Dr. Jennifer Berry doesn’t just talk about STEM—she redefines how student see themselves in it. As a leading voice in inclusive STEM education, Dr. Berry champions a powerful idea: STEM identity is not something students are born with—it’s something they build. As the CEO of SmartLab, she is dedicated to bridging the gap between today’s classrooms and tomorrow’s workforce.

Takeaways:

• Engaging students in hands-on learning experiences fosters both problem-solving skills and resilience in the face of failure.
• The integration of community involvement in educational ecosystems significantly enhances students’ learning experiences and future opportunities.
• STEM identity is developed through numerous ‘aha moments’ that help students connect concepts meaningfully and deepen their understanding.
• Creating customized learning environments is essential for effective project-based learning, catering to diverse student needs and maximizing their potential.
• Students must be encouraged to embrace mistakes as vital learning opportunities that contribute to their growth and adaptability.
• Empowerment and resilience are crucial qualities that educators should foster in students to prepare them for challenges in a rapidly changing world.

Chapters:

• 00:30 – The Importance of Hands-On Learning
• 05:52 – Building STEM Identity Through Aha Moments
• 12:42 – Creating Custom Learning Environments in STEM Education
• 20:00 – Community Involvement in Education
• 28:59 – The Importance of Critical Thinking in an AI-Driven World
• 36:40 – The Importance of a Human-Centered Approach
• 39:46 – The Importance of Resilience and Empowerment in Education

https://www.smartlablearning.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/creative-learning-systems/

Show Sponsor – National Association for Primary Education (NAPE) https://nape.org.uk/

Find out more about their Primary First Journal: https://www.educationonfire.com/nape

🔥 Discover more about Education on Fire and get a FREE pdf of 10 guest resources you can use to support learning

Home

🔥 Support the show – Buy me a coffee, Merch and Sponsorship Opportunities

Support the Show

Ben Case is part of the Tapestry education team and a former primary and early years teacher. He works closely with settings to support their use of Tapestry and believes tech is only successful if you bring staff with you. As a teacher Ben regularly presented at TeachMeet Sussex and he now helps to host the Tapestry podcast, writes for education publications, and features in many of the Tapestry training videos to support users. He is keen to share actionable insights and foster a positive, confident approach to using technology effectively in early years settings across the UK.

Tapestry’s annual survey had some interesting findings around the use of AI in the early years; engaging with families; and supporting families with ideas for play at home.

More info about the survey: https://tapestry.info/tapestry-early-years-education-survey-2025-what-we-learnt/

Tapestry has teamed up with award-winning Playworker Amber – aka Amber Ogunsanya-William – to collaborate on a project championing children’s freedom to play. The animation shares Amber’s story, and highlights provocations for play at home.

https://tapestry.info/let-play-lead-the-day/

Takeaways:

• The importance of centering the child in educational processes cannot be overstated, as their home experiences significantly influence their learning in school.
• Tapestry facilitates effective two-way communication between educators and parents, enhancing the overall educational experience for children.
• As AI tools become increasingly prevalent, it is essential to teach children to critically assess the authenticity of the media they encounter.
• Engaging parents in their child’s learning journey is vital, as it fosters a deeper understanding of child development beyond mere participation in school events.
• The integration of play in education is crucial, enabling children to develop problem-solving skills while maintaining engagement in their learning.
• AI can be a valuable resource in lesson planning and child activity suggestions, but it should support, rather than replace, the educator’s role.

https://tapestry.info/

https://www.instagram.com/tapestry_fsf/

https://www.facebook.com/TapestryLearningJournal

https://www.linkedin.com/in/eyfsben/

Show Sponsor – National Association for Primary Education (NAPE)

https://nape.org.uk/

Find out more about their Primary First Journal:

https://www.educationonfire.com/nape

🔥 Discover more about Education on Fire

https://www.educationonfire.com/

🔥 Support the show with a One-Off Tip

https://educationonfire.com/support

🔥 Ecamm Free Trial – How I record and produce this show.

https://educationonfire.com/ecamm

🔥 Captivate.FM – My podcast host

https://educationonfire.com/captivate

🔥 Descript – My Editing Tool

https://educationonfire.com/descript

Some of the above are affiliate links, I may receive a small commission if you purchase via these but there is no cost increase to you. These links help support the channel so any clicks are greatly appreciated.

The AI maths tutor that gets pupils reasoning out loud.

Third Space Learning believe an AI tutor should do more than just generate questions and mark answers.

What if it could provide scaffolded support according to knowledge gaps, speaking to students and encouraging them to verbalise their reasoning as they go?

What if every pupil who needs it could work through maths problems in this way for one fixed low cost?

Meet Skye, the low-cost AI maths tutor built by expert maths teachers

Skye mimics the behaviours of a pedagogically sound subject matter expert and prompts ensures responses are effective, adaptable, and focused on improving understanding and increasing confidence.

Prompts are specified in detail for each slide, and use insights from thousands of maths tutoring sessions to teach concepts effectively, address common misconceptions and ensure Skye adapts the pitch and pace of the session and personalises the instruction to suit each learner.

‘Since 2013, over 4,100 schools have chosen Third Space Learning’s cost-effective one-to-one maths tutoring – giving them more time to focus on whole-class teaching and learning.

We’ve used all the online tutoring insights we’ve gained in the last decade to create Skye, an AI maths tutor like no other.’

Takeaways:

• The primary objective of our mission is to make effective tutoring accessible to underprivileged children, thereby assisting in closing the educational attainment gap.
• Utilizing artificial intelligence for tutoring can provide substantial scaling benefits while maintaining the essential requirements necessary for effective tutoring.
• Our tutoring programs are designed to be seamlessly integrated into school timetables, enhancing the overall learning experience and reinforcing classroom instruction.
• We have observed that the interaction between students and AI tutors fosters a low-stakes environment, encouraging children to engage more freely without the fear of judgment.
• Our approach focuses on high-impact tutoring, which necessitates a proactive and structured interaction rather than reactive responses to student inquiries.
• The transition from human to AI tutors is grounded in extensive research and data, ensuring that we continue to meet the needs of schools and students effectively.

https://thirdspacelearning.com/maths-tutoring/ai-maths-tutor/

https://thirdspacelearning.com/

@thirdspacetweet

https://www.linkedin.com/company/third-space-learning/

Show Sponsor – National Association for Primary Education (NAPE)

https://nape.org.uk/

🔥 Discover more about Education on Fire

https://www.educationonfire.com/

🔥 Support the show with a One-Off Tip

https://educationonfire.com/support

🔥 Ecamm Free Trial – How I record and produce this show.

https://educationonfire.com/ecamm

🔥 Captivate.FM – My podcast host

https://educationonfire.com/captivate

🔥 Descript – My Editing Tool

https://educationonfire.com/descript

Some of the above are affiliate links, I may receive a small commission if you purchase via these but there is no cost increase to you. These links help support the channel so any clicks are greatly appreciated.

Matt Dalio dreams of a world in which every kid has the resources to shape their own technology instead of being shaped by it.

In 2011, he founded Endless which aims to provide universal access to technology and equal opportunities to succeed in the digital world by tackling three key challenges.

Endless is harnessing the power of modern games to introduce youth to 21st Century skills like coding and design. Second, it is addressing the internet gap by creating technology that enables youth anywhere to have access to basic educational resources. And lastly, Endless is building a “pay as you go” laptop program making it so that billions more people can afford a computer.

Collectively these unlock educational opportunities that allow everyone to be a creator

Takeaways:

• The average child dedicates approximately 10,000 hours to playing video games by the time they complete their education, an astonishing figure that underscores the pervasiveness of gaming in youth culture.
• In the last fifteen years, a significant trend in the gaming industry has been the shift towards creation, with platforms like Minecraft, Roblox, and Fortnite leading the way in empowering users to engage in content generation.
• The concept of transforming players into creators is pivotal; through this transition, youths acquire essential software development skills tailored for an increasingly digital, knowledge-based economy.
• Endless Studios aims to provide scalable educational solutions that are both affordable and accessible, particularly in communities with limited access to qualified educators, thereby breaking down financial barriers to learning.
• Feedback, especially peer feedback, plays a critical role in the learning process by providing valuable insights and support without the traditional costs associated with formal education.
• The future workforce will largely consist of individuals who possess robust digital skills, which are essential for navigating the complexities of an AI-driven world, making it imperative to equip youth with these competencies.

www.endlessstudios.com

Show Sponsor – National Association for Primary Education (NAPE)

https://nape.org.uk/

🔥 Discover more about Education on Fire

https://www.educationonfire.com/

🔥 Support the show with a One-Off Tip

https://educationonfire.com/support

🔥 Ecamm Free Trial – How I record and produce this show.

https://educationonfire.com/ecamm

🔥 Captivate.FM – My podcast host

https://educationonfire.com/captivate

🔥 Descript – My Editing Tool

https://educationonfire.com/descript

Some of the above are affiliate links, I may receive a small commission if you purchase via these but there is no cost increase to you. These links help support the channel so any clicks are greatly appreciated.

Professor Dr Ger Graus OBE will be joining me for a dedicated season based on his book – Through a Different Lens – Lessons from a Life in Education.

We will discuss in more depth the 6 chapters:

1. The benefit of hindsight and the lessons learned. This includes family influences, school experiences, teachers, being a teacher and being involved in The Children’s University, Kidzania and travelling the world giving lectures, presentations and being a keynote speaker.

2. Children can only aspire to what they know exists. I am a living example of this……..I would not have been a professional musician and had the career I have had if not for my school experiences and opportunities.

3. Thoughts about schooling and education – what is the difference? Education is 0-99 years…….how do we instil this understanding in our children?

4. Technology!!!!!!

5. The role we play

6. More than a school – measuring what we value not just subject exam results and league tables.

We will then invite expert discussion about 3 key areas.

Early Years – the current situation, what it can be, why it is important and views from around the globe.

School – What is a school and why do children attend?

Higher/Further education – How is this working today? What are the alternatives, is it fit for purpose, can they all survive the threat of closure from lack of funding…..does that matter?

We will also have a LIVE show where you can get involved, ask questions and bring your views to the campfire. Be a fire lighter. Be part of the movement.

Education on Fire – Feedback Inspiration Resilience Empowerment

Why not listen to Ger’s conversation with me on Ep 439 to get ready for the Ger Graus Gets Gritty Season.

Home

https://www.gergraus.com