---
title: The Experience Gap and Informal Learning
description: MIND’s Lead Mathematician Brandon Smith joins Brian on the latest episode of the podcast to talk about the experience gap,  informal learning and designing experiences that build culture and a relationship with math.
image: https://2024.mindresearch.org/hubfs/social-suggested-images/inside-our-mind-blog-header-1200x800-1.png
---

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# The Experience Gap and Informal Learning

By [Brian LeTendre](https://2024.mindresearch.org/blog/author/brian-letendre)

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In each episode of the Inside Our MIND podcast, we take a look at issues and challenges facing education that we are working to address through research, technology and strategic initiatives.

In our latest episode, MIND’s Lead Mathematician Brandon Smith joins Brian once again, this time for a discussion on informal learning. Brandon first explains how the achievement gap and the perception gap are symptoms of a larger problem called the experience gap. He then delves into the work ongoing MIND has been doing to [bridge that experience gap](https://2024.mindresearch.org/blog/learning-experience-gap), and the lessons learned along the way. Brandon also shares a bit about MathMINDs Games: South of the Sahara, which re-imagine storytelling to connect math, games and history. MIND will be sharing much more about the games in early October.

> The idea of the experience gap is we have this dissonance between the types of experiences with math we could have, and the ones we have access to--the types that exist.
> 
>  - Brandon Smith

You can listen to the episode in the player below:

Topics Covered in the Podcast:

0:45 Intro   
3:45 The Achievement, Opportunity and Perception Gaps   
6:20 Math Anxiety and Parental Influences   
7:35 The Experience Gap   
9:30 Moving Beyond the Classroom   
10:45 Friendship and Culture Building with Math   
12:45 Scaling Experiences for Accessibility and Impact   
15:00 Designing Experiences that Build a Friendship with Math   
21:00 Applying Lessons We’ve Learned   
29:20 Using Storytelling to Break Through the Rules Barrier   
36:30 MathMINDs Games: South of the Sahara

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Thanks for listening to the podcast! Please leave us a review on iTunes, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker or wherever you are listening to the show. Subscribe to get future episodes as soon as they are released!

#### Additional Resources:

- [Re-imagining Storytelling to Connect Games, Math and History](https://2024.mindresearch.org/blog/storytelling-math-games-history)
- [What Is Dynamically Active Student Engagement?](https://2024.mindresearch.org/blog/dynamically-active-student-engagement)
- [Three I's to Mathematize Anything](https://2024.mindresearch.org/blog/three-is-to-mathematize-anything)

![Brian LeTendre](https://2024.mindresearch.org/hubfs/brian-letendre-headshot-305761-edited.png)

### About the Author

Brian LeTendre was the Director of Impact Advancement at MIND Research Institute. In addition to building thought leadership and brand awareness for MIND, Brian worked cross-functionally internally and externally to amplify MIND's social impact and accelerate our mission. He is an author, podcaster and avid gamer.

### Comment

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