Early Childhood Learning at Scale: Sesame Street as a Model

For more than half a century, Sesame Street has pioneered and evolved a model for early childhood learning at scale. This episode discusses the key role research and evaluation play in Sesame’s success and evolution, including new forms of evaluation for work in developing regions with refugees and through the pandemic. Thoughtful evidence-based design has ensured that its brand is very distinctive and highly trusted across the world. International programming has become part of Sesame’s DNA, with an essential ingredient being the participation of indigenous collaborators. Its newest international projects include Ahlan Simsim and support for Rohingya in Bangladesh. Guests Joe Blatt, the Learning Design, Innovation, and Technology program Faculty Co-Chair at the Harvard Graduate School of Education alongside Sesame Street executives Kim Foulds and Shanna Kohn provides advice on developing early childhood learning through media.