Season 2, Episode 5

How STEM can help students to think for tomorrow

Instead of going, “How are we going to solve radiation in space?” You know, really hard science… What we do to flip that instead is… “Okay, if humans are going to Mars, they’re going to be away from Earth for 3-4 years minimum. So, what kind of base are you going to design that will mean the humans are happy living away?””

– Jonathan Nalder

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Episode Transcription

Teaching students to think for tomorrow with Jonathan Nalder

What does the future of creativity and innovation look like and how do we get students involved?

In this episode of Fueling Creativity, Dr. Cyndi Burnett and Dr. Matthew Worwood speak with Jonathan Nalder, a globally awarded innovator in education and Chief Futures Officer at STEM Punks, about the best practices for integrating digital tools and forward thinking in learning environments.

Listen in as Jonathan shares his thoughts on why future trends are important in education, how STEM is connected to creativity, and the trends you can expect in education in the next 10-15 years.

They also discuss the role of empathy in design thinking, how he and STEM Punks are preparing students to work in collaboration with machines and AI, and the strategies he uses in project-based learning environments to get students thinking about potential human problems of the future. Then, he sheds light on his program, First School on Mars; and how it has grown over the years.

Jonathan’s Tips for Parents & Teachers:

Make time for exploring in the classroom and give your students agency within that.

Bring physical props into the classroom.

Think about human relationships in relation to technology.

Visit FutureWe.org and STEMPunks.com.au to gain access to powerful resources and become a part of our community!

About the Guest

Jonathan has spent 19 years as a creative ideas factory, scaffolder of change, and builder of supportive communities with education and training organizations, businesses, entrepreneurs, schools and space professionals. He spends up to 90 minutes every day researching future trends so he can distill this with his experience as a visual story-teller, planner, teacher, and writer so that communities of practice world-wide can benefit.

Connect with Jonathan:

Connect with him on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jonathannalder

Episode Debrief

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Podcast Sponsor

We are thrilled to partner with Curiosity 2 Create as our sponsor, a company that shares our commitment to fostering creativity in education. Curiosity 2 Create empowers educators through professional development and community support, helping them integrate interactive, creative thinking approaches into their classrooms. By moving beyond traditional lecture-based methods, they help teachers create dynamic learning environments that enhance student engagement, improve academic performance, and support teacher retention. With a focus on collaborative learning and exploration, Curiosity 2 Create is transforming classrooms into spaces where students thrive through continuous engagement and growth.

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