Design Cast

For this episode of #Design Cast, I had the pleasure of speaking to Mr. Jarrett Brown.  Jarrett is currently the Assistant Head of Secondary & MYP Coordinator at Leman International School in Chengdu, China. He teaches MYP Language and Literature, I&S, Language Acquisition, and the MYP Personal Project. He is an MYP Workshop Leader, Site Visitor, Reader, and Building Quality Curriculum senior reviewer. Additionally, he does some consultant work for Faria/ManageBac.  Previously, he has worked in international schools in various roles including Action and Service Coordinator, Individuals and Societies Department Head, Camp Coordinator, and Swim Team Coach. He has worked at Suzhou Singapore International School, Qatar Academy, and the American International School of Salzburg.

Connect with Jarrett:

I had the privilege of speaking with Claudio Zavala Jr. for this episode of Design Cast. Claudio is a true Renaissance man with many talents and interests. He is an educator, photographer, YouTuber & videographer. We have an awesome chat about where he finds inspiration for his videos and how he gets to help students around the world with Adobe Express.  I know that you will find so much value in this conversation!

For this episode of​ Design Cast, I spoke to AJ Crabill.  Improving student outcomes is AJ Crabill’s focus. He serves as Conservator at DeSoto, Texas ISD. During his guidance, DeSoto improved from F ratings in academics, finance, and governance to B ratings. He’s also Faculty at the Leadership Institute of Nevada and Director of Governance at the Council of the Great City Schools. He served as Deputy Commissioner at the Texas Education Agency and spearheaded reforms as board chair of Kansas City Public Schools that doubled the percentage of students who are literate and numerate. Crabill is a recipient of the Education Commission of the State's James Bryant Conant Award.

Connect with AJ!

For this episode of Design Cast, I had the pleasure of chatting with Jill DuBois! Jill is a veteran elementary teacher and owns her own publishing imprint where she shares her stories of inspiration and helps others tell their stories!  She is creating content full-time for her own website and for her podcast, in addition to the professional development provider that she works with.  Our conversation was about her journey to becoming a published author and illustrator.  Ultimately, her mission is to impart joy through her words and action!

I have no doubt you will enjoy our conversation as much as I did!

Connect with Jill:

For this episode of Design Cast I sat down with James Abela. James has such a diverse background and touches on some of those experiences during our conversation.  He has a passion for making learning fun by adding an element of playfulness and gamification to his lesson.  James is the author of several books including ‘The Gamified Classroom!’. I know that you will enjoy our conversation!

You can connect with James:

On this episode of Design Cast I had the distinct pleasure of chatting with my long-time friend Sara Candela.  Sara is leading community development at Focusable.  She is an educator by trade and EdTech community champion by passion!  You will not be disappointed by our discussion and constant shenanigans.  Please comment on your favorite part of the show by tagging us both and using the hashtags in the episode!

Connect with Sara!

On this episode of #DesignCast I had the opportunity to speak to Dr. Chris Allen.  Chris currently serves as ‘coordinating principal’ for an international secondary school in Surabaya, Indonesia.  He has loads to share about his experiences in international education so far and how his current school is inviting students to engage in entrepreneurship opportunities!  I know that you will enjoy our conversation!

This is episode #100!  I am so humbled and honored that something that started as a way to share some very specific information with some very specific people in June 2017 has grown into a community that is passionate about sharing and learning!  Heard in 120 countries, Design Cast has been ranked among the top education podcasts in over 40 countries during the first 100 episodes!  Episodes have been listened to over 21,000 times.  It is available on nearly every podcast streaming application and platform.

Words cannot express my appreciation for all of the guests and listeners from around the world.  Your support and feedback are invaluable.  I could not have reached this remarkable milestone without you!!!

It is my hope that you and your colleagues find value in the past episodes and that you will enjoy future episodes as well!  For now, please sit back, relax, and enjoy the 100th episode of Design Cast!

Connect with Chris:

Twitter: @ChrisDylanAllen

Instagram: christopher_dylan_allen

On this episode of #DesignCast I was joined by Pim Arora.  Pim currently works at the Western Academy of Beijing with me.  We have talked about collaborating on an episode for a very long time and now we finally have!  She details her journey as an international student herself to her role in education today.  You do not want to miss this episode! Now sit back, relax, and enjoy this chat with Pim!

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On this episode of #DesignCast I had the pleasure of speaking to Rezuan Chowdhury.  He is based in Bangladesh and is currently a PYP coordinator.  Rezuan is a researcher, author, and educator, but actually started his career in business administration!  He has several interesting insights into his career so far.  I invite you to sit back, relax and enjoy this chat with Rezuan Chowdhury.

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On this episode of Design Cast I had the incredible experience of talking to Dianne Blackburn.  Dianne is an independent Educational Consultant working with international schools globally. She has many years of consultancy experience in pedagogical leadership, change management, and educator training solutions.

Dianne has worked extensively with large groups of schools in the Middle East and Europe, supporting their

development of inclusive practice through the introduction of Universal Design for Learning (UDL).

Our conversation was really fun and enlightening!  Now sit back, relax and enjoy this chat with Dianne Blackburn!

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On this episode of Design Cast, I had the terrific honor of speaking to Ryan Ford.  Ryan is a 25-year veteran of digital design. He has been fortunate enough to lead design at some of the internet’s most interesting destinations: DeviantArt, Crunchyroll, chime, vida health, and now Crackle & Redbox (where he is working to revitalize these brands).

His background in the industry motivated him to share thinking around topics like leadership, career paths, and (most notably of late) the design process itself. Ryan’s “Design Odyssey” framework topic has been read over 80,000 times as of December 2022 and has led to big reactions: global outreach from educators who want to teach it in their classes, book opportunities, and a TEDx Salon conversation that occurred in early January 2023.

We had a wonderful discussion and I am sure that you will find some value in many of the topics that we cover.  Now let us set fire to the design process and use Design Cast as a catalyst!  Enjoy!

Connect with Ryan:

On this episode of Design Cast I had the pleasure of chatting with my longtime friend and colleague Dr. Barbara Wrightson.  Spanning more than 25 years in the field of education, Barb's career has encompassed a myriad of roles in PK-12 schooling, ranging from a teacher (of multiple Secondary subjects) to Curriculum Coordinator to Administrator. Additionally, she teaches and trains teachers at the tertiary level. Throughout her time in the field of education, Barb has gained a wealth of knowledge, experience, and education about education, and has developed a talent for engaging in lifelong learning.

Currently, Barb is a lecturer at Pacific Islands University in Guam and Handong Global University in South Korea.  We talk about several topics, but our time discussing our thoughts about the future of education is fascinating and shouldn't be missed. I have no doubt that our chat will leave you wanting to hear more!

Connect with Barb through LinkedIn and Twitter at:

On this episode of Design Cast, I was fortunate enough to chat with Fonz Mendoza. Fonz is the charismatic host of the popular podcast “My EdTech Life”. He currently serves as an Instructional Software Specialist at a public school district in south Texas.  A student himself, Fonz has been able to see first-hand how technology can be used to create positive change in the education system and has become a prominent advocate for its use in schools, universities, and other educational institutions. He speaks from experience when it comes to understanding what works and what doesn’t in using technology to enhance learning.

My chat with Fonz was filled with hope and positivity.  I am confident that you will enjoy this as much as I did!  Please connect with him through the links in the show notes. Now, sit back, relax and enjoy this chat with Fonz Mendoza.

Connect with Fonz!

Levi Allison grew up in a small town in Kansas with dreams of traveling the world. He attended the University of Kansas and obtained a BA in Music Education. His love of music inspired him to join the Marching Jayhawks, the school marching band, during his 4 years at KU. Immediately after university, Levi took a leap (or a plane) and began his international teaching career in Kuwait.

An upbeat and fun person to be around, teaching is a calling from which he derives immense happiness and fulfillment from the success of his students. Levi takes pride in his in-depth knowledge of musical concepts and inquiry-based lessons and is passionately driven to help students achieve their dreams. Levi inspires students to be innovative, integrating lessons with student choice so they may achieve their hopes and dreams.

Levi currently teaches at Chadwick International in Songdo, South Korea, an IB World School, teaching General Music within the Primary Years Program.

Connect with Levi:

On this episode of #DesignCast I had the pleasure of speaking to Jonathan Nalder and Damien Aldridge from STEM Punks!  It was a great conversation and we talked about how STEM Punks are using Minecraft to create healthy competition in schools with #InnovationSports!  I know that you will really enjoy this chat!  Connect with Jonathan and Damien through the links in the show notes!

On this episode of #DesignCast I was fortunate enough to chat with Alex Gray.  Alex is the Head of Science at Dubai British school.  He also has a YouTube channel called DEEP Thinking. We had a great discussion about Expo 2020 in Dubai, the STEAM program at his school, and his recent enjoyment of filmmaking that is evident on his channel!  It is certain that you will find value in this episode!  Please check out all of the ways to connect with him in the show notes.

Now sit back, relax and enjoy this chat with Alex Gray!

Connect with Alex:

Twitter: @TeachingDeep

On this episode of #DesignCast I had the honor to speak to Yvette Larsson.  Yvette is a PYP education in Sweden and the co-founder of Aha! Accelerating Education.  Our discussion covers many topics from travel, being an international expat and more, but the majority of our chat is about her passion of changing education one classroom at a time!  I know that you will find out chat stimulating and timely!  Please check out Yvette and Aha! on social media through the links in the show notes.

Now sit back, relax and enjoy this chat with Yvette Larsson…

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On this episode of #DesignCast, I had the pleasure to sit down with my old friend Paulo Cohen-Myers.  Paulo and I have been colleagues and friends since 2002.  During that 20 year period, we have both taken a winding path to get where we are today.  Paulo is an incredibly talented individual that has had an amazing career in education.  We talk about a variety of topics, but the bulk of our conversation centers around his work as a ‘Bakerspace’ mastermind!  I have no doubt you will enjoy all he has to share.

Sit back, relax and enjoy this chat with Paulo Cohen-Myers.

Follow Paulo:

This episode is proudly sponsored by MEL Science.  Save 60% on your first month's subscription by using the code DESIGNCAST or by using this link: https://melscience.com/sBDc/

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For this episode of #DesignCast I had the privilege to talk with Charles Hopkins.  Charles is a super positive guy that has a passion for outdoor education, travel, science and design! He has a great story about the journey that he took into education that he shares with me.  His energy is contagious and I have no doubt in my mind that you will really enjoy hearing him talking about his pursuits!

Now sit back, relax and enjoy this episode with Charles Hopkins!

Follow Charles:

Twitter: @chopscidesign

This episode is proudly sponsored by MEL Science.  Save 60% on your first month's subscription by using the code DESIGNCAST or by using this link: https://melscience.com/sBDc/ 

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For this episode of #DesignCast I had the honor to talk with Steve Sostak from Inspire Citizens.  Steve is passionate about many things, but we spend most of the time talking about his work with schools and ‘empathy to impact’.  You can find out more about the awesome work that Steve and Inspire Citizens are doing through the links in the show notes.  I have no doubt that you will want to find out more about his work after listening to this chat that we have!  Now sit back, relax and enjoy this episode with Steve Sostak!

Follow Steve:

Twitter: @inspirecitizen1

Please join me in a quick stroll down memory lane with the 2021 wrap up episode!

Discord: diskon4no#3635

TikTok: @discon4no

www.jasonreagin.ga

On this episode of #DesignCast I was honored to chat with James Bleach again!  James was the guest on episode 28 of this podcast.  For those of you that might remember, James is the Head of Design and Technology at Tanglin Trust School in Singapore.  Many listeners will be familiar with him through his original classroom resources that are featured on this website and Facebook group known as JambleD&T.  We reflected on everything that has happened since the last time we chatted and he shared some of his thoughts about how schools will look in the future!

If you are enjoying #DesignCast, please review and rate on Apple Podcast, if that is your listening platform.  It is really important in getting new listeners and helps me keep the content fresh!  It only takes a minute or so to make a huge impact!

Now, sit back, relax and enjoy this follow-up chat with James Bleach!

Follow James!

Twitter: @jambledandt @EDU_jbleach

Instagram: jambledandt

This episode of #DesignCast is really personal as I had the opportunity to speak to one of my colleagues that I see nearly every day.  Ronald Ascensio has had a very interesting journey into education.  Starting his career as a graphic designer, a few years ago, encouraged by his wife and friends, decided to try teaching.  He has accomplished many things in his relatively short educational career.  I know that you will enjoy hearing all about his story from Jakarta, Indonesia to South Korea!

Be sure to follow and check out Ronald’s professional portfolio of designs and other social media accounts by using the links in the show notes.

Now sit back, relax and enjoy this chat with Ronald Ascensio!

Twitter @ronaldascensio

On this episode of Design Cast, I was lucky enough to talk to Joshua Stamper.  Josh initially used his artistic talent, creativity, and original ideas as a professional graphic designer. He then transitioned to inspiring students to utilize their imagination and creative expression in public education. Being unsuccessful as a student growing up, Josh never expected to be back in the classroom as a teacher, athletic coach, or administrator. His struggles as a student spawned a passion to change the education model, push the boundaries of traditional learning, and explore new innovative ideas. Josh has been a middle school Assistant Principal in North Texas for the past eight years, where he's served at four campuses in two school districts.

For this episode of #DesignCast, I share my backstory.  I have had many requests from people about my own 'origin' story, so HERE IT IS!  I hope that you enjoy hearing about my journey and my reflections on a nearly 25-year career in "Design/STEAM" education...

My guest, Andrew Nicholls, is a highly experienced educator, designer and OHSEM specialist. Moving from a career in Industrial Design for Education, for the last sixteen years Andrew has educated students in a broad range of disciplines and subjects including Visual Arts, Technologies (Design and Digital), Humanities, and Building and Construction.

As an educational leader, he has provided professional development to others on a wide-range of topics including transdisciplinary learning, technical and freehand drawing, continual improvement in educational performance and OHS compliance in schools.

Andrew provides high level expert advice on OHS compliance, learning space design and educational leadership to schools, teacher associations and architects.

His latest project, a collaborative website called ANDACOD, aims to showcase the transdisciplinary nature of Design & Technology / STEAM education and its value in 21st century education.

Connect with Andrew at:

Twitter: @andacod @anda_dlss

I had the pleasure of speaking to my longtime friend, Jo Veale for this episode of Design Cast.  Jo has such a positive and human-centered approach to education and to life.  I know that you will really enjoy this chat with her!  Please connect with Jo via Facebook and Instagram!

For this episode of Design Cast I had a great follow-up chat with Jon Halligan.  Jon was a guest on episode  26 of this podcast.  This was a chance for me to catch up with Jon and to hear about all the great work he is doing in Switzerland.  This is the first of a two-part episode as we had so much to talk about that it was best to break it up into two sections!  Next week you will be able to hear the conclusion of this awesome chat!

Now sit back, relax and enjoy this chat with Jon Halligan.

You can connect with Jon on LinkedIn and Twitter!

@jon_halligan @Montreuxis on twitter & “VIE education” on LinkedIn

Links to Jon’s projects:

On this episode of Design Cast, I had the very special opportunity to speak with Ryan McLaughlin.  Ryan is a STEM expert, math educator, lawyer, and podcast co-host.  His podcast is all about VR and is called Ready Teacher One.  I know that you will enjoy hearing about his work in Uganda and the great guests that he has had on the podcast.  You can follow Ryan on Twitter and LinkedIn.  You can listen to the Ready Teacher One Podcast anywhere you listen to podcasts!

Now sit back, relax and enjoy this chat with Ryan McLaughlin.

Twitter: @RyanGMcL

Welcome to the first episode of Season 5 of Design Cast!  I am so humbled and honored to have the continued support for this project.  Something that I started as a ‘labor of love’ in 2017 has grown into a podcast that is heard in over 90 countries, has passed over 10,000 unique listens, and is nearing 70 guest interviews.  Thank you to everyone that listens, shares, comments, rates and reviews!  I hear you!  I am so excited about where season 5 will take us!  Please reach out if you have any ideas for guests and topics.

For this episode of Design Cast I had the pleasure of speaking to Scott Buell.  Scott is the founder of Drone Legends which are Drone-themed STEM education programs preparing kids for success in the 21st century!  He believes that “Inside Every Child Lives a Legend”.  Our discussion is about using drones to teach STEM skills to upper primary aged students.  I know that you will enjoy listening to this conversation as much as I enjoyed chatting with Scott!  All of his contact information is available in the show notes.

Now sit back, relax and experience this chat with Scott Buell!

Twitter: @Drone_Legends

Instagram: @wearedronelegends

On this episode of Design Cast, I had the unique privilege of speaking to Tom Woelper and Matt Kressy.

Tom is the Founding Head of School at the New England Innovation Academy.  He has had a very distinguished career in education and hearing about his journey to where he is today is remarkable!  Matt is Innovation Advisor & Trustee at New England Innovation Academy in addition to being the Founding Director at the MIT Integrated Design & Management Masters Program.  Again, his journey is a joy to listen to.  These two gentlemen are both involved in getting NEIA up and running and creating a vision of education for the future.  I am confident that you will enjoy this discussion!