What happens when a school shuts down? And how do those decisions ripple through the students, families, and communities left behind?

On this episode of School’s In, Stanford Assistant Professor Francis Pearman joins us to discuss the complex and often emotional issue of school closures. We dive into why schools close, who is most affected, and how these decisions ripple through communities – especially for low-income students and students of color. Pearman covers several topics including:

• (02:21) Why do schools close?
• (06:34) How school closures affect local communities
• (08:02) Educational consequences for students
• (11:25) Are school closures fair? Equity and disproportionality
• (16:07) Financial realities and policy tradeoffs
• (19:03) Is there a better way? Alternatives and considerations

Francis Pearman is an assistant professor at Stanford Graduate School of Education. His research examines how poverty and inequality shape the life chances of children, particularly through the lens of educational opportunity and urban development. Learn more about his work on his faculty profile.

School’s In is your go-to podcast for cutting-edge insights and fresh perspectives on the future of learning. Hosted by Stanford Graduate School of Education (GSE) Dean Dan Schwartz and Senior Lecturer Denise Pope, each episode dives into the latest research, innovations, and real-world challenges shaping education today.

Stanford GSE is at the forefront of education research and teacher preparation, dedicated to advancing equitable, accessible, and impactful learning experiences for all.

Stay connected with the latest insights—subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Threads.

How can AI be used as a tool that supplements, rather than supplants, the learning process? And what does research say is the most effective way to use the tool?

On this episode of School’s In, we welcome GSE Assistant Professor Hari Subramonyam to discuss AI in education. He covers several topics, including:

• (01:41) What is critical thinking?
• (05:03) Beyond prompting: AI, creativity, and critical decision making
• (09:10) Using AI to scaffold the writing process
• (13:59) AI as learning tool: What the research shows
• (19:29) AI and assessment
• (22:33) AI in education: Advice for parents and teachers

Hari Subramonyam is an assistant professor at the Graduate School of Education, where his research focuses on augmenting critical human tasks (such as learning, creativity, and sensemaking) with AI by incorporating principles from cognitive psychology. He is also a faculty fellow at Stanford's Institute for Human-Centered AI. To learn more about his work, visit his faculty profile.

Stanford GSE is at the forefront of education research and teacher preparation, dedicated to advancing equitable, accessible, and impactful learning experiences for all.

Stay connected with the latest insights – subscribe to the GSE’s newsletter and follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Threads.

What does it mean for students to be successful? And how can parents, schools, and educators create the conditions for students to thrive?

On this episode of School’s In, we welcome co-host and GSE Senior Lecturer Denise Pope in the guest seat to discuss how to improve student wellness, belonging, and engagement. She covers several topics, including:

• (1:54) Challenging a narrow definition of success: Parents and students
• (7:42) What the data shows: Stress, sleep, and engagement
• (14:02) Belonging: Student relationships with teachers and peers
• (18:10) Practical solutions: School-level change
• (24:37) What parents can do, and key takeaways

Denise Pope is a senior lecturer at Stanford Graduate School of Education, where her research focuses on curriculum studies, service learning, student engagement, and school reform. She is also the co-founder of Challenge Success, a nonprofit that partners with schools to implement research-based strategies that improve student well-being and engagement.

To learn more about her work, visit her faculty profile.

Stanford GSE is at the forefront of education research and teacher preparation, dedicated to advancing equitable, accessible, and impactful learning experiences for all.

Stay connected with the latest insights – subscribe to the GSE’s newsletter and follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Threads.

Season 3 is here, and we have a great lineup for you, our listeners. We kick off the season with our very own Denise Pope in the hot seat, sharing research on what constitutes student success. This season we also bring you research on AI as an educational tool, chatbots as therapists, the impacts of school closures, and much, much more. Subscribe now. You won’t want to miss an episode!

What does the growing popularity and utility of AI tools mean for students, teachers, and schools? And what can educators do to leverage these tools to make learning stick?

This week we are sharing an episode from our friends at Stanford School of Engineering – an episode of The Future of Everything, with host Russ Altman. Originally released in August 2024, this episode features our own GSE dean and School’s In co-host, Dan Schwartz in the hot seat. Schwartz covers several topics on the future of educational technology, including:

• 01:27 Enter AI: Opportunity and upheaval in education
• 02:49 Teachers vs. technology: Do we still need humans?
• 08:24 Cheating, ChatGPT, and assignments that matter
• 12:25 Industry, EdTech, and AI’s future direction
• 18:14 Assessment, analytics, and ethical design
• 25:30 Embodied learning and virtual AI integration

Dan Schwartz is the James Quillen Dean and the Nomellini & Olivier Professor of Educational Technology at Stanford Graduate School of Education. He is also the Halper Family Faculty Director of the Stanford Accelerator for Learning.

An expert in human learning and educational technology, Schwartz also oversees a laboratory that works to prepare students to continue learning and adapting throughout their lifetimes.To learn more about his work, visit his faculty profile.

The Future of Everything podcast explores how technology, science, and medicine are shaping our lives. Host Russ Altman asks his guest to discuss their role in creating the future – of everything. Learn more about this episode on the show’s website.

Stanford GSE is at the forefront of education research and teacher preparation, dedicated to advancing equitable, accessible, and impactful learning experiences for all.

Stay connected with the latest insights – subscribe to the GSE’s newsletter and follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Threads.

How does sleep affect student academic performance? And how might school start times be setting them up to fail?

On this episode of School’s In, originally broadcast in April 2019, we welcome Professor Rafael Pelayo, a clinical professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences. He discusses what sleep does for the brain and how it matters for learning. Pelayo tackles several topics, including:

• 04:43 What sleep really does for us
• 08:26 Sleep and learning: The essential link
• 13:10 Adolescent sleep challenges
• 17:52 The school start time debate
• 23:45 Changing attitudes, sleep technology, and healthy habits

Dr. Rafael Pelayo is a clinical professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford University’s Sleep Medicine Division, where his clinical focus is on sleep medicine and the neurology of children and adults. He is also the author of How to Sleep. To learn more about his work, visit his faculty profile.

School’s In is your go-to podcast for cutting-edge insights and fresh perspectives on the future of learning. Hosted by Stanford Graduate School of Education Dean Dan Schwartz and Senior Lecturer Denise Pope, each episode dives into the latest research, innovations, and real-world challenges shaping education today.

Stanford GSE is at the forefront of education research and teacher preparation, dedicated to advancing equitable, accessible, and impactful learning experiences for all.

Stay connected with the latest insights – subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Threads.

How can schools help students develop digital literacy in the classroom? And how can these techniques be applied to how we consume news and identify reliable information?

On this episode of School’s In, recorded live on campus in May 2025, we welcome a panel including GSE Professor Emeritus Sam Wineburg, Stanford journalism lecturer Janine Zacharia, high school teacher Valerie Ziegler, and Stanford undergraduate student Alvin Lee. The panel discusses the importance of teaching students how to accurately navigate the internet, and how this approach to digital information can be built into course curricula. Our guests tackle several topics, including:

• 02:57 Teaching digital literacy in a changing world (panelists’ responses to Part 1 with Sam Wineburg)
• 08:05 Truth, trust, and TikTok: Navigating information in the AI era
• 15:08 The educator’s dilemma: Keeping up with AI in the classroom
• 22:37 Beyond the mandate: Building digital literacy into the curriculum
• 25:38 Creating a culture of curiosity: Advice for students, educators, and parents

Sam Wineburg is the Margaret Jacks Professor, Emeritus, of education at Stanford Graduate School of Education, where his research focused on how people assess the credibility of digital content. To learn more about his work, visit his faculty profile.

Janine Zacharia is a lecturer in the Department of Communication at Stanford University. She regularly appears on cable news shows and radio programs as a Middle East analyst. To learn more about her work, visit her faculty profile.

Valerie Ziegler teaches U.S. history, economics, and advanced placement U.S. government and politics at Abraham Lincoln High School in San Francisco. Learn more about her work here.

Alvin Hong Lee is a senior at Stanford University, where he is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in political science. A proud product of California public schools, Lee is founder and executive director of GENup, California’s largest youth-led education policy organization.

School’s In is your go-to podcast for cutting-edge insights and fresh perspectives on the future of learning. Hosted by Stanford Graduate School of Education Dean Dan Schwartz and Senior Lecturer Denise Pope, each episode dives into the latest research, innovations, and real-world challenges shaping education today.

Stanford GSE is at the forefront of education research and teacher preparation, dedicated to advancing equitable, accessible, and impactful learning experiences for all.

Stay connected with the latest insights – subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Threads.

What is digital literacy? And how does critical thinking play a role in students’ ability to avoid falling prey to false information online?

On this live episode of School’s In, taped in front of an audience at Stanford, we welcome Stanford Professor Emeritus Sam Wineburg to discuss digital literacy and how to help students navigate the internet in the era of AI and fake news. Wineburg covers several topics, including:

• 02:02 What is digital literacy?
• 05:04 Critical thinking vs. critical ignoring
• 08:34 The challenges and potential of AI in education
• 14:13 Digital literacy in the school curriculum
• 19: 28 Navigating fake news, lateral reading, and using AI to check sources
• 25:18 Parents’ role in supporting students’ digital literacy

Sam Wineburg is the Margaret Jacks Professor, Emeritus, of Education at Stanford Graduate School of Education, where his research focused on how people assess the credibility of digital content. To learn more about his work, visit his faculty profile.

School’s In is your go-to podcast for cutting-edge insights and fresh perspectives on the future of learning. Hosted by Stanford Graduate School of Education Dean Dan Schwartz and Senior Lecturer Denise Pope, each episode dives into the latest research, innovations, and real-world challenges shaping education today.

Stanford GSE is at the forefront of education research and teacher preparation, dedicated to advancing equitable, accessible, and impactful learning experiences for all.

Stay connected with the latest insights – subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Threads.