A multidisciplinary group of education scholars, a dash of skepticism, and a whole lot of curiosity are powering Penn GSE’s newest space for imagining smarter, more human-centered uses of AI.
Seven finalists will compete at the live pitch event on Monday, September 14, at the University of Pennsylvania, marking the first year the competition finals and Catalyst Innovation Summit join together.
The Learning Analytics and Artificial Intelligence master’s student presented her research on AI-powered learning in South Korea as one of just nine accepted submissions for the conference’s Practitioners, Industry, and Policy track.
Facilitated by Catalyst @ Penn GSE and funded by Remake Learning, the initiative will convene superintendents, Intermediate Unit and district executive leadership teams for a one-year research–practice partnership learning ecosystem integrating systems thinking, adaptive leadership, and neuroscience-informed leadership strategies.
Students, alums, mentors, and judges gathered at Penn GSE to celebrate a year of venture development, culminating in a showcase of innovative education solutions and a live pitch competition.
Penn GSE alumni, faculty, and education leaders returned to campus for a timely conversation on how artificial intelligence is reshaping classrooms, teaching, and learning.
Penn GSE’s Lori and Michael Milken President’s Distinguished Professor of Learning Sciences was recognized by the Association for Computing Machinery for transforming computer science education.
The student-led, human-centered gathering brought together scholars, industry leaders, and emerging researchers to explore the future of teaching and learning in the age of artificial intelligence.
In a world increasingly dominated by AI, students must be equipped to critically evaluate its output. Yasmin Kafai shares how to implement algorithm audits not just in computer science classrooms, but across subjects dealing with information literacy.
The Learning Sciences and Technologies master’s student was celebrated for her short VR documentary, “Dreams of Blindness,” about the inner worlds of the visually impaired.
Honors from AERA, Penn AI, Penn Alumni, and national organizations highlight faculty and staff contributions across education research, artificial intelligence, and public engagement.
The director of growth and impact at Catalyst @ Penn GSE was selected by Sierra Leone’s Central University to help create curriculum and policies as they launch their first postgraduate programs.
During the month-long initiative focused on human-centered AI, Penn GSE will host several events, including a faculty panel on responsible AI use, a two-day symposium on AI in education, and a mindfulness forum.
Luis Morales-Navarro and Shruti Mehta join a University-wide cohort of researchers exploring how artificial intelligence can shape fields ranging from medicine to education.
A course taught by Associate Professor Seiji Isotani, the faculty director of the Learning Analytics and Artificial Intelligence Program, explores intelligent tutoring systems, large language models, and personalized learning.
Betty Chandy and Dean Katharine Strunk say that educators are focused on responsible classroom AI use that strengthens learning and critical thinking rather than replacing teachers.
A group of Penn GSE alumni recently launched the China EdTech Leadership Network to connect alumni educators, entrepreneurs, and innovators across borders.
This new program, led by Digital Promise, will fund the development of openly shared datasets, models, and other digital resources so developers, school districts, and educators can build safe, effective, and equitable AI tools for K–12 teaching and learning.
Annie Yang and Sora Cha developed an AI-powered platform for families of autistic children that earned recognition at a recent global hackathon and is now starting pilot testing.
In The Chronicle of Higher Education, Karen Weaver says that colleges are increasingly using bowl-game advertising to highlight institutional impact and public value, leveraging the large sports audience to shift the narrative about higher education beyond athletics to community and research contributions.
The EBPC, considered the most prestigious and well-funded education business plan competition, invites education and edtech innovators from around the globe to apply.
Penn GSE is leading this new era of technological innovation by launching new degree programs, hiring expert faculty, collaborating with school districts on professional development, and conducting vanguard AI-focused research.
Digital literacies expert Amy Stornaiuolo provides a framework to help teachers design writing assignments that ethically incorporate—or creatively dissuade—use of generative AI.
Learning Sciences and Technologies master’s student Ashley Zingillioglu won the Daniel Walden Prize for an interactive social story she first developed as an undergraduate and is now continuing to refine at Penn GSE.
In City & State PA, Michael Golden says that teachers and students must work to demystify common misconceptions about AI, emphasizing the importance of understanding both the risks and the powerful educational opportunities the technology presents.
The Institute is funded by an Institutional Impact grant from the Educating Character Initiative, awarded by Wake Forest University’s Program for Leadership and Character and made possible through the generous support of the Lilly Endowment Inc.
Current student Celine Xu and recent alum Jade Peterson brought their startups to the showcase at the Pennovation Center, representing Penn GSE and reflecting how educators are shaping the future of learning through technology, creativity, and community.
Penn GSE’s Yasmin Kafai—in collaboration with Danaé Metaxa from Penn’s Computer and Information Sciences department and high school computer science educators across the country—developed the “AI Auditing for High School” curriculum to introduce students to algorithmic bias and guide them through hands-on audits of real-world AI applications.
Penn GSE was one of the hosts—alongside the PA Governor’s Office, Penn Engineering, and PennAI—of the “Unlocking AI for Public Good” summit at which experts from around the University and policymakers from throughout the Commonwealth explored how generative AI can be responsibly harnessed for public benefit.
With this new funding, the Pioneering AI in School Systems (PASS) program will expand to five school districts or regions across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware in December and will be offered free of charge to participating districts.
After participating in Penn GSE's Experiences in Applied Computational Thinking (EXACT) professional development program, Nick Pesola transformed his school’s curriculum by launching a computer science program and leading efforts to integrate artificial intelligence into classrooms.
Professional Counseling student Truth Mjumbe built Recall Aid, an AI-powered memory-support platform inspired by his own experience with epilepsy, his grandfather’s dementia, and his father’s work preserving civil rights histories.
Through an Education Technology Insights interview, Zapf and Abulafia highlight how education innovation grows when entrepreneurial thinking is paired with an equity-first lens, a research mindset, and learners' lived realities worldwide.
Professor of Practice Anne Pomerantz, an applied linguist, teacher educator, and longtime language teacher, provides advice on how best to employ AI in teaching languages—and when human instruction works best.
Rapelang Rabana and Joe Wolf, Dr. Cathy N. Davidson, and Dr. Frederic Bertley are recognized for their pioneering contributions that have advanced learning opportunities and impacted countless lives.
The 2025 Library of Congress Literacy Awards recognized both Penn GSE’s Philadelphia Writing Project and a startup founded by alum Rina Madhani, GED’19, for their contributions to literacy and community engagement.
Philadelphia Superintendent Tony Watlington tells ABC News about the district's PASS Program partnership with Penn GSE to train its teachers and leaders in AI.
Penn GSE's Pioneering AI in School Systems (PASS) program helps local teachers and school and district leaders build competence in AI governance, policy, oversight, and practical application.
The seven innovators will compete for cash and prizes at the live pitch event on Thursday, September 11, at Quorum in Midtown Manhattan, held as part of HolonIQ’s Back to School Summit in New York City.
A global leader in intelligent tutoring systems, Isotani joined the Penn GSE faculty this summer, drawn by the School’s commitment to rethinking education through innovation.
Whether you're interested in education reform, prison education, or empathetic leadership, add these to your playlist and hear directly from the changemakers shaping the future of education.
Penn GSE professors and programs are engaged in more than 150 international partnerships and projects in more than 60 countries around the globe. The goal? To change the world through education.
