Agile Ed

Agile Ed doesn't do intros.No theme music.No “Welcome back to Agile Ed.”No polished setup.Just a cold open...In this episode, we’ve stitched together the beginnings of our conversations—the first thoughts, the unfinished sentences, the ideas that land before we even know where we’re going. It turns out, the start is often where the most honest thinking happens.This is the Cold Open Reel: a collection of the moments before the moment.Unscripted.Unfiltered.Exactly how we work.

In the Season 3 premiere of Agile Ed, we begin with a question: What if students could time travel? This idea, sparked by a physics concept called a “time mirror”, is a powerful metaphor for the current state of learning in post-secondary education. While students can’t literally travel through time (yet!), they can use technology to take shortcuts. These shortcuts allow them to skip the friction involved in struggling to learn something challenging, which is the very thing instructors want learners to experience.The conversation moves from quantum curiosities to very practical questions about assessment design, accommodations, faculty workload, and SNACKS!Season 3 sets its roadmap here: design courses that prioritize relationships, remove structural barriers, support equity by design (not exception), and free up instructors’ time to focus on what matters most: learning that actually sticks.

In the Season 2 finale of Agile Ed, we reflect on one of the most persistent—and problematic—assumptions in education: that obedience equals learning. Through stories from parenting, teaching, and course design, we explore why curiosity, autonomy, and relational trust matter more than compliance. The episode closes by tracing a clear through-line across the season—relationship-rich education—and setting the stage for what comes next.Look out for some Season 3 themes in 2026:- Rethinking perfectionism in education- Making relationship-rich education concrete and accountable- Continuing conversations on alternative grading, equity, and learner agency- Naming and dismantling hidden curricula, especially in GenAI-shaped environments

In this episode of Agile Ed, Lindsay and Ashley unpack what it means to balance agility and sustainability in course design while keeping student motivation at the center. From guitars and Duolingo streaks to flipped classrooms and collaborative exams, they explore how timing, autonomy, and friction shape durable learning.Together, they reflect on an instructor who co-created a “no-tech” classroom contract with students—and what that says about agency, motivation, and trust in higher education. Along the way, debate mandatory attendance and ask: what happens when students help define the rules?It’s a conversation about learning when you want to learn, teaching with flexibility instead of fatigue, and rediscovering the human side of higher ed—where, as Dave Cormier reminds us, the community is the curriculum.AttributionsDave Cormier – “The Community is the Curriculum”Rethinking Student Attendance Policies for Deeper Engagement and Learning – TiHE episode with Danny Oppenheimer & Simon CullenAssign2 – Digital assessment platform enabling paper-based but digitized gradingH5P – For interactive, asynchronous learning activities

- "Because brains weren’t built for busywork."In this episode of Agile Ed, we unpack one of the most persistent misconceptions in education today: that students using GenAI are just lazy. What if laziness isn’t the problem, but a feature of the human brain? We explore how our cognitive systems are wired for efficiency, why critical thinking should be the real focus, and how AI can actually help foster deeper engagement when used intentionally.Drawing from student interviews and our own classroom experiences, we discuss how stigma, secrecy, and moral self-judgments shape how students talk about their AI use. We highlight how reframing conversations around AI use—from cheating to learning—can build students’ confidence and skill. We also dive into practical strategies like analogy development, the method of loci, and AI-supported cue card practice to promote meaningful, memorable learning experiences.This is a jam-packed episode that connects psychology, pedagogy, and real talk about what learners and instructors actually need in today’s AI-augmented classrooms.AttributionsInside the O'Briens by Lisa GenovaStill Alice by Lisa GenovaThe method of loci (memory palace technique)ChatGPT NotebookLMMeasuring actual learning versus feeling of learning in response to being actively engaged in the classroomThe Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat by Oliver Sacks

In this episode of Agile Ed, we share preliminary data from our ongoing research into how and why students are using GenAI in higher education. Instead of focusing solely on policy or detection, we explore what it means to take a student-centred approach to the GenAI challenge. From misaligned assessments to fears of academic failure, we uncover the motivations driving student decisions and reflect on the institutional practices that may be pushing them there. This episode invites educators to shift from policing to understanding, asking: what if we trusted students enough to talk with them, not just about them?Attributions:Mel Robbins – A Process for Finding Purpose: Do THIS to Build the Life You Want with Jay ShettyAndrew Huberman – Huberman LabTeaching in Higher Ed podcast – Teaching for Integrity in the Age of AI with Tricia Bertram Gallant & David RettingerRichardson & Lacroix (2020) – What Do Students Think When Asked About Psychology as a Science?

In this inaugural episode of "Agile Ed", Dr. Lindsay Richardson and Dr. Ashley Thompson explore the essential question: "What are you doing that your students could (and maybe should) be doing?" We discuss the balance between guiding students and empowering them to take ownership of their learning. Learn about the importance of fostering a growth mindset, the impact of different mindsets on education, and how humility and community can transform the learning experience. Join us as we rethink teaching practices in an age of abundant information and discover strategies to encourage students to become active participants in their education.