Dirk van Meer is co-founder of Core Changemakers. 5 years ago Dirk got together with 3 friends with the idea of creating a student team that focuses on a sustainable economy. 

Fast forward to today and there are 160 students who have joined and they are working on innovative projects like reducing battery fires and recycling solar panels!

In this conversation we talk about:

• the importance of creating a supportive and inclusive environment for like-minded individuals to connect, collaborate, and learn from one another.
• the challenge of choosing between pursuing financially lucrative opportunities and staying true to the mission and values of a community\
• how certain traits associated with autism can be leveraged as strengths in entrepreneurship
• overcoming challenges, showcasing the resilience and determination required to build and sustain a successful startup ecosystem

Learn about Core Changemakers at www.core-changemakers.com

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Find other episodes on > https://www.innovatorscanlaugh.com

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gq9WcdRAVnk/channel/UCMZz4aC1lhYDlwvoOrpsUZg

Connect with me on LinkedIn > https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericmelchor

Get the Innovators Can Laugh newsletter > https://innovatorscanlaugh.substack.com/

***

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Previous guests include: Arvid Kahl of FeedbackPanda, Andrei Zinkevich of FullFunnel, Scott Van den Berg of Influencer Capital, Buster Franken of Fruitpunch AI, Valentin Radu of Omniconvert, Evelina Necula of Kinderpedia, Ionut Vlad of Tokinomo, Diana Florescu of MediaforGrowth, Irina Obushtarova of Recursive, Monika Paule of Caszyme, Yannick Veys of Hypefury, Laura Erdem of Dreamdata, and Pija Indriunaite of CityBee.

Check out our five most downloaded episodes:

From Uber and BCG to building a telehealth for pets startup with Michael Fisher

From Starcraft Player to Maximizing Customer Lifetime Value with Valentin Radu

Revolutionizing Parent-Teacher Communication with Kinderpedia

...

Unravel the dynamic relationship between podcast & curriculum, both as a part of it, and a driving force behind it, with Dr. Gelareh Farhadian and Dave Keighron from the University Canada West. Through insightful anecdotes, learn how the "Innovation Fuel" podcast emerged as a powerful educational tool, teaching critical thinking and practical skills through real world case studies and cultivating invaluable networking opportunities for students. The unique role their producer plays in curating meaningful content and driving collaboration is also visited. Explore the symbiotic relationship between podcast and classroom, and unearth the unexpected outcomes and career-readiness benefits it offers to both students and educators.

(00:00:00) Introduction

Jen and Neil provide some background on UCW, and introduce Dr. Gelareh Farhadian and Dave Keighron  of the "Innovation Fuel" podcast from the University of Canada West.

(00:03:05) The origins of Innovation Fuel

Learn what began "Innovation Fuel" and the unexpected learner benefits that have grown out of it

(00:06:42) The Prototyping Process

Dave & Gelareh discuss how the podcast has evolved from a conceptual idea, and what they have learned and changed along the way

(00:12:12) Podcast as Curriculum

Unravel the different ways of integrating the podcasting into the curriculum, and how the podcast has shaped the curriculum.

(00:16:34) The Vital Role of the Producer

Dave & Gelareh expand on how working with Tomas, their producer, has positively evolved their podcast through his connections and relationships with students, faculty, & the business community.

(00:18:32) The Feedback Loop

Discover the multitude of channels that Dave & Gelareh are receiving feedback and applying it to the podcast

(00:20:45) True Evergreen Content

Not only do past episodes continue to be available and serve as learning tools for students, Dave & Gelareh explain how they are building these up with followup and expanding their storytelling for learning and continuing to explore new solutions.

(00:22:09) Parting Wisdom: Podcasting Takeaways

Dave shares his advice to start doing, and Reid Hoffman’s “ Build your airplane as you’re falling off the cliff.”

(00:27:46) Conclusion & closing.

Neil & Jenn share their key takeaways from the episode.

• (00:00) - Introduction
• (03:05) - The origins of Innovation Fuel
• (06:42) - The Prototyping Process
• (12:12) - Podcast as Curriculum
• (16:34) - The Vital Role of the Producer
• (18:32) - The Feedback Loop
• (20:45) - True Evergreen Content
• (22:09) - Parting Wisdom: Podcasting Takeaways
• (27:46) - Conclusion

How Elementary Teachers Start With Project-Based Learning

Renee Heinrich & I put our heads together on this podcast to talk about project-based learning.

What is project-based learning, and what does it look like in the classroom?

Renee tells us how project-based learning differs from STEM and how to stretch the band-with of what we are teaching our students to go deeper in their projects & challenges. Renee explains an actual project that she has going on with her students currently!

Links mentioned in the show

STEM Con Details and Sign Up

Science School Yard

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Are you subscribed to my podcast? If you’re not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode. I’m adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the mix and if you’re not subscribed there’s a good chance you’ll miss out on those. Click here for iTunes. 

Now if you’re feeling extra loving, I would be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find my podcast and they’re also fun for me to go in and read. Click here to leave a review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you!  

Subscribe and Review:

Are you subscribed to my podcast? If you’re not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode. I’m adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the mix, and if you’re not subscribed, there’s a good chance you’ll miss out on those. Click here for iTunes.

Now, if you’re feeling extra loving, I would be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find my podcast, and they’re also fun for me to go in and read. Click here to leave a review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review,” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you!