Big Ideas in Education

Latest Episodes:

BIIE 242: Supporting Neurodivergent Students’ Transition from K-12 to College with Dr. Tara Williams Oct 05, 2026

Show notes

BIIE 242: Supporting Neurodivergent Students’ Transition from K-12 to College with Dr. Tara Williams
This week, Ryan sits with Dr. Tara Williams, the Founder of Innovative Collegiate Consultants, an organization that specializes in supporting students with things like accommodation management, learning system support, internship and job searching, and more. She is also the author of The Neurodivergent Student Journey: Breaking Out of the Box, which is available now. Dr. Williams discusses her K-12 and higher education background, tips to make the IEP-to-college transition smoother, accommodations in the college setting, building students’ self-advocacy skills and confidence, the universal message behind her book title “Breaking Out of the Box,” balancing support and overhelping students, and lots more. Tune in!
You can find out more about our guest’s work by visiting https://innovativecollegiateconsultants.com/
Don’t just listen, join the conversation! Tweet us at @AcademicaMedia or with the hashtag #BigIdeasInEducation with questions or new topics you want to see discussed.
Host: Ryan Kairalla (@ryankair)
Producer: Laura Blanco

BIIE 241: Future-Ready Learning through Worldschooling with Rekha Magon Sep 07, 2026

Show notes

BIIE 241: Future-Ready Learning through Worldschooling with Rekha Magon
This week, Ryan sits with Rekha Magon, the Co-Founder & Chief Education Officer at Boundless Life, an organization that aims to help families learn while exploring the world. Rekha describes how worldschooling can transform how students learn and be a whole family experiential adventure, future readiness, more about Boundless Life and how the organization functions, the one change she would make to the education system, and more. Tune in!
You can find out more about our guest’s work by visiting https://boundless.life/ and Rekha's LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rekha-tak-magon/
Don’t just listen, join the conversation! Tweet us at @AcademicaMedia or with the hashtag #BigIdeasInEducation with questions or new topics you want to see discussed.
Host: Ryan Kairalla (@ryankair)
Producer: Laura Blanco

BIIE 240: Defying Academic Achievement Stereotypes through Chess with Kevin Cripe Aug 06, 2026

Show notes

BIIE 240: Defying Academic Achievement Stereotypes through Chess with Kevin Cripe
This week, Ryan sits with Kevin Cripe, a former 27-year veteran of the Modesto County Schools, author, and motivational speaker. Kevin shares his experiences in creating an award-winning after-school chess program for students who came from socio-economically challenged backgrounds, his perspective on school technology policies, closing the achievement gap in schools, childhood moral development, and more. Tune in!
You can find out more about our guest’s work by visiting http://kevincripemotivationalspeaker.com/
Don’t just listen, join the conversation! Tweet us at @AcademicaMedia or with the hashtag #BigIdeasInEducation with questions or new topics you want to see discussed.
Host: Ryan Kairalla (@ryankair)
Producer: Laura Blanco

BIIE 239: eSports as Competitive Athletic Programs with Johny Mantello Jul 06, 2026

Show notes

BIIE 239: eSports as Competitive Athletic Programs with Johny Mantello
This week, Ryan sits with Johny Mantello, the IT Coordinator for the Lethbridge School Division in Alberta, Canada, who has encouraged eSports initiatives to help students who are seeking opportunities to grow in this booming industry. They discuss starting an eSports program, how programs function compared to other athletics, benefits, future opportunities, and lots more. Tune in!
You can find out more about our guest’s work by visiting https://www.lethsd.ab.ca/
Don’t just listen, join the conversation! Tweet us at @AcademicaMedia or with the hashtag #BigIdeasInEducation with questions or new topics you want to see discussed.
Host: Ryan Kairalla (@ryankair)
Producer: Laura Blanco

BIIE 238: Building Literacy in Students and Reading Education featuring Dr. Carolyn Brown Jun 01, 2026

Show notes

BIIE 238: Building Literacy in Students and Reading Education featuring Dr. Carolyn Brown
This week, Ryan sits with Dr. Carolyn Brown, the Chief Academic Officer and co-founder of Foundations in Learning, an organization whose mission is to unlock educational opportunity for all students by providing teachers and students with best-in-class literacy tools that leverage the science of learning. They discuss foundational reading skills for toddlers, reading education research, reading gaps for elementary students, how non-reading teachers can support student literacy, programs she and her team have found effective, and more. Tune in!
You can find out more about our guest’s work by visiting https://www.wordflight.com/
Don’t just listen, join the conversation! Tweet us at @AcademicaMedia or with the hashtag #BigIdeasInEducation with questions or new topics you want to see discussed.
Host: Ryan Kairalla (@ryankair)
Producer: Laura Blanco

BIIE 237: A Guide to Project-Based Learning with Bob Lenz and Dr. Lisa Mireles May 04, 2026

Show notes

Big Ideas In Education 237: A Guide to Project-Based Learning with Bob Lenz and Dr. Lisa Mireles
This week, Ryan sits with Bob Lenz, CEO of PBL Works and Dr. Lisa Mireles, Managing Director of Digital Curriculum of PBL Works, to announce their new book “Project Based Learning For All: A Leader’s Guide” from PBLWorks. The book offers a guide for educators to create a gold standard PBL in their classrooms and schools. They discuss what project-based learning is, how to garner support, training teachers and staff to apply this model, how success is measured, and more. Tune in!
Don’t just listen, join the conversation! Tweet us at @AcademicaMedia or with the hashtag #BigIdeasInEducation with questions or new topics you want to see discussed.
Host: Ryan Kairalla (@ryankair)
Producer: Laura Blanco

BIIE 236: Building Math Confidence in Students with Dr. Aditya Nagrath Apr 06, 2026

Show notes

BIIE 236: Building Math Confidence in Students with Dr. Aditya Nagrath
This week, Ryan sits with Dr. Aditya Nagrath, acclaimed mathematician and the best-selling author of Treating Mathematics Anxiety: Inclusive Strategies for Working with Students Exhibiting Mathematics Anxiety. Dr. Nagrath discusses the gap in kindergarten math learners, helping students understand the subject at an early age, implications as they advance in mathematical topics, addressing skill gaps in math and how other subjects can be impacted, how artificial intelligence can support educators, and more. Tune in!
Don’t just listen, join the conversation! Tweet us at @AcademicaMedia or with the hashtag #BigIdeasInEducation with questions or new topics you want to see discussed.
Host: Ryan Kairalla (@ryankair)
Producer: Laura Blanco

BIIE 235: Preparing the Next Generation of Students for the Workplace with Audrey Hametner Mar 02, 2026

Show notes

BIIE 235: Preparing the Next Generation of Students for the Workplace with Audrey Hametner
This week, Ryan sits with Audrey Hametner, founder of The Bedrock Program, a social enterprise focused on growing, developing, engaging, and supporting tomorrow's future leaders. Audrey discusses how schools are preparing students for their future in the workforce, gaps in curriculum to career placement, the impacts of public policy and artificial intelligence, her organization, The Bedrock Program, and more.
You can find out more about our guest’s work by visiting hametner.co
Don’t just listen, join the conversation! Tweet us at @AcademicaMedia or with the hashtag #BigIdeasInEducation with questions or new topics you want to see discussed.
Host: Ryan Kairalla (@ryankair)
Producer: Laura Blanco

BIIE 234: Empowering Children, Families, and Educators with Financial Literacy featuring Dr. Darla Bishop Feb 04, 2026

Show notes

BIIE 234: Empowering Children, Families, and Educators with Financial Literacy featuring Dr. Darla Bishop
This week, Ryan sits with Dr. Darla Bishop, a former high school educator and the creator of the multilingual financial literacy platform Piggy Bank Pathways. Dr. Bishop shares how she became interested in financial literacy, “Madeline’s Money Adventure” (a children’s book Dr. Bishop co-wrote with her daughter Madeline), teaching financial literacy to children, families, and educators via Piggy Bank Pathways, and lots more. Tune in!
You can find out more about our guest’s work by visiting darlabishop.com and piggybankpathways.org.
Don’t just listen, join the conversation! Tweet us at @AcademicaMedia or with the hashtag #BigIdeasInEducation with questions or new topics you want to see discussed.
Host: Ryan Kairalla (@ryankair)
Producer: Laura Blanco

BIIE 233: Increasing Drug Awareness in School with Rachael Bischel Jan 05, 2026

Show notes

BIIE 233: Increasing Drug Awareness in School with Rachael Bischel
This week, Ryan sits with Rachael Bischel, the Program Manager of Victoria’s Voice, a foundation founded by David and Jackie Siegel after losing their 18-year-old daughter, Victoria, to a drug overdose. Rachael shares the mission of Victoria’s Voice, Florida state holidays that bring awareness to fentanyl and drug overdose, communication in the school setting, best and least effective intervention methods in reducing substance abuse, and more. Tune in!
Don’t just listen, join the conversation! Tweet us at @AcademicaMedia or with the hashtag #BigIdeasInEducation with questions or new topics you want to see discussed.
Host: Ryan Kairalla (@ryankair)
Producer: Laura Blanco

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected