24. Research & Design in Learning Programs: The case of Sesame Workshop (Shanna Kohn & Dr Kim Foulds)
There is a commonality among high-quality learning programs, regardless of the medium, type of learning, or audience. Whether it be workplace training, online learning, school curriculum, or children’s educational television, to have an effective and enjoyable learning experience it is critical to develop it on a strong foundation of quality education research and beautiful design. In this episode we will discuss the interplay of research and design in creating quality learning programs.
Sesame Street, the children’s television program developed by media and education nonprofit Sesame Workshop, is a shining example of the power of quality research and design in educational programs. For over 50 years Sesame Street has brought critical early childhood education to over 150 countries, helping to prepare children for their first year in school as well as addressing critical social issues such as HIV, homelessness, death, and autism. Most viewers of the show possibly aren’t aware that every aspect of Sesame Street is backed and supported by years of research driven by a longstanding partnership with the Harvard Graduate School of Education. To discuss how research and design work together to create such a successful educational program, I am joined by leaders from each of those domains at Sesame Workshop.
Shanna Kohn is the Senior Education Manager of Humanitarian Programs at Sesame Workshop. She leads educational content development for Ahlan Simsim, a localized version of Sesame Street in the Middle East and manages the design of multimedia teaching and learning materials for Sesame Workshop’s humanitarian programs.
Dr Kim Foulds is the Senior Director of International Research & Evaluation at Sesame Workshop. She oversees research and evaluation on Sesame Workshop’s international co-productions and community engagement interventions across the globe focused on a variety of curricular areas and media.
Shanna Kohn: https://www.sesameworkshop.org/who-we-are/our-leadership/shanna-kohn
Dr Kim Foulds: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimfoulds/
Article:
Using Mass Media to Address the Socio-Emotional Needs of Children Affected by Conflict: Sesame Street in the Syrian Response Region
https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/yc/mar2020/creating-sesame-street-syrian-response
Books:
The Sesame Effect: The Global Impact of the Longest Street in the World
“G” is for growing: Thirty years of research on children and Sesame Street
https://www.amazon.ca/Growing-Thirty-Research-Children-Sesame/dp/0805833951