What's the Big Idea?

What's the Big Idea?
  • 5.0 (13)
  • EDUCATION
  • UPDATED MONTHLY
What's the Big Idea?

A podcast about big ideas in education. Tune in to listen and think, then respond on Instagram @BigIdeaEd and Bluesky @dankearney

  1. Olina Banerji on How Schools Are Processing the Election

    11/15/2024

    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 the results, and what Olina and her colleagues could be reporting on in the weeks leading up to inauguration day.See also:EdWeek - The public education paper of record"Teachers toss their lesson plans...

    15 min
  2. Oshri Hakak on Mental Health, Creativity, and Hope

    11/01/2024

    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 the silence around mental health and strategies for taking care of ourselves and each other. He's also a prolific author whose books are beautiful and poignant for children and adults alike. Mentioned...

    55 min
  3. Little People, Big Ideas

    09/28/2024

    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 of all ages are likely to notice, see, overhear and wonder?Dan and Kat talk about being honest, authentic, and vulnerable with students, the perils of this election year, and her book recommendations ...

    33 min
  4. Teaching the Election and Civic Engagement

    08/22/2024

    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 unique opportunities and challenges for all teachers (not just social studies teachers!) and meeting this moment means thinking about ourselves, our classrooms, and how we'll foster civil discours...

    49 min
  5. Getting Technoskeptical with Dan Krutka

    06/03/2024

    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 educator or just someone who enjoys thinking about how technology impacts our lives, this conversation is for you. After exploring the question of phones in schools, Dan and Dan unpack technoske...

    43 min
  6. In the education laboratory with Garreth Heidt

    04/30/2024

    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, challenging the status quo, and empowering students to see beyond grades and find purpose. I welcome comments and questions on Instagram, Twitter, and Threads @BigIdeaEdMentioned in the episode:Nova LAB at ...

    51 min
  7. Tyler Rablin Returns to Talk Assessment

    04/02/2024

    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 That Boost Learning Progression & Build Student Confidence. Dan and Tyler talk about the nature of student motivation in 2024 and online gradebooks before turning to Tyler's book. Tyler lays out sp...

    50 min

  8. 03/17/2024

    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 problems that humanity faces – – climate change, sectarian violence, political paralysis, authoritarianism— and it’s clear that while technology can, has, and always will play a vital role, it’s foolish t...

    9 min
See All (73)

5
out of 5
13 Ratings

About

A podcast about big ideas in education. Tune in to listen and think, then respond on Instagram @BigIdeaEd and Bluesky @dankearney

Information

  • Creator
    What's the Big Idea?
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2024
  • Episodes
    73
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 What's the Big Idea?
  • Show Website
    What's the Big Idea?

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