What If CPD Actually Worked for Teachers, Not Against Them? — With Hachette Learning

Episode Overview

Teachers are increasingly time-poor, navigating workload pressure, AI disruption, and evolving classroom needs. In this episode of The EdTech Podcast, host Philippa Wraithmell speaks with Jane Basnett, Director of Digital Learning, Katharine Meunier, CPD Specialist, Gemma Simpson, Head of Product Management for Professional Development at Hachette Learning Academy, and Anna Bejshovcova, EAL Lead Specialist at Lanna International School Thailand, exploring how adaptive, research-informed CPD can support teachers more effectively—without adding to burnout.

Key Themes in This Episode

• Teacher workload, wellbeing, and sustainable CPD
• Adaptive, personalised professional learning models
• Digital wellbeing and responsible AI in schools
• Oracy, EAL, and inclusive classroom practice
• Research-informed professional development
• Flexible learning pathways for educators

Why Listen to This Episode?

Professional development often fails because it ignores teachers’ real constraints. This episode explores how CPD can shift from generic, time-intensive training to flexible, adaptive learning that fits around real teaching lives. You’ll hear practical insights on digital wellbeing, AI confidence, oracy, and inclusive practice — all grounded in classroom reality, not theory alone.

Who This Episode Is For?

This episode is ideal for teachers, school leaders, CPD coordinators, and education organisations seeking more effective professional learning. It’s particularly valuable for anyone rethinking teacher development, wellbeing, AI readiness, and inclusive teaching strategies across diverse classrooms.

Full Episode Description

Teachers today face unprecedented demands. Administrative pressure, assessment overload, and the rapid integration of AI have left many educators struggling to find professional development that feels relevant, manageable, and genuinely useful. Too often, CPD is delivered as a one-size-fits-all experience, disconnected from linguistically diverse classrooms and the everyday realities of teaching.

In this episode, Philippa Wraithmell explores what meaningful professional learning can look like when it is built around teachers, not imposed on them. She is joined by contributors from Hachette Learning Academy, a new adaptive CPD platform designed to respond to individual teacher needs, confidence levels, and classroom contexts.

The conversation begins with Jane Basnett, Director of Digital Learning, who unpacks digital wellbeing beyond screen time. She explains how educators can recognise signs of digital distress, model healthy digital behaviours, and build confidence as AI becomes embedded across curricula.

Next, Katharine Meunier and Gemma Simpson from Hachette Learning Academy share insights into the future of professional development. They discuss barriers teachers face in accessing CPD, the shift toward online adaptive learning, and how flexible pathways can support both classroom practice and teacher wellbeing.

Finally, Anna Bejshovcova, EAL Lead specialist at Lanna International School Thailand, highlights why speaking and listening are foundational to literacy, confidence, and inclusion — particularly for multilingual learners. She explains how small, intentional teaching changes can lead to meaningful improvements in student outcomes.

Across all conversations, a shared message emerges: effective professional learning is purposeful, human, and grounded in the realities of today’s classrooms.