Podcast

Mr Barton Maths podcast

AI in Education with Joe Liemandt

Craig speaks to Joe Liemandt, principal of Alpha School and founder of Trilogy Software, about the model behind the school’s two-hour academic day. They cover selection effects, what does and does not scale, the data the apps generate, the future of the teaching profession, and Alpha’s plans for the UK.

AI in Education with Zach Groshell

Returning guest Zach Groshell, author of Just Tell Them, explains how he designs Direct Instruction maths apps for Alpha School. They cover the US school system, why most education apps fail, how atomisation and mastery work on a screen, the limits of data and motivation, and why he chose a different school for his own daughter.

AI in Education with Dylan Wiliam

In this AI in Education episode, Craig Barton welcomes back Dylan Wiliam to discuss what generative and extractive AI mean for assessment, teaching and the purpose of schooling. Wiliam argues the evidence base is thin, urges caution about education’s long feedback loops, and distinguishes cognitive offloading from cognitive outsourcing.

What do 10,000 teachers think about AI?

Grainne Hallahan, formerly an English teacher, now runs the questions at Teacher Tapp — the app that surveys more than 10,000 teachers a day. She came on with five AI-related findings from the archive, on cheating, lesson planning, attendance targets, and whole-school policies, plus three favourite Teacher Tapp findings to finish.

AI in Education with Becky Allen

In this long-awaited sequel (eight years after her last appearance), Craig welcomes back Becky Allen — education researcher, co-founder of Teacher Tap, co-author of The Teacher Gap, and now a consultant to the US-based Alpha School chain — for a deep dive into AI in education, with a particular focus on AI as a personal tutor. Becky is a self-confessed AI optimist who uses LLMs for almost everything (with a fervent endorsement of WhisperFlow voice transcription as a game-changer for giving models richer context). She walks through what she’s been seeing inside Alpha School, where students do roughly two hours a day on AI-powered learning apps and spend the rest of their time on project-based learning, sports, and life skills.

Building an AI tutor with Google DeepMind with Bibi Groot (Eedi’s Chief Impact Officer)

In this episode of the Mr Barton Maths podcast, Craig sits down with Bibi Groot, behavioural scientist at Eedi, to unpack the rigorous research behind their ed-tech work. Bibi traces her journey from the UK’s Behavioural Insights Team — where she applied frameworks like EAST (Easy, Attractive, Social, Timely) to public policy — to becoming Eedi’s first behavioural scientist after a stint completing a PhD at UCL and having twins. The conversation builds methodically from the fundamentals of randomised control trials (and why they’re so notoriously difficult to run well in schools) through the headline results of Eedi’s two-year, 20-school RCT showing that students using the platform gained the equivalent of two to four extra months of progress, before diving into the much-publicised Google DeepMind collaboration.

AI in Education with Dan Meyer

A decade after his first appearance on the podcast, Dan Meyer returns to discuss the intersection of AI and mathematics education. Now leading AI feature development at Amplify (which acquired Desmos), Dan brings a uniquely balanced perspective—simultaneously a critic of AI’s most maximalist claims and an active builder of AI tools for the classroom. Craig and Dan dig into three core areas: AI as a personal tutor, AI for teacher professional development, and AI for assessment.

AI in Education with Simon Woodhead (Eedi’s Chief Data Scientist)

In this episode, I welcome my friend and Eedi co-founder, Dr Simon Woodhead. We dive into the evolution of educational technology, data collection, and AI’s role in personalised learning. Join us as we reflect on past innovations, current challenges, and future opportunities in edtech, data science, and AI integrations in education.

AI in Education with Carl Hendrick

Education expert Carl Hendrick discusses the transformative potential of AI in education, emphasising how AI can enhance learning science, curriculum design, and personalised instruction. He explores the differences this time around compared to past EdTech innovations and offers insights into practical applications and future implications.

AI in Education with Adam Boxer

Discover the nuanced debate around AI’s role in education through an in-depth conversation with science teacher and author, Adam Boxer. We explore both the exciting potentials and significant pitfalls of AI tools in teaching, assessment, and resource development.

AI in Education with Barbara Oakley

A long-awaited conversation with Barbara Oakley, distinguished professor of engineering, bestselling author, and creator of the world’s most popular online course “Learning How to Learn.” Barbara shares her remarkable journey from hating maths in school to becoming a champion of cognitive science-based teaching, and brings her expertise in memory and learning to bear on the rapidly evolving world of AI in education. Across four key areas—personalised tutoring, assessment, lesson planning, and teacher professional development—Barbara offers a refreshingly optimistic yet pragmatic take on how generative AI can support learning, while issuing strong warnings about the dangers of constructivist approaches in an AI-enabled world.

AI in Education with Daisy Christodoulou

In this in-depth interview, Daisy Christodoulou explores the evolution of AI in education assessment, focusing on the capabilities and limitations of large language models and AI auto-marking systems. She discusses the history, current state, and future potential of AI in assessment, emphasising the importance of human oversight and the challenges of AI interpretability. Daisy Christodoulou discusses the impact of AI on education, assessment, professional development, and resource creation, emphasising the importance of human oversight and strategic integration of technology.

AI and Education – episode 3 (with Neil Almond)

In this episode, Craig Barton and Neil Almond discuss the evolving landscape of AI in education, focusing on recent developments, cost implications, and the potential of AI to enhance teaching and learning. They explore the challenges of integrating AI into lesson planning, the future of homework, and the importance of maintaining accountability in educational practices. The conversation highlights the need for educators to adapt to these changes while ensuring that AI serves as a supportive tool rather than a replacement for traditional teaching methods. In this conversation, Neil Almond and Craig Barton explore the implications of AI in education, focusing on Neil Postman’s technology principles.

AI and Education – episode 2 (with James Radburn)

In this episode of the Mr Barton Maths podcast, Craig Barton interviews James Radburn, a digital innovation lead in education. James shares his journey in the education sector, emphasizing the importance of technology and digital strategies, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. He discusses his skepticism towards technology while recognizing its potential to enhance pedagogical practices. The conversation delves into the emergence of AI in education, practical applications of AI, and the importance of engaging with research.

AI and Education – episode 1 (with Neil Almond)

In this episode of the Mr Barton Maths podcast, Craig Barton welcomes Neil Almond, a primary school teacher and educator, to discuss his journey in education, the challenges faced by new teachers, and the impact of AI on the teaching profession. Neil shares his experiences, including his favorite failure during his NQT year, and reflects on the importance of effective teaching practices.