The Harvard EdCast

A rise in mass shootings and growing tensions surrounding the Israel-Hamas War are just a couple things that children are likely hearing about – regardless how parents may try to shield them. These events compounded with other factors like existential uncertainty, the pervasive influence of social media, and a breakdown of civility in society are likely impacting children today and contributing to increased anxiety, says Abigail Gewirtz, a professor of psychology at Arizona State University. Many of today’s challenges are unfamiliar with parents who are left trying to figure out the best way to respond. “Parents are dealing with things in this generation that parents didn't have to deal with, at least in the last couple of generations. And that's a tricky thing to do, to know what to say, how to say, when to say it, what to listen for,” she says. Although it may seem like there is nothing a parent can do, Gewirtz believes parents can take on these difficult conversations. In this episode of the EdCast, she shares effective communication strategies, including regulating parents' emotions and engaging in problem-solving conversations with children, and strking the balance between shielding children and providing age-appropriate information. “I just want to acknowledge there's no resolution to these terrible events. But when I talk about resolution I'm thinking about how we can empower our children to feel better,” Gewirtz says. “These things worry us and upset us. And often we can be left feeling like, ‘There's nothing I can do,’ and we can be left feeling hopeless. But I think one of the most important messages that parents can convey to children is there is always something you can do.”

Resistance to change in higher education, the role of shared governance and tenure, challenges and potential innovations in higher education, rising costs and access, importance of technology and self-directed learning.

What does it mean to raise a grateful child? Developmental scientist and psychologist Andrea Hussong from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill says it’s a lot more than teaching your child about basic manners. In fact, it’s a lot deeper than that and parents play a crucial role in modeling gratitude, how they create opportunities for children to experience gratefulness, and even talking to their children about it. After studying parents and children, she recognized components of gratitude: what we notice, how we think or feel about it, what we do and how we enact grateful behaviors. “One of the big things that gratitude does that I think is so important for kids is it helps us find people in our environment that care about us.” Hussong says. “It strengthens our relationship with them, and it makes that support network surround us with a little more care. And we know social support is so important, particularly now, when we're dealing with these pandemics of loneliness and isolation. We really need that.”In this episode of the EdCast, Hussong shares strategies that can help your child develop a deeper understanding of gratitude,  how you can foster it in the hearts and minds of your children, and the way to pivot as your child becomes a teenager. She also addresses the potential impact of gratitude on mental health. 

Tony DelaRosa, an author emphasizing the importance of being pro-Asian American in the classroom, discusses the challenges teachers face in implementing Asian American education. He emphasizes the need for racial literacy and the importance of focusing on Asian American joy. DelaRosa explores the concept of being pro Asian American, highlighting its connection to other social movements. He also discusses the importance of intersectionality in understanding Asian American experiences and addresses the challenges of racial education and the need for cross coalition building.

Neuroscientist Nadine Gaab argues for early intervention in dyslexia and other learning differences, emphasizing the need to move away from a reactive deficit-driven model. Brain alterations are already present in infancy, making early identification crucial. Universal dyslexia screening is just the tip of the iceberg; the entire community should be involved. Reading development starts before birth, and early intervention is vital. Parents and caregivers play a crucial role in advocating for children with reading disabilities.

Justin Cohen, writer and activist who authored, 'Change Agents: Transforming Schools from the Ground Up,' discusses the challenges of implementing change in schools. He emphasizes the importance of open conversations, empowering educators, and avoiding misconceptions. The disconnect between policymakers and educators is highlighted, along with the need for continuous improvement habits and administrative support. Forming a group or 'crew' for change is also discussed, as well as the timeline for educational change and the impact of instant success expectations.

The podcast discusses the challenges faced by diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts in higher education in light of the Supreme Court's decision to end race conscious admissions. It explores the need for new approaches to DEI work, highlights the impact of removing affirmative action on higher education diversity, and discusses the challenges and resistance against DEI in colleges and universities. The episode also addresses strategies for creating inclusive climates in DEI work.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly changing how we work with implications for the future.  A recent study, conducted by edX Founder Anant Agarwal and Workplace Intelligence,  reveals how AI is already impacting the workforce. With the explosion of AI, 87 percent of executives are already struggling to find talent for jobs. In order to prepare students for the future -- this means educators must also learn to incorporate AI in their work and classrooms, he says. Agarwal compares the adaption of AI in education as similar to other technological innovations like the Internet. “While students should learn how to use AI to research stuff and how to find different kinds of content, we need to help them understand how to use it in their day-to-day lives and at work, much as we brought in search engines and the Internet into the education process without fighting it," he says.In this episode of the EdCast, Agarwal discusses why everyone needs to upskill in AI and how educators can begin learning more about AI in order to figure out the best approach in the classroom.

The field of out-of-school learning time is vast and supports 10 million children a year. Despite this, the programs are often viewed as glorified babysitting and tremendously undervalued. Harvard Sociologist Bianca Baldridge began studying these programs many years ago, citing the impact they had on her own life and how little was known about them."I do think it is important for people to understand that as a society, we really depend on the sector in ways that we may not realize. So it's not only supporting the education system, the school system, because schools can't do everything. They never have. They never will," she says. "When parents are working, working late, young people have a place to go. That really supports the economy and thinking about parents having more time and space to work. And it provides young people with an opportunity to explore what they love, hone in on particular skills, engage with their peers, and also engage in relationships with youth work professionals."In this episode, she shares insight into the out-of-school learning sector, its unique impact on children's lives, the challenges it faces,  and ways the sectors can work together.  

When the pandemic hit, Stanford Economist Thomas Dee knew it was important to track enrollment as a means of understanding what children are experiencing. He discovered that 1.2 million students didn't enroll in public school. Dee's data indicates not only where these children went but also a significant number of children unaccounted for. A closer look at this data provides some insight into aspects of academic recovery that might also be missing."So much of our academic recovery discourse is focused on the kids still in public schools, and particularly those older kids who are in the kinds of testing windows that draw our attention," he says. "But the enrollment data are telling us really that some of the most substantial reductions in enrollment are among younger students, who to this day haven't yet aged into testing windows and won't until we hit the fiscal cliff, when the federal resources available to school districts run out."The implications for such significant enrollment changes range from challenges in instruction, how to distribute funding properly, to possible layoffs and school closures.