LEARN Podcasts

In this episode of ShiftED, we sit down with Lisa Green, Canadian author of Outsmarted: The Changing Face of Learning in the Era of Smartphones and Technology. Together, we explore how smartphones, AI, and the attention economy are reshaping classrooms and challenging traditional ideas about teaching and learning. Lisa shares practical insights on inquiry-based learning, student agency, digital literacy, and why keeping learning de...

What does it mean to belong to a place that’s constantly redefining itself? In this episode, Chris Colley sits down with playwright, filmmaker, and author Guy Rodgers for a thoughtful conversation about identity, language, and the often-overlooked story of English-speaking Quebec. From his childhood between Australia and Canada to his deep dive into Quebec’s history, Rodgers shares the experiences that shaped his work&m...

Gina Tesoriero just finished her PhD — and her research is a reminder that the best way to understand how students use AI is to just... ask them.
A special education teacher turned researcher, Gina spent years watching STEM transform engagement for her most overlooked students. That spark sent her into a doctoral program studying how recent high school graduates are using tools like ChatGPT to navigate school, work, and li...

Language is the foundation. Everything else is built on it.
In this episode of the ShiftED Podcast, Chris Colley sits down with Dr. Danielle "Nell" Thompson — literacy leader, coach, and former speech-language pathologist — for a wide-ranging conversation on what really sits at the heart of teaching children to read.

Nell traces her thinking back to a moment standing in a museum inside the Arctic Circle, when she real...

What if everything you thought you knew about English-speaking Quebec was wrong? In this episode, LEARN sits down with Morgan Gagnon of the Provincial Employment Roundtable (PERT) to unpack a staggering $1.5 billion employment gap between Quebec's English and French speakers—and the myth-busting research behind it. They dig into why language is only part of the story, what the future of work holds amid AI and a shifting econo...

On this episode of the ShiftED Podcast, Timothy Shanahan joins the conversation to unpack the evolving debate around literacy, reading instruction, multilingual classrooms, and the “science of reading.” Drawing from decades of research and his book Leveled Reading, Leveled Lives, Shanahan explores why strong reading comprehension still sits at the center of critical thinking, digital literacy, and student success. From ...

In this episode of ShiftED, Nicole Muñoz-Guzman brings a grounded perspective to artificial intelligence in Québec’s vocational and adult education settings. Drawing from her work as a pedagogical advisor, she explores how teachers are moving beyond the hype to experiment with AI in practical, meaningful ways. The conversation highlights the importance of creativity, critical thinking, and small, manageable shifts in practice...

Change is the only constant—and Cindy Finn would know. The Director General of Lester B. Pearson School Board joins Chris Colley to talk leading through chaos, the real story behind the cell phone ban, and why stress in the staffroom shows up in the classroom. Plus: the surprising reason today's students might be the most compassionate generation yet. Honest, hopeful, and packed with insight for anyone who cares about schools...

AI is flooding into classrooms faster than educators can keep up — but are we actually building AI literacy, or just assuming it'll happen on its own? In this episode, Chris sits down with Amanda Bickerstaff, founder of AI for Education, to unpack why "they're already using it" isn't good enough. Amanda draws on lessons from digital literacy, the illusion of easy AI tools, and a broken assessment system that generative AI is ...

What if the most powerful tool for navigating the AI era isn't artificial at all? Cognitive scientist Dr. Tessa Forshaw — Harvard researcher, Stanford educator, and co-author of Innovation-ish — joins us to challenge everything you think you know about creativity. Spoiler: you already have it. We explore why most adults have stopped raising their hand, what puberty does to our creative instincts, and how the brain can u...

Just 10 minutes. That's how much time the average child spends outside each day — and it's not enough. In this episode, outdoor education advocate and author Lauren McLean joins us to explore why getting kids into nature isn't just a nice-to-have, it's essential. From risky play to nature journals, Lauren shares practical ways teachers and parents can bring learning outside, and why the research is clear: fresh air, movement,...

In this episode of ShiftEd Podcast, Chris Colley sits down with Dr. Louise de Lannoy, Executive Director of Outdoor Play Canada, to explore why getting kids outside is more urgent than ever. They unpack the barriers keeping children indoors — from screen time to overprotective instincts — and make a compelling, evidence-based case for embracing risky, unstructured play. Louise shares the research, the policy wins, and t...

Québec’s proposed Bill 1 – the Québec Constitution Act, 2025 would create a provincial constitution, redefine Québec’s constitutional autonomy, and amend numerous existing laws. 

Chris Colley sits down with Joe Ortona, chair of the English Montreal School Board and president of the Quebec English School Boards Association, to unpack what the bill could mean for minority language rights, English school governan...

Is the Classroom Big Enough?

What if attention, regulation, and real academic growth aren’t just about strategy—but setting?

We sit down with Rachel Tidd, founder of Discover Wild Learning and author of Wild Learning: Practical Ideas to Bring Teaching Outdoors, to explore a realistic path for making outdoor learning part of everyday teaching. No gimmicks. No Pinterest pressure. Just field-tested routines, literacy and num...

What if math was hiding in your laundry basket?

Research suggests early math play at home may be one of the strongest predictors of long-term school success—yet it's where families feel least equipped to help. In this episode, Dr. Chris Wright, CEO and founder of Early Family Math, reimagines what "doing math" with young children actually looks like: joyful, accessible, and woven into everyday life.

From counting oranges to est...

What happens when you trade screens for streams and let kids rediscover what’s just outside the door? We sit down with Steve Leckman, director and lead instructor at Coyote Programs, to explore how immersive outdoor education builds focus, resilience, and real connection—especially for students growing up in urban environments.
Steve shares how a reluctant first canoe trip sparked a lifelong commitment to nature-base...