100 Podcasts Educators and Education Leaders Should Check Out

This list of Podcasts for Educators and Education Leaders was last updated June 2023.

It has been roughly 15 years since the beginning of podcasting—a media format that, despite a slow start, has risen to peak popularity in the last few years. Things began to pick up for podcasting when Apple included a podcast player on the iPhone. Then, the format really gained traction when suddenly, and rather unexpectedly, Serial, the story of the disappearance of a popular Baltimore teen, went viral in 2014. Podcasts can be a great way to get up-to-date information about global, national and even local topics. We’ve curated a list of the best podcasts for educators and edleaders to help you sort through the many millions of podcast options.

More than half of Americans have listened to a podcast, and a third listen monthly. Maybe it’s a reflection of our busy lives—podcasts fit into the spaces in between: while working out, while commuting to work, while waiting in TSA pre-check lines (which are now longer than general boarding), and while cooking dinner.

Here’s an updated list of our favorites.

Podcasts On Teaching and Learning

Getting Smart Podcast: Check out more than 500 great conversations with innovative educators.

Cult of Pedagogy Podcast: One of the top education podcasts for years has been the Cult of Pedagogy podcast, hosted by Jennifer Gonzalez and featuring conversations on teaching strategies, classroom management, education reform, educational technology.

Free Range Humans: Free Range Humans is a podcast that explores “how we can make schools fit for human consumption.” Hosted by Jal Mehta, professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and Rod Allen, former district superintendent and Assistant Deputy Minister with the BC Ministry of Education.

Education Evolution: is a podcast about flexible learning environments and microschools by Maureen O’Shaughnessy.

Remaking Tomorrow: hosted by Greg Behr and powered by Remake Learning, a network of people and organizations that ignite engaging, relevant, and equitable learning practices in support of young people navigating rapid social and technological change.

What School Could Be Podcast: The vision of the What School Could Be Podcast is that innovation in education comes from the grassroots. Hosted by Josh Reppun, listen in to hear about great educators around the country.

Mindshift: MindShift explores the future of education by highlighting the innovative – and sometimes counterintuitive – ways educators are helping all children succeed.

Too Dope Teachers and a Mic: Hosts Kevin Adams and Gerardo Muñoz host this podcast about race, power, and education.

Rebel Educator Podcast: Join Tanya Sheckley and guests as they discuss how to shift the classroom, the learning environment, the mindset, and the pedagogy, to resist tradition, reignite wonder, and re-imagine the future of education.

Class Disrupted: Michael Horn and Diane Tavenner answer questions from parents and talk with educators and leading thinkers about how we can approach teaching and learning differently to better meet the needs of all students.

The Network: This podcast introduces profession-based learning and the educational model developed by the Center for Advanced Professional Studies (CAPS) to educators and entrepreneurs. Hosted by Corey Mohn.

Better Learning Podcast: The Better Learning Podcast is hosted by Kevin Stoller, CEO of Kay-Twelve and author of Creating Better Learning Environments and discusses the future of learning.

Learner-Centered Collaborative Podcast: Join this season’s host, Katie Martin, educator, author, mom and Chief Impact Officer of Learner-Centered Collaborative, as she explores challenges in education today and celebrates the bright spots in thought-provoking conversations with practitioners working to put learners at the center.

A Revolution in Education: Hosted by Chris Unger, A Revolution in Education highlights extraordinary educators moving the needle in education – creating learner-centered, community-embedded, agency-oriented learning opportunities for youth, ranging from superintendents, individuals spotlighting the need and possibilities, and those in the trenches doing the work.

Podcasts for Educators on EdPolicy

The Education Exchange: This weekly podcast includes stories, interviews, and discussions of the latest developments in education from ESSA to teacher professional development.

Education Gadfly: The Education Gadfly podcast from Fordham Institute discusses policy and reform. Each week, you’ll get lively, entertaining discussions of recent education news, usually featuring Fordham’s Mike Petrilli and David Griffith.

Podcasts for Educators on Higher Education

Times Higher Education: For our international listeners, this weekly UK HigherEd-focused program describes itself as the podcast “at the heart of the higher education debate.”

Future U: Michael Horn (@MichaelBHorn) and Jeff Selingo (@jselingo) discuss higher education.

Harvard EdCast: The Harvard EdCast is a weekly podcast about the ideas that shape education, from early learning through college and career

EduTrends: Join Tec de Monterrey’s international journey of discovery and creation of the future of higher education. Host Pepe Escamilla and other experts from diverse disciplines will showcase innovative pedagogies, technologies and other educational developments at the service of enhanced learning outcomes.

Podcasts for Educators on EdTech

EdSurge: Weekly podcast on edtech covering K-12 and higher ed (owned by ISTE).

Trends and Issues in Instructional Design: Abbie Brown and Tim Green review clips of the week and peer into their crystal ball.

Ignite EdTech Podcast: The Ignite EdTech Podcast is a weekly discussion around the world of educational technology, startups and everything education, led by leading, global EdTech consultant Craig Kemp.

Podcasts for Educators on Tech

Tech News Weekly: A great hour roundup of tech news (check out the whole TWIT library of tech pods).

Tech News Briefing: A daily briefing on tech news from the Wall Street Journal.

Marketplace Tech: Another daily briefing on tech news.

User Friendly: Weekly podcast from Deloitte on tech and business trends.

a16z Podcast Network: A group of podcasts on tech and venture from Andreessen Horowitz.

Podcasts for Educators on Leadership & Entrepreneurship

Tim Ferriss Show: Every week, Tim (4 Hour Work Week) posts a long interview with leaders in tech and entrepreneurship.

the Josh Bersin company: This podcast focuses on research and perspectives on Corporate Leadership, Talent, Learning, and HR Technology from The Josh Bersin Company, the global research leader in the ever changing world of work. More than 3 million listeners worldwide.

Trail Blazers: Walter Isaacson hosts a Dell-sponsored podcast reviewing historical innovations.

Curious Minds at Work: Leading innovation podcast with authors, innovators, and entrepreneurs in business.

The Knowledge Project: Shane Parrish helps you master the best of what other people have already figured out.

Startup: A show about startups from Gimlet.

HBR Ideacast: A weekly podcast featuring the leading thinkers in business and management.

Akimbo: Seth Godin’s podcast on entrepreneurship and leadership.

Killer Innovations from Phil McKinney: Focuses on innovations in technology and leadership.

How I Built This: Startup stories from NPR.

80,000 Hours: Long-form inspiration for mission-oriented careers.

Masters of Scale with Reid Hoffman: How do companies grow from zero to a gazillion? Reid Hoffman tests his theories with famous founders.

The Learning Leaders Show: Each week Ryan Hawk interviews well-known leaders or authors on sustaining excellence.

People I (Mostly) Admire: Hosted by Steve Levitt from Freakonomics, where he has conversations about with “wildly intelligent people […] who are a little bit off the rails”.

The Michelle Obama Podcast: Michelle Obama sits down with friends and family to talk about leading, loving and relationships.

Podcasts for Educators on Markets & Economics

Radio Davos: The world’s biggest challenges – from climate change to global inequalities, from the depths of the ocean to outer space – we talk to the brightest minds on what can be done.

Marketplace: Daily podcast on markets and popular economics.

Make Me Smart: Kai and Kimberly from Marketplace host a giggly weekly recap of tech and markets.

Freakonomics: Weekly economic topics discussed in a way that will make you say, “Wow, I never thought of it that way.”

Planet Money: Life and money and markets from NPR.

Exchanges at Goldman Sachs: People from across the group share their insights on developments shaping markets, industries, and the global economy.

Smart People Podcast: Picking smart people’s “oversized brains” is what this podcast is all about. They interview people from various industries to bring their listeners episodes that satisfy those of us with insatiable curiosity.

McKinsey Podcast: Weekly discussion of economics and business leadership.

Conversations with Tyler: The smartest people on the planet interviewed by polymath Tyler Cowen, from the Mercatus Center at George Mason University.

Equity: An end-of-week recap on venture capital news from Techcrunch.

Podcasts for Educators on AI & Big Data

Future of Life Institute: Weekly podcast about everything that could go wrong. Podcasts series including AI Alignment and Not Cool, a climate change series.

The Future of Everything: A weekly podcast from the Wall Street Journal.

Hard Fork: This podcast from the New York Times is a fun and informative look at the week in technology.

The AI Podcast: NVIDIA explores the impact of AI on our world through the stories of amazing people and amazing use cases.

Podcasts on Language

Poetry Unbound: A new podcast from OnBeing Studios that breaks down a poem in-depth and revels in the magic and mystery of poetry.

The Slowdown: A daily podcast where former Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith thoughtfully reads a daily poem.

Podcasts on News & Views

BBC World Service: Browse through podcasts about psychology, science, technology, or politics. The episodes are available for 30 days and updated weekly.

Fresh Air: An NPR classic hosted by Terry Gross, who interviews authors, thinkers, musicians, and other creatives in a no holds barred quasi-talk show with no time limit and no BS.

Longform: This podcast interviews longform journalists about process, reporting, and much more.

The Intelligence: A daily global news show from The Economist.

Up First from NPR: This podcast from NPR is a great place to get 15 minutes of daily news, to help you make sense of what is going on.

Podcasts for Educators on Why We Do What We Do

On Being: Krista Tippett boldly takes on the question that we all ask at one point: “What does it mean to be human, and how do we want to live?” On Being is a Peabody Award-winner and Webby Award-winner.

Hidden Brain: Social science research brought to life (from NPR).

You Are Not So Smart: More social science (a staff favorite of Getting Smart), featuring interviews on topics like tribal psychology, narrative persuasion, and active information avoidance.

The Moth: Storytelling at its best. The Moth is a platform to record your own story, and listen to stories told by storytellers at Moth events. It’s a community for people who love telling it how it went down, and how it is.

This I Believe: With roots in Edward R. Murrow’s show with the same name, this podcast transforms essays from all walks of life into podcasts. You’ll definitely find something that inspires you with the 100,000+ library of stories.

This American Life: An hour of stories every week about living in America.

How to Citizen: A podcast where host Baratunde “reimagines the word citizen as a verb and reminds us how to wield our collective power.”

Brené Brown Podcasts: Brené Brown has two podcasts: Unlocking Us and Dare to Lead, unique conversations and interviews that focus on being human and a modern way of leading.

Podcasts for Educators on STEM & Maker

Mindscape: Author and physicist Sean Carroll has accessible and fascinating conversations with some of the world’s best thinkers.

TED Talks Education: Our team has yet to listen to a TED talk that didn’t inspire or ignite us with new energy for an idea or topic. Subscribe to TED’s education podcasts to hear from some of the brightest minds in academia today.

TED Radio Hour: Consolidates various TED Talks. Tom loves the episode on Memory and Jessica loves the Why We Collaborate episode.

Radiolab: Podcasts for the curious mind. Broadcast on over 300 radio stations across the United States, Radiolab explores science, philosophy, and the human experience.

Flash Forward: Rose Eveleth explores potential and alternative futures.

Big Picture Science: Takes on big questions by interviewing leading researchers and weaving together their stories of discovery in a clever and off-kilter narrative style.

Distillations: Produced by the Science History Institute, this podcast explores the human stories behind science and technology, tracing a path through history in order to better understand the present.

Math Mutation: Short podcasts that explore mathematics. Topics cover strange and quirky concepts that aren’t normally taught in school.

The Naked Scientist: Cambridge University researchers and physicians are behind this podcast filled with humor and levity as they explore a diverse set of science topics. Their goal is to strip science down to its bare essentials.

Climate One: Host Greg Dalton talks with environmental scientists, policy makers, and everyday people about the state of our climate and the ways to navigate climate change.

Podcasts on History

The History Chicks: A fresh look at history through factual and fictional characters. Podcasts go into detail about the time period, culture, and typical lifestyle of the person highlighted in each episode.

Revisionist History: Malcolm Gladwell’s “journey through the overlooked and the misunderstood.” Every episode re-examines something from the past—an event, a person, an idea, even a song—and asks whether we got it right the first time..

Podcasts on Culture

Song Exploder: A rare peek behind the curtain of musicians and songwriters on process.

Armchair Expert: Hosted by Dax Sheppard, this podcast interviews guests about being human.

Nice White Parents: This podcast from The New York Times focuses on the ways parents shape schools — for better, and for worse.

What did we leave out? What podcasts should we check out to support our learning, teaching, and knowledge in general? Please comment to build and grow this list.

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