The What & Who of EDU brings together instructors, experts, and thought leaders to share the teaching strategies that actually work. From building classroom confidence and teaching critical thinking to navigating AI in education, we help educators tackle the challenges that don’t always come with a handbook.
Can AI make learning more accessible … or is it just adding new barriers? In this debut episode of The What & Who of EDU’s AI+ series, we sit down with Rachel Comerford, Senior Director of Accessibility at Macmillan Learning, to talk about what AI is getting wrong (and right) when it comes to accessibility.
Episode 25 · February 11, 2026
Some teaching strategies feel right ... until they don’t. We're kicking off season 2 with a banger, breaking down the most common student engagement myths that sound like good advice but actually backfire in real classrooms. From “just make it fun” to “you can tell who’s paying attention by looking,” these well-meaning myths often make teaching harder, not better.
Episode 24 · January 28, 2026
What if the most powerful teaching tips weren't found in textbooks, but in the lived wisdom of the educators down the hall? In our Season 1 finale, we count down 10 unforgettable moments from the year. From building student belonging in unexpected places to teaching confidence through well-timed mistakes, these research-backed teaching strategies are as practical as they are profoundly human.
Episode 23 · December 31, 2025
Some teaching ideas feel a little too trendy, too techy, or too fluffy… until they’re not. Today we’re counting down 10 teaching strategies educators once doubted and now swear by. From the surprising power of silence to the glow-up of structured lectures, these are the classroom moves that went from “no thanks” to “never teaching without it.”
Episode 22 · December 3, 2025
What do sleep, gratitude, and emotional chaos have in common? Psychology. In this student-focused episode of The What and Who of EDU, Dr. Dave Myers and Dr. June Gruber return to explore how psychology can help students live better, not just learn better. From stress and self-compassion to gratitude, emotional diversity, and the paradox of happiness, they unpack the research behind what really helps students thrive, both inside and outside the classroom.
Episode 21 · November 19, 2025
The What & Who of EDU is a podcast built for educators who are navigating the real challenges of teaching today. Each episode features practical strategies, research-backed insights, and candid conversations with instructors, authors, and education experts. From classroom confidence and AI in education to critical thinking, assessment, and belonging, we focus on what’s actually working across subjects, levels, and learning environments.
Produced by Macmillan Learning, the podcast highlights our continued focus on sharing useful, research-informed strategies that help educators support student learning, wherever and however it happens.
With more than 20 years of experience shaping conversations and telling brand stories, Marisa Bluestone is an award-winning communications leader passionate about the power of education, learning, and publishing. As Senior Director of Communications at Macmillan Learning, she helps elevate voices that inspire learning and spark change. When she’s not crafting compelling narratives, you’ll find her attempting Pilates, traveling, or getting lost in the Cosmere and other literary worlds. In The What and Who of EDU, Marisa brings her storytelling expertise to the mic—leading insightful conversations with thought leaders, educators, and innovators shaping the future of learning.
LaShawn Springer is the Director of Inclusive Pedagogy at Macmillan Learning, sitting on the newly formed Pedagogical Design Group Team (PDG). PDG aims to shape a future where education is transformative, equitable, and accessible for all, a thru thread in LaShawn's career. With over 15 years of experience in higher education and secondary schools (and a brief stint in the tech space), she has served in a variety of administrative roles, organizing, leading and facilitating workshops, training and symposia for students, faculty and staff. A central question for LaShawn has always been what kind of young person are we graduating into the world, making it imperative that we think about not just the content we endeavor to teach but also what type of learning environments we're cultivating for our students. She's excited to bring these conversations to listeners as she digs into a range of pedagogical practices educators are employing to support their students' development. LaShawn is a graduate of Wesleyan University and Harvard Graduate School of Education.
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