Dr. Rovy Branon is the Vice Provost at Continuum College at the University of Washington. He joins host Mike Palmer in a conversation about reaching and teaching adult learners across the fullspan of their lives. We begin by hearing Rovy’s “origin story” starting as a student who was advised that he wasn’t cut out for college and then proceeding through a series of engagements in formal education across his professional life culminating in a career in educational technology focused on extending access to adult learners in ways that fit into their lives. Along the way, he played drums in a heavy metal band and came around to lifelong learning with the birth of his son. We talk through two books connected to the idea of the 60-year curriculum: The 100-Year Life: Living and Working in the Age of Longevity and Learning at the Back Door: Reflections on Non-Traditional Learning in the Lifespan as we begin to flesh out a vision for continued education and upskilling across an increasingly long work life. Rovy shares his perspectives on emerging technical skills like DAOs, crypto, and web3 before diving into the role that private enterprise and big tech are playing in the certificate and skills-based pathways that are growing in relevance and popularity at Continuum College and across continuing education institutions more broadly. It’s a wide-ranging and visionary look at the future of adult education that you don’t want to miss. Subscribe to Trending in Education wherever you get your podcasts. Visit us at TrendinginEd.com for more sharp takes on the future of learning.

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