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The Action Research PodcastSomehow, the first podcast dedicated solely to Action Research. Author: Adam Stieglitz & Joe Levitan
In the first podcast dedicated solely to Action Research, Adam and Joe do a deep dive into the lives, experiences, philosophies, and - of course - investigations of the most well respected action researchers in the field. Throughout our four seasons, come hear about successes and challenges, and learn about what makes Action Research unique. If you are passionate about social change, engage in research, or are a budding scholar, then this is the perfect podcast for you. The Action Research Podcast aims to offer unique and valuable insights for the field through accessible and engaging conversations about the what why and how of Action Research. The Action Research Team: Adam Stieglitz, Co-host Joe Levitan, Co-host Shikha Diwakar, Production manager/Co-host Cory Legassic, Co-producer/Co-host Vanessa Gold, Sound technician and voice-over specialist Language: en Genres: Business, Education, Non-Profit Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it Trailer: |
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Rethinking Education at Scale: The Udhyam Approach
Episode 1
Saturday, 10 October, 2026
What if education were less about grading students and more about helping every young person discover and realize their potential? In this episode, we sit down with Mekin Maheshwari (02:00), who helped build Flipkart before stepping away in 2016 to co-found Udhyam Learning Foundation. Today, Udhyam works through India’s government schools to nurture agency and entrepreneurial mindsets among young people, reaching 4.7 million students across 15 Indian states in 2026. In this first episode of Season 6, we explore the foundations of Udhyam (04:25) and dive into a big question: What is the true purpose of education? At 14:00, Mekin challenges the idea of education as a grading and selection system, opening up a conversation about how we can put student growth, agency, and meaningful learning at the center. We then look at what Udhyam is working on and the thinking behind its approach (20:44).How do we know whether students are truly learning and growing to reach their potential in life after school? At 36:44, we unpack Udhyam’s evaluation and assessment processes and what students experience through these activities. At 48:00, we explore a mixed-method, quasi-experimental study through the lens of action research. Then, at 59:39, we zoom out to examine the wider education ecosystem—schools, teachers, principals, communities, and policy—to understand what’s working, what isn’t, and how stronger connections can support student growth. Finally, at 01:09:00, we wrap up with Mekin’s reflections and a heartfelt recognition of the Action Research team, Syeda Asia, Lakshay Talwar, Kunal Mishra, Shivangi Gupta, Prasann, and Samantha Traves whose collective action research efforts are supporting the larger Udhyam teams to bring their vision to life. Tune in for a thoughtful, energizing conversation about reimagining education and creating opportunities for every young person to thrive!Thank you Mekin for sharing your time and work with us.And thanks for tuning in to this episode of the Action Research Podcast, created by Joe Levitan, Shikha Diwakar, Cory Legassic, Vanessa Gold, and Adam Stieglitz.Produced by Shikha Diwakar.Subscribe to our podcast on most major podcast distribution platforms, including Spotify and Apple Podcasts. How have you found yourself in the world of action research? Want to be interviewed or share one of your projects? Get in touch with us.Resourceshttps://udhyam.org/https://scertuk.blogspot.com/2025/04/kaushalam-program-study-findings.htmlhttps://www.mcgill.ca/channels/channels/news/joseph-levitan-dise-presents-kaushalam-program-study-results-scert-uttarakhand-364896[Hindi only] https://scertuk.blogspot.com/2026/09/2026.html?m=1
