PODCAST · education
What's the Big Idea?
by What's the Big Idea?
A podcast about big ideas in education. Tune in to listen and think, then respond on Instagram @_dankearney_ and Bluesky @dankearney
Episodes
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The Struggle For a Later School Start
In which Dan chats with Terra Ziporyn and Amy Wolfson, authors of the new book Educating the Exhausted: Adolescent Sleep and the Struggle for a Later School Start. Terra is a medical writer and historian and Amy is child clinical psychologist. They both serve on the board of Start School Later, a...
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Four Ways to Think About AI in Schools
The idea of AI in schools is inspiring either alarm bells or excitement, depending on who you're reading or following on social. But since it's already here, I invite you to consider four frames for considering it: Helping Teachers Reduce Friction, AI with Training Wheels, Naming What Students…
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The Art of the Journal with Sonya Walger
In which Dan talks with Sonya Walger (@sonyawalgerofficial), author and actress, about the power of journaling. Sonya is a longtime keeper of journals and her insights into the power of writing about our lives feels so urgent in this moment when technology promises to cure all our ills. As Sonya...
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Hot Take or Hard Truth with Amy Fast
In which Dan takes the temperature of education in 2026 with Amy Fast, a superintendent in Dayton School District, Oregon. Through the lens of the game, Hot Take or Hard Truth, Dan and Amy talk about AI, phones, testing, books, recess, and more. As always, I welcome comments and questions on...
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Ben Riley: We Should Be Skeptical of AI
In which Dan chats with Benjamin Riley, founder of Cognitive Resonance, an organization dedicated to replacing AI hype with an understanding of how generative AI works using cognitive science. Ben's understanding of human cognition has him disturbed to see how some in education are running into…
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2026 Can Be A Portal
In which Dan wonders if 2026 could be the year we really take students' interests in the wider world seriously. We’re living with creeping authoritarianism, AI disruption, climate change, social fragmentation, and a youth mental health crisis. Students feel it as much as the adults, but I worry...
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De-Mystifying AI with Eric Hudson
In which Dan chats with Eric Hudson, an educator and facilitator who's spent a lot time thinking and talking about AI in schools. Dan and Eric talk about why AI is so polarizing, the student-teacher divide on this new technology, and how schools can preserve critical thinking while not running in...
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Back to the Future of Learning in the AI Era with Michael Wagner
In which Dan chats with Michael Wagner, Professor and Department Head of Digital Media at the Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design at Drexel University, about the implications for AI in education. Back in July Michael posted a piece to his Substack with the provocative title, "The…
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Jennifer Berkshire on "The Education Wars"
In which Dan talks with education thinker and writer Jennifer Berkshire. Jennifer is the co-author of the recent release The Education Wars: A Citizen’s Guide and Defense Manual and co-host of the outstanding podcast Have You Heard? Dan and Jennifer talk about some of the biggest issues facing...
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Teaching Truth with Jesse Hagopian
In which Dan chats with Jesse Hagopian about the urgent need to teach truthful history in America's classrooms. Jesse is the author of the excellent book Teach Truth: The Struggle for Antiracist Education and he's an eloquent speaker on the need to push back against right-wing whitewashing. Jesse...
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Constructing Learning with Dr. Gary Stager
In which Dan chats with Dr. Gary Stager, teacher, professor, author, and consultant (among other things) and a true constructivist. Gary is the founder of the Constructing Modern Knowledge summer institute for educators and the co-author of Invent To Learn – Making, Tinkering, and Engineering in...
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A Golden Hour with Anya Kamenetz
In which Dan chats with Anya Kamenetz, an author, speaker, and reporter who's done lots of big thinking on the most important issues facing our world. Anya writes The Golden Hour Substack; she covered education for many years for NPR; and her newest book is The Stolen Year: How Covid Changed...
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Talking Curriculum, Learning Transfer, and AI with Cindy Blackburn
In which Dan chats with Cindy Blackburn, Director of Learning and Engagement at Toddle, about curriculum, that "dirty word" at many progressive schools. Cindy is also the host of the School Leaders Project podcast, where she interviews leading minds in progressive education. Dan and Cindy talk...
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Olina Banerji on How Schools Are Processing the Election
In which Dan chats with Olina Banerji, a reporter for EdWeek who recently wrote a great article, "Schools Are Eerily Quiet About the Election Results, Educators Say." Dan and Olina talk about why "the impact never came" following Donald Trump's election, how different stakeholders are processing...
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Oshri Hakak on Mental Health, Creativity, and Hope
In which Dan sits down (in person!) with Oshri Hakak (@oshrihakak), children's author, mental health advocate, and all-around deep thinker about the world we live in. Oshri collaborates with NAMI Westside Los Angeles (@namiwla) to talk with students young and old about the importance of breaking...
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Little People, Big Ideas
In which Dan talks about addressing hard topics and fielding tough questions from our smallest students with Kat Nguyen, a Kindergarten teacher in California. How do early childhood teachers address the questions and comments that inevitably arise, especially in this hypermedia era when students…
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Teaching the Election and Civic Engagement
In which Dan talks about how teachers can feel prepared and empowered to teach and talk about the upcoming election. He's joined by Erica Hodgin from Facing History & Ourselves, truly the gold standard for approaching difficult history and civic topics in K-12 classrooms. This election will bring...
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Getting Technoskeptical with Dan Krutka
In which Dan discusses the nature of technology with Dan Krutka, an associate professor at the University of North Texas, a prolific academic writer, and one of the founders of Civics of Technology, a project and online community founded on something Dan calls technoskepticism. Whether you're an...
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In the education laboratory with Garreth Heidt
In which Dan talks with Garreth Heidt, an educator in Pennsylvania who’s spent a career thinking about and practicing how education could be different. Garreth leads the Nova LAB program at Perkiomen Valley HS. Dan and Garreth discuss human systems and agency, risk taking in the classroom,...
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Tyler Rablin Returns to Talk Assessment
In which Dan chats with Tyler Rablin (@Mr_Rablin) about how teachers can make assessment really work for student motivation, purpose, and confidence. Tyler is a teacher and instructional coach in Washington, and he's the author of the new book Hacking Student Motivation: 5 Assessment Strategies...
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WTBI Flash Draft: We Have a STEM Problem
In which Dan comments on our nation's obsession with STEM education and misaligned priorities. We've been sold a story by industry leaders that STEM jobs are the future; we lionize tech and math nerds; we push kids to take the highest possible math classes. Why? Looking at some of our biggest...
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Finding that "Beautiful, Magical Thing" in Girls with Donna Jackson Nakazawa
In which Dan talks about the challenges facing girls today--and reasons for optimism--with Donna Jackson Nakazawa. Donna is the author of seven books, most recently Girls on the Brink: Helping Our Daughters Thrive in an Era of Increased Anxiety, Depression, and Social Media. Dan and Donna talk...
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Media Literacy's Moment with Tim Krueger
In which Dan talks media literacy--the skills needed to responsibly decode, assess, and create media--with Tim Krueger, a Social Studies teacher in Syracuse, New York, and someone who's been doing a ton of thinking and teaching about this essential topic. The proliferation of information,...
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WTBI Flash Draft: Human Stories and Authentic Learning
In which Dan takes a few minutes to share his thoughts on the power of putting students in a position to hear and reflect on personal stories. Drawing on recent experiences with a Holocaust survivor and an immigration unit, Dan talks about how one great avenue to authentic assessment (see also:...
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Learning & Growing Outdoors with Fulcrum
In which Dan explores the power of outdoor experiential learning with Fulcrum Adventures, a Los Angeles-based company and leader in the team building and outdoor youth development space. Their motto is Do. Risk. Grow. Dan talks with Leo Van Warmerdam, program director, and Racine Camara, one of...
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Modern Puberty with Dr. Cara Natterson and Vanessa Kroll Bennett
In which Dan talks about puberty--that rite of passage that many of us would sooner forget--and how for kids today it looks and feels so very different from a generation ago. He talks to Dr. Cara Natterson and Vanessa Kroll Bennett, hosts of the excellent Puberty Podcast and co-authors of the...
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Nerding Out with Celeste Kirsh
In which Dan talks with Celeste Kirsh, middle school educator, podcast host, and Ph.D. student. Celeste is a deeply reflective and thoughtful person, and so Dan picks her brain about digital media literacy, teaching young people to write, and why we should be hopeful about the future. As always…
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Annie Abrams on How Advanced Placement 'Shortchanges' Students
In which Dan talks with Annie Abrams, public school teacher and author of the new book Shortchanged: How Advanced Placement Cheats Students. Dan was always skeptical of the AP for reasons related to cost and its content-heavy nature, but after reading Abrams' rich analysis and critique of the...
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Teaching the Holocaust and Facing Antisemitism
In which Dan interviews Yehudah Potok, Director of Jewish Education Program and Lead for the Antisemitism Project at Facing History and Ourselves. A recent uptick in antisemitism around the U.S. had Dan wondering about the state of Holocaust education, so he reached out to Facing History, which…
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Black History Year with Femi Redwood
In which Dan discusses history, representation, and America's blindspots with Femi Redwood (@femiredwood), journalist and host of the podcast Beyond Black History Month, which has just kicked off its second season. They talk about the very idea of Black History Month in both schools and American...
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Rebecca Stefoff On Bringing Big Ideas to Young Readers
In which Dan learns all about the book adaptation process from Rebecca Stefoff (@RebeccaStefoff), author of numerous fiction and nonfiction titles. Notably, Rebecca has adapted important works by Howard Zinn, Ronald Takaki, and Charles Darwin, and her efforts have made seminal texts such as A...
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Kindra Neely on Surviving a School Shooting and Her Powerful New Graphic Memoir
In which Dan talks with Kindra Neely (@kindraneely), author of the new graphic memoir Numb to This: Memoir of a Mass Shooting. Neely is a survivor of the 2015 shooting at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Oregon. Numb to This is both a documentary of the events and an intimate personal…
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Monte Syrie on the Teaching Journey
In which Dan chats with Monte Syrie (@MonteSyrie) about the gains, pains, and learning that comes with being a professional educator. Our fast-paced, get-it-now culture can lead teachers to think that they should be polished and amazing NOW. Monte's career, and reflection on that career, suggest...
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School is starting again...so what have we learned?
In which Dan asks a bunch of really smart educators, "What have the past two+ years taught us?" We're entering another school year of pandemic teaching and learning, so what do we have to show for it? Forget the think pieces online and the ranting at local school board meetings; what can these...
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How to Write for Middle Schoolers with Barbara Dee
In which Dan chats with author Barbara Dee about her work writing powerful novels about middle school students, for middle school students. Barbara's 13th novel comes out this fall, and her books take on issues ranging from mental health to addiction to eco-anxiety. Dan and Barbara discuss how…
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Ungrading with Susan Blum
In which Dan examines the behemoth that is traditional grading--you know, the A-F and 0-100 scales, and GPAs. Dan is joined by Susan Blum (@SusanDebraBlum) who has done a ton of thinking, speaking, and writing about how teachers can move away from this crude, harmful practice and towards…
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The Rising Threat of Censorship with Jonathan Friedman and Christine Emeran
In which Dan takes a close look at the recent spread of censorship aimed at schools and libraries across the United States. Hundreds (!) of new laws have been proposed in just months that would put teachers and curriculums under the microscope, and books are being pulled from shelves. The common...
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Podcasts in the Classroom, Part 2: Listening
In which Dan interviews Monica Brady-Myerov, founder and CEO of Listenwise, a learning platform that helps teachers bring podcasts and other audio into the classroom. Before starting Listenwise, Monica was an award-winning public radio journalist, and Dan and Monica talk about what she learned...
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Podcasts in the Classroom, Part 1: Creating
In which Dan chats with Molly Josephs, the adult who works on This Teenage Life, a podcast hosted by teens to talk about issues that matter to them. Dan and Molly discuss how TTL got its start, why student voices are more important than ever, and why the real goal is honest, productive...
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Angela Hanscom has the remedy for our kids' stressful, over-scheduled world
In which Dan and special guest co-host Kim Dzwonkowski talk with Angela Hanscom about the importance of getting kids outside, away from overly structured activities and hovering adults. Angela is the best-selling author of Balanced and Barefoot: How Unrestricted Outdoor Play Makes for Strong,...
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How to Teach Media and News Literacy with Ebonee Rice
In which Dan talks with Ebonee Rice (@EboneeSpeaks), Senior VP of Educator Network at the News Literacy Project. They talk about the unprecedented amount of information at our fingertips, the danger of passive media consumption, the importance of understanding how news gets made, and the…
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Pernille Ripp on how we can nurture young readers
In which Dan talks with educator, author, and speaker Pernille Ripp (@pernilleripp) about the importance of developing young readers. For over a decade Pernille has run the Global Read Aloud, a six-week program that unites classrooms around a single text. Dan and Pernille discuss what it means to...
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Globally-Minded Education with Julia Fliss
In which Dan is joined by Colorado educator Julia Fliss to discuss the importance of cultivating globally-minded students in our increasingly interconnected world. Dan and Julia start by examining the power of learning additional languages as a portal into deeper cultural understanding. Then they...
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Monise Seward on the hardest teaching year, the 2020 election, and America's misunderstanding of history
In which Dan hosts the always-candid Monise Seward (@MoniseLSeward), a special education teacher and interventionist. Living in Georgia, Monise had a front row seat to one of the most tumultuous years in American history and she comes on the pod to talk about teaching and learning during the...
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A Rural View of Education and Progressivism
In which Dan talks with educator, author, and big thinker Casey Jakubowski. They discuss rural education, the state of the teaching profession, the current debate over history class, and progressivism. As always I welcome comments and questions on Twitter @BigIdeaEd Mentioned in the show…
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A Human-Centered Approach to Education with Chris McNutt
In which Dan talks with Chris McNutt, an Ohio educator, the executive director of the Human Restoration Project, and a leading voice for a progressive, human-centered education. They talk about the manufactured myth of "learning loss", media literacy, and the incredible work of HRP. As always, I...
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Season Finale: A Conversation with Students
In which Dan wraps up the school year and this season of What's the Big Idea? by sitting down with six thoughtful and reflective students to discuss the year and the future. They share lessons on the past fifteen months, go deep on the pluses and minuses of social media, talk about whether or not...
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Putting a Wrap on the Year with Jessica Kirkland
In which Dan calls on Jessica Kirkland (@jkirk___), a high school English teacher in Virginia, to reflect on this unprecedented year. After describing what this year was like for her students, Jessica talks remote learning, learning "loss", diversity and inclusion, and how we should approach the...
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Standing Up for LGBTQ Students with Jean-Marie Navetta & PFLAG
In which Dan talks about the urgent need to protect LGBTQ students and empower teachers to become active allies. He's joined by Jean-Marie Navetta, Director of Learning and Inclusion at PFLAG. After discussing the troubling stream of anti-LGBTQ legislation from across the country, Dan and...
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Assessment, Part 2: Tyler Rablin
In which Dan discusses what makes meaningful assessment with Tyler Rablin (@Mr_Rablin), an English teacher and instructional coach in Washington state. They talk student voice in the assessment process, why quality feedback matters and why sometimes students just won't take the feedback, and how...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
A podcast about big ideas in education. Tune in to listen and think, then respond on Instagram @_dankearney_ and Bluesky @dankearney
HOSTED BY
What's the Big Idea?
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How many episodes does What's the Big Idea? have?
What's the Big Idea? currently has 86 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is What's the Big Idea? about?
A podcast about big ideas in education. Tune in to listen and think, then respond on Instagram @_dankearney_ and Bluesky @dankearney
How often does What's the Big Idea? release new episodes?
What's the Big Idea? has 86 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
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