Student Testing, Accountability, and COVID
President Biden's recent insistence that standardized testing should happen this year has been met with reluctance in many states. Harvard Professor Andrew Ho explains the importance of moving forward with standardized testing and what it can tell us about the impact of COVID on students. Ho is a psychometrician who studies educational assessments. He explains why we must consider this more an "educational census" rather than an "assessment" and how to achieve that. He also discusses how much we actually know about learning loss, and how testing may offer insight into targeting supports.
10 Mars 202119min
Propaganda Education for a Digital Age
Think that propaganda is an outdated thing of the past? Well, think again. Propaganda is everywhere -- in the news, entertainment, politics, education, social media and more. Renee Hobbs, a media literacy expert, says it's vital that adults and children better understand how to identify and analyze propaganda. Hobbs, the director of URI's Media Education Lab, and the author of "Mind Over Media," is leading the way in what propaganda education looks like in our classrooms. She shares the history of propaganda education in America, and some of the ways pedagogy can incorporate lessons on propaganda in almost every subject today.
3 Mars 202123min
The Intellectual Lives of Children
Developmental Psychologist Susan Engel discusses the importance of nurturing young children's ideas, and why we need to pay closer attention to what they think. Engel, a senior lecturer in psychology at Williams College, has long explored children's curiosity and how they learn to pursue ideas. From a young age, children's obsessions with dinosaurs or puddles or even topics like death are opportunities as educators and parents to nurture their ideas and interests. Engel shares ways for educators and parents to do this type of work, and contends that it's vital in schools and at home.
24 Feb 202126min
College Admissions During COVID
What will the future of college be like post-COVID? If one thing is sure, COVID has already significantly altered college admissions. Princeton Review Editor-in-Chief Robert Franek breaks down some of the changes in college admissions like the test optional movement and whether to take the SATs. Franek also addresses how college application rates seem to be trending upward and whether high school juniors and seniors should consider deferring or attending the next few years of college.
17 Feb 202120min
Fugitive Pedagogy in Black Education
Jarvis Givens tells the history of Black teachers and their covert actions in the classroom during the Jim Crow South. An assistant professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, Givens latest research delves into the theory and practices of Black educators, which he calls "fugitive pedagogy," and how it has been passed down from the enslaved and beyond. This changes the deficit lens often taken when discussing Black education in America, revealing a powerful narrative that still impacts educators today.
10 Feb 202120min
Schools, Reopening, and the Cycle of Mistrust
The latest research on COVID and schools emphasizes the importance of reopening but far too many schools remain closed. Harvard Professor Meira Levinson discusses how efforts to reopen often stall due to a lack of trust in the school district. Levinson, who co-authored The Path to Zero Report, which provides guidelines on how to safely reopen, emphasizes how even with the best safety protocols, ventilation, and adequate supplies in place that districts face an even bigger issue: how to rebuild trust among the many key players it serves.
3 Feb 202122min
Pivot Out Loud
Introducing the new podcast Pivot Out Loud -- stories of education and life in a year of disruption. In this episode, Harvard EdCast host Jill Anderson recounts what it's like staying and working from home with a young child. She shares the struggle of trying to balance her child's academics and play along with working full-time. Listen to more episodes: https://pivot-out-loud.simplecast.com/What does education look like in a world turned sideways? Covid-19 forced teaching and learning to change overnight, transforming what it means to be a student, an educator, and a parent. How did people adapt and adjust? Pivot Out Loud explores — telling stories of education and life in a year of disruption. Hosted by Lory Hough, editor of Ed Magazine, and brought to you by the producers of the Harvard EdCast at the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
20 Dec 202018min
Prioritizing Self-Care in Practice
Educator's have always benefitted from self-care, and in today's challenging times, it is especially important. Harvard Lecturer Jackie Zeller discusses the what it means to practice self-care and how it can benefit more than just the educator. Zeller, a licensed psychologist, will be teaching a new course this spring at the Harvard Graduate School of Education on self-care and wellness. In this episode, Zeller discusses the benefits of self-care, ideas for how to create a practice of self-care, and a growing awareness in the education field around supporting wellness. Disclaimer: This piece is meant to be solely informational in nature. It is not meant to provide professional care or recommendations. This piece includes general considerations, but people should contact their own providers for individualized advice and recommendations.
16 Dec 202015min
