MARCH MADNESS OF LEARNING LIVE FROM SXSW EDU with AJ Gutierrez, Jasmine Maze, and Justin Serrano

·49 min·4 clips

Mike Palmer and three experts at SXSW EDU unveil a 'March Madness of Learning Trends' bracket to determine the year's top trend.

The episode is a live recording from SXSW EDU, where host Mike Palmer introduces the annual 'March Madness of Learning Trends' bracket, a competition among 16 trends submitted by the panelists. Palmer provides background on the podcast's history at SXSW since 2019. Guests introduce themselves: Justin Serrano is CEO of Latera Education, focusing on tutoring; Jasmine Mays is a senior managing director at Teach for America's Reinvention Lab; and AJ Gutierrez is CEO of Equal Opportunity Schools and co-founder of Saga Education. Justin explains his trends, including outcomes-based contracting, where school districts tie 40% of contract costs to student outcomes, and human-AI interoperability. AJ discusses high-impact tutoring, defining it as daily, personalized tutoring integrated into the school day, citing research showing two to three years of math growth in one year. He shares his personal experience benefiting from such tutoring. Jasmine addresses teacher efficiency and AI, arguing that AI should reduce administrative burdens to allow more time for human-centered teaching rather than simply boosting productivity. The panel touches on themes like strategic optimism, technology access post-pandemic, and the negative impacts of distraction from devices. Justin introduces 'productive distrust' as a response to AI-driven misinformation, noting how younger generations are adapting with more skepticism. Jasmine comments on 'AI slop' and the need for critical media literacy. Audience questions include how to teach AI and critical thinking in education, balancing innovation with real classroom outcomes, and the importance of manual, non-tech activities for focus. AJ emphasizes international collaboration and data-driven R&D, while Justin suggests small-scale experimentation in schools. The episode concludes with parting thoughts on optimism and the rapid pace of change in education.

As heard by us

A live South by Southwest EDU panel connects AI's classroom limits to access, relationships, and strategic optimism.

Trending in Education's live South by Southwest EDU conversation looks at education through human capital, wider technology access, and the discipline needed to keep optimism grounded. Mike Palmer, A.J.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

You want a grounded way to think about AI, access, and the human work education should keep.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from Trending In Ed with Mike Palmer