The Learning Curve

Pioneer Institute

Join The Learning Curve every Wednesday for insight and perspective on education, learning trends, school choice, and public policy. Our hosts and guests offer a mix of provocative commentary as they interview school leaders, innovators, bestselling authors, policymakers, and more. Send any suggestions, tips, and fan mail to pioneer@pioneerinstitute.org. Listen to all episodes of The Learning Curve at Ricochet.com.

  1. 1d ago

    UK's Dr. Snezana Lawrence on the History of Mathematics

    In this week’s episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts Alisha Searcy of the Center for Strong Public Schools and Jake Tawney of the Institute for Catholic Liberal Education speak with Dr. Snezana Lawrence, an independent scholar affiliated with Middlesex University London, about the origins and development of mathematics across human civilizations. Dr. Lawrence reflects on her work, including her book A Little History of Mathematics, tracing early counting systems and artifacts such as the Mesopotamian cuneiform and Egyptian mathematical practices. She explains how Greek thinkers like Pythagoras and Euclid shaped mathematics, geometry, and logical reasoning, while highlighting India’s development of zero and the later adoption of the Hindu-Arabic numeral system. She connects these mathematical traditions to modern science through Copernicus, Kepler, Galileo, and the Newton–Leibniz calculus controversy, underscoring mathematics as the language of science and discovery across time and diverse human civilizations. In closing, Dr. Lawrence reads a passage from her book, A Little History of Mathematics.

    47 min

  2. Jun 3

    EdChoice's Leslie Hiner on School Choice Litigation

    In this week’s episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts Prof. Albert Cheng of the University of Arkansas and Alisha Searcy of the Center for Strong Public Schools speak with Leslie Hiner, Senior Advisor for Legal Policy at EdChoice, about the constitutional foundations and future of educational freedom in America. Hiner reflects on her distinguished career in law and public policy before examining the landmark U.S. Supreme Court decisions that have shaped the modern school choice movement. She discusses how Brown v. Board of Education’s promise of equal educational opportunity influenced later efforts to expand parental choice and educational access. Hiner then explores the significance of Zelman v. Simmons-Harris, Trinity Lutheran Church v. Comer, Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue, and Carson v. Makin, explaining how each expanded protections for families seeking religious and private educational options. She assesses the legal landscape following Carson, highlights key recent victories such as Loffman v. California Department of Education, and offers insights into the future of school choice litigation, educational tax credits, and parental rights nationwide. Finally, Hiner also examines current legal cases, including Hellman v. Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, and they could mean for the future of school choice in Massachusetts.

    55 min

  3. May 27

    UK U-Sussex's Andrew Hadfield on Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, & Epic Poetry

    In this week’s episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts Prof. Albert Cheng of the University of Arkansas and Alisha Searcy of the Center for Strong Public Schools speak with Andrew Hadfield, Emeritus Professor of English at the University of Sussex and British Academy Fellow, about the life, works, and legacy of the great poet Edmund Spenser. Prof. Hadfield explains how Edmund Spenser’s uncertain family background and humanist education at Merchant Taylors’ School and Cambridge, grounded in Virgil, Ovid, Petrarch, and Chaucer, shaped his literary imagination within Elizabethan England. He situates Spenser amid the many political and religious tensions of Queen Elizabeth I’s reign, and traces Spenser’s rise through The Shepheardes Calender and patronage under the 4th Earl of Leicester, Robert Sidney. Then, Prof. Hadfield turns to The Faerie Queene, its epic allegorical knights, virtues, and the Spenserian stanza, all of which widely influenced British literature and ultimately the English language across the globe. He addresses Spenser’s controversial Irish writings and reflects on his enduring reputation as a foundational “poet’s poet.” Prof. Hadfield closes the interview with a reading from The Faerie Queene.

    1 hr

  4. May 20

    Progressive Policy Institute's Rachel Canter on Mississippi’s Academic Gains

    On this week’s episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts Alisha Searcy of the Center for Strong Public Schools and Mary Tamer of MassPotential speak with Rachel Canter, Director of Education Policy for the Progressive Policy Institute’s Reinventing America’s Schools project and founder of Mississippi First, about Mississippi’s remarkable rise in K–12 student achievement and the policy reforms that helped drive it. Drawing on her experience as a former Teach For America teacher and longtime education advocate, Canter reflects on the leadership, accountability, and strategic reforms that helped Mississippi transform from one of the nation’s lowest-performing states to one of its fastest-improving on the National Assessment of Educational Progress. She discusses the science of reading, the debate between phonics and whole language instruction, and what schools must do to rebuild academic rigor in literacy, STEM, and civics. Canter also explores the importance of exposing students to great literature and roots music from William Faulkner and Delta bluesmen like Robert Johnson, drawing on Mississippi’s rich cultural legacy, and reflects on how lessons from Civil Rights era figures, including Emmett Till and Fannie Lou Hamer, can strengthen civics education today. She concludes by sharing policy recommendations for governors, legislators, educators, and parents seeking dramatic and lasting improvements in student outcomes nationwide.

    50 min

  5. May 13

    NYT-Best Seller Dr. Kevin Gutzman on the Jeffersonian Presidents

    In this week’s episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts U-Ark Prof. Albert Cheng and retired MN Supreme Court Justice Barry Anderson speak with Prof. Kevin Gutzman, Professor and former Chairman of the Department of History at Western Connecticut State University, and New York Times best selling author of The Jeffersonians: The Visionary Presidencies of Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe. Prof. Gutzman examines the political and constitutional legacy of America’s “Virginia Dynasty,” beginning with President Thomas Jefferson’s philosophy of limited government, states' rights, and religious liberty. He explores Jefferson’s sharp political differences with the Federalists, the importance of his first inaugural address, and major events such as the Louisiana Purchase and the Embargo Act. Turning to President James Madison, Prof. Gutzman discusses the “Father of the Constitution’s” disastrous administration during the War of 1812, and reflects on how the conflict severely tested Jeffersonian political ideals. He also considers the jurisprudence of President Madison's nominee Justice Joseph Story and his relationship with Chief Justice John Marshall and other members of the U.S. Supreme Court. Prof. Gutzman highlights President James Monroe’s often overlooked achievements, including the Monroe Doctrine and the “Era of Good Feelings,” while assessing the enduring legacy of the Jeffersonian presidents in shaping the Early Republic. He closes with a reading from The Jeffersonians: The Visionary Presidencies of Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe.

    47 min

  6. May 6

    Florida's Julie Young on Say Yes! How Virtual Became Reality

    In this week’s episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts Prof. Albert Cheng of the University of Arkansas and the Center for Strong Public Schools’ Alisha Searcy speak with Julie Young, edupreneur, innovator, and author of Say Yes! How Virtual Became Reality. She reflects on the pivotal moment in 1997 when she said “yes” to launching Florida Virtual School, sharing what it meant to build a new model of education from the ground up with limited resources and bold vision. Young draws a clear distinction between emergency remote learning and higher-quality virtual education, explaining how confusion between the two during the pandemic negatively impacted students. She discusses early leadership lessons, including guidance from then-Governor Jeb Bush, and what it took to scale a model centered on “any time, any place, any path, any pace.” Young also explores how she built a dynamic organizational culture amid skepticism, and what lessons she carried—and intentionally left behind—when founding ASU Prep Digital. She offers insights on staffing innovation, leadership, and the opportunities and challenges AI presents for the future of education. In closing, she reads a passage from Say Yes!: How Virtual Became Reality.

    47 min

  7. Apr 29

    Wash. U's Gerald Early on Play Harder: The Triumph of Black Baseball in America

    In this week’s episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts Prof. Albert Cheng of the University of Arkansas and Center for Strong Public Schools’ Alisha Searcy speak with Gerald Early, Merle Kling Professor of Modern Letters at Washington University in St. Louis, and author of Play Harder: The Triumph of Black Baseball in America. He shares how his background and education fueled a passion to study the history of African Americans in sports and music, ultimately inspiring him to explore Black Americans in baseball. Working closely with filmmaker Ken Burns, Early described his experience working with the filmmaker on multiple high-profile documentaries to examine the role baseball and jazz music have played in shaping American culture. Switching gears to discuss his latest book, Prof. Early offered a brief overview of the highlights of Black baseball in America from after the Civil War to the turn-of-the-century. He recognized key Black entrepreneurs like Andrew “Rube” Foster, the Negro Leagues, and the players Satchel Paige, Josh Gibson, and Jackie Robinson, for their leadership in redefining the game’s excellence and paving the way for other Black Americans in baseball. He discusses the significance of the Brooklyn Dodgers desegregating Major League Baseball, highlighting the talent and heroism of Jackie Robinson, and shares the legacy that Black baseball players have contributed to American sports and democracy. In closing, Early reads an excerpt from Play Harder: The Triumph of Black Baseball in America.

    46 min

  8. Apr 22

    Harvard Pulitzer Winner Stephen Greenblatt on Christopher Marlowe - Elizabethan Playwright & Spy

    In this week’s episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts Prof. Albert Cheng of the University of Arkansas and Center for Strong Public Schools’ Alisha Searcy speak with Stephen Greenblatt, Cogan University Professor of the Humanities at Harvard University and one of the world’s foremost scholars of Renaissance literature. Greenblatt discusses his acclaimed book, Dark Renaissance: The Dangerous Times and Fatal Genius of Shakespeare’s Greatest Rival, and explores the remarkable life, work, and legacy of Christopher Marlowe. He explains how Marlowe, the son of a cobbler from Canterbury, rose through England’s demanding classical education system to become one of the boldest playwrights of the Elizabethan era. Prof. Greenblatt examines the political and cultural climate of Elizabethan England, shaped by censorship, religious conflict, and surveillance, and how those pressures influenced Marlowe’s daring artistic voice. Greenblatt also unpacks enduring mysteries surrounding Marlowe’s life, including theories that he served as a secret agent for Sir Francis Walsingham, Queen Elizabeth I's spymaster. He also discusses Marlowe’s landmark plays Tamburlaine and Doctor Faustus, his celebrated poetry, and the dramatic innovations that transformed English theater. Additionally, he also reflects on Marlowe’s rivalry with Shakespeare, mysterious death, and enduring influence on literature today. In closing, Prof. Greenblatt reads a passage from his book, Dark Renaissance: The Dangerous Times and Fatal Genius of Shakespeare’s Greatest Rival.

    43 min
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5
out of 5
25 Ratings

About

Join The Learning Curve every Wednesday for insight and perspective on education, learning trends, school choice, and public policy. Our hosts and guests offer a mix of provocative commentary as they interview school leaders, innovators, bestselling authors, policymakers, and more. Send any suggestions, tips, and fan mail to pioneer@pioneerinstitute.org. Listen to all episodes of The Learning Curve at Ricochet.com.

Information

  • Creator
    Pioneer Institute
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    355
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Pioneer Institute
  • Show Website
    The Learning Curve

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