In this episode of Educating to Be Human, Lisa is joined by Mihalis Eleftheriou, the creator of Language Transfer and the Thinking Method —a free, online language learning platform with a radical approach to language acquisition. Language Transfer challenges conventional methods of language learning, aiming not only to teach but to transform how we think and make connections. In this conversation, Mihalis shares his journey, beginning with his own multicultural upbringing and early language encounters. Together, Lisa and Mihalis explore the power of language to deepen cultural understanding, break down mental barriers, and even transform our sense of self. Mihalis insightfully describes language learning as a tool that "breaks down the fourth walls" in our minds, encouraging introspection and broadening our sense of identity and spirituality. Creator and Founder of Language Transfer, Mihalis Eletheriou has also been involved in social work since he was a teenager. Originally a British Cypriot, Mihalis has spent half his life abroad and recently returned to the UK. Resources: <a href="https://www.languagetransfer.org/" target="_blank" rel= "noopener">Languagetransfer.org</a> Language Transfer is supported by donations, which can be made through Patreon at <a href= "https://www.patreon.com/languagetransfer" target="_blank" rel= "noopener">www.patreon.com/languagetransfer</a> or directly on the website: <a href= "https://www.languagetransfer.org/collaborate">https://www.languagetransfer.org/collaborate</a> Users can also contribute by sharing their stories about how LT helped them, either through video or audio.

<description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src= "//assets.libsyn.com/show/284546/Episode_7_Option_2.jpg" alt="" width="250" height="250" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;In this episode of Educating to Be Human, Lisa is joined by Mihalis Eleftheriou, the creator of Language Transfer and the Thinking Method —a free, online language learning platform with a radical approach to language acquisition. Language Transfer challenges conventional methods of language learning, aiming not only to teach but to transform how we think and make connections.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;In this conversation, Mihalis shares his journey, beginning with his own multicultural upbringing and early language encounters. Together, Lisa and Mihalis explore the power of language to deepen cultural understanding, break down mental barriers, and even transform our sense of self. Mihalis insightfully describes language learning as a tool that "breaks down the fourth walls" in our minds, encouraging introspection and broadening our sense of identity and spirituality. Creator and Founder of Language Transfer, Mihalis Eletheriou has also been involved in social work since he was a teenager. Originally a British Cypriot, Mihalis has spent half his life abroad and recently returned to the UK.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Resources:&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.languagetransfer.org/" target="_blank" rel= "noopener"&gt;Languagetransfer.org&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Language Transfer is supported by donations, which can be made through Patreon at &lt;a href= "https://www.patreon.com/languagetransfer" target="_blank" rel= "noopener"&gt;www.patreon.com/languagetransfer&lt;/a&gt; or directly on the website: &lt;a href= "https://www.languagetransfer.org/collaborate"&gt;https://www.languagetransfer.org/collaborate&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Users can also contribute by sharing their stories about how LT helped them, either through video or audio.&lt;/p&gt;</description>

In this episode of Educating to Be Human, Lisa is joined by Mihalis Eleftheriou, the creator of Language Transfer and the Thinking Method —a free, online language learning platform with a radical approach to language acquisition. Language Transfer...

Language Matters with Mihalis Eleftheriou

In this episode of Educating to Be Human, Lisa is joined by Chris Miller, the co-founder of Life Plays, an organization that uses improvisation as a tool to cultivate leadership, creativity, and innovation. Together, they dive into the power of improv, not just as a performance technique but as a valuable life skill that can enhance how we work, lead, and connect with others. By tapping into our natural creativity and learning to embrace uncertainty, improv unlocks a mindset of openness and possibility, ultimately driving more meaningful change in both our personal and professional lives. Through this conversation, we explore how embracing improv helps foster a culture of innovation, empathy, and shared success, deepening our collective human experience. Chris Miller co-founded Lifeplays in 2001 to bring the radically collaborative skills embedded in improv into innovative organizations. Chris has brought improv-based training to the MBA program at USF, The Big Ideas Fest, and Little Bets Labs, which uses Design Thinking to solve large intractable problems. He holds a degree from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and in his free time can most likely be found rock climbing, boogie boarding, or playing music. Resources: <a href="https://lifeplays.com/" target="_blank" rel= "noopener">https://lifeplays.com/</a>

<description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="//assets.libsyn.com/show/284546/Episode_6_Artwork.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;In this episode of Educating to Be Human, Lisa is joined by Chris Miller, the co-founder of Life Plays, an organization that uses improvisation as a tool to cultivate leadership, creativity, and innovation. Together, they dive into the power of improv, not just as a performance technique but as a valuable life skill that can enhance how we work, lead, and connect with others. By tapping into our natural creativity and learning to embrace uncertainty, improv unlocks a mindset of op&lt;span style= "font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;"&gt;e&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;"&gt;nness and possibility, ultimately driving more meaningful change in both our persona&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style= "font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;"&gt;l and professional lives. Through this conversation, we explore how embracing improv helps foster a culture of innovation, empathy, and shared success, deepening our collective human experience.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Chris Miller co-founded Lifeplays in 2001 to bring the radically collaborative skills embedded in improv into innovative organizations. Chris has brought improv-based training to the MBA program at USF, The Big Ideas Fest, and Little Bets Labs, which uses Design Thinking to solve large intractable problems. He holds a degree from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and in his free time can most likely be found rock climbing, boogie boarding, or playing music.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Resources:&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="https://lifeplays.com/" target="_blank" rel= "noopener"&gt;https://lifeplays.com/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

In this episode of Educating to Be Human, Lisa is joined by Chris Miller, the co-founder of Life Plays, an organization that uses improvisation as a tool to cultivate leadership, creativity, and innovation. Together, they dive into the power of...

Yes, And; Improv with Chris Miller

In this episode of Educating to Be Human, we begin the second arc of our inaugural season by exploring one of the most essential aspects of being human—our boundless curiosity and extraordinary creativity. Lisa talks with Nina Barbuto, founder and executive director of Assemble, a nonprofit organization in Pittsburgh that serves as a community space for arts and technology education. More than just a makerspace, Assemble is a place where education and community intersect, fostering innovation and confidence through making. Lisa and Niina Assemble discuss how creation, curiosity and innovation are enhanced through hands-on learning experiences and engagement with Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics (STE(A)M) through hands-on learning experiences. They also dive into the concept of "social architecture," exploring how community spaces, like Assemble, can be flexible and adaptable to the needs of the people who use them, while allowing for self-expression and collaboration. Tune in to hear how architecture influences the way we experience space and community, and how Assemble exemplifies a unique blend of creativity, education, and innovation. Nina’s passion for art, new media, and social learning led her to found <a href="https://assemblepgh.org/" target="_blank" rel= "noopener">Assemble</a>, a community space for arts + technology, in 2011. On her own, Nina works in a variety of media including architecture, film, sound, and installation, often exploring the idea of recycling noise into a system or elevating the vernacular to the spectacular. Nina co-founded I Made It! Market in 2007. An idea based on urban acupuncture, this nomadic market partners with community, arts, and non-profit organizations to raise funds and awareness to assist in improving their communities while allowing local artists and crafters to sell their wares. Nina holds degrees in architecture from Southern California Institute of Architecture and Carnegie Mellon University, where she is also adjunct faculty.

<description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src= "//assets.libsyn.com/show/284546/Episode_5_artwork_Nina.jpg" alt="" width="250" height="250" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;In this episode of Educating to Be Human, we begin the second arc of our inaugural season by exploring one of the most essential aspects of being human—our boundless curiosity and extraordinary creativity. Lisa talks with Nina Barbuto, founder and executive director of Assemble, a nonprofit organization in Pittsburgh that serves as a community space for arts and technology education. More than just a makerspace, Assemble is a place where education and community intersect, fostering innovation and confidence through making.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Lisa and Niina Assemble discuss how creation, curiosity and innovation are enhanced through hands-on learning experiences and engagement with Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics (STE(A)M) through hands-on learning experiences. They also dive into the concept of "social architecture," exploring how community spaces, like Assemble, can be flexible and adaptable to the needs of the people who use them, while allowing for self-expression and collaboration. Tune in to hear how architecture influences the way we experience space and community, and how Assemble exemplifies a unique blend of creativity, education, and innovation.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Nina’s passion for art, new media, and social learning led her to found &lt;a href="https://assemblepgh.org/" target="_blank" rel= "noopener"&gt;Assemble&lt;/a&gt;, a community space for arts + technology, in 2011. On her own, Nina works in a variety of media including architecture, film, sound, and installation, often exploring the idea of recycling noise into a system or elevating the vernacular to the spectacular. Nina co-founded I Made It! Market in 2007. An idea based on urban acupuncture, this nomadic market partners with community, arts, and non-profit organizations to raise funds and awareness to assist in improving their communities while allowing local artists and crafters to sell their wares. Nina holds degrees in architecture from Southern California Institute of Architecture and Carnegie Mellon University, where she is also adjunct faculty.&lt;/p&gt;</description>

In this episode of Educating to Be Human, we begin the second arc of our inaugural season by exploring one of the most essential aspects of being human—our boundless curiosity and extraordinary creativity. Lisa talks with Nina Barbuto, founder and...

Building Creative Spaces with Nina Barbuto

In this episode of Educating to be Human, Lisa speaks with Joel Westheimer, a professor of education at the University of Ottawa, author of "What Kind of Citizen? Educating Our Children for the Common Good", and a leading voice on democracy and civic education. As democratic societies face increasing global challenges as well as radically diminishing commitments to the notion of democracy internally, this episode explores how schools can play a pivotal role in fostering democratic values, civic engagement, and critical thinking among students. The role of education in democratic societies is unique, requiring more than just the standard curriculum of math, science, and literature, Joel argues. Schools must also teach students to ask hard questions, engage in the democratic process, and become informed citizens who can shape the future of their communities. How can schools balance these approaches to foster a more engaged and thoughtful citizenry, and how is this particularly vital in the face of current democratic challenges? With an incredibly pivotal presidential election around the corner, this discussion underscores the urgent need to rethink the role of civic education, preparing young people not only to succeed academically but to become effective, engaged citizens in a democratic society. Joel Westheimer is Professor and former University Research Chair in Democracy and Education at the University of Ottawa. He is also education columnist for CBC Radio. In addition to researching civic engagement and the role of schools in democratic societies, Westheimer studies broader school reform, teacher education, and education policy and practice. His most recent book (2024) is What kind of citizen? Educating our children for the common good, 2nd edition. "What Kind of Citizen? Educating Our Children for the Common Good" <a href= "https://www.tcpress.com/what-kind-of-citizen-9780807769720">https://www.tcpress.com/what-kind-of-citizen-9780807769720</a> Follow Joel on X/Twitter @joelwestheimer Resources mentioned in this episode: Generation Citizen - <a href= "https://www.generationcitizen.org/">https://www.generationcitizen.org/</a> I Civics - <a href= "https://vision.icivics.org/">https://vision.icivics.org/</a> We the People curriculum - <a href= "https://civiced.org/we-the-people">https://civiced.org/we-the-people</a> Mikva Challenge: <a class="waffle-rich-text-link" href= "https://mikvachallenge.org/">https://mikvachallenge.org/</a>

<description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src= "//assets.libsyn.com/show/284546/Episode_4_Joel_Westheimer_Episode_Artwork.jpg" alt="" width="250" height="250" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;In this episode of Educating to be Human, Lisa speaks with Joel Westheimer, a professor of education at the University of Ottawa, author of "What Kind of Citizen? Educating Our Children for the Common Good", and a leading voice on democracy and civic education. As democratic societies face increasing global challenges as well as radically diminishing commitments to the notion of democracy internally, this episode explores how schools can play a pivotal role in fostering democratic values, civic engagement, and critical thinking among students.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;The role of education in democratic societies is unique, requiring more than just the standard curriculum of math, science, and literature, Joel argues. Schools must also teach students to ask hard questions, engage in the democratic process, and become informed citizens who can shape the future of their communities. How can schools balance these approaches to foster a more engaged and thoughtful citizenry, and how is this particularly vital in the face of current democratic challenges? With an incredibly pivotal presidential election around the corner, this discussion underscores the urgent need to rethink the role of civic education, preparing young people not only to succeed academically but to become effective, engaged citizens in a democratic society.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Joel Westheimer is Professor and former University Research Chair in Democracy and Education at the University of Ottawa. He is also education columnist for CBC Radio. In addition to researching civic engagement and the role of schools in democratic societies, Westheimer studies broader school reform, teacher education, and education policy and practice. His most recent book (2024) is What kind of citizen? Educating our children for the common good, 2nd edition.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;"What Kind of Citizen? Educating Our Children for the Common Good" &lt;a href= "https://www.tcpress.com/what-kind-of-citizen-9780807769720"&gt;https://www.tcpress.com/what-kind-of-citizen-9780807769720&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Follow Joel on X/Twitter @joelwestheimer&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Resources mentioned in this episode:&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Generation Citizen - &lt;a href= "https://www.generationcitizen.org/"&gt;https://www.generationcitizen.org/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;I Civics - &lt;a href= "https://vision.icivics.org/"&gt;https://vision.icivics.org/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;We the People curriculum - &lt;a href= "https://civiced.org/we-the-people"&gt;https://civiced.org/we-the-people&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Mikva Challenge: &lt;a class="waffle-rich-text-link" href= "https://mikvachallenge.org/"&gt;https://mikvachallenge.org/&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;</description>

In this episode of Educating to be Human, Lisa speaks with Joel Westheimer, a professor of education at the University of Ottawa, author of "What Kind of Citizen? Educating Our Children for the Common Good", and a leading voice on democracy and civic...

Teaching Democracy with Joel Westheimer

Lisa speaks with Ruth Mostern, Professor of History and Director of the World History Center at the University of Pittsburgh, to talk about the significance of place and space in the historical understanding of ourselves and our environments. Through her groundbreaking project, the World Historical Gazetteer, Ruth enables historians and the public alike to visualize and contextualize historical events and relationships geographically, transforming static history into dynamic, place-based storytelling. Sitting at the intersection of history, geography and technology, this episode is a must-listen for those who believe in the power of place to shape and deepen our understanding of the world. Ruth Mostern is Professor of History and Director of the World History Center at the University of Pittsburgh and Vice President of the World History Association. She is the author of Dividing the Realm in Order to Govern: The Spatial Organization of the Song State, 960-1276 CE (Harvard Asia Center, 2011), and The Yellow River: A Natural and Unnatural History (Yale University Press, 2021), winner of the Joseph Levenson Prize from the Association for Asian Studies in 2022, co-editor of Placing Names: Enriching and Integrating Gazetteers (Indiana University Press, 2016), and Principal Investigator and Project Director of the World Historical Gazetteer. Ruth received her Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley in 2003 and was Founding Faculty at the University of California, Merced, where she spent 13 years before moving to Pitt in 2017. Resources: World Historical Gazetteer: <a href="https://whgazetteer.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">whgazetteer.org</a> Ruth Mostern at University of Pittsburgh: <a href= "https://www.history.pitt.edu/people/ruth-mostern" target="_blank" rel="noopener">www.history.pitt.edu/people/ruth-mostern</a>

<description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src= "//assets.libsyn.com/show/284546/Episode_3_Artwork_Ruth_Mostern.jpg" alt="" width="250" height="250" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Lisa speaks with Ruth Mostern, Professor of History and Director of the World History Center at the University of Pittsburgh, to talk about the significance of place and space in the historical understanding of ourselves and our environments.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Through her groundbreaking project, the World Historical Gazetteer, Ruth enables historians and the public alike to visualize and contextualize historical events and relationships geographically, transforming static history into dynamic, place-based storytelling.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Sitting at the intersection of history, geography and technology, this episode is a must-listen for those who believe in the power of place to shape and deepen our understanding of the world.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Ruth Mostern is Professor of History and Director of the World History Center at the University of Pittsburgh and Vice President of the World History Association. She is the author of Dividing the Realm in Order to Govern: The Spatial Organization of the Song State, 960-1276 CE (Harvard Asia Center, 2011), and The Yellow River: A Natural and Unnatural History (Yale University Press, 2021), winner of the Joseph Levenson Prize from the Association for Asian Studies in 2022, co-editor of Placing Names: Enriching and Integrating Gazetteers (Indiana University Press, 2016), and Principal Investigator and Project Director of the World Historical Gazetteer. Ruth received her Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley in 2003 and was Founding Faculty at the University of California, Merced, where she spent 13 years before moving to Pitt in 2017.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Resources:&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;World Historical Gazetteer: &lt;a href="https://whgazetteer.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"&gt;whgazetteer.org&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Ruth Mostern at University of Pittsburgh: &lt;a href= "https://www.history.pitt.edu/people/ruth-mostern" target="_blank" rel="noopener"&gt;www.history.pitt.edu/people/ruth-mostern&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Lisa speaks with Ruth Mostern, Professor of History and Director of the World History Center at the University of Pittsburgh, to talk about the significance of place and space in the historical understanding of ourselves and our environments. Through...

The Power of Place with Ruth Mostern

A bi-weekly podcast hosted by Lisa Petrides, CEO and Founder of the Institute for the Study of Knowledge Management in Education (ISKME), “Educating to Be Human” explores what it means to be human at the intersection of education, technology and culture. In each episode, Lisa speaks with people who, through their passion and commitment, are creating transformative change in education. 

In Season 1, Lisa dives into the fundamental question of how we as humans might place front and center the critical need to adapt and change. We talk with folks who wake up everyday thinking about how to best leverage our innate desire for community and connection, and how creation and curiosity, our essential superpowers, can be harnessed to create a more humane world.

Think if Big Ideas Fest were a podcast, Educating to Be Human is born from the desire to keep the conversations going and making the knowledge we have gained and stories we've heard accessible to all. By bringing these unique voices into the podcast world, we are furthering ISKME’s commitment to make learning and knowledge-sharing participatory, equitable, and open.

Educating to be Human is hosted by Lisa Petrides, produced by Helene Theros, recorded by Nathan Sherman, edited by Ty Mayer, and music by Kathy Sherman.

Educating to Be Human Podcast

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