Podcast appearances and mentions of albert cheng

In this week's episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng and the Center for Public Schools' Alisha Searcy interview Kerry McDonald, Senior Education Fellow at the Foundation for Economic Education (FEE), host of the LiberatED podcast, and author of Joyful Learning: How to Find Freedom, Happiness, and Success Beyond Conventional Schooling (2025). […]

In this week's episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng and Eos Foundation's Andrea Silbert interview Dr. Gil Troy, senior fellow at the Jewish People Policy Institute, Distinguished Scholar in North American History at McGill University, and editor of Theodor Herzl: The Collected Zionist Writings and Addresses of Israel's Founder. He offers […]

In this week's episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng and Great Hearts Academies' Dr. Helen Baxendale interview Dr. Kathryn Hughes, academic historian and award-winning author of George Eliot: The Last Victorian. Dr. Hughes discusses the significance of 19th-century novelist Mary Ann Evans, better known by her pen name George Eliot, in […]

In this week's episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng and Great Hearts Academies' Dr. Helen Baxendale interview Dr. Kathryn Hughes, academic historian and award-winning author of George Eliot: The Last Victorian. Dr. Hughes discusses the significance of 19th-century novelist Mary Ann Evans, better known by her pen name George Eliot, in shaping British literature and capturing the societal tensions of the Victorian era. She highlights Eliot's formative years in rural Warwickshire, her intellectual and scandalous personal relationship with the philosopher George Henry Lewes, and how her unconventional experiences shaped her writing. Additionally, she delves into Eliot's most celebrated works, including Adam Bede, Silas Marner, and Middlemarch. Dr. Hughes reflects on recurring themes of marriage, women's roles, and political reform, solidifying her reputation as one of the greatest writers of the 19th century and ensuring her lasting impact on modern readers. She concludes the interview with an excerpt from her book, George Eliot: The Last Victorian.

In this week's episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng and American Federation for Children Senior Fellow Shaka Mitchell interview John Kirtley, Managing Partner and co-founder of Keswick Partners, and founder and Chairman of Step Up For Students, a nonprofit that manages Florida's state-funded K-12 scholarship programs serving over half a million students. Kirtley shares his journey from the private sector into education reform in the late 1990s, and why business leaders must actively engage in shaping K-12 policy. He reflects on Florida's steady, incremental expansion of school choice programs, explaining how this long-term approach built a critical mass of school choice families despite longstanding opposition, and offers lessons for newer ESA states like Arizona, Texas, and Iowa that seek to accelerate growth. Mr. Kirtley addresses challenges ahead, from ensuring a strong supply of high-quality private schools to managing the complexities of universal ESA programs. He also discusses how to measure and maintain accountability in parent-driven school choice programs, strategies to reverse stagnating NAEP scores, and the opportunities presented by the new federal education tax credit program.

In this week's episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng and Pioneer Senior Fellow Charlie Chieppo interview award-winning journalist and New York Times bestselling author Jane Leavy. Ms. Leavy discusses her lifelong love of baseball, and her forthcoming book, Make Me Commissioner: I Know What's Wrong with Baseball and How to Fix It, which comes out in September. She reflects on the magic of the Cape Cod Baseball League, contrasting it with today's Major League Baseball, and explores the commissioner's role since the tenure of Bart Giamatti in the 1980s. Leavy examines how labor disputes, steroid scandals, and the rise of Big Data have reshaped the game, fueling declining popularity, unprecedented pitcher injuries, and frustration among fans and Hall of Famers alike. At the same time, she highlights ways in which analytics have boosted performance at cutting-edge training centers like Driveline in Washington State. She shares candid insights on MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred's media ambitions, the sport's future, and her vision for restoring baseball's timeless beauty. In closing, Ms. Leavy reads a passage from her book, Make Me Commissioner: I Know What's Wrong with Baseball and How to Fix It.

This week on The Learning Curve, co-hosts U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng and Ret. MN Supreme Court Justice Barry Anderson interviews Prof. Keith Hylton, William Fairfield Warren Distinguished Professor and Professor of Law at Boston University. Prof. Hylton shares insights from his academic career and the book Laws of Creation: Property Rights in the World of Ideas, which he co-authored. The discussion […]

This week on The Learning Curve, co-hosts U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng and Ret. MN Supreme Court Justice Barry Anderson interview Prof. Keith Hylton, William Fairfield Warren Distinguished Professor and Professor of Law at Boston University. Prof. Hylton shares insights from his academic career and the book Laws of Creation: Property Rights in the World of Ideas, which he co-authored. The discussion explores how Enlightenment thinkers like John Locke and Adam Smith helped shape the legal framework for property rights and the free market in the U.S., and how these ideas are central to understanding our modern economy. Prof. Hylton explains the constitutional foundations of American intellectual property (IP) law, Thomas Jefferson's role in establishing the U.S. Patent Office, and how historic inventors like Thomas Edison exemplify American experimentation, innovation, and economic dynamism.  He also covers trade secrets, copyright law, and the tension between protecting inventors' individual patent rights and today's calls for free access to copyrighted online content. Hylton addresses global challenges, including cyber theft and piracy, and reflects on key legal cases that define international IP enforcement. Prof. Hylton also shares three major takeaways he hopes high school and undergraduate students will understand about the importance of intellectual property rights in sustaining American rule of law, innovation, and economic growth. He concludes with a reading from his book, Laws of Creation: Property Rights in the World of Ideas.

This week on The Learning Curve, co-hosts U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng and Ret. MN Supreme Court Justice Barry Anderson interview Pulitzer Prize-winning historian and Pepperdine Law's, Prof. Edward Larson. Prof. Larson marks the 100th anniversary of the Scopes “Monkey Trial,” a landmark case in America's long-running debate over science, religion, and public education. Drawing on his acclaimed book Summer for the Gods, Prof. Larson […]

This week on The Learning Curve, co-hosts U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng and Ret. MN Supreme Court Justice Barry Anderson interview Pulitzer Prize-winning historian and Pepperdine Law's, Prof. Edward Larson. Prof. Larson marks the 100th anniversary of the Scopes “Monkey Trial,” a landmark case in America's long-running debate over science, religion, and public education. Drawing on his acclaimed book Summer for the Gods, Prof. Larson provides historical context for the trial, which centered on high school teacher John Scopes, charged with violating Tennessee's Butler Act against teaching evolution. Larson explores the cultural tensions of the 1920s—religious fundamentalism, immigration, and rapid social change—that set the stage for the courtroom showdown between famed attorneys Clarence Darrow and William Jennings Bryan. He describes the media frenzy, the dramatic legal arguments, and the trial's verdict, offering insights into how the case became a defining moment in American civic life. He highlights the ongoing role of public schools, the enduring clash between modern science and religious belief, and the trial's lasting legacy. Prof. Larson closes the interview with a reading from Summer for the Gods.

This week on The Learning Curve, co-hosts U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng and Dr. Helen Baxendale of Great Hearts Academies interview longtime public education champion and Learning Curve co-host Alisha Searcy. Alisha joins the show as a guest to share her story and insights into K-12 public education reform. Herself a product of public-school choice, she […]

This week on The Learning Curve, co-hosts U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng and Dr. Helen Baxendale of Great Hearts Academies interview longtime public education champion and Learning Curve co-host Alisha Searcy. Alisha joins the show as a guest to share her story and insights into K-12 public education reform. Herself a product of public-school choice, she discusses how those early experiences shaped her belief in accessible, high‑quality schooling for all students. Elected to the Georgia House at age 23, Alisha spent six terms crafting key education reform laws and policies, including the intradistrict transfer law and the charter school authorizer amendment, that sought to put students at the center of school reform efforts. She then transitioned into school leadership, serving as superintendent of a network of charter public schools in metro Atlanta, where she led dramatic academic improvement and operational turnaround. Drawing on both her legislative and schoolhouse experience, Alisha now leads an ambitious effort like Center for Strong Public Schools (CSPS) and CSPS Action, to support center-left state policymakers in navigating education challenges and designing student‑first public schools. In closing, she explains why the current moment presents unique opportunities to strengthen K-12 public education, especially in Southern states that are facing both pressing achievement needs and prospective school innovations.

In this week's episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts Alisha Searcy and U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng interview University of Maryland Emeritus Professor of English Vincent Carretta. Prof. Carretta explores the extraordinary life and enduring legacy of the first African-American to publish a book of poetry in English, Phillis Wheatley Peters. He offers insight into Phillis' […]

In this week's episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts Alisha Searcy and U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng interview University of Maryland Emeritus Professor of English Vincent Carretta. Prof. Carretta explores the extraordinary life and enduring legacy of the first African-American to publish a book of poetry in English, Phillis Wheatley Peters. He offers insight into Phillis' early life in West Africa, her transatlantic voyage aboard the slave ship Phillis, and her arrival in Boston in 1761. He discusses her enslavement by the Wheatley family, her exposure to Christianity during the Great Awakening, and her exceptional education in classical literature. Additionally, Prof. Carretta highlights how her poetry drew upon timeless poets like Homer, Virgil, Milton, and Pope, and how her first published works reflected themes of piety, imagination, and liberty. He concludes the interview with a reading of a passage from his book, Phillis Wheatley Peters: Biography of a Genius in Bondage.

We continue our Summer Playlist this week with Albert Cheng, CEO of the Singapore Bullion Market Association (SBMA). SmarterMarkets™ host David Greely sits down with Albert to discuss the SBMA's vision for Singapore to become a leading global center for the trading of gold and other precious metals – and the SBMA's roadmap to making that vision a reality.

In this week's episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng and Walter Blanks interview Dr. Michael Fitzpatrick, who has served as superintendent-director of the Blackstone Valley Vocational Regional School District since 1994. A leader in vocational-technical education, Dr. Fitzpatrick reflects on his own educational journey and offers insights into leadership that puts […]

In this week's episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng and Walter Blanks interview Dr. Michael Fitzpatrick, who has served as superintendent-director of the Blackstone Valley Vocational Regional School District since 1994. A leader in vocational-technical education, Dr. Fitzpatrick reflects on his own educational journey and offers insights into leadership that puts students first. He discusses how Massachusetts' voc-tech schools used the 1993 Education Reform Act's accountability tools like MCAS, standards, and school choice, to drive achievement, particularly for students with diverse learning needs. He shares how Valley Tech and other voc-techs built a nationally recognized culture that seamlessly integrates academics and occupational training, resulting in low dropout rates and success in national skills competitions. Dr. Fitzpatrick also delves into the critical partnerships among industry, organized labor, and higher education that have fueled reform. He addresses current policy debates over voc-tech admissions and recruitment practices, and how the voc-tech community has responded. Finally, he offers three key policy recommendations to strengthen vocational-technical education across the country, drawing on decades of hands-on leadership and reform experience.

In this week's episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts Alisha Searcy and U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng interview John Burt, the Paul Prosswimmer Professor of American Literature at Brandeis University. Prof. Burt offers rich insight into the life and work of one of the 20th century's greatest American writers, Robert Penn Warren. Raised in rural southwestern Kentucky, Warren was deeply shaped […]

In this week's episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts Alisha Searcy and U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng interview John Burt, the Paul Prosswimmer Professor of American Literature at Brandeis University. Prof. Burt offers rich insight into the life and work of one of the 20th century's greatest American writers, Robert Penn Warren. Raised in rural southwestern Kentucky, Warren was deeply shaped by the legacy of the Civil War, which he explored in his influential 1961 work, The Legacy of the Civil War, and throughout his poetry and fiction. Prof. Burt shares that as a young man at Vanderbilt, Warren was influenced by the “Fugitives” literary group and contributed to I'll Take My Stand: The South and the Agrarian Tradition, a decision he later deeply regretted. His Pulitzer-winning novel All the King's Men follows the rise and fall of populist governor Willie Stark, modeled in part on Huey Long and Julius Caesar, through the eyes of journalist Jack Burden, whose personal and philosophical journey mirrors Stark's. Prof. Burt shares that the novel wrestles with the limits of knowledge and the weight of moral responsibility, culminating in a powerful meditation on time, history, and the human condition.

In this week's episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng and Alisha Searcy interview Amanda McMullen, President & CEO of the New Bedford Whaling Museum (NBWM). Ms. McMullen explores NBWM's remarkable mission, collections, and economic impact on the Southcoast of Massachusetts. She discusses NBWM's historical roots in the 19th-century Yankee whaling industry that made New Bedford the wealthiest city in the world per capita. She […]

In this week's episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng and Alisha Searcy interview Amanda McMullen, President & CEO of the New Bedford Whaling Museum (NBWM). Ms. McMullen explores NBWM's remarkable mission, collections, and economic impact on the Southcoast of Massachusetts. She discusses NBWM's historical roots in the 19th-century Yankee whaling industry that made New Bedford the wealthiest city in the world per capita. She highlights the museum's iconic exhibits, including five full whale skeletons and the Lagoda, the world's largest model whaling ship. Ms. McMullen touches on the whaling industry's close relationship with Quaker abolitionists, the museum's unparalleled collections of scrimshaw and whale ship logbooks, as well as Herman Melville and Moby-Dick's literary legacy in New Bedford and beyond. In closing, she shares how NBWM reaches 140,000 people annually and contributes to the regional economy, while offering a preview of summer plans and exciting future projects under her leadership.

In this week's episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng and Alisha Searcy interview Benjamin Moynihan, Executive Director, and, William Crombie, Director of Professional Development, for the Algebra Project, Inc. Mr. Moynihan and Mr. Crombie reflect on the life and legacy of Civil Rights era icon, and math educator, Bob Moses. They trace Moses's journey from a Harlem upbringing and elite liberal arts education to his transformative […]

In this week's episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng and Alisha Searcy interview Benjamin Moynihan, Executive Director, and, William Crombie, Director of Professional Development, for the Algebra Project, Inc. Mr. Moynihan and Mr. Crombie reflect on the life and legacy of Civil Rights era icon, and math educator, Bob Moses. They trace Moses's journey from a Harlem upbringing and elite liberal arts education to his transformative grassroots activism in 1960s Mississippi, organizing Black voter registration and co-directing the Freedom Summer Project 1964. They discuss his collaboration with Mississippi sharecropper and Civil Rights era legend Fannie Lou Hamer, and his principled departure from the U.S. to raise a family and teach math in Tanzania, where his educational vision deepened. Bob Moses later founded the Algebra Project to confront math illiteracy as a modern civil rights issue, empowering students of color through community-based Algebra instruction. Moynihan and Crombie explore the Algebra Project's enduring mission; its pioneering role advocating for Algebra I as the gateway course to all higher-level math; and the importance of local buy-in for K-12 education reform. They reflect on Bob Moses's profound, often quiet leadership; Pulitzer-winning Civil Rights Movement historian Taylor Branch's high praise of his courageous voter registration work in Jim Crow Mississippi; and how the Algebra Project's grassroots model of organizing promotes access to high-level math instruction for all American schoolchildren.

In this special episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng and Charlie Chieppo interview New York Times bestselling American sportswriter, biographer, and author Jane Leavy.  Ms. Leavy offers a vivid exploration of Babe Ruth's life and towering legacy. Leavy sheds new light on Ruth's difficult Baltimore childhood, his formative years at St. Mary's Industrial School, and his remarkable early success as a star pitcher with the […]

In this special episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng and Charlie Chieppo interview New York Times bestselling American sportswriter, biographer, and author Jane Leavy.  Ms. Leavy offers a vivid exploration of Babe Ruth's life and towering legacy. Leavy sheds new light on Ruth's difficult Baltimore childhood, his formative years at St. Mary's Industrial School, and his remarkable early success as a star pitcher with the Boston Red Sox. She discusses Ruth's pivotal sale to the Yankees, his celebrity rise alongside New York City's 1920s boom, his legendary 1927 season with “Murderers' Row,” and his bittersweet final years. Ms. Leavy reflects on Babe Ruth legacy and why he remains the Ruthian symbol of American sports greatness. In closing, Ms. Leavy reads a passage from her book, The Big Fella: Babe Ruth and the World He Created.

In this episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng and Ret. MN Justice Barry Anderson speak with Wilfrid Prest, Emeritus Professor and Visiting Research Fellow in History and Law at the University of Adelaide in Australia, and biographer of Sir William Blackstone, among the most influential figures in the history of English common law. Prof. Prest discusses Blackstone's […]

In this episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng and Ret. MN Justice Barry Anderson speak with Wilfrid Prest, Emeritus Professor and Visiting Research Fellow in History and Law at the University of Adelaide in Australia, and biographer of Sir William Blackstone, among the most influential figures in the history of English common law. Prof. Prest discusses Blackstone's formative years in mid-18th-century London and at Pembroke College, Oxford, where a classical education, Enlightenment thought, and legal scholarship shaped his intellectual path. He describes Blackstone's early legal and academic career, including his role as the first Vinerian Professor of English Law and author of An Analysis of the Laws of England. Prest explores how Blackstone's Commentaries on the Laws of England brought clarity and coherence to England's centuries old legal tradition, drawing from foundational documents like Magna Carta and formative figures such as Bracton, Fortescue, and Coke. He examines the Commentaries' lasting impact on American Founding Fathers, including both admirers like Alexander Hamilton and Chief Justice John Marshall and critics like Thomas Jefferson. Prest concludes with reflections on Blackstone's enduring legacy in promoting the rule of law and legal education worldwide. In closing, Prof. Prest reads a passage from his book, William Blackstone: Law and Letters in the Eighteenth Century. 

In this episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts Alisha Searcy and U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng, speak with Michael Duffy, President of GO Tutor Corps, a nonprofit dedicated to closing achievement gaps through high-dosage tutoring in low-income communities. Mr. Duffy shares insights from his distinguished career in public service and education reform, beginning in Massachusetts state government under Governor Bill […]

In this episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts Alisha Searcy and U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng, speak with Michael Duffy, President of GO Tutor Corps, a nonprofit dedicated to closing achievement gaps through high-dosage tutoring in low-income communities. Mr. Duffy shares insights from his distinguished career in public service and education reform, beginning in Massachusetts state government under Governor Bill Weld and later in Boston's charter school movement. He reflects on the influence of the book Reinventing Government and the 1993 Massachusetts Education Reform Act, which helped make the Bay State a national leader in K–12 outcomes. Mr. Duffy also discusses Boston's charter sector, its formative leaders, and how its successful model migrated to New York City, where he worked under Chancellor Joel Klein and Mayor Michael Bloomberg to scale innovation in public education. Now leading GO Tutor Corps, Duffy describes the organization's intensive, relationship-based tutoring model as a powerful tool for addressing pandemic-related learning loss. He offers lessons for policymakers and educators across the country seeking to improve equity and academic outcomes for students most in need.

In this episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng and Pioneer's Mary Connaughton interview Ambassador Mary Ann Glendon, Harvard Law professor emerita and former U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See. Ambassador Glendon reflects on her formative education, mentors, and how law and faith have shaped her worldview. She discusses her admiration for Western Civilization's intellectual and spiritual heritage—especially Cicero, Edmund Burke, and […]

In this episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng and Pioneer’s Mary Connaughton interview Ambassador Mary Ann Glendon, Harvard Law professor emerita and former U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See. Ambassador Glendon reflects on her formative education, mentors, and how law and faith have shaped her worldview. She discusses her admiration for Western Civilization's intellectual and spiritual heritage—especially Cicero, Edmund Burke, and […]

In this episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng and Pioneer’s Mary Connaughton interview Ambassador Mary Ann Glendon, Harvard Law professor emerita and former U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See. Ambassador Glendon reflects on her formative education, mentors, and how law and faith have shaped her worldview. She discusses her admiration for Western Civilization's intellectual and spiritual heritage—especially Cicero, Edmund Burke, and […]

In this episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng and Pioneer's Mary Connaughton interview Ambassador Mary Ann Glendon, Harvard Law professor emerita and former U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See. Ambassador Glendon reflects on her formative education, mentors, and how law and faith have shaped her worldview. She discusses her admiration for Western Civilization's intellectual and spiritual heritage—especially Cicero, Edmund Burke, and the harmony of Catholicism with reason. Ambassador Glendon offers insights from her memoir In the Courts of Three Popes, recounting her service under Popes St. John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and Francis. She explores Vatican diplomacy, the Church's governance, the Vatican Bank, and key challenges facing the Church today, including the upcoming papal conclave. In closing, she reads a passage from her book, In the Courts of Three Popes.

In this episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng and Alisha Searcy interview Steven Wilson, a senior fellow at Pioneer Institute and a leading voice in education reform. Mr. Wilson discusses his journey into K-12 education policy, reflecting on his early work with Gov. Bill Weld and the landmark 1993 Massachusetts Education […]

In this episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng and Alisha Searcy interview Steven Wilson, a senior fellow at Pioneer Institute and a leading voice in education reform. Mr. Wilson discusses his journey into K-12 education policy, reflecting on his early work with Gov. Bill Weld and the landmark 1993 Massachusetts Education […]

In this episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng and Alisha Searcy interview Steven Wilson, a senior fellow at Pioneer Institute and a leading voice in education reform. Mr. Wilson discusses his journey into K-12 education policy, reflecting on his early work with Gov. Bill Weld and the landmark 1993 Massachusetts Education Reform Act (MERA), which helped propel the state's schools to national and international success. Steven highlights the contributions of Linda Brown and Building Excellent Schools in fostering high-performing charter leaders and networks and addresses the political and curricular challenges charters face today. Wilson also examines the academic stagnation that continued with the 2024 NAEP results, linking it to the adoption of Common Core and broader shifts in education policy. He explores the intersection of K-12 curricula with race- and class-based politics and discusses themes from his newly published book, The Lost Decade. He continues by discussing policy recommendations, calling for a renewed focus on rigorous academics to close achievement gaps and restore excellence and equality of opportunity in American education. In closing, Wilson reads a passage from The Lost Decade.

In this episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts Alisha Searcy and U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng interview Dr. Sheila Harrity, former Worcester Tech principal and nationally recognized vocational-technical education leader. Dr. Harrity shares insights from her distinguished career in voc-tech schooling. She discusses how Massachusetts voc-tech schools leveraged provisions of the 1993 Massachusetts Education Reform Act to achieve academic and occupational excellence, built strong partnerships […]

In this episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts Alisha Searcy and U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng interview Dr. Sheila Harrity, former Worcester Tech principal and nationally recognized vocational-technical education leader. Dr. Harrity shares insights from her distinguished career in voc-tech schooling. She discusses how Massachusetts voc-tech schools leveraged provisions of the 1993 Massachusetts Education Reform Act to achieve academic and occupational excellence, built strong partnerships with industry and higher ed, and dramatically reduced dropout rates. Dr. Harrity reflects on Worcester Tech's national acclaim, VIP visits from President Barack Obama and the late former Secretary of State Gen. Colin Powell, and school reform policy challenges, while offering three key strategies to strengthen urban voc-techs nationwide.

In this episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng and Dr. Helen Baxendale interview noted literary biographer, Dr. Jeffrey Meyers. Dr. Meyers discusses The Great Gatsby on its 100th anniversary. He explores F. Scott Fitzgerald's tragic life, his marriage to Zelda, and how their tumultuous relationship shaped his iconic novel. Dr. Meyers delves into the timeless themes of Gatsby's yearning, the elusive […]

In this episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng and Dr. Helen Baxendale interview noted literary biographer, Dr. Jeffrey Meyers. Dr. Meyers discusses The Great Gatsby on its 100th anniversary. He explores F. Scott Fitzgerald's tragic life, his marriage to Zelda, and how their tumultuous relationship shaped his iconic novel. Dr. Meyers delves into the timeless themes of Gatsby's yearning, the elusive American Dream, and 1920s decadence while analyzing major characters and symbols like Daisy, the green light, and Gatsby's reinvention of himself. He also reflects on Fitzgerald's later struggles and enduring literary legacy. In closing, Dr. Meyers reads a passage from his biography of F. Scott Fitzgerald.

In this episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts Alisha Searcy and U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng interview Dr. James Lynn Woodworth, research fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University and former commissioner of the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). Dr. Woodworth discusses the role of data in shaping K-12 education policy. He explores the […]

In this episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts Alisha Searcy and U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng interview Dr. James Lynn Woodworth, research fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University and former commissioner of the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). Dr. Woodworth discusses the role of data in shaping K-12 education policy. He explores the impact of assessments like NAEP, PISA, and TIMSS on global education trends, the challenges of declining U.S. student performance, and the uncertain effectiveness of federal K-12 spending. Dr. Woodworth also shares insights from his work at the Center for Research on Educational Outcomes (CREDO) on charter school results and the importance of data-driven policymaking in urban school districts. Finally, he highlights key education research priorities at Hoover and strategies for addressing achievement gaps nationwide.

In this episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng and Alisha Searcy interview Robert Enlow, president and CEO of EdChoice. Mr. Enlow discusses his decades of leadership in school choice advocacy, from his early work with the Milton and Rose Friedman Foundation to spearheading policy reforms nationwide. He examines the persistent stagnation in U.S. K-12 education despite […]

send us a text via Fan Mail!A fascinating conversation on a recent study of homeschooled adults.  Co-author Albert Cheng, PhD, is a Cardus senior fellow and associate professor in the Department of Education Reform at the University of Arkansas.Among his many achievements and areas of study, his research interests include character formation, school-choice policy, faith-based schooling, and homeschooling.  Our conversation about this study, Diverse Outcomes for a Diverse Population, reveals some interesting data about home educated adults as well as food for thought on our goals for family education.  Support the showContact On Instagram at @make.joy.normal By email at makejoynormal@gmail.com Search podcast episodes by topic Thanks for listening to Make Joy Normal Podcast!

In this episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng and Alisha Searcy interview Trish Schreiber, senior fellow in education at the Frontier Institute in Montana. Schreiber shares her journey from Silicon Valley to Montana and her passion for expanding educational opportunities. She discusses the impact of the United States Supreme Court's ruling in Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue, the state’s growing […]

In this week's episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng and Alisha Searcy interview Margaret Washington, the esteemed historian and author of Sojourner Truth's America. Prof. Washington delves into Truth's remarkable life, from her early years in slavery in New York to her transformation into a powerful abolitionist, women's rights advocate, and religiously driven reformer. She explores Northern […]

In this special St. Valentine’s Day episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng and Alisha Searcy interview renowned Shakespeare scholar Professor Sir Jonathan Bate to discuss the timeless tragedy, Romeo and Juliet. Exploring its enduring greatness, Sir Jonathan delves into Shakespeare's classical influences, particularly Ovid's Metamorphoses, and how Elizabethan literature shaped the portrayal of lovers. He examines the interplay of passion, violence, and fate in Verona's warring streets […]

In this episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng and Alisha Searcy interview Steven Wilson, a senior fellow at Pioneer Institute and a leading voice in education reform. Mr. Wilson discusses his journey into K-12 education policy, reflecting on his early work with Gov. Bill Weld and the landmark 1993 Massachusetts Education […]

In this episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng and Alisha Searcy interview historian Marcus Rediker, Distinguished Professor of Atlantic History at the University of Pittsburgh and author of The Amistad Rebellion. Prof. Rediker explores the 1839 slave revolt aboard the schooner La Amistad. He recounts the leadership of Sengbe Pieh (Joseph Cinqué) and the wider history and human toll of the transatlantic slave trade. Prof. Rediker details […]

In this episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng and Alisha Searcy interview Nicole Stelle Garnett, Associate Dean and John P. Murphy Foundation Professor of Law at Notre Dame Law School, and a national expert in education law and school choice. Dean Garnett discusses the vital role Catholic education plays in fostering faith, community, and the pursuit of “the true, the good, and the […]