Evidence in the Wild

In part 1 of 2 episodes, Jeff Walsh joins us to discuss how AI-powered search is quietly failing the people who need reliable information most. As the CEO and founder of Sooth, the only internet search engine built specifically for students, Jeff shares the reality of Google's move to AI-generated search results and what that means for how students learn. He unpacks the slow erosion of critical thinking as people lose the ability to think and problem-solve without AI assistance. It's a compelling case for why Sooth's curated, human-vetted search index exists.
Sooth.fyi: the search engine designed for studentsArticles mentioned:
AI Slop - The Atlantic
AI Slop - 404Media
AI Assistance Reduces Persistence and Hurts Independent Performance
Students develop shallower learning from AI summaries vs. reading original sourcesCurious to learn more or want to get in touch? Reach out to us at rockymountain-research.org

Kimberly Smith of Digital Promise, co-lead of the Center for Learner Pathway Innovations and Executive Director of the League of Innovative Schools, joins the podcast to unpack what actually makes school R&D stick. This discussion covers the six dimensions behind sustainable innovation, why mindsets matter more than tools or systems, and how districts of any size can start small without a big budget or a dedicated research department. Kim also shares a preview of a new self-assessment tool from Digital Promise designed to help districts figure out where they stand today and what to try next.
Curious to learn more or want to get in touch? Reach out to us at rockymountain-research.org

Amber Northern, Senior VP for Research at the Thomas B. Fordham Institute and Senior Advisor at the Department of Education, joins us to discuss her recent paper Reimagining the Institute of Education Sciences. In this episode, she shares which strategic shifts would make IES more relevant, responsive, and useful to educators on the ground. Key themes include closing the gap between research and practice, accelerating the research cycle, making better use of data already being collected, and rethinking how evidence reaches practitioners.
Read Amber Northern's full report - Reimagining the Institute of Education Sciences
Curious to learn more or want to get in touch? Reach out to us at rockymountain-research.org

From designing school-wide organizational systems for high schoolers to studying the science of learning in the earliest grades, Mitch Weathers and Sarah Oberle have spent decades observing how executive function shapes student learning. In this episode, they join us to unpack what executive function actually is, and how every K–3 teacher can start supporting it tomorrow without overhauling their entire practice.
Mitch and Sarah also dig into the science behind working memory, inhibition, and cognitive flexibility, and what their new book, Executive Functions for Every K–3 Classroom, offers teachers hungry for research-backed, classroom-ready strategies.Order Executive Functions for Every K–3 Classroom: Promoting Self-Regulation for a Strong Start
Mitch Weathers – organizedbinder.com Sarah Oberle – sarahoverlay.com
Curious to learn more or want to get in touch? Reach out to us at rockymountain-research.org

This episode contains a brief mention of student suicidal ideation.
From tutoring peers in a classroom to shaping federal education policy, Anousheh Shayestehpour has seen American education from every level. In this episode, she joins us to unpack the tension between standardized testing and real student growth, including how 'No Child Left Behind' shifted the focus from skills to scores, and while the data testing provides is valuable, the culture built around it is a different story.Anousheh also reflects on her work with Pacific Island communities, freely associated states, and Indigenous nations, and what a community-based, relationship-first approach to education can teach the rest of us.Anousheh Shayestehpour - Lab Rats Education Curious to learn more or want to get in touch? Reach out to us at rockymountain-research.org

In this episode of Evidence in the Wild, Josh sits down with internationally recognized bonsai artist Ryan Neil, founder of Bonsai Mirai and the nonprofit One Tree Project, to explore an unexpected but powerful intersection of bonsai, youth development, and the psychology of measurement.
Bonsai is so much more than horticulture. It becomes a living metaphor for developmental science: slow growth, intentional shaping, environmental responsiveness, and the cultivation of potential over time.Curious to learn more? See how we are advancing learning and research at rockymountain-research.org

In this reflective and forward-looking conversation, Josh Stewart sits down with education researcher and entrepreneur David Blumenthal to unpack what 2025 meant for the research and evaluation community. Following mass federal layoffs and deep uncertainty across the education research sector, David shares how he navigated professional upheaval, transitioned into independent consulting, and ultimately founded a new AI-driven education technology company.
Together, Josh and David explore personal and nationwide resilience, and the widening gap between research and classroom practice. Explore David's project Eddie AI, a tool designed to assist educators in making better, evidence-based decisions.
Curious to learn more? See how we’re advancing learning and research at rockymountain-research.org
 

In this episode of Evidence in the Wild, Superintendent Michelle Miller and Director of Innovation and Strategic Partnerships Matthew Callison from South Fayette Township School District unpack how meaningful research and development can thrive inside a public school system, without massive budgets or rigid frameworks. South Fayette’s “little bets” approach of small, low-risk micro-experiments led by teachers and school leaders to test new ideas before scaling them district-wide. Rather than relying solely on traditional metrics, the district looks to student engagement, enrollment choices, and participation as key indicators of success.Curious to learn more? See how we’re advancing learning and research at rockymountain-research.org
 

Adam Smith is a seasoned math education researcher and instructional leader. In this episode, he shares with us the roots of math anxiety and how identity, early experiences, and societal messages shape whether we see ourselves as “math people.” All humans are naturally wired for foundational mathematical thinking, yet math education often becomes abstract and disconnected from students’ lives in secondary education. This conversation highlights how representation, family messages, teacher attitudes, and school structures like tracking reinforce who is “expected” to excel.
Adam encourages us to be intentional about the messages we send about math, to reflect on our own math stories, and to create environments where all students can see themselves as capable mathematical thinkers.
Curious to learn more? See how we’re advancing learning and research at rockymountain-research.org

In this episode, Vernon Orndorff, superintendent of Park County School District 6 in Cody, Wyoming, shares how his district created the “Classroom to Careers” program. This K–12, district-led model of authentic, project-based learning is grounded in community partnerships and career pathways. The initiative blends state standards with real-world experiences like internships and outdoor projects, helping students see how their studies apply in practice. Through collaboration among teachers, businesses, and local government, districts can make learning meaningful and career-relevant without sacrificing accountability or academic rigor.
 
Curious to learn more? See how we’re advancing learning and research at rockymountain-research.org