The Learning Future Podcast with Louka Parry

In this episode of The Learning Future Podcast, Louka Parry is joined by Geoff Masters, renowned education researcher, former CEO of the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER), and author of The Children We Leave Behind: How School Could Be Done Differently. (https://www.routledge.com/The-Children-We-Leave-Behind-How-School-Could-Be-Done-Differently/Masters/p/book/9781041279655) Together, they challenge the industrial model of schooling, exploring how age-based curricula, standardised assessments and traditional grading systems can overlook individual learning needs and leave students increasingly disengaged. Drawing on decades of research and insights from education systems around the world, Geoff makes the case for rethinking how we understand and measure learning. Their conversation explores the importance of recognising individual growth, empowering teachers through professional autonomy and meaningful relationships, and the potential of AI to support more personalised learning experiences. At its heart, this conversation asks us to reconsider what education could look like if we moved beyond standardisation and instead designed schools around the belief that every child can learn, grow and flourish.

In this episode of The Learning Future Podcast, Louka Parry welcomes back Dr Ulcca Joshi Hansen, social and cultural futurist, author and education thought leader, for a deeply reflective conversation about embracing the complexity and messiness of being human. Together, they explore the importance of slowing down, reconnecting with our emotions and bodies, and challenging society's obsession with productivity, achievement and certainty. Ulcca shares her personal journey of transformation, reflecting on how stepping away from expectations created space to rediscover her purpose and redefine success. The conversation also examines the evolving role of education, the value of authentic human connection in an AI-driven world, and why cultivating trust, hope and imagination is essential for navigating an uncertain future. Ultimately, this episode invites us to reconsider what truly matters, embrace our capacity for change and recognise that our humanity lies not in perfection or efficiency, but in our ability to feel, connect, grow and simply be.

In this episode of The Learning Future Podcast, Louka Parry is joined by educator, entrepreneur and Future Anything founder Nicole Dyson to explore what learning needs to become in a world being rapidly reshaped by AI. Together, they challenge the false divide between knowledge and capabilities, arguing instead for capability rich learning, where young people build strong foundations of knowledge and then learn how to apply what they know in complex, unpredictable and unfamiliar contexts. Nicole discusses why engagement matters, how AI is changing the skills young people will need beyond school, and why capabilities such as agility, communication, collaboration and agency cannot be developed through linear learning experiences alone. The conversation also turns the lens back on educators. If we want young people to become explorers, risk-takers and adaptive thinkers, teachers and schools need the confidence to experiment too, loosening control, staying intellectually curious and creating learning environments where both educators and students can operate at their growth edge.

In a world increasingly driven by technology, Isabelle Hau emphasizes a shift back to what makes us truly human: our relational abilities. During her conversation with Louka Parry on the Learning Future Podcast, Isabelle champions the idea of relational intelligence, arguing that the future of education and work will hinge on our capacity to connect, collaborate, and navigate complex social landscapes.

In this episode of the Learning Future Podcast, Louka Parry connects with Guy Claxton and Emily Poel, authors of Bodies of Learning: How Embodiment Science Transforms Education. Their conversation dives deep into the relationship between our physical selves and the learning process, shedding light on how embodiment can reshape our understanding of intelligence and education. Guy challenges the tendency to equate intelligence with intellect alone. He argues for a broader understanding of intelligence that includes movement, perception, emotion, intuition, physical experience and action — what he and Emily describe as the body-mind. Emily brings a practical lens to embodiment — particularly the importance of reconnecting with our own experience, noticing the body, creating space for reflection, and allowing learners and educators to experiment with what helps them learn.

In this episode, Louka Parry speaks with architect, urban designer and author Danish Kurani about the powerful but often overlooked role of physical space in shaping how we think, feel and learn. From classrooms and homes to supermarkets and cities, Danish argues that design is never neutral. It influences behaviour, wellbeing, creativity and connection in ways we rarely notice until we learn to see it. Together, they explore what great learning environments require, why flexible furniture alone is not enough, and how educators, leaders and parents can become more intentional designers of the spaces that shape human flourishing.

In this episode of The Learning Future Podcast, Louka Parry speaks with Andreas Schleicher, Director for Education and Skills at the OECD, about the changing purpose of education in an age of AI, uncertainty and rapid technological change. Together, they explore how technology is shifting from being merely a tool to something that challenges what it means to be human. Andreas reflects on both the promise and risk of AI in education: its capacity to free teachers from routine tasks and personalise learning, but also its tendency to encourage cognitive offloading, weaken social connection and erode essential human capabilities if used poorly. Louka and Andreas also discuss the changing role of teachers, not as content deliverers, but as mentors, designers of learning environments and builders of human connection. Drawing on examples from high-performing systems such as Estonia, Andreas highlights the importance of teacher professionalism, collaborative culture, student belonging and a more intentional design of schools as social spaces.

In this episode, Louka Parry is joined by Justin Reich, Associate Professor of Digital Media at MIT and Director of the MIT Teaching Systems Lab, for a thoughtful conversation about AI, schooling and the future of learning. Together, they explore how generative AI is disrupting familiar classroom practices, why friction and productive struggle still matter deeply for learning, and how schools can respond when there is no clear “best practice” to follow. Justin argues that educators should be cautious of easy answers and instead listen closely to students and teachers, run local experiments, and assess what is actually improving learning rather than just performance. The conversation also dives into assessment, agency, cognition, technology’s mixed record in education, and the importance of humility in a time of rapid change. It’s a rich and grounded discussion about uncertainty, experimentation, and what schools should hold onto as they navigate an AI-shaped future.

In this episode of The Learning Future Podcast, Louka Parry speaks with David Rogier, CEO and co-founder of MasterClass, about how technology, AI, and changing workforce demands are reshaping the future of learning. David shares the origin of MasterClass, why great education should also be engaging, and how personalized, AI-supported learning could dramatically accelerate skill development. Together, they explore the rise of agency, the growing value of generalists and lifelong learners, and why schools and universities must shift from static knowledge delivery to helping people learn how to learn. The conversation also touches on identity, adaptability, meaningful work, and what it will take to build more human-centered learning experiences in a rapidly changing world.

In this episode of The Learning Future Podcast, Louka Parry speaks with Professor Pascale Quester, Vice-Chancellor and President of Swinburne University of Technology, about what higher education must become in an age of AI, rapid change and growing complexity. Pascale challenges the deep conservatism that still shapes education, arguing that universities must move beyond inherited models like lectures and exams and instead rethink assessment, learning and capability from the ground up. Together, they explore the role of productive struggle in learning, the difference between friction that supports growth and friction that blocks access, and why authentic assessment matters more than ever.The conversation also examines Swinburne’s bold strategic direction, including its focus on personalised learning, technological infusion, entrepreneurial thinking and global relevance without simply replicating itself everywhere. Pascale makes a compelling case for a more human-centred, adaptive and differentiated university model—one that builds resilience, welcomes discomfort, and prepares learners not just with knowledge or skills, but with the capacity to keep learning for life. At its core, this episode is a powerful reflection on unlearning, transformation and the future of universities in a world that urgently needs stronger, wiser and more capable humans.