A student’s future should not depend on whether their school can find a qualified chemistry teacher this year—but that’s often how geography-bound education works.
When the PISA 2022 report revealed declines in performance and widening gaps across countries, it’s easy to point to motivation or effort. This conversation takes a different angle: what if the real constraint is the structure of schooling and how learning is organized?
Dr. Lisa Hassler is joined by Maurice O’Shannassy, Executive Chairman and Co-Founder of Sagecool. With a background in building complex global systems, Maurice turned his attention to a growing issue in education: teacher shortages and limited access to subject expertise. He shares how Sagecool is designed to connect students and teachers beyond geographic constraints, helping schools and families better match learning needs with teacher expertise and teaching approaches.
In this episode, you’ll hear about:
how staffing limitations affect access to learning opportunities
how access to the “right teacher” goes beyond availability to include subject expertise and student fit
what it could look like to connect students with teachers beyond their local school
how data and learning enhancement technology (LET) can support teaching and learning
what this approach could mean for rural and lower-resourced schools and communities
This conversation invites educators, school leaders, and families to reflect on where access—not effort—may be limiting opportunity, and to consider how expanding access to teaching could better support students and teachers alike.
