The What & Who of EDU equips educators with tools to support learning anytime, anywhere. With thought leaders, educators, and experts, we explore the latest research, trends, and innovations to bring best practices into the classroom.
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
What if the secret to better teaching isn't about what you teach, but how students experience your classroom? Psychology legends Dr. David Myers and Dr. June Gruber have spent decades studying what actually makes information stick and it's not more PowerPoint slides. Learn why removing 18 chairs from your classroom, scheduling 5-minute coffee chats, and teaching students about "micro-friendships" might be the most powerful teaching strategies you'll ever use.
Episode 20 · November 5, 2025
Is the pursuit of happiness actually making students less happy? In this episode of The What and Who of EDU, we sit down with Dr. David Myers and Dr. June Gruber, co-authors of the world's best-selling psychology textbook, to explore what decades of psychological research reveal about student mental health, emotional well-being and why today's students are struggling more than ever.
Episode 19 · October 22, 2025
Is an “A” really the best indicator of learning? Or is it just proof that a student figured out the system? In this episode of The What and Who of EDU, we explore 10 creative, surprising, and inspiring ways educators are measuring learning beyond the gradebook. Because the real story of learning is bigger, messier, and far more meaningful.
Episode 17 · September 24, 2025
Welcome to The What and Who of EDU. Join us as we talk with thought leaders, educators, and experts to explore the latest trends, innovations, and best practices shaping education today. Whether in the classroom or beyond, we equip educators with the tools and insights to support student learning anytime, anywhere. The What and Who of EDU is a podcast by Macmillan Learning.
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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While you may not hear Derek Lambke’s voice in every episode, he is present in every one. As our podcast’s producer, Derek weaves each episode together from start to finish, creating cohesive and compelling narratives for our listeners. As Senior Communications Specialist at Macmillan Learning, he is passionate about ensuring that all voices are heard because he believes that the best stories are the ones that haven’t yet been told. Derek earned his master’s degree from Yale University with an emphasis in Film and Media Studies.
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