News

Sigal Ben-Porath discusses the challenges private colleges face in balancing inclusivity and free speech, noting that policies may unevenly limit expression, complicating efforts to maintain an open academic environment.

Explore West Philadelphia's heritage in a richly illustrated digital archive, where a community's stories of resilience, struggle, and triumph come to life.

Assistant professor calls for a new, more equitable funding formula that addresses racial and socioeconomic disparities.

The program at Penn GSE stands out in providing direct feedback from trained observers.

Peter Eckel highlights the importance of effective collaboration and open communication between university presidents and their boards to address the evolving challenges within higher education.

Karen Weaver comments on the challenges facing the new athletic director at Arizona, emphasizing the importance of communication among university leadership. She notes the demanding nature of athletic director positions in today's higher education landscape.

Sigal Ben-Porath discusses the growing polarization in K-12 education, emphasizing the challenge of navigating a deeply divided political climate and the impact this has on educational environments and teacher preparation

Nimet Eren, a Penn GSE graduate and principal of Kensington Health Sciences Academy, blends innovative education with a community focus.

The former Institute for Research on Higher Education director critiques Governor Shapiro’s higher ed funding plan for Pennsylvania, emphasizing the need for sustainable priorities and systemic policy leadership.

Karen Weaver observes that the expansion of staff and increase in salaries are significant factors contributing to the financial deficits commonly seen in college athletics.

We converse with Dr. Keith Keating, author of 'The Trusted Learning Advisor,' to focus on the evolving role of learning leaders in today's organizations and explore how his groundbreaking book offers a transformative framework for learning leaders, emphasizing innovative strategies that go beyond traditional methods.

Books by Peter Eckel, Sharon Ravitch, and Karen Weaver explore a wide range of topics including university systems in former Soviet republics, successful leadership mindsets, and the money and politics behind college athletics.

Joni Finney believes it's too early to judge PennWest University's success post-merger and advocates for innovative leadership from non-traditional backgrounds to address its challenges.

Richard Ingersoll identifies a critical issue in education: the mismatch between the growing number of STEM classes and the declining preparation of teachers for these subjects. He notes the shift towards less experienced teachers, contributing to a "revolving door" phenomenon in schools, which impacts teacher retention and student learning.

The Professional Counseling Program director’s Positioned for Success project was recognized for academically supporting and mentoring Philadelphia students affected by gun violence and parental incarceration.

The Penn GSE professor and applied economist emphasizes the critical role buses play in ensuring attendance and academic success.

Ingersoll provides critical insights into the evolving nature of teacher preparation across the U.S. in Education Week.

Sigal Ben-Porath suggests that campuses should balance inclusion with free speech through specific rules, acknowledging the complexity of navigating controversial speech without undermining safety or diversity.

MRMJJ Presidential Professor Sigal Ben-Porath says faculty must take the lead in fostering constructive dialogue across differences and creating safe environments for open discussion.

Her insights emphasize the subtlety and gradual nature of burnout and outline its three primary features.

Ross Aikins found students are finding new ways to use the tools, and AI is especially helpful for international students.

This is the first time the Visiting Scholars Speaker Series has tied into the “One Book” program, where faculty and students read and explore a book as a community.

Laura Perna suggests that while community college is often promoted as an affordable educational route, it's not a universal solution due to limitations like accessibility and credit transfer issues, and emphasizes the need for a reevaluation of who bears the costs of higher education, advocating for a role for state and federal governments in making it more accessible and affordable.

Diana Wildermuth provides some pointers for parents and caregivers to help their student athletes navigate the college recruiting process.

Charlotte E. Jacobs suggests that the "mean girl" archetype, often associated with middle- to upper-class white girls, needs reevaluation considering today's more intersectional understanding of girlhood and womanhood, taking into account factors like race, religion, and sexual identity.

The event focused on actionable practices to prepare people to enter the teaching profession and succeed.

Richard Ingersoll suggests the main issue in teacher supply is not the quantity produced but the high rate of teachers leaving the profession before retirement.

Peter Eckel suggests the impending decline in U.S. college enrollment is due to a shrinking traditional college-age population, driven by lower birth rates and reduced immigration.

School administrators across the country are facing political challenges they might not have expected when they entered education. Sigal Ben-Porath, MRMJJ Presidential Professor, recently offered advice in School Administrator magazine for how superintendents and other leaders can navigate these pressures.

A new year means a new version of the RHSU Edu-Scholar Public Influence Rankings, with the 2024 edition announced yesterday by Education Week. Nine researchers from the University of Pennsylvania made the annual 200-member list, which was created by Rick Hess of the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) to gauge the public impact of ed scholars’ contributions.

Robert Zemsky advocates for a new approach to three-year college degrees, which involves fundamentally redesigning undergraduate curricula to reduce the total required credit hours, allowing students to complete their degrees in three years while still enjoying a full college experience.

Karen Weaver emphasizes that it is a standard practice for universities to provide financial assistance to their athletic departments, often in the form of low-interest loans. She recognizes the specific financial challenges and considerations Stanford University faces in its transition to the Atlantic Coast Conference, highlighting that such support represents a strategic and calculated decision by the university.

The CARE Initiative aims to effect change through community members’ own research into the educational issues they face.

Look back with us at some of the stories that defined 2023 for our community.

Laura Perna criticizes the inaccuracy and lack of availability of college net price calculators, advocating for clearer, more up-to-date tools to help students understand the true costs of higher education.

Sigal Ben-Porath views the changes in higher education regulation in states like Florida and North Carolina as primarily driven by Republican goals and visions for the sector, indicating a significant shift in how public higher education is being managed and regulated.

Pheng recently received the 2023 AESA Taylor & Francis Educational Studies Award for the Best Paper of the Year.

Benoit Dubé, Noémie Le Pertel, GRD’21, and Ariane Thomas discuss mental health across the learning lifespan with Dean Katharine Strunk.

Dr. Laura Perna acknowledged GradRight's initiative as a significant solution to the challenges of access, affordability, and inclusivity faced by Indian students seeking higher education abroad.

Hiring tips from Penn GSE’s Damani White-Lewis

New study attributes high turnover to job dissatisfaction.

Michael Johanek brought together 20 leaders from around the world to examine the challenges of real-world judgment. 

Karen Weaver acknowledges the complexity and emotional impact of cutting sports programs at universities like the University of Arizona, noting it's a difficult decision that affects loyal alumni and student-athletes, and is driven by financial challenges and varying media-rights revenues in collegiate sports.

In an era dominated by educational technology, Michael Gottfried redirects attention to a critical issue: the profound impact of student absenteeism on academic performance.

Nominations are now open for the 2024 McGraw Prize in Education.

The Collaboratory for Teaching and Teacher Education, Ethnography in Education Research Forum, HEARD and PhilWP have all welcomed new leadership in recent months.

Penn GSE celebrated a $35.6 million expansion and renovation with self-guided tours, a dedication ceremony, and a ribbon-cutting event Oct. 25. School and University leaders praised the new building they say symbolizes unity, innovation, and an outward perspective.

According to Laura Perna, Black and Hispanic faculty are underrepresented at Maryland's largest public universities, reflecting a widespread issue in academia, with barriers to diversification including unrecognized "invisible labor," narrow definitions of merit, and bias in promotion and tenure processes, impacting faculty diversity and student-faculty ratios.

Helping students who feel under threat is one of the hardest things a teacher or administrator can do. Howard Stevenson offers some ideas for creating safer spaces for students and educators alike.