“The AI Boom & ChatGPT” – Randi Zuckerman Means Business Podcast, January 25, 2023
“Artificial Intelligence is booming, particularly the text-generator ChatGPT! On this episode, Randi and her guests discuss why everyone is talking about ChatGPT and why it matters.” LISTEN HERE…
Check it out >“Education meets the universe: The promise and the worry” – CoSN’s Emerging Technologies Committee, January 19th, 2023
Everyone is talking about the metaverse. Its diverse applications include gaming, real estate and entertainment among others. Few are addressing how this relatively new technology might impact education for good […]
Check it out >“A whole new world: Education meets the Metaverse” – Learning & Teaching Expo 2022, Hong Kong Education City Limited
Kathy talked about the Metaverse at Learning & Teaching Expo 2022 hosted by Hong Kong Education City Limited. Watch the Video HERE…
Check it out >“ChatGPT: Educational friend or foe?” – Brookings Institute, January 9, 2023
“The invention of the telephone in 1876 was met with simultaneous amazement and trepidation. Critics wondered if phones would disrupt face-to-face communication in ways that made us either too active or lazy. […]
Check it out >“Why Jonny can’t read: The great disconnect between reading science and policy” – Brookings Institute, December 19, 2022
“In the spring of 2022, reports showed that only 67 percent of third graders were reading at grade level in the aftermath of the pandemic. Following on the heels of the recently […]
Check it out >“Children’s Play Time Is a Key to Early Learning” – Bucksco Today, December 16, 2022
“Children’s play should be seen as an essential vehicle for learning and early education, not a distraction from it, say early childhood experts. That’s the message delivered at a webinar […]
Check it out >“Limited family support policies create a powder keg for our nation’s future” – Brookings Institute, November 29, 2022
“Ahead of the U.S. midterms, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said, “The upcoming election will be decided at the kitchen table, as America’s families determine who they trust to fight for them […]
Check it out >“Jackie Mader: Play important to children of all ages, part of learning; schools should maximize benefits” – Northern Kentucky Tribute, November 26, 2022
“In 1966, when psychiatrist Dr. Stuart Brown was assigned to a commission to investigate what led University of Texas student Charles Whitman to kill 12 people in one of the […]
Check it out >“Let’s educate tomorrow’s voters: Democracy depends on it” – Brookings Institute, November 21, 2022
“The final results of the 2022 midterm election in the United States are in. Journalists tell us that a key issue for voters was preservation of democracy. A recent NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll showed that while […]
Check it out >“Want resilient and well-adjusted kids? Let them play” – KQED, November 14, 2022
“Experts say such play time should not just happen outside of school or at recess, but should be a necessary part of teaching and learning. Supporting the most beneficial play […]
Check it out >“An obituary for education—or not?” – Brookings Institute, November 8, 2022
“We are gathered today to mourn the latest National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)scores. The headlines rang forth as the New York Times proclaimed, “The Pandemic Erased Two Decades of Progress […]
Check it out >Watch Kathy’s New Book Launch Event online!
On November 9, the Center for Universal Education hosted an online event to discuss the release of Kathy’s new book “Making Schools Work: Bringing the Science of Learning to Joyful […]
Check it out >Kathy’s New Book is out! “Making Schools Work: Bringing the Science of Learning to Joyful Classroom Practice”
If we teach in the way that human brains learn, both students and their teachers will thrive! This book aligns evidence from the learning sciences on how and what students […]
Check it out >“Where Global Science Meets Playful Learning: Implications for Home, School, Cities and Digital spaces – A special focus on China” (White Paper) – LEGO Foundation and Yidan Foundation
“How do we educate children today for a world of tomorrow – for a world filled with new technological tools that can port them to diverse realities, for a world […]
Check it out >“Future of Learning” – Hechinger Report Newsletter, October 26, 2022
“Sometime in the past year or two, you’ve likely heard the word “metaverse.” It’s the future, the next big frontier of the internet, if you ask technology CEOs or researchers.” […]
Check it out >“Reading with a caregiver trumps reading an e-book alone” – Brookings Institute, October 12, 2022
“In the past decade, portable devices such as smartphones and tablets have become one of the most ubiquitous and irreplaceable tools for communication, entertainment, and education. Indeed, 98 percent of children under […]
Check it out >“Fostering community and measuring impact: What’s working in playful learning cities” – Brookings Institute, October 12, 2022
“More than half of the world’s children are growing up in cities. Yet, children and families are often invisible to urban planners, developers, and architects when implementing policies and practices […]
Check it out >“The Classroom: Face-to-Face vs. Virtual vs. Mataverse” – Institute for the Future of Education, October 3, 2022
“I have been fortunate to be a teacher at different educational levels, from preschool to higher education, and for teacher training. Advising and exchanging knowledge became my passion. Today’s teachers […]
Check it out >“Edtech Series: Education in the Metaverse” – the Global Herald, September 2, 2022
Kathy joins Emily Chang to discuss the potential of the metaverse for education, the importance of making sure it is safe and why it needs to be rolled out in […]
Check it out >“6 Reasons Why Your Kids Need Guided Play” – Psychology Today, August 26, 2022
“’Play’ is critically important, and different types of play matter in different ways. Most research on play, historically, has been focused on free play. As the name implies, free play […]
Check it out >“3 Top Takeaways from the Hunt Institute Webinar: Ideal Learning Environments” – Early Learning Nation, August 24, 2022
“On Tuesday, August 3, The Hunt Institute’s Dan Wuori and Trust for Learning’s Ellen Roche cohosted a webinar spotlighting the role of play in ideal learning environments. “Play is a […]
Check it out >“Want to close the word gap? Focus on talk” – TES Magazine, August 11th, 2022
“Schools are full of talk; in every classroom, it’s a vital learning tool. But because it’s ingrained in our lessons, and teachers are great at enabling talk, it is not […]
Check it out >Excited to announce our new Learning Science Exchange (LSX) 2022-24 Fellows!
“The Jacobs Foundation, New America, and the internationally recognized research duo of Kathy Hirsh-Pasek and Roberta Golinkoff announce the third cohort of the Learning Sciences Exchange (LSX) Fellows. These top-level, […]
Check it out >“Unstructured, longer play time called key to early learning” – K-12 Dive, August 5, 2022
It takes work to learn how to play. That’s the message early childhood experts delivered Wednesday during a webinar on the importance of play in early education settings, hosted by […]
Check it out >“Supporting children post-Roe: An urgent call for social infrastructure.” – Brookings Institute, July 19, 2022
“On June 24, 2022, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled on one of the most controversial issues in the last 50 years. It overturned Roe v. Wade, the […]
Check it out >“Where Does Education Fit in an Emerging Metaverse?” – EdSurge Podcast, June 28, 2022
“It’s the latest sign that Big Tech sees education as a key piece of the rush to build a metaverse, the immersive Internet of Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality… This […]
Check it out >“Education meets the metaverse: The promise and the worry – A Brookings-Yidan Prize event on the future of education in the 21st century” – Brookings Institute, June 28, 2022
On June 28, the Center for Universal Education and the Yidan Prize Foundation co-hosted a virtual event to consider a path for bringing the best educational practices into the metaverse, […]
Check it out >“The Power of Playful Learning in the Early Childhood Setting” – Young Children, Summer 2022
This piece, which is an excerpt from Chapter 5 in Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Early Childhood Programs Serving Children from Birth Through Age 8, Fourth Edition (NAEYC 2022), suggests that defining play on a […]
Check it out >“What Could the Metaverse Mean for Higher Education?” – Diverse Issues in Higher Education, June 9, 2022
“Meta, the parent company of Facebook, made waves last fall when it announced the so-called metaverse. In a few years, this metaverse could be interoperable networks of virtual reality (VR) […]
Check it out >“Sharpen your little one’s curious mind with these age-appropriate activities” – News24, June 8, 2022
Research on the educational benefits of play is nothing new; however, findings have been mainly focused on Early Childhood Development because of how important the early years are for a young developing brain. “Children’s free play […]
Check it out >“The Parental Role in Play”- The Good Men Project, June 4, 2022
“The way that children begin to understand themselves and the world around them is mediated through play. The value of play is in the way that children learn to navigate […]
Check it out >“Funding High-Quality Child Care Is A Popular Idea, So Treat It Like One, Researcher Says” – EdSurge, June 1, 2022
“Researcher Kathy Hirsch-Pasek has a challenge she would like to see lawmakers in the U.S. Congress take on—call it a dare. She wants all 535 of them to spend a […]
Check it out >“Five ways to help your kids learn through play” – the Citizen, May 24, 2022
“There are many life skills that can be taught through play. Here are five ways in which you can teach your child important life lessons while having fun.”
Check it out >“Creating Ideal Learning Environments Through Play” Webinar – the Hunt Institute and Trust for Learning, May 25, 2022
The Hunt Institute and Trust for Learning invited experts on the power of play in early children’s development for this Webinar, “Creating Ideal Learning Environments Through Play”.
Check it out >“YOU, YOUR KIDS & SCHOOL: The dangers of distracted parenting” – Litchfield Independent Review, May 11, 2022
“I had a hard truth delivered to me this week, and it came at the hands of a pint-sized human at the ripe age of 6 years old. This child, […]
Check it out >“Study: VR better than video for student performance, engagement” – K-12 Dive, May 9, 2022
“Young said he wasn’t surprised by the study’s findings, adding they show VR and the metaverse can be helpful tools in education. “I think it is very hopeful. Of course, it’s […]
Check it out >“Stimulating STEM in the city: Co-designing with Latine families to promote informal STEM learning” – 2022 STEM for All Video Showcase, May 10, 2022
A long history of research suggests that early informal STEM learning experiences such as block play, puzzles, visiting zoos and science museums can build a strong foundation for STEM learning […]
Check it out >“What Is the Metaverse’s Future in K-12 and Higher Ed?” – Government Technology, May 6, 2022
Virtual and augmented reality tools are gaining traction in both K-12 and higher-ed institutions, but experts say more planning and collaboration are needed to make the content practical and useful.
Check it out >“Communities find new shared learning opportunities in the time of COVID” – Bold, May 2, 2022
“Learning can happen anywhere. That’s the philosophy behind the Playful Learning Landscapes project, which studies and creates educational activities for public spaces. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced us to rethink […]
Check it out >“The way out of poverty: Governments must invest in families and children” – The Lab Report, Public Policy Lab, Temple University
Check out Temple University’s College of Liberal Arts Public Policy Lab’s Lab Report (Issue 2), titled “Child poverty in America: Where do we go from here?” and Kathy’s section titled […]
Check it out >“Should schools invest in the metaverse?” – K-12 Dive, March 30, 2022
“Pondering the potential of the metaverse in educational spaces, Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, a psychology professor at Temple University and a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, imagines infinite possibilities for learning […]
Check it out >Never miss another bedtime story: Amazon Glow connects families like never before!
Kathy is happy to be have helped the team create Amazon Glow! “Amazon has officially launched Amazon Glow, a kid-friendly, interactive device designed to erase the miles and bring loved ones […]
Check it out >“Kids can learn more from guided play than from direct instruction, report finds” – Hechinger Report, March 24, 2022
“What happens when you stop teaching young children via direct instruction and instead set up purposeful opportunities to play? They could learn just as much—or more— when it comes to […]
Check it out >“’Repetition without the tedium’: Board game creator shares the powerful effect of games on learning” – Parent 24, March 23, 2022
“Research on the learning benefits of play is nothing new; however, findings have been mainly focused on Early Childhood Development.” READ MORE….
Check it out >“Screen Time: Are screens breaking kids’ brains?” – TVO Podcast, March 17, 2022
Check out Kathy’s comments during the second half of the show!
Check it out >“Making pre-K work: Lessons from the Tennessee study” – Brookings Institute, February 28, 2022
“The recent evaluation of the Tennessee pre-K program by Kelley Durkin and colleagues found that by the end of sixth grade, children who attended the public statewide pre-K program in Tennessee actually did […]
Check it out >“Educating children to make the invisible, visible” – Brookings Institute, February 23, 2022
“Education is key for helping children understand the structural inequality perpetuated in our most powerful institutions…”
Check it out >“Educators Have Some Pointed Advice For Tech Companies Building the Metaverse” – EdSurge, February 15, 2022
“Talk of the metaverse is everywhere, even though the new, more immersive internet isn’t exactly here yet. Even so, some educators are trying to get ahead of the curve to […]
Check it out >“A whole new world: Education meets the metaverse” – Brookings Report, February 14, 2022
A challenge to Meta (Facebook’s new name), Google, Microsoft, and Amazon regarding the ways in which the metaverse can dovetail with education if done right. Check out Kathy and colleagues’ […]
Check it out >“Does FaceTime ‘Count’ as Screen Time for Young Children?” – Psychology Today, February 10, 2022
Check out this piece including research by Kathy and colleagues…
Check it out >“Playful learning, not play vs. learning in preschool: How play fosters cognitive development” – ECE Webinars, February 2, 2022
Check out Kathy’s latest ECE Webinar HERE….
Check it out >“A little cash goes a long way to support early childhood and development” – Brookings Institute, January 25, 2022
“The Build Back Better bill has stalled. On one point, we agree with Senator Joe Manchin that it is time for Congress to start with a “clean sheet of paper” […]
Check it out >“Global education trends and research to follow in 2022” – Brookings Institute, January 24, 2022
As the third calendar year of the pandemic begins, 2022 promises to be an important one—especially for education. Around the world, education systems have had to contend with sporadic closures, […]
Check it out >Playful Learning Landscapes Newsletter
Are you interested in learning more about PLLAN? Want to stay up to date on all of our latest projects? Then click to join Kathy and her colleagues’ quarterly newsletter!
Check it out >“Are my kids getting carried away in their flights from reality?” – The Guardian, December 27, 2021
“Never confuse fantasy and “realty”. It’s a sentence that has floated, jokingly, around my family ever since my father’s colleague uttered the bungle to him years ago. We New Yorkers, […]
Check it out >Small Talks, No. 40 – Isabelle Hau’s Newsletter, December 17, 2021
Check out Isabelle Hau’s newsletter featuring a quote from Kathy…
Check it out >“Time for Bin Busting: Teach Math, Reading, and Social Skills Together” – Education Week, December 15, 2021
“I support a whole-child approach to teaching, but how do schools integrate it when we have so many different subjects to cover?”… READ MORE…
Check it out >“Catch ’em young” – The Statesman, December 11, 2021
“Perhaps most importantly, write scholars Elana Herbst, Roberta M. Golinkoff and Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, the legislation has reignited a necessary conversation about the role of gendered toys in perpetuating stereotypes harmful […]
Check it out >“Why child’s play is serious business in early education” – EdSource, December 8, 2021
“When it comes to early childhood education, child’s play may well be serious business. Fun and games bring more than just joy. They may be the key to helping children […]
Check it out >Encantos Names Kathy as First Creator-In-Residence
Encantos, the global creator platform empowering Storyteachers from around the world to help kids learn 21st-century skills, today announced that award-winning educator and pioneer in the science of playful learning […]
Check it out >“Newly renovated Fairmount Park playhouse offers kids serious fun as an antidote to screen time” – The Philadelphia Inquirer, November 28, 2021
“Most people know Smith Memorial Playground for its giant wooden slide, the analog-age attraction that has amused generations of Philadelphia kids. But the Fairmount Park destination has a serious side, […]
Check it out >“The ‘real’ economic advantage of investing in families this holiday season” – Brookings Institute, November 30, 2021
“The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report released earlier this month offers a clear picture of the costs of the Build Back Better Act (BBBA) to America. Yet, the report fails […]
Check it out >“Holiday shopping in gender-neutral toy aisles? Playing for the future” – Brookings Institute, November 10, 2021
“It’s the holiday season and store aisles are stocked for a rush of early buying. Stores largely have the pink, artsy girls’ toys in one aisle and the blue, construction […]
Check it out >“High-quality early child care and education: The gift that lasts a lifetime” – Brookings Institute, November 4, 2021
“Debate continues on Biden’s ‘Build Back Better’ social infrastructure bill offering a historic expansion of child care and universal preschool. Early childhood education is a socially popular endeavor with strong […]
Check it out >“Children First” – The Statesman, October 28, 2021
“As the PLL movement continues to grow globally, it is important to underline that the existing installations have shown that PLL is effective at enhancing STEM and literacy skills and […]
Check it out >“Educational apps: how to make sure they’re worth it” – Tes, October 22, 2021
“Before introducing an app into your classroom, you should make sure it passes these three tests,” writes Grace Pocock. Read her piece featuring Kathy HERE…
Check it out >Check out the new Playful Learning Landscapes Metrics Framework!
In their latest Brookings piece, Kathy and her colleagues present the new Playful Learning Landscapes Metrics Framework! Check it out HERE…
Check it out >Sharla Feldscher shares KIDFUN AND MORE with Kathy – WoMRadio, October 6, 2021
Show host Sharla Feldscher is the author of several KIDFUN books including the most recent, KIDFUN: 401 Easy Ideas for Play (Wordeee publishing). On October 6, 2021, she spoke to […]
Check it out >“Active learning in the community” – Science Magazine, October 1, 2021
Check out Kathy and Roberta’s piece in Science Magazine about Playful Learning Landscapes!
Check it out >“Supporting families supports the economy: Social nets are economic foundations” – Brookings Institute, September 27, 2021
Check out Kathy’s latest Brookings Blog Post…. “It is time to change the narrative around social infrastructure investments for families. We beg to differ with people like Senator Manchin. It […]
Check it out >“How to design a public play space where kids practice reading and STEM skills” – The Conversation, September 9, 2021
“A park bench can be so much more than just a place to sit and wait. Perhaps it has a puzzle built into it, or weights that allow children to […]
Check it out >“Playtime is Making A Comeback in Philly” – Next City, September 8, 2021
Philadelphia resident and Temple University professor Kathy Hirsh-Pasek was walking through the streets of her hometown and asked herself: Why does a sidewalk have to be a sidewalk? And a […]
Check it out >“Montreal: The North American City Where Family-Friendliness is ‘Like a Religion’” – Early Learning Nation, August 23, 2021
“Every city-dweller has lived or witnessed some version of it: the mom on a bus struggling to fold a stroller while clutching a tiny hand; the family of four squeezed […]
Check it out >“What if teaching mirrored how human brains learn?” – Brookings Institute, August 10, 2021
“Here we are again.” These are the words of one art teacher in Tennessee that reflect educators’ wariness about the new school year as a recent surge in COVID-19 threatens […]
Check it out >“How to Have a Fun, Multigenerational Family Vacation” – New York Times, July 17, 2021
Sometimes a trip with small children means the same chores in a different place. Here’s advice on how to make it a vacation.
Check it out >“A Little Village Laundromat Brings Math Out Of Classrooms And Into Everyday Life For Young Learners” – Block Club Chicago, July 7, 2021
Instead of staring at a phone, kids at a laundromat in Little Village are getting a math lesson while their parents wash and fold. Graphics on washers and dryers offer […]
Check it out >The Ultimate Playbook: Co-Design in Action
Kathy is a co-founder of The Ultimate Playbook℠ inviting teachers, coaches, school and district leaders to join as a district to confidently co-design effective and equitable educational communities […]
Check it out >“Best educational toys for toddlers” – Chicago Tribune
“The best educational toys for toddlers are toys that provide a foundation for future learning potential. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no screen time for children under the age of 2, […]
Check it out >“Bringing joy back to the classroom and supporting stressed kids – what summer school looks like in 2021” – The Conversation, June 15, 2021
“Already 62% of parents believe their children are behind in learning, according to a survey conducted by the National PTA and Learning Heroes. The transition from in-person to remote learning […]
Check it out >“Importance of Play” – Dear Highlights Podcast, June 1, 2021
I have so much homework, when will I have time to play? This kid lament is one many parents hear daily and to help, this episode of the Dear Highlights […]
Check it out >“Santa Ana Families Design Playful Learning Experiences for Kids in the Community” – May 27, 2021, PBS SoCal
Messages of gratitude and excitement from parents filled a Zoom chat on May 19, 2021, as organizers concluded the
Check it out >“COVID-19 Sparks an Overdue Discussion on Education Reform: An Optimistic Vision” – Temple University Public Policy Lab Policy Brief,
Check out Kathy’s Public Policy Brief published by Temple University Public Policy Lab, “COVID-19 Sparks an Overdue Discussion on Education Reform: An Optimistic Vision” published on May 25, 2021…
Check it out >“7 Top Takeaways from the Talk: Kathy Hirsh-Pasek’s ‘Reimagining Education’” – May 26, 2021, Early Learning Nation
“Listening to Dr. Kathy Hirsh-Pasek talk about education can feel like the first time you visit one of those frozen yogurt places where you add your own toppings. You start […]
Check it out >“OP-ED: Prioritizing student voices to reopen schools” – May 19, 2021, Dhaka Tribune
The prolonged closure of schools can reverse our success in improved enrolment rate and reduced dropout rate. According to a report by Unicef, 10 million child marriages may occur before […]
Check it out >“Twenty-six studies point to more play for young children” – May 13, 2021, Hechinger Report
“What if one of the answers to reducing inequality and addressing mental health concerns among young children is as simple as providing more opportunities to play? A growing body of […]
Check it out >“‘We the People’ Believe in a Learner-Centered Future of Education” – May 12, 2021, Education Reimagined.
“I have often written about the 21st-century child, their education, and the future that awaits them. This time, however, I pose the question: “What about the 22nd-century child?” If the […]
Check it out >“Rush to summer school? A moment for celebration and caution” – Brookings Institute
Summer school—two words that conjure a memory of poorly performing students forced to attend a summer boot camp to raise test scores as they complete worksheets in sweltering classrooms. […]
Check it out >Watch Kathy’s Presentation: “Reimagining education: A View from the science of learning”
Check out the recording of Kathy’s presentation titled, “Reimagining education: A View from the science of learning” which took place on May 6, 2021 and was arranged by University of […]
Check it out >“Top educational apps for children might not be as beneficial as promised” – May 10, 2021, PennState, EurekAlert.org
Log on to any app store, and parents will find hundreds of options for children that claim to be educational…..
Check it out >“Explained: How to incorporate play-based learning in 2021” – India Today, April 22, 2021
Kathy talked to India Today about play-based learning, why it’s important, and what it looks like….
Check it out >“Building back better: The promise of the American Rescue Plan for education” – Brookings Institute
Read Kathy’s latest Blog Post with Helen Hadani…
Check it out >“Eye on Education: Playful learning important for all ages” – Daily Republic: Solano County’s News Source
Check out Stephen Davis’s article on the Brookings Institute Policy “A New Path to Education Reform: Playful learning promotes 21st-century skills in schools and beyond”
Check it out >“Reimagining Early Care and Education” – New America event – March 30, 2021
We need bold changes to early care and education policies and practices at all levels. We invite you to join us for an event where we examine why reimagining and […]
Check it out >“Looking for an educational life raft? Apps may not be the answer” – Brookings Institute
Looking for an educational life raft? “Educational” apps might not fill the void. Kathy and colleagues’ new study spearheaded by shows us that popular apps don’t always optimize learning value.
Check it out >Elected Member of the National Academy of Education (NAEd)
On March 11, 2021, Gloria Ladson-Billings, President of the National Academy of Education (NAEd), announced that twenty-two exceptional education scholars are elected to membership in the Academy. Kathy is one […]
Check it out >“Teaching kids about equality and inclusion”- Business Mirror
Check out this article by Maye Yao Co Say in the Business Mirror.
Check it out >“Top Takeaways from Three Sessions of the Finding Joy Through Playful Learning Conference” – Early Learning Nation
Contributor Mark Swartz tuned in to three virtual sessions from the recent Finding Joy Through Playful Learning conference sponsored by the Playful Learning Landscapes Action Network (PLLAN).
Check it out >Questions in a life- sized board game: Comparing caregivers’ and children’s question-asking across STEM museum exhibits
Check out Kathy’s latest article: “We investigated whether children’s and caregivers’ questions about math, spatial, and scientific topics could be increased in a museum exhibit specifically designed to promote this […]
Check it out >How educational are “educational” apps for young children?
Kathy and her team’s recent study on 100 “educational apps” that are favored by children suggests that few support active young minds in meaningful, socially interactive ways. The article, titled […]
Check it out >“A thought process for ‘Thinkscapes’ in Halifax, South Boston” – The Gazette-Virginian, March 2, 2021
The managers of the Downtown South Boston Farmers’ Market and the Halifax Market Place both are designing downtown “Thinkscapes” to promote childhood learning through play. Urban Thinkscape is an initiative […]
Check it out >