​Join us for the final Learning Futures Brighton meetup of 2026!

​We’re returning to Runway East Brighton on Tuesday, 17th November 2026, bringing together people working across learning, technology and design for an evening of fresh ideas, practical insights and conversation.

​This time, we have three excellent lightning talks to kick off proceedings. John Helmer explores what learning science really tells us about podcasts and audio-first learning, Stuart Chadwick makes the case for adaptability as a critical skill in a rapidly changing world, and Emily and James Maltby share their journey developing Skills Tally, a human-centred EdTech tool that puts teachers and learners ahead of technology. This will be followed by the ever-popular pizza break, after which the speakers will take part in a panel discussion with the audience.

​Expect thought-provoking lightning talks, lively discussion and plenty of opportunities to connect with Brighton's learning community.

​John Helmer

​What We Get Wrong About Podcasts and Learning

​Eight seasons of podcasting about learning theory with Donald Clark have taught me there's a lot of it, not all trustworthy or up to date, and even the good stuff sometimes contradicts itself. When a new modality like podcasting arrives, we look to theory to tell us where it works best, and where it wastes time and budget. For audio, there are a few studies but little settled practice. I've looked at what Mayer, Sweller, Baddeley and Hitch and others say. This talk gives you the skinny on where audio-first learning scores big – and where it falls short.

​John Helmer is Showrunner and Host of successful podcasts, including The Learning Hack, Great Minds on Learning with Donald Clark, and The Tech Imaginarium. He speaks and writes on learning technologies, podcasting and AI, particularly in learning, HR & education. He previously worked in advertising and PR, is a published novelist and columnist, and had a hit single with the punk/ska band he formed, The Piranhas, appearing on Top of Pops. He was part of the early development of Stomp, and wrote several albums’ worth of lyrics for the band Marillion.

​Stuart Chadwick

​Learn. Adapt. Amplify: Why Adaptability Is the Ultimate Competitive Advantage

​Organisations today face constant disruption, from AI and automation to evolving workforce expectations and sustainability challenges. Yet while we often treat these as separate transformations, they all demand the same thing: the ability for people and organisations to learn, adapt and change.

​In this thought-provoking session, Stuart Chadwick explores why adaptability is becoming the defining capability of successful organisations and how learning, behaviour change and technology can work together to build workforces ready for continuous change.

​Stuart is Business Development Lead at Mindtools Kineo. He is a commercial leader and digital learning consultant with 25+ years' experience designing learning, skills and behaviour change programmes for global organisations. Passionate about sustainability, innovation and human potential, he helps organisations connect people, purpose and technology to create meaningful impact. You might also find him managing a ski resort.

​Emily Maltby and James Maltby

​Rethinking EdTech Through Human-Centred Design

​Skills Tally is an EdTech tool that uses NFC technology to help teachers capture meaningful evidence of students’ skills without breaking the flow of their lessons. Designed with privacy and human interaction at its core, it works offline, sends no data to the cloud, uses no AI, and requires neither voice or video recordings nor student-facing devices.

​Our approach puts technology in the background, keeping teachers as the experts in the room and human interaction at the heart of learning, while giving teachers a practical way to capture valuable evidence of skills that might otherwise be lost in the moment as teachers deal with competing demands in their busy classroom.

​In this talk, we’ll share our design journey so far, from initial ideas and prototyping through testing and go-to-market strategy. We’ll reflect on what we’ve learnt along the way, discuss the challenges of bringing an EdTech idea to life, and share our aspirations for the future of Skills Tally.

​There will also be an opportunity for audience members to share their own EdTech start-up experiences, exchange ideas and ask questions.

​Emily is Founder and Education Lead at Good Learning Lab. She completed her Master's in Education and Technology at the Institute of Education, UCL in 2025. Prior to this she studied languages and taught English, French and Spanish for 13 years. Her work is informed by a keen interest in digital design thinking, learning through making, and innovative blended learning approaches.

​James is Founder and Technology Lead at Good Learning Lab. He has over a decade’s experience in the non-profit and education sectors. He has managed digital learning platforms that have reached over 1 million learners worldwide.