The Brighter Side of Education: Research, Innovation & Resources

Hosted by Dr. Lisa Hassler, The Brighter Side of Education: Research, Innovation, & Resources is a Continuing Professional Development (CPD) accredited podcast that offers innovative solutions to educational challenges. We bring together research, expert insights, and practical resources to help teachers and parents tackle everything from classroom management to learning differences. Every episode focuses on turning common education challenges into opportunities for growth. Whether you're a teacher looking for fresh ideas or a parent wanting to better support your child's learning, we've got actionable strategies you can use right away.

The podcast's music was created by Brandon Picciolini from The Lonesome Family Band. You can explore more of his work on Instagram.

Podcasting since 2022 • 91 episodes

The Brighter Side of Education: Research, Innovation & Resources

Latest Episodes

How Adaptive Learning Changes Teaching Without Replacing It

If a student can get a perfectly tailored lesson from AI in seconds, what exactly is the teacher’s job, and what does school become? That question sits underneath every new adaptive platform, every AI policy debate, and every parent’s uneasy fe...

October 01, 2026 • Season 4 • Episode 90 • 28:17

How to Identify and Treat Math Anxiety in Learners| Dr. Aditya Nagrath

We talk with mathematician and computer scientist, Dr. Aditya Nagrath, about why students avoid math even when they are capable and how confusion can harden into anxiety over time. We...

September 03, 2026 • Season 4 • Episode 89 • 26:17

History as the Human Story: Teaching Students to Think, Question, and Live Wisely

History is the human story, a way of seeing the world and our place in it.In this episode of The Brighter Side of Education, Dr. Lisa Hassler welcomes back historian and Associate Professor

August 06, 2026 • Season 4 • Episode 88 • 34:19

Why Kids Miss School: A Human-Centered Approach to Absenteeism | Dr. Ivory Toldson

Chronic absenteeism keeps getting described as a kid problem, but the evidence tells a different story. When we label students as “disengaged,” we miss what is often right in front of us: unreliable transportation, health crises, caregiving dem...

May 21, 2026 • Season 4 • Episode 87 • 31:49

When Schools Can’t Find the Right Teacher: Expanding Access to Learning

A student’s future should not depend on whether their school can find a qualified chemistry teacher this year—but that’s often how geography-bound education works.When the PISA 2022 report revealed declines in performance and widening ga...

April 09, 2026 • Season 4 • Episode 86 • 24:26