In an era where artificial intelligence dominates headlines about the future of work and learning, Tom Lauwers presents a different perspective in this MAGICademy episode: educational technology focused on amplifying rather than replacing human creativity. 

As founder and CTO of BirdBrain Technologies, Lauwers has spent over two decades developing robotics tools that serve as a creative medium, turning seventh graders into poetry performers through animatronic displays and art teachers into robotics innovators. 

His journey from Silicon Valley tech culture to Pittsburgh's educational laboratories reveals an insight for leaders navigating our hyperconnected world: in the race to optimize every moment with information consumption, we may be destroying the very conditions that foster breakthrough creative thinking. 

Through his work bridging disciplines and cultures, Lauwers shows a possibility that innovation may belong not only to those who can process information fastest, but also to those who can create space for wonder, interdisciplinary play, and what he calls "joyful, deep learning experiences" that unlock human potential in unexpected ways.

In this robust exploration of modern gamification principles, international expert Dr. Karl Kapp challenges conventional understanding of game-based learning. Moving far beyond simplistic point systems and digital badges, Dr. Kapp reveals how gamification taps into fundamental aspects of game design and human psychology to create transformative experiences. 

The conversation delves into the neuroscience of embodied learning, the power of "action first" approaches, and how fantasy environments unlock creativity and problem-solving capabilities. 

As AI increasingly dominates information delivery, Dr. Kapp argues that the human elements of gamification—creating meaningful challenges, fostering "aha moments," and building unexpected connections—become more valuable than ever in creating experiences that truly transform to keep our wonder alive.

In this MAGICademy podcast episode, we dive into the realm of creativity and artificial intelligence with Dr. Robin Sargent, founder of IDOL Instructional Design Academy. Dr. Sargent shares her journey from running a niche recruiting agency to establishing a full-fledged vocational school, highlighting the unexpected turns that led to her current role. 

She discusses her innovative approach to integrating AI into skill development, including the development of an AI chatbot to support her students' learning process. The conversation explores Dr. Sargent's unique perspective on creativity, emphasizing the importance of a calm, stress-free environment for fostering growth & development.

She introduces her "do it messy" approach, encouraging students to embrace imperfection and childlike wonder in their creative endeavors. The discussion extends to the future of instructional design and creativity in the age of AI, examining how these tools can enhance human creativity. 

Dr. Sargent also shares personal insights on overcoming self-criticism and achieving a balance between achievement-driven motivation and inner peace, offering valuable strategies for us to apply in our own creative initiatives.

On S5E5 of the @MAGICademy Podcast we welcome Dr. Britt Andreata to the show! She is a thought leader and expert in brain science, leadership, and education, with experience developing brain science-based training programs for organizational effectiveness and personal growth. We had a great conversation about emotional intelligence, neuroscience, and how those concepts positively influence the workplace environment, as emotionally skilled leaders can empower themselves and talents more efficiently and magically.

Dr Britt is the CEO of Brain Aware Training, which focuses on applying neuroscience to improve workplace learning and development. In this episode, we dive deeper into empathy and psychological safety, what happens in the brain while emotional intelligence works, and the huge impact it can have on organizations to train their workforce to be emotionally skilled.

Welcome to S4E8 of the @MAGICademy Podcast, where we give a warm welcome to Barbara Oakley. She is a professor and the master brain behind the course “Learning How to Learn”, available in Coursera, which has been taken by more than a million people making it one of the more successful open learning courses on the platform. We talked about the curiosity in all of us, and how it’s necessary for everyone who wishes to learn a new concept, language or anything they need to know.

In S4E5 of the @MAGICademy Podcast, my guest is Andrew Cohen. He is the founder of Brainscape, which is a programmed and adaptive flashcard app to learn and practice new skills and keep information fresh. We talk about his adventure and exploration of optimizing memorization, from learning a new language to optimizing skill and performance development; as well as how new technologies can support this optimization by helping us overcome the forgetting curve.

In S4E02 of @MAGICademy Podcast, Dr. Chris Dede discusses the transformative potential of immersive technologies and artificial intelligence in human development. 

He explores how we can create engaging learning environments to enhance skill development and foster a deeper understanding of complex subjects. 

Dede argues that by combining the strengths of human learners with AI capabilities, we can achieve a new level of effectiveness that was previously unattainable.

In S3E10 of @MAGICademy Podcast, we delve into the fascinating world of neuroscience and learning with @Lauren Waldman, founder of @Learning Pirate. Lauren shares her expertise on how our brains process information, form memories and adapt to change. She explains the crucial role of attention in learning, the concept of schemas, and how novelty stimulates our brains. The conversation explores the importance of rest and sleep in memory consolidation, the challenges of changing established neural networks, and the potential impact of new technologies on learning.

💕 #MAGICademy S3E7, we had the great pleasure of meeting @Kristen DiCerbo, chief learning officer @Khan Academy to discuss basic principles for designing AI-powered tutors to power up the skill development process for learners across age groups. She emphasizes the importance of curiosity and wonder in the learning process. She also highlights the need for a balance between AI tutors and human teachers, as human relationships and motivation are crucial for student success. 

💕 #MAGICademy S3E4, we had the pleasure to meet @ Samreid Manez, founder of Valearnis. Integrating AI learning companions and non-player characters (NPCs) in a gamified learning experience has the potential to enhance complex skill development.

In the #MAGICademy S2E10 story, we are having a conversation with Anna Belova, founder and CEO of DEVAR (Canva for Augmented Reality). Anna explores the concept of "Phygital" (physical + digital) experiences that fuse the tangible and the virtual, creating an immersive 360-degree multi-sensory playground for audiences, customers, and learners alike. As we navigate this new frontier, we're not just entertaining or educating; we're unlocking a deeper understanding of each other, peeling back layers of interaction to build more authentic connections. We also explored the power of curiosity & imagination by asking the question “What If…?” daily to help our brain get comfortable with always expanding its perceptions and open to new possibilities. 

It was such a great honor to meet up with Stella Collins, co-founder and chief learning officer of Stella Labs, and author of “Neuroscience for Learning and Development: How to Apply Neuroscience and Psychology for Improved Learning and Training.” 

In this conversation, Stella explores how AI & neuroscience can empower talent upskilling, transferring learning into behavioral change and performance improvement to align with business objectives and outcomes. We also dived deep into her GEAR framework and the role of curiosity in transcending traditional learning development.

Brian Carlson, founder of Storytime AI, and Erin Lamb, CEO of HASA discuss the learning impact of "social stories."

Social stories are short, personalized stories that describe a specific social situation, skill, or concept in a structured and straightforward manner. They aim to break down complex social interactions into easily understandable steps, providing individuals with a framework for understanding social cues, expectations, and appropriate behaviors.

While social stories are originally used as an intervention for individuals with ASD or other social-communication difficulties, they can be equally helpful for anyone who needs to develop specific skills across social situations, such as leadership.

Amanda, the founder and CEO of AI for Education, discusses the importance of AI literacy in education and the potential of AI to personalize learning. She emphasizes the need for educators and organizations to understand the capabilities and limitations of AI and to use it in an ethical and responsible way. Amanda also highlights the biases and cultural limitations present in AI models and calls for the development of more representative and diverse training data sets. She encourages workplace learning and leadership development to prioritize AI literacy and to approach AI implementation with a problem-solving mindset. 

Scenario-based learning and branching scenarios can be effective in teaching complex skills that require critical thinking and decision-making. When designing branching scenarios, it is important to focus on specific behaviors and provide realistic feedback. Simplifying complex topics and making them concrete can empower learners to apply knowledge effectively. Using AI tools can help generate ideas and alternative choices for branching scenarios, but human oversight and editing are necessary. Christy's MAGIC?

Artificial intelligence is emerging as a transformative tool in educational assessment, offering nuanced ways to support learning through personalized feedback mechanisms. While AI can efficiently generate individualized insights for students, especially in scenarios where instructors face time constraints, its true potential lies in collaborative implementation with human educators who can refine and contextualize the generated feedback. The technology's capability extends beyond direct student interaction, providing valuable trend analysis that can help educators identify systemic improvements in teaching methodologies. However, this promising technological integration comes with critical ethical considerations, particularly the need to prevent over-dependence on AI systems and maintain a balanced, human-centered approach to learning that preserves the essential interpersonal dimensions of education. By thoughtfully integrating AI as a supportive tool rather than a replacement for human instruction, educational institutions can leverage technology to enhance, not replace, the nuanced art of teaching and learning.