On Episode 96 of #LearningStories, I chat with Dr. Punam Medh. Punam is a science educator, passionate about reimagining how teachers learn. Drawing on a Ph.D. in Education she works at the intersection of science education, instructional design and teacher professional development. She is an experienced instructional designer in the eLearning and Education Technology space where she has held key leadership and strategic roles for over two decades. She has experience in creating digital and hybrid learning experiences that connect organizational goals with employee learning needs. A sustained interest in using stories as a powerful medium for making learning more engaging, accessible, and meaningful shapes both her work in instructional design and science education.
Show Chapters
(00:02) - Podcast Introduction
(00:20) - Guest Background
(01:25) - Stories from Punam's childhood
(02:08) - "I have been a learner forever"
(02:20) - Parent's Influence
(03:20) - "Stories always helped me as a learner"
(03:55) - Stories of Scientists in School Textbooks
(06:20) - Teachers that had an impact on my life
(09:30) - Why did you study Chemistry at the Undergradute Level?
(10:22) - "My mother was a chemist and worked in a chemical factory"
(12:20) - Learning about computers and programming languages in college
(12:50) - "I started writing code in BASIC"
(13:20) - Experience as a corporate trainer
(15:20) - Working as an Instructional Designer with the TATA Group
(17:40) - "I wanted to bring instructional design to more schools in India"
(18:30) - Starting an instructional design organization called iDesign Skills
(21:30) - What is instructional design? What do instructional designers do?
(25:00) - Pursuing an MA in Elementary Education at TISS
(28:30) - How children tell stories?
(36:40) - What was your Ph.D. thesis about?
(37:00) - "I wanted to understand how to bring stories into science in education"
(38:00) - "Science is collaborative and creative"
(40:00) - How teachers can use stories in the classroom
(41:30) - Main findings from thesis and teacher interactions
(44:00) - The story of Lise Meitner
(57:00) - Closing Notes
Show Links
Punam on Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/punam-medh-ph-d-328982232/
Punam on Twitter - https://x.com/pmedh/with_replies
Punam on Research Gate - https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Punam-Medh-2
iDesign Skills - http://www.idesignskills.com/
Epistoria - https://www.epistoria.in/
Show Description
#LearningStories is an audio and video show where we interview a diverse set of learners from the 21st century. Each guest profiled here has a unique story to share about how they acquired a set of valuable skills and knowledge in a creative and innovative manner.
Show Description
Learning Stories is an audio and video show where we interview a diverse set of learners from the 21st century. Each guest profiled here has a unique story to share about how they acquired a set of valuable skills and knowledge in a creative and innovative manner.
