Honors Students Present Senior Thesis Projects
Twelve School of Education and Social Policy honors students were recognized for rigorous and thoughtful scholarship by Dean David Figlio and faculty members during an online ceremony and poster presentation session.
New Research: Why We Should Listen to Preschoolers
Early childhood policies could be vastly improved by listening to the unexpectedly wise voices of those who stand to benefit: children as young as four years old, according to new Northwestern University research published in Translational Issues in Psychological Science.
Leading Education Scholars: There's No Going Back
Schools should not return to the old “normal,” despite concerns about potential learning loss after a year of disruption, leading education scholars argue in a new report by the Spencer Foundation and the Learning Policy Institute.
New Study: Having More Immigrant Peers Can Boost Scores For U.S.-Born Students
A timely new study coauthored by School of Education and Social Policy Dean David Figlio finds that immigrant children and teenagers “could be an unexpected boon for native-born students should they reach American classrooms,” Asher Lehrer-Small wrote in The 74.
Coburn Honored With Excellence in Teaching Award
Cynthia Coburn has been awarded the Charles Deering McCormick University Professorship of Teaching Excellence Award for her innovative classroom instruction, the compassion and care she has shown undergraduates, and her pioneering contributions to the field of education research.
SESP in the Media: May 2021
An ongoing, monthly roundup of appearances in the news media by School of Education and Social Policy faculty, researchers, and our community.
Qu Receives Early Career Award
Northwestern University developmental psychologist Yang Qu has received an Early Career Award from the Society for Research in Child Development’s Asian Caucus for his work studying the experiences of teenagers in the United States and China.
Undergrads Pursue Novel Research Projects
Northwestern University School of Education and Social Policy students received 2020-21 Academic Year Undergraduate Research Grants (AYURG) to study everything from athletic shoe culture to the impacts of COVID19- and the Black Lives Matter movement on Black-owned businesses.
Presence of Immigrant Students Boosts Test Scores for All
U.S.-born students with high exposure to immigrants in their schools scored better on math and reading tests than similar students with low exposure to immigrants, according to a working paper co-authored by School of Education and Social Policy Dean David Figlio and published by the National Bureau of Economic Research, Evelyn Iritani wrote in UCLA Anderson Review.
A Sneak Peek Inside the Destin Lab
Northwestern University social psychologist Mesmin Destin, a recent Guggenheim Fellow selection, explores how the presumed “disadvantages” related to students’ backgrounds can carry unrecognized strengths, Kirsten Weir wrote in “Finding Strength in Hardship.”
‘Inclusive Making’ Helps Students Design for People with Disabilities
A college design course that takes a critical look at the field of ‘making” and includes partnerships between students and people with disabilities can promote accessibility in computing, according to new Northwestern University research.
SESP in the Media: April 2021
An ongoing, monthly roundup of appearances in the news media by School of Education and Social Policy faculty, researchers, and our community.
Carol Lee Leads SESP Scholars at AERA
More than two dozen School of Education and Social Policy faculty members, graduate students, and postdoctoral scholars will present their latest research on a wide range of education issues at the 2021 virtual American Education Research Association annual meeting held April 8 through 12.
Vakil Receives Spencer Grant to Study Engineering Students, Islamic Revolution
Northwestern University’s Sepehr Vakil received a $346,000 Spencer Foundation large research grant to study how the cultural, religious, and political context of late 20th century Iran shaped a premiere engineering university in the years leading up to the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Three Faculty Members Join National Academy of Education
Northwestern University Professors Megan Bang, Jonathan Guryan, and Brian Reiser were among 22 exceptional scholars elected to the prestigious National Academy of Education (NAEd) for their stellar contributions to education scholarship and research.
Adult vs. Child-Centered Learning: Why We Need Another Path
Teachers often act as hands-off facilitators in makerspace settings, letting children lead the way. But what happens when they step back too far?
SESP in the Media: March 2021
An ongoing, monthly roundup of appearances in the news media by School of Education and Social Policy faculty, researchers, and our community.
Marginalized Students’ Backgrounds a Strength, Researchers Say
Rather than “fixing” students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, colleges and universities should view their experiences as assets and a source of strength, according to two new publications by SESP researchers.
Armed With Faith: Is Gun Ownership a Religion?
Lilah Shapiro received a Provost Grant for Faculty Research in the Humanities, Social Sciences, and Arts to examine the relationship between gun owners and religion.
Six SESP Scholars Ranked Among Nation’s Most Influential
Six Northwestern University School of Education and Social Policy faculty members were named to Education Week’s annual list of 200 influential academics in education policy, highlighting the impact of the School’s research on real-world issues.
SESP in the Media: February 2021
An ongoing, monthly roundup of appearances in the news media by School of Education and Social Policy faculty, researchers, and our community.
When Education Research Benefits Both Sides
Research partnerships between Universities and school districts need to be mutually beneficial, long term, and thoughtfully structured, Northwestern University researchers said during the annual meeting of the Mindset Scholars Network.
Experts: New Resource Can Fight COVID-19 Misinformation
Professor David Rapp was among more than two dozen expert scientists from around the world who contributed to a new user-friendly handbook designed to help fight the spread of misinformation about the coronavirus vaccines.
SESP in the Media: January 2021
An ongoing, monthly roundup of appearances in the news media by School of Education and Social Policy faculty, researchers, and our community.
Spikes Helps Craft Adult Media Literacy Guide
Learning Sciences doctoral student Michael Spikes served as a national advisor for the American Library Association’s new initiative to help library staffers respond to misinformation and other media literacy issues.
SESP in the Media: December 2020
An ongoing, monthly roundup of appearances in the news media by School of Education and Social Policy faculty, researchers, and our community.
SESP in the Media: November 2020
An ongoing, monthly roundup of appearances in the news media by School of Education and Social Policy faculty, researchers, and our community.
New Research: Being Upbeat Predicts Less Memory Decline
Being positive predicts less decline in memory during the aging process, according to a new study co-authored by researchers in the Life-Span Development Laboratory, including Claudia Haase, Emily Hittner, and Jacquelyn Stephens.
Loneliness and Uncertainty Major Stressors for College Students
Stress from COVID-19 — along with stress related to health care, the economy, racism and the presidential election — is seriously threatening the mental health of our country, particularly our youngest generation, according to a new national survey from the American Psychological Association (APA).
O'Rourke Develops Cyberlearning Technology
Northwestern University professors Eleanor O’Rourke and Haoqi Zhang have received a $750,000 National Science Foundation Cyberlearning grant to help beginning computer science students develop better learning strategies and diversify the field.
SESP in the Media: October 2020
An ongoing, monthly roundup of appearances in the news media by School of Education and Social Policy faculty, researchers, and our community.
SESP in the Media: September 2020
An ongoing, monthly roundup of appearances in the news media by School of Education and Social Policy faculty, researchers, and our community.
SESP in the Media: August 2020
An ongoing, monthly roundup of appearances in the news media by School of Education and Social Policy faculty, researchers, and our community.
Kirabo Jackson Honored with Public Policy Prize
SESP's Kirabo (“Bo”) Jackson has been honored with the David N. Kershaw Award by the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management for his path-breaking work on school finance reform and teacher effectiveness.
Coburn Named to William T. Grant Selection Committee
Cynthia Coburn was named to the William T. Grant Scholars Selection Committee, a dedicated group of academics who help younger colleagues with career development, mentoring, and pursuing new research challenges.
SESP in the Media: July 2020
An ongoing, monthly roundup of appearances in the news media by School of Education and Social Policy faculty, researchers, and our community.
SESP Leads During a Time of Crisis
Three School of Education and Social Policy faculty members discussed the innovative ways they’ve adapted their work to address the multiple crises facing society during a recent webinar organized by Northwestern’s office of Alumni Relations and Development.
I’m a Doctor! New PhDs Receive Their Charge
School of Education and Social Policy doctoral graduates should continue their dogged pursuit of knowledge with honesty and rigor, faculty member Mike Horn said during a virtual hooding ceremony for newly minted PhDs.
Honors Program: ‘One of the Most Rewarding Experiences of My Undergraduate Career’
Thirteen honors students were recognized for rigorous and thoughtful scholarship by Dean David Figlio and faculty members during the first online ceremony and poster presentation session in School history.
SESP in the Media: June 2020
An ongoing, monthly roundup of appearances in the news media by School of Education and Social Policy faculty, researchers, and our community.
SESP: A Catalyst During Crisis
When SESP Dean and economist David Figlio created the syllabus for his popular undergraduate class, he had no idea he’d be teaching it during the worst economic crisis of anyone’s lifetime.
SESP in the Media: May 2020
An ongoing, monthly roundup of appearances in the news media by School of Education and Social Policy faculty, researchers, and our community.
What Happens When You Start Work During a Recession?
Recent graduates who are unlucky enough to join the workforce during a recession will likely see a loss in income and negative health effects over their lifetime, Northwestern University economist Hannes Schwandt told political analyst Amy Walter, host of The Takeaway, Fridays.
SESP in the Media: April 2020
An ongoing, monthly roundup of appearances in the news media by School of Education and Social Policy faculty, researchers, and our community.
AERA Shifts to Virtual Meeting Due to Coronavirus
AERA will not be holding a place-based Annual Meeting in San Francisco, CA, in April 2020 due to the coronavirus. Instead, they are shifting to a virtual meeting.
SESP in the Media: March 2020
An ongoing, monthly roundup of appearances in the news media by School of Education and Social Policy faculty, researchers, and our community.
SESP in the Media: February 2020
An ongoing, monthly roundup of appearances in the news media by School of Education and Social Policy faculty, researchers, and our community.
OpenSciEd Releases Free Science Teaching Materials
OpenSciEd is a collaborative effort to develop free, high-quality classroom materials for teachers nationwide. Co-created by Northwestern University’s Brian Reiser and his team of learning scientists, the free and downloadable units are aligned to the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and lay the groundwork for the future of science education.
SESP Psychologist Named ‘Rising Star’
Northwestern University developmental psychologist Yang Qu was named a 2020 Rising Star by the Association for Psychological Sciences for his interdisciplinary work examining the role of sociocultural contexts in adolescent development.
Six SESP Faculty Members Among Most Influential Academics
Six SESP faculty members were named to Education Week’s annual list of 200 influential academics in education policy, highlighting the School’s research eminence and influence.