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Artwork for The Harvard EdCast
Education
Higher Education
Emotional Intelligence
Artificial Intelligence
Education Reform
Mental Health
Childcare
Child Development
Public Education
FAFSA
Immigration
Early Childhood Education
Migrant Families
Equity In Education
Creativity
Participatory Creativity
Social Learning
K-12 Education
Educational Equity
Economic Inequality

In the complex world of education, the Harvard EdCast keeps the focus simple: what makes a difference for learners, educators, parents, and our communities. The EdCast is a weekly podcast about the ideas that shape education, from early learning through college and career. We talk to teachers, researchers, policymakers, and leaders of schools and systems in the US and around the world — looking fo... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes483Founded10 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
EducationSociety & Culture

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Artwork for The Harvard EdCast

Latest Episodes

00:00 – Rethinking the “Best Years” Narrative

01:30 – Are Students in Crisis—or in Transition?

03:00 – What the Data Really Says

05:00 – Loneliness as a Normal Developmental Experience

07:00 – The Expectation Gap

09:00 – When Language Gets Compl... more

00:00The case for rethinking how we challenge advanced math students

00:49Why focus on high-performing students during a time of learning recovery

01:09The tradeoff: prioritizing struggling students vs. supporting advanced learners

02:51Inside the... more

00:00 Why families fixate on elite colleges—and the rise of the “panicking class”

01:15 How rankings shape decisions (and why they mislead)

03:10 The truth about differences between top-ranked schools

04:45 Why choosing a college feels so confusin... more

0:25 — Why reading scores still struggle

2:15 — Rise of the science of reading

5:00 — Aligning leadership to drive reform

7:30 — Consistency and long-term commitment

10:00 — Implementation matters more than policy

12:30 — Where literacy efforts ... more

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Alexis Redding
Lecturer at the Harvard Graduate School of Education; developmental psychologist
Harvard University
Episode: Why Half of College Students Feel Alone and How to Fix It | Alexis Redding
Jon Star
Professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and middle school math teacher
Harvard Graduate School of Education
Episode: Why Moving Ahead in Math Isn’t Always the Right Move | Jon Star
Jeff Selingo
Journalist and author on higher education; special advisor to the president of Arizona State University
Arizona State University; author of Dream School
Episode: The Pressure to Chase Prestige in College Admissions | Jeff Selingo
Kymyona Burk
Senior Policy Fellow at Excel in Ed
Excel in Ed
Episode: What Mississippi Got Right About Reading | Kymyona Burk
Shafia Zaloom
Health educator specializing in healthy sexuality and relationship education
Author of Getting Real About Sex Ed, What Today's Students Need
Episode: What Students Really Need from Sex Education | Shafia Zaloom
Karen Brennan
Harvard professor researching student-centered learning
Harvard Graduate School of Education; MIT
Episode: How Questions Can Transform Student-Centered Learning
Doug Larkin
Professor in the Department of Teaching and Learning
Montclair State University
Episode: Why Teachers Stay: What Research Reveals About Retention
Suzanne Poole Patzelt
Assistant Professor in the Department of Alternative Programs and University Partnerships
Turrell University
Episode: Why Teachers Stay: What Research Reveals About Retention
Julia Minson
Professor at the Harvard Kennedy School and author of How to Disagree Better
Harvard Kennedy School
Episode: How to Disagree Better: Strategies for Constructive Conversations

Host

Jill Anderson
Host of The Harvard EdCast

Reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars from 145 ratings
  • Takes Harvard to state the obvious

    Most of these podcasts, I agree with 100% but they’re also nothing new. Many parents and educators have been thinking about this for a long time… Curiosity, the value of play, language immersion, and so on. But in our current US educational climate these approaches are mostly inaccessible because of costs, lotteries, or audition. Not to mention teachers don’t know what to do with kids who ask too many questions or are too rowdy.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    j_tyson
    United States5 months ago
  • Disturbing but insightful, thanks.

    Great show, I wish you didn’t have to report on such things.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    BuffyRika
    United Statesa year ago
  • State of the Art Information

    This is the present and future of education from the hand of Harvard academics!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    __rxfx
    Mexico2 years ago
  • Pandemic state testing

    This episode was absolute garbage. Not only was it not compelling, it was convoluted and, frankly, absurd. Thinly veiled political shenanigans.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    ppiinncckk
    United States5 years ago
  • An essential listen for lifelong learners!

    So grateful for the Harvard EdCast! No matter the topic, I gain actionable information from every episode. An incredible resource for administrators, educators, and parents alike!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Arlie K
    United States5 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

• Some listeners feel occasionally high-level, seeking more classroom-ready tactics.
• Episodes featuring high-profile academics are viewed as valuable and informative.
• A number of listeners criticize certain episodes as politically biased or overly academic.
• Broadly praised for actionable, research-backed insights across topics.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#165
Hong Kong/Education

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Why Half of College Students Feel Alone and How to Fix It | Alexis Redding
Q: What practical steps can colleges take to implement mentorship and relationship-building for online and non-traditional students?
Create moments of connection through mentorship models, micro-mentoring, extended office hours, and campus-specific practices like in-person onboarding for online students to foster belonging.
Why Half of College Students Feel Alone and How to Fix It | Alexis Redding
Q: How should parents engage with their college-aged children to support exploration rather than prescribe a path?
Parents should offer two options instead of one prescription, inviting exploration (e.g., STEM or arts) and acknowledging that careers can evolve; this preserves autonomy and reduces pressure.
Why Half of College Students Feel Alone and How to Fix It | Alexis Redding
Q: What is the W curve and how does it apply to students beyond the first year of college?
It's a universal pattern of expectation meeting reality during transitions, describing a honeymoon phase, a dip during culture shock, a rebound, and another dip before settling, which helps educators anticipate and plan support across all years.
The Pressure to Chase Prestige in College Admissions | Jeff Selingo
Q: What changes do you hope to see to shift the parent culture around college admissions?
A move toward celebrating fit and agency, reducing emphasis on early and multiple applications, and creating space for students to explore, fail, and adjust without the pressure of prestige language.
The Pressure to Chase Prestige in College Admissions | Jeff Selingo
Q: First, why do families still focus on prestige despite evidence urging them to focus on fit?
Because the system is embedded in people who see a path to prestige as a signal of success, and rankings provide a cognitive shortcut in a complex landscape, even though the signals aren't always high-fidelity.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Harvard EdCast

What is The Harvard EdCast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The show centers on practical ideas that improve learning for students, teachers, families, and education systems. Across episodes, guests tackle inquiry-led and equity-minded approaches, classroom strategy, civics and democratic engagement, migration and migrant education, tutoring and post-pandemic recovery, and the politics surrounding education research. Noteworthy is a strong emphasis on real-world implications, research-backed practices, and clear conversations with university professors, school leaders, and policy experts. The format tends to mix theoretical perspectives with actionable takeaways for districts, classrooms, and families, making it a useful resource for educators, administrators, and education researchers exploring inn... more

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Which podcasts are similar to The Harvard EdCast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Harvard EdCast:

1. The Cult of Pedagogy Podcast
2. Teaching in Higher Ed
3. Code Switch
4. Brave Little State
5. College Matters from The Chronicle

How many episodes of The Harvard EdCast are there?

The Harvard EdCast launched 10 years ago and published 483 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on The Harvard EdCast?

Recent guests on The Harvard EdCast include:

1. Alexis Redding
2. Jon Star
3. Jeff Selingo
4. Kymyona Burk
5. Shafia Zaloom
6. Karen Brennan
7. Doug Larkin
8. Suzanne Poole Patzelt

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