OVERVIEW

Parents, teachers, school districts, day care providers, librarians, pediatricians, speech and language therapists, policy makers, and others who work with children are concerned about current trends in our society that work against children’s better interests.  Rather than considering the “whole child” and the complex interplay between intellectual, emotional, social, and physical development, our society is more concerned with memorization than true achievement and with children knowing “facts” rather than becoming lifelong learners.  Yet what has made the United States great is our ability to rapidly adapt to changes in the marketplace as well as to create novel solutions to old problems.

Business leaders across the country tell us that to compete in the knowledge-based economy of the 21st Century children will need a different kind of training and education. They will need to master what we call the 6Cs (TM) of  collaboration (EQ, teamwork), communication ( speaking and listening), content (reading, math, arts and science), critical thinking (problem solving, analysis), creative innovation, and confidence (risk taking). Simply mending the worn knees and replacing the cuffs on our school system will not propel the future American workforce to success in a global economy.  It is time to start a national dialogue that asks how we re-imagine schools to meet the demands of the 21st Century world. Findings from years of scientific research in child development and learning science has much to offer in this new conversation. Our outreach efforts through Learning Landscapes and our overhaul of the Godfrey-Lee Public School System using the 6Cs (TM) demonstrate our continued commitment to education for a global world.

In December 2021, Encantos, the global creator platform empowering Storyteachers from around the world to help kids learn 21st-century skills,  announced that Kathy became Encantos’ first Creator-in-Residence. Kathy will bring her decades of experience to collaborate with the Encantos team as the company builds its direct-to-learner creator platform.

CONSULTING

Research:

• Elected Member of the National Academy of Education (NAEd)                             Governing Council Member of the Society for Research in Child Development
• With academic institutions such as the Language Research Center at Georgia State University and with students doing research around the world
• Consulting on National Agenda Issues with the government as
  • a participant in the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development
  • Consultant for the NIH Toolbox on language and literacy
  • Consultant for State of California Preschool Curricula in language and literacy

Non-Profit:

• Fred Roger’s Center
• On the advisory board for the Alliance for Childhood
• Research Advisory Board for America’s Promise
• Advisory Board for CIVITAS
• Consulted with a number of Children’s Museums across America
• Consulted with Amazon for the creation of Amazon Glow

 

Business:

• The Toy Industry
  • Fisher-Price
  • HIT Entertainment
  • K’Nex
  • Highlights
  • Crayola
  • Megabloks
• Media
  • Disney Junior
  • Sesame Workshop
  • Cartoon Network
  • Blue’s Clues
• Other
  • MindChamps

RECENT INVITED PAPERS AND ADDRESSES

Hirsh-Pasek, K. (2021, June 29). Sneak peek at playful learning in classrooms: What  does success look like?  Moderator/ Co-Presenter, Webinar, Grade Level Reading Campaign.

Hirsh-Pasek, K. (2021, June 28). Learning leveraged: Planning for better than returning to normal. Keynote Speaker, DEY 2021 Virtual Summer Institute.

Hirsh-Pasek, K. (2021, May 6). Reimagining education: A View from the science of learning. Virtual Presentation, University of Maryland, College of Education.

Hirsh-Pasek, K. (2021, April 27). The Fall K-3 Classroom: What the data imply about composition, challenges and opportunities. EducationWeek Webinar.

Hirsh-Pasek, K. (2021, March 30). Reimagining Early Care and Education: A New American Vision. Educational Policy Event, Virtual Conference, New America Org.

Hirsh-Pasek, K. (2021, February 20). A New path to education reform: Playful learning reduces COVID slide and promote learning in school and beyond. The Science of Teaching During a Pandemic, Virtual Conference, Learning and Brain Foundation.

Hirsh-Pasek, K. (2021, February 19). Re-IMagining Education: Learning Happens Everywhere. Keynote Speaker, Beyond School Hours 2021 National Educational Conference, Foundations, Inc., Virtual Conference.

Hirsh-Pasek, K. (2021, February 3). Finding joy through playful learning. Virtual Conference, Playful Learning Landscapes Action Network, Playful Pittsburgh Collaborative, and Trying Together.

Hirsh-Pasek, K. (2021, January 13). A new path to education reform: The next chapter on  21st century skills. Virtual Panel, Webinar by Brookings Institute.

 

POPULAR PRESS

“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 technology raises lots of exciting possibilities and some tough challenges, for both K12 classrooms and college classrooms of the future. And to help us sort through this emerging space, we invited two guests to the podcast who have seen more of this VR space than most and are thinking through these issues….” LISTEN HERE….

“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) and augmented reality (AR) that blend physical and digital spaces. The technology is not quite there yet, but VR and AR uses have already been entering some higher education classrooms, raising questions about both their major potential and challenges.” READ MORE…

“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 contains the roots of mathematical learning 46% of the time,” according to Kathy Hirsh-Pasek…” READ MORE….

“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 their world. The benefits are far reaching. For example, self-regulation learned through play helps with social relationships, academics, and at work.” READ MORE…

“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 day taking the lead in an early childhood classroom. Just one day would be enough to show the folks in Congress how difficult and important the work is, says Hirsch-Pasek, a psychology professor at Temple University and a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution…” READ MORE…

“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.” READ MORE…

“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, with her wide-eyed innocence, told me that her dad liked playing video games more than he liked playing with her, and that it made her sad.” READ MORE….

“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 a very expensive technology still, so the downside is that you don’t want to exacerbate inequities,” he said.” READ MORE…

“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 and which leads to later STEM success…” Watch the VIDEO HERE

“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…

“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 shared spaces and community activities, as we face new challenges – but also new opportunities – for playful learning…”

“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 “The way out of poverty: Governments must invest in families and children”.

“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 opportunities. ‘It will enable us to visit places we’ve never visited before,’ Hirsh-Pasek said. ‘To learn French while we’re sitting in a French cafe. To go visit places in South Africa that we might have only heard about or seen on a Google map. Imagine if you could jump into the Google map. Imagine if you could go back and forth on a timeline and now really go back to the future.’” READ MORE…

“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 literacy, numeracy and executive function skills critical to early academic success, according to a new review of 17 studies of play.” READ MORE…

“’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….

“Screen Time: Are screens breaking kids’ brains?”  – TVO Podcast, March 17, 2022 – Check out Kathy’s comments during the second half of the show! Listen HERE…

“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 help influence what kinds of education products and services emerge in the metaverse.  This week the Brookings Institution released a policy brief titled “A Whole New World: Education Meets the Metaverse.” It offers advice to tech companies that are jumping into the metaverse, with principles from learning science for how to shape the development of their products and services.” READ MORE…

“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’ latest Brookings Report HERE…

“Does FaceTime ‘Count’ as Screen Time for Young Children?” – Psychology Today, February 10, 2022 – Check out this piece including research by Kathy and colleagues HERE…

“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, of course, never confuse fantasy and realty. But in our house we happily confuse the two all the time.”… READ MORE…

Small Talks, No. 40 – Isabelle Hau’s Newsletter, December 17, 2021 – Check out Isabelle Hau’s newsletter featuring a quote from Kathy… READ HERE….

“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…

“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 to children and to society at large. California is the first American state to enact such regulation, but the idea is not new.”… READ MORE…

“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 thrive in tough times, experts say. Since young children don’t often have an opportunity to exercise choice and control, free play can be a liberating experience, nurturing independence and relieving stress.” READ MORE….

“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, too. Smith’s original building was erected in 1899, during a period of rapid urbanization and industrialization.” READ MORE…

“How to design a public play space where kids practice reading and STEM skills” – The Conversation, Sept 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 make measurements.”… Read More…

“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 bench, a bench? In short, she thought: “What if we could create whole communities that looked really inviting for families and helped children get learning opportunities outside the school walls by reimagining public spaces as the new public squares?””  Read More…

“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.” Read More…

“Best educational toys for toddlers” – Chicago Tribune, June 24, 2021 – “The best educational toys for toddlers are toys that provide a foundation for future learning potential. TheAmerican Academy of Pediatrics recommends no screen time for children under the age of 2, except video-chatting and 1 hour or less of high-quality educational screen time per day for children ages 2-5. Based on this advice, educational toys without screens are best for encouraging skill-building in young children.” Read More…

“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… We’ve assembled a panel of academics (including Kathy) to talk about how summer schools should be supporting students this year. Here, five experts explain what summer school does, and why it may look very different this year.” Read More…

“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 podcast tackles the importance of play in a kid’s life. Host Christine French Cully talks with Kathy about how children really learn and why they need to play more and memorize less. Yet many parents, educators, and policy makers worry that playtime takes children away from precious academic activities. 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 seventh workshop for the research project Stimulating STEM in the City: Co-Designing with Latinx Families to Promote Informal STEM Learning. Read More…

“COVID-19 Sparks an Overdue Discussion on Education Reform: An Optimistic Vision” – May 25, 2021, Temple University Public Policy Lab Policy Brief – Read Kathy’s Public Policy Brief published by Temple University Public Policy Lab… Read More…

“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… On May 6, when she gave a virtual talk titled “Reimagining Education: A View from the Science of Learning” for the University of Maryland’s Center for Early Childhood Education and Intervention and Language and Literacy Research Center, I found myself grabbing for every morsel of knowledge within reach.” Read More…

“OP-ED: Prioritizing student voices to reopen schools” – May 19, 2021, Dhaka Tribune – The prolonged closure of schools can reverse our success in improved enrollment rate and reduced dropout rate. According to a report by Unicef, 10 million child marriages may occur before the end of the decade, threatening years of progress in reducing the practice. Read More…

 “‘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 children of today are to build the world of tomorrow, we must imagine the shape of the 22nd-century and critically look at whether our current systems of education will equip our children to build and live into that future.”  Read More…

“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. But new research suggests these apps might not be as beneficial to children as they seem. Read More…

“Eye on Education: Playful learning important for all ages” – April 7, 2021, 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” HERE….

We need bold changes to early care and education policies and practices at all levels. At  NewAmerica ‘s event  “Reimagining Early Care and Education: A New American Vision” which took place on March 30, 2021, we examined why reimagining and investing in early care and education must be a national priority now and explore how to make it a reality for all children. You can watch it HERE…

“Playful learning and 21st-century skills line the path to education reform: Our responses to your questions” – Brookings Institute On January 13, 2021, the Brookings Center for Universal Education (CUE) hosted a virtual event with over 1,000 registered attendees to share our model for 21st century education reform and discuss the educational priorities of researchers, educators, policymakers, and employers. During the event, Kathy and colleagues received an influx of audience questions on 21st century education reform, the of playful learning principles, and the 6Cs. In her latest blog post, Kathy and colleagues respond to these questions. READ MORE…

“A new path to education reform: The next chapter on 21st century skills” – On January 13, 2021, the Center for Universal Education (CUE) hosted a webinar to discuss a path to educational reform. Following a brief overview of the recent Policy 2020 report “A new path to education reform: Playful learning promotes 21st-century skills in schools and beyond” by Brookings Fellow Helen Hadani, a panel of experts, including Kathy, shared their various perspectives on how to remake education, foster educational equity, and prepare students for a better future. Watch the Webinar here…

 

RECENT BLOG POSTS

1. Brookings Institute: “Making pre-K work: Lessons from the Tennessee study.” February 28, 2022.
2. Brookings Institute: “Educating children to make the invisible, visible.” February 23, 2022.
3. Brookings Institute: “A little cash goes a long way to support early childhood and development.” January 25, 2022.
4. Brookings Institute: “Global education trends and research to follow in 2022.” January 24, 2022.
5. Brookings Institute:  “The ‘real’ economic advantage of investing in families this holiday season.” November 30, 2021.
6. Brookings Institute: “Holiday shopping in gender-neutral toy aisles? Playing for the future.” November 10, 2021.
7. Brookings Institute: “High-quality early child care and education: The gift that lasts lifetime.” November 4, 2021.
8. Brookings Institute: “Understanding child-friendly urban design: A framework to measure Playful Learning Landscapes outcomes.” October 19, 2021.
9. Brookings Institute: “Supporting families supports the economy: Social nets are economic foundations.” September 27, 2021.
10. Brookings Institute: “What if teaching mirrored how human brains learn?” August 10, 2021.
11. Brookings Institute: “Rush to summer school? A moment for celebration and caution.” May 13, 2021.
12. Brookings Institute: “Building back better: The promise of the American Rescue Plan for education.” April 9, 2021.
13. Brookings Institute: “Looking for an educational life raft? Apps may not be the answer.” March 22, 2021.
14. Brookings Institute: “Playful learning and 21st-century skills line the path to education reform: Our responses to your questions.” February 17, 2021.
15. The Hechinger Report: How can we prevent a generation of pandemic-isolated misfits? January 27, 2021.
16. AAAS Science Blog Post: “Children need unstructured exploration and time to tackle problems that interest them” – Book Review of “The Intellectual Lives of Children” by Susan Engel (2021), January 5, 2021.
17. Brookings Institute: “COVID-19 sparks an overdue discussion on education reform: An optimistic vision.” January 4, 2021.
18. Brookings Institute: “Rebuilding America’s schools: The new secretary of education will need to prioritize both access and breadth of skills”. December 23, 2020.
19. Child and Family Blog: “Why are we still at home?” Fostering Children’s Questions During COVID19. December 3, 2020.
20. Brookings: Does reopening schools lead to increased life expectancy? The data aren’t so simple. November 23, 2020.
21. Brookings: An unprecedented time in education demands unprecedented change. November 13, 2020.
22. Brookings: The missing piece: Where is ‘education’ in the national conversation? October 12, 2020.

 

The Ultimate Playbook: Co-Design in Action

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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 through the power of play and learning science.

The first step in The Ultimate Playbook design is getting to know what makes your community unique, and understanding your goals for students and teachers. For more information, visit our website https://www.theultimateplaybook.org/.

 

 

 

Learning Sciences Exchange (LSX) Program

Kathy is a co-founder of the Learning Sciences Exchange Program, a one-of-a-kind fellowship program bringing together 15 fellows, three each from five different sectors — science, policy, journalism, entertainment, and social entrepreneurship– who participate for 2 years. She is also on the Steering Committee.

Breakthroughs and insights now emerge regularly from the early learning sciences. Yet they are slow to make their way into schools, family support systems, and the social consciousness in positive ways. Too often, new findings on children 0-8 are either left to wilt in inaccessible academic journals, contorted by splashy headlines, or too complicated to lead to real policy changes. One major contributor to this problem: Journalists, storytellers (such as movie producers), policy influencers, and learning scientists have no incentive to take the time to listen to each other, grapple with problems together, and gain a deeper understanding of the other’s mission and work….

The Learning Sciences Exchange Program is designed to address this problem. LSX is a one-of-a-kind fellowship program that brings together 15 fellows, three each from the five sectors (science, policy, journalism, entertainment, and social entrepreneurship), who participate for 2 years. The fellows hail from multiple countries in Europe and North America. Each participant enjoys time for cross-disciplinary thinking and writing about how to bring ideas in learning science to fruition and about how to communicate them with the greatest influence.

LSX is led in partnership among New America, the International Congress of Infant Studies, and the Jacobs Foundation. For more information, see our frequently asked questions below, the press release announcing our launch, and a blog post on why we developed the program.

Check out recent publications and videos by the recent LSX Fellows!!