Foundational Impact

Good Future Foundation

Welcome to Foundational Impact, a podcast series that focuses on education and artificial intelligence from a nonprofit perspective. Hosted by Daniel Emerson, the Executive Director of Good Future Foundation, a non profit whose mission is to equip educators to confidently prepare all students, regardless of their background, to benefit from and succeed in an AI infused world. This podcast series sets out to explore the trials and tribulations of building a non profit from the ground up, while also investigating the changing world of technology in life, learning, and work.

  1. When Your Students Trusts AI Over You

    4 DAYS AGO

    When Your Students Trusts AI Over You

    Our guest for this episode is Calvin Eden, the founder of LoudSpeaker who works with students across the UK through high-energy and interactive workshops on topics like resilience, emotional intelligence, and healthy relationships. Calvin meets young people in his everyday work, and seeing AI tools become a growing part of students' social and emotional lives reinforces his belief in the urgent need for schools to strengthen young people's confidence, communication skills, and sense of belonging. One major theme in his conversation with Daniel is the importance of human connection. While AI can be a useful tool in different ways, young people need to practice communication, build relationships with others, and learn to speak about their own vulnerability and ask teachers and parents for help when needed. He warns that if AI becomes a substitute for human interaction, students may become less resilient and more isolated. Their conversation also explores the student voice. Daniel shares Good Future Foundation's belief that students should help shape responsible AI policies in schools. Calvin agrees and describes how his work supports schools to build student voice strategies, run student conferences, and create opportunities for young people to be heard. Calvin also encourages school leaders to create a culture where staff and students connect as people, not just through formal roles. He wraps up the conversation by inviting educators to share stories, talk honestly about challenges and failures, and celebrate what they are proud of with their students to build a school environment where young people feel seen, safe, and valued.

    27 min
  2. The AI Research to Classroom Gap No One is Talking About

    21 APR

    The AI Research to Classroom Gap No One is Talking About

    In this episode, Daniel sits down with Erin Mote of InnovateEDU about how education systems are responding to AI and where current approaches are falling short. Erin challenges the assumption that progress in education operates within fixed limits. She argues that system-level change depends on collaboration, shared practice, and open infrastructure rather than competition between schools, organisations, or regions. This approach underpins the work of the EDSAFE AI Alliance, which brings together policymakers, educators, and industry to define practical standards for AI use. Its SAFE framework focuses on safety, accountability, fairness, transparency and efficacy, with direct implications for procurement, policy and classroom practice. The conversation addresses the tension between the pace of AI adoption and the slower development of traditional evidence. Schools are already using these tools at scale, while formal research remains limited. Erin outlines the need for informed, iterative decision making supported by shared insight across systems. There is also a detailed discussion of risk. AI-driven personalisation has potential, but current implementations can narrow opportunity through rigid progression models, limited student agency and the use of sensitive data in ways that affect outcomes. These issues require closer scrutiny of how tools are designed and deployed. For school leaders, the priority is to act with intent. Building AI literacy across students, staff and parents is identified as the most immediate and practical step. Current usage levels among educators are high, while formal guidance remains inconsistent, creating a gap that needs to be addressed quickly. Erin also shares resources from InnovateEDU, including policy frameworks, planning tools and AI literacy materials designed to support schools in making informed decisions. The discussion returns throughout to the role of shared standards and coordinated action. Where systems align on safety and implementation, progress becomes more consistent and risks are easier to manage. Resources shared by Erin in this episode: InnovateEDU ManifestoNew York City Public Schools policy and guidelineEdSafe policy paper on chatbots and companions2026 evidence report (released in March with Instructure and the list of 150 tools classification)AI literacy blueprint paper

    41 min
  3. Dr. Biljana Scott: Language as Our Defining Asset

    3 MAR

    Dr. Biljana Scott: Language as Our Defining Asset

    What makes human communication unique in an age of increasingly sophisticated AI? Daniel Emmerson invites Dr. Biljana Scott, a linguist with expertise in diplomatic communication and language analysis, to explore this question in depth. With her multilingual background and extensive experience in teaching the nuances of communication, Biljana probes the complex interplay between human language and AI interaction. Their conversation illuminates whether our increasing reliance on AI might reshape how we think and express ourselves, unpacks linguistic concepts like “presuppositions” in everyday speech, and reveals how the terminology we use to describe AI carries powerful connotations that fundamentally shape our relationship with technology.

    52 min
  4. Claire Archibald: Creating Effective AI Governance Structures in Schools

    6 FEB

    Claire Archibald: Creating Effective AI Governance Structures in Schools

    Is having an AI policy enough to protect your school? In this episode, Daniel Emmerson speaks with Claire Archibald, Legal Director at Brown Jacobson and former Data Protection Officer, about what effective AI governance in schools looks like. Their conversation covers essential topics including what makes a good Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA), the importance of vendor due diligence, and why schools need robust governance structures beyond just having an AI policy. Claire emphasises the critical role of incident reporting, creating transparent cultures around AI use, and the need for collaborative approaches involving all stakeholders. She also shares a six-step governance framework and practical advice for schools starting their AI journey.

    39 min
  5. Setting Visible Boundaries to Safeguard our Students in an AI-infused World

    14 JAN

    Setting Visible Boundaries to Safeguard our Students in an AI-infused World

    Daniel's conversation with Gemma Gwilliam, Portsmouth's Head of Digital Learning, Education and Innovation, explores transparency, privacy and safeguarding in AI education. The discussion takes a dramatic turn when Gemma puts on a pair of AI-enabled glasses which she purchased easily for under £10 right in the middle of the recording, bringing theoretical concerns into stark reality. This jaw-dropping demonstration underscores the urgent challenges teachers face as sophisticated AI wearables become increasingly accessible to students. While we may debate whether AI belongs in classrooms, we cannot ignore the significant risks these technologies present to young people. This episode reveals how Portsmouth supports its schools and teachers in approaching AI responsibly to strike a balance between innovation and essential safeguarding measures.

    41 min
  6. Hult Prize Accelerator Startups: How the Next Generation is Solving Global Problems with AI

    09/12/2025

    Hult Prize Accelerator Startups: How the Next Generation is Solving Global Problems with AI

    What skills will our students genuinely need to thrive in a future driven by AI? To find the answer, Daniel Emmerson goes straight to the source and sits down with brilliant young minds behind seven teams from the Hult Prize Global Accelerator, one of the final stages of the world’s largest student startup competition. This episode takes you on a global tour of innovation. You'll hear how these young entrepreneurs are using AI to tackle large problems, like enhancing public safety by turning CCTV cameras into proactive witnesses, helping firefighters respond faster, pioneering sustainability by transforming agricultural waste into valuable resources, and creating a "calorie counter" for your carbon footprint. The conversations also cover how AI is being used to deliver personalised education in Ethiopia and provide gentle, effective speech therapy for children.  Although these startups focus on very different issues, they all agree that the future isn’t about AI replacing people, but being empowered by it. Tune in to find out the essential skills our future generation will need.

    34 min
  7. Stick’Em: Hult Prize Winner Building Critical Thinkers for an AI World

    25/11/2025

    Stick’Em: Hult Prize Winner Building Critical Thinkers for an AI World

    In this episode, we spotlight Adam, the co-founder of Stick’Em, the innovative startup that just won the prestigious $1 million Hult Prize. He explains how his team develops a robotics kit that costs a mere fraction of traditional models to make quality STEAM education more accessible to children everywhere. This conversation, in two parts, offers a rare before-and-after glimpse of a startup on the cusp of greatness. First, hear from Adam during the Hult Prize Accelerator where he emphasises the importance of STEAM education in fostering skills like creative and analytical thinking to prepare students for an AI-infused world. Then, Daniel reconnects with Adam following his win and discusses how Stick’Em is already leveraging AI to streamline startup operations and plan their global expansion. Tune in for an interesting look at the intersection of affordable education, social impact, and cutting-edge artificial intelligence.

    36 min
  8. Muireann Hendriksen: Adapting AI Tools Based on Learning Science

    11/11/2025

    Muireann Hendriksen: Adapting AI Tools Based on Learning Science

    In this episode, Daniel speaks with Muireann Hendriksen, the Principal Research Scientist at Pearson, about her team's recent research study called "Asking to Learn" The study analysed 128,000 AI queries from 9,000 student users to gain deeper insights into how students learn when they interact with AI study tools. Their key finding revealed that approximately one-third of student queries demonstrated higher-order thinking skills. Their conversation also explores important themes around trust, student engagement, accessibility, and inclusivity, as well as how AI tools can promote active learning behaviours. You can find the full research report at https://plc.pearson.com/sites/pearson-corp/files/asking-to-learn.pdf

    24 min
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About

Welcome to Foundational Impact, a podcast series that focuses on education and artificial intelligence from a nonprofit perspective. Hosted by Daniel Emerson, the Executive Director of Good Future Foundation, a non profit whose mission is to equip educators to confidently prepare all students, regardless of their background, to benefit from and succeed in an AI infused world. This podcast series sets out to explore the trials and tribulations of building a non profit from the ground up, while also investigating the changing world of technology in life, learning, and work.

Information

  • Creator
    Good Future Foundation
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    35
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Good Future Foundation
  • Show Website
    Foundational Impact