform gained the equivalent of two to four extra months of progress, before diving into the much-publicised Google DeepMind collaboration. That study, run with LearnLM and a human-in-the-loop safety net, found that an AI tutor matched a human tutor on immediate question success and actually outperformed humans on short-term transfer questions — likely because the AI was relentlessly Socratic where time-pressured human tutors tended to short-circuit students' metacognition. Bibi closes by previewing Eedi's much larger four-arm follow-up trial (running until July 2026) testing whether deep student context beats strong pedagogy alone, plus exciting new pilots bringing DQR and WhatsApp-delivered AI tutoring to learners in Guyana, India, and Sub-Saharan Africa. Visit the show notes here: podcast.mrbartonmaths.com/221-building-an-ai-tutor-with-google-deepmind-with-bibi-groot-eedis-chief-impact-officer

A decade after his first appearance on the podcast, Dan Meyer returns to discuss the intersection of AI and mathematics education. Now leading AI feature development at Amplify (which acquired Desmos), Dan brings a uniquely balanced perspective—simultaneously a critic of AI's most maximalist claims and an active builder of AI tools for the classroom. Craig and Dan dig into three core areas: AI as a personal tutor, AI for teacher professional development, and AI for assessment. Along the way, they explore why AI tutors keep falling short of their hype, what Amplify's "discussion moments" feature reveals about thoughtful AI integration, the realities of the Alpha School model, and the social dimensions of learning that no chatbot can replicate. Dan argues that genuine educational improvement may depend less on technology and more on political solutions like teacher pay, class sizes, and addressing inequality—a sobering counterpoint to the dominant AI-as-saviour narrative. the show notes here: podcast.mrbartonmaths.com/220-ai-in-education-with-dan-meyer/

In this episode, I welcome my friend and Eedi co-founder, Dr Simon Woodhead. We dive into the evolution of educational technology, data collection, and AI's role in personalised learning. Join us as we reflect on past innovations, current challenges, and future opportunities in edtech, data science, and AI integrations in education. View the show notes here: podcast.mrbartonmaths.com/219-ai-in-education-with-simon-woodhead-eedis-chief-data-scientist

Education expert Carl Hendrick discusses the transformative potential of AI in education, emphasising how AI can enhance learning science, curriculum design, and personalised instruction. He explores the differences this time around compared to past EdTech innovations and offers insights into practical applications and future implications. Access the shownotes here: podcast.mrbartonmaths.com/218-ai-in-education-with-carl-hendrick

Discover the nuanced debate around AI's role in education through an in-depth conversation with science teacher and author, Adam Boxer. We explore both the exciting potentials and significant pitfalls of AI tools in teaching, assessment, and resource development. View the episode shownotes here: podcast.mrbartonmaths.com/217-ai-in-education-with-adam-boxer

A long-awaited conversation with Barbara Oakley, distinguished professor of engineering, bestselling author, and creator of the world's most popular online course "Learning How to Learn." Barbara shares her remarkable journey from hating maths in school to becoming a champion of cognitive science-based teaching, and brings her expertise in memory and learning to bear on the rapidly evolving world of AI in education. Across four key areas—personalised tutoring, assessment, lesson planning, and teacher professional development—Barbara offers a refreshingly optimistic yet pragmatic take on how generative AI can support learning, while issuing strong warnings about the dangers of constructivist approaches in an AI-enabled world. She makes a passionate case for testing more (not less), for cognitive realist teaching over student-centred approaches, and for bringing the scientific method into education the way it transformed medicine. The conversation ranges from how AI helps her generate metaphors and surprises in her own teaching, to a fascinating insight into how large language models "grok" patterns in ways that mirror human learning. View the show notes here: podcast.mrbartonmaths.com/216-ai-in-education-with-barbara-oakley

In this in-depth interview, Daisy Christodoulou explores the evolution of AI in education assessment, focusing on the capabilities and limitations of large language models and AI auto-marking systems. She discusses the history, current state, and future potential of AI in assessment, emphasising the importance of human oversight and the challenges of AI interpretability. Daisy Christodoulou discusses the impact of AI on education, assessment, professional development, and resource creation, emphasising the importance of human oversight and strategic integration of technology. Access the show notes here: podcast.mrbartonmaths.com/215-ai-in-education-with-daisy-christodoulou

In this conversation, Craig and Iro Xenidou-Dervou explore the emerging field of early financial literacy, discussing its significance in children's education. They delve into the distinct constructs of financial literacy and numeracy, the innovative assessment tool 'Arlo's Adventures', and the five key components of financial literacy for young children. The discussion also highlights the role of parents and educators in fostering financial understanding, the challenges posed by socioeconomic factors, and the importance of concrete experiences in teaching financial concepts. Iro emphasises the need for a curriculum that effectively addresses these components and the importance of early conversations about money. Access the show notes here: podcast.mrbartonmaths.com/214-research-in-action-31-early-years-financial-literacy-with-iro-xenidou-dervou

In this episode of the Mr Barton Maths podcast, Professor Victoria Simms discusses her research on children's mathematical thinking and the importance of family involvement in early education. She emphasises the role of the home environment in shaping children's mathematical experiences and the need for supportive resources for parents. The discussion also covers the challenges of early education, the impact of sibling interactions, and the long-term effects of early mathematical experiences. Vic shares insights on data-collection methodologies in educational research and highlights the importance of fostering positive mathematical experiences at home. Access the show notes here: podcast.mrbartonmaths.com/213-research-in-action-30-supporting-families-with-mathematics-with-vic-simms

In this episode of the Mr. Barton Maths podcast, Craig is joined by Chris Shaw, a mathematics educator with nearly 30 years of experience. They discuss Chris's transition from secondary school teaching to a full-time role at Loughborough University, where he is involved in teacher training and research. The conversation delves into the importance of effective explanations in mathematics education, the challenges of pursuing a PhD, and the role of sense-making in teaching. Chris shares insights from his research on what constitutes a good mathematical explanation and the significance of example selection in teaching. The episode concludes with reflections on the complexities of teaching and the ongoing quest for effective educational practices. Read the show notes here: podcast.mrbartonmaths.com/212-research-in-action-29-explanations-and-reasoning-with-chris-shore

In this conversation, Hugo Lortie-Forgues discusses his background in psychology and education, focusing on misconceptions in learning fractions and the importance of understanding educational programs. He emphasises the need for clear communication of research findings, particularly regarding the effectiveness of educational interventions and the uncertainty that accompanies them. The discussion also touches on the challenges teachers face in interpreting research and the importance of evaluating the quality of educational studies.Visit the shownotes here: https://podcast.mrbartonmaths.com/211-research-in-action-28-considering-uncertainty-when-interpreting-educational-research-with-hugo-lortie-forgues/

In this conversation, Andrew Manches, a Professor of Children and Technology at the University of Edinburgh, discusses the intersection of technology and early childhood education. He emphasizes the importance of understanding how children interact with technology and the potential benefits and challenges it presents. The conversation explores innovative tools that blend physical and digital learning, the role of gestures in communication, and the complexities of conducting research in educational settings. Manches advocates for collaboration between researchers and educators to enhance learning experiences and prepare children for a digital future.View the show notes here: https://podcast.mrbartonmaths.com/210-research-in-action-27-technology-and-learning-with-andrew-manches/

In this conversation, Silke Goebel, a professor at the University of York, discusses her research on number processing in children, the cognitive and cultural aspects of numerical cognition, and the influence of language on learning mathematics. She explores how numbers are represented in the brain, the concept of subitizing, and the challenges posed by different number systems across cultures. The discussion also touches on the impact of bilingualism and reading direction on numerical understanding, as well as practical takeaways for teachers and parents to support children's mathematical development. Access the show notes here: https://podcast.mrbartonmaths.com/209-research-in-action-26-linguistic-influences-on-number-processing-with-silke-goebel/

Kris Boulton and maths teacher Duncan Grantham join me to discuss creating maths resources using AI. You can access the shownotes here: mrbartonmaths.com/blog/atomisation-in-action-4

Kris Boulton and maths teacher Lee Wheeler join me for the third in our monthly deep-dives about how to apply the principles of Atomisation in the classroom. This time we look at problem-solving, prerequisite knowledge, and overtisiation. Access the show-notes here: mrbartonmaths.com/blog/atomisation-in-action-3

Ollie Lovell and Mark Dowley have written a fantastic book - The Classroom Management Handbook. In this conversation, we dive into three of Ollie and Mark’s 10 behaviour principles: Master your own behaviour to influence others, Treat behaviour as a curriculum, and Success is the greatest motivator. We then discuss my favourite part of the book - the worked example or scripts that Ollie and Mark have written to show teachers exactly how to enact these principles in their classrooms. Whether you are a novice teacher or an experienced practitioner, there will be something in this chat, and indeed in the book, for you. You can access the show notes here: mrbartonmaths.com/blog/classroom-management-handbook

Science teacher and educational guru Adam Boxer joins me to discuss why he thinks the way CPD is traditionally delivered in schools is broken, and how we can fix it. We discuss three common models of CPD - the one-off inset, the yearly whole-school focus, and instructional coaching - and Adam outlines just how difficult it is to make them effective. We then discuss Adam's alternative. You can access the show notes here: mrbartonmaths.com/blog/adam-boxer-cpd/

Regular listeners will know that each month, I get together with my good friend and podcasting arch-enemy Ollie Lovell. This is the fifth in our series of conversations where we seek to agree upon a maths lesson structure. This time around, we continue our discussion of the Do Now, this time focusing on how to respond to the checks for understanding, and addressing reasons why the Do Now can take too long. As ever, we go super deep. So, I hope people enjoy it. Access the show-notes here: mrbartonmaths.com/blog/lesson-structure-5

Kris Boulton and maths teacher Lee Wheeler join me for the second of our series of Atomisation in Action episodes, where we discuss the benefits and challenges of applying the principles of Atomisation in the classroom. This time, we discuss how Atomisaiton can go wrong, and how it works with sets and mixed-attainment classes. You can access the show notes here: mrbartonmaths.com/blog/atomisation-in-action-2

This episode, Neil Almond, creator of the amazing Teacher Prompts newsletter, returns to the show. We begin by reflecting on some recent developments in the world of AI and then turn our attention to Neil’s AI spin on Neil Postman's Technology Principles, where Neil expresses caution about the impact AI could have on our students' education and the role of teachers. You can access the shownotes here: mrbartonmaths.com/blog/ai-in-education-3

This is the first in what I hope will be a new series of episodes focusing on Atomisation and its potential impact on student learning. Access the show notes here: mrbartonmaths.com/blog/atomisation-in-action-1