What does innovation look like inside a school of education? In this episode, Dean Robert Q. Berry III speaks with James Damico and Richard Carter about how educators design learning environments for a rapidly changing technological landscape. Damico discusses his work on critical literacies and Twella, a platform that helps students build self-awareness and navigate digital information thoughtfully. Carter explores how emerging tools, including conversational agents and AI-driven technologies, can support students with disabilities and reshape special education. Together, they consider what it means to prepare future teachers to think critically about technology, not just how to use it, but how to design and implement it responsibly in today’s classrooms.
James Damico is a Professor of Literacy, Culture and Language Education in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at Indiana University Bloomington. His scholarship focuses on critical literacies and inquiry-based approaches to digital media and complex topics, particularly climate change and climate denial. He is the author of three books and numerous research articles and earned his Ph.D. from Michigan State University.
Richard Allen Carter Jr. is an Associate Professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at Indiana University Bloomington and the inaugural Dr. Ted S. Hasselbring Chair in Special Education Technology. His research examines technology-enabled personalized learning, virtual and blended instruction, and the design of conversational agents to support students with disabilities. He earned his Ph.D. in Special Education from the University of Kansas.
Robert Q. Berry III is Dean of the Indiana University School of Education and Professor of Mathematics Education. His work focuses on equity, standards-based teaching practices, and the thoughtful integration of technology to support student learning. As host of this season of The State of Inquiry, he brings national leadership experience and a commitment to advancing opportunity in education.