The Harvard EdCast

The pandemic set off a race for schools to launch remote learning and to keep children from falling behind. But at what cost? In this episode of the EdCast, Harvard Lecturer Uche Amaechi discusses the tension that exists for schools trying to find a balance between continuing education in equitable ways among all students.

With more than 55 million children out of school due to the pandemic, school leaders are facing the adaptive challenge of all time. The challenges go far beyond closures. Harvard Professor Deborah Jewell-Sherman shares what is on the minds of school leaders throughout the country, and advises how they can stay grounded and plan in such a difficult time.

What is the role of schools in teaching students, especially students of color, how to face oppression and develop political agency? Are there ways that some educators succeed in doing this in one school but not in another school? Professors Daren Graves and Scott Seider were eager to find the answers and set out to research five mission-driven high schools over four years. In this episode of the...

Despite family meal times being hugely beneficial to kids, only about 30% of families manage to eat together regularly. Anne Fishel, executive director of the Family Dinner Project, knows it's not always easy to find that time but it also doesn't have to be so hard. Through her work, she helps families find fun, creative, and easy ways to make meals a reality. As many families adjust to stay-at-ho...

With many schools closed around the country due to the Coronavirus, educators and parents may have growing concerns about how long students can go without formal instruction. Jennifer McCombs, a senior policy researcher for the RAND Corporation, has long studied the effects of summer break on learning -- particularly for at risk students from low-income families or students performing below grade...

This newest generation of college students know that algorithms tend to skew the truth online, but many feel it is par for the course. Alison Head, a researcher and director of Project Information Literacy, explores how algorithmic-driven platforms are shaping the ways college students access news and information and its potential to change the college landscape.

Many school districts are facing challenging decisions about how to prepare and respond to the novel Coronavirus including whether to close and try distance learning. Harvard Epidemiologist Bill Hanage and Education Ethicist Meira Levinson explore the public health issue and its potential impact on schools and families. They also offer guidance for practitioners and parents.

Harvard Lecturer Laura Schifter explains disproportionality and why so many students of color are placed in special education, often in separate classrooms from their peers. While income status is sometimes accepted as the reason behind this phenomenon, Schifter says that doesn't tell the full story. In this EdCast, Schifter shares recent research into this issue and discusses the challenges facin...

There's much debate in the literacy world about what's the best way to teach children to read. With two out of three children struggling to learn to read, the nation is questioning what actually works. Harvard Professor James Kim discusses why learning to read is so challenging and shares how his latest model called MORE offers another way.

Children aren't the only people compromising their privacy online. Grown ups are also taking to to digital media and technology, and oversharing information about the children in their lives too. Leah Plunkett, a law professor and parent, wants adults to think twice before talking about children online. In this episode of the Harvard EdCast, Plunkett, author of "Sharenthood: Why We Should Thi...

When Joe Feldman, author of Grading for Equity, looked closer at grading practices in schools across the country, he realized many practices are outdated, inconsistent, and inequitable. Today he helps educators develop strategies that tackle inconsistent grading practices. In doing so, Feldman tells the Harvard EdCast how shifting grading practices can change the landscape of schools and potential...

Although more children have developmental language disorder (DLD) than autism -- most people have never heard of it. Dr. Tiffany Hogan, the director of the Speech and Language Literacy Lab at MGH Institute, wants greater awareness of this language disorder, especially among educators and parents. In this episode of the Harvard EdCast, she discusses what DLD is and how it can affect children's lear...

Many educators struggle with unconscious bias in their roles at school -- often in ways that can unknowingly perpetuate racism and negatively affect students. In this episode of the EdCast, Tracey Benson and Sarah Fiarman offer ways to address these issues directly and outline how educators can start this work in their schools. Benson, an assistant professor at University of North Carolina at Char...

When many people see the college price tag, they believe it's financially out-of-reach. But Wellesley College Professor Phillip Levine, who studies college affordability, says that people often don't realize there's a difference between the price of college and what a family might actually pay. Through the development of Myintution.org -- an online tool that helps families uncover the actual cost...

Harvard Professor Andrew Ho thinks test scores can often simplify how we view student performance, school effectiveness, and educational opportunity. By taking a more comprehensive look at data like test scores and learning rates in districts, we may be able to better identify and contextualize how well a school is doing beyond just average test scores. In this episode of the Harvard EdCast, Ho di...

Many college and university leaders recognize the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) work being done on their campus, but that doesn't always mean it's done for the right reasons. In this episode of the Harvard EdCast, Richard Reddick, associate dean for equity, community, engagement and outreach at the University of Texas at Austin, discusses the rise of DEI work in higher educa...

Students are struggling with mental health issues on college campuses. Dr. Stephanie Pinder-Amaker, a founding director of McLean Hospital's College Mental Health Program in Massachusetts, says there's a lot of things we can all do to help the college mental health crisis. Pinder-Amaker discusses the factors leading to mental distress on campus, how colleges can create better responses, and really...

Sociologist Rebecca London knows recess is an afterthought in many schools day. Too often, it's just seen as a break or a way to get some physical exercise for kids. She wants to see educators rethink how to use that time to better support young students. In this episode of the EdCast, London shares ideas from her new book, "Rethinking Recess," how to create a more inclusive recess, and...

David Wilson used college as a path out of poverty. Now, as the president of Morgan State University in Baltimore, he wants that to be the reality for other children too. But, for so many kids today, getting to college and paying for college is a challenge. After 25 years in higher education leadership, President Wilson grapples with issues of access for students every day. In this episode of the...

Dr. Janice K. Jackson knew taking the role as CEO of the Chicago Public Schools would be challenging. She has inherited a history of problems in the district, but refuses to make her leadership about the blame game. In this episode of the EdCast, she discusses how she's facing the challenges before her. Even with a teacher strike looming, Jackson's pragmatic leadership and "We'll get through...

The books children read in the classroom today look a lot like they did decades ago. Kim Parker, cofounder of #Disrupttexts, wants to change that. In this EdCast, she addresses the challenges facing educators trying to diversify books in their classroom. With diverse books regularly appearing on the American Library Association's most challenged and banned books in libraries and schools, Parker di...

Regardless of how you might feel about immigration, Harvard Professor Roberto Gonzales thinks we need to better understand its implications and how it affects everyday life of immigrants and beyond. In this episode, Gonzales discusses the immigration crisis in America and his new effort, the Immigration Initiative at Harvard, to connect researchers, policymakers, and immigrant communities together...

Harvard researchers Jal Mehta and Sarah Fine talk about what they discovered while studying nontraditional, innovative high schools, and what we can learn from the pockets of great work happening around the country.

In this EdCast extra, Harvard Senior Lecturer Richard Weissbourd along with Nicolas Burgess, 17, and Dequan Franks, 19, from Jacksonville, Florida, speak about the EVAC movement, experiences as "at-risk" youth, and address the immense inequities facing some students.

Harvard Psychologist Rick Weissbourd guides parents (and high schools) to be better ethical role models, especially in the college admissions process.