Three Creative Cross-Sector Groups Embark on Projects that Integrate the Science of Learning

For the past nine months, the third cohort of Learning Sciences Exchange fellows—15 talented individuals from eight countries, across four continents—have been diligently working to develop new ideas to promote children's learning. In June 2023, they traveled to Zurich, and joined the advisors and steering committee for a collaborative conference. Amid three days of relationship building and chocolate tasting, the fellows began designing their innovative group projects that will be showcased at the 2024 LSX Summit.

Though they come from varying geographies, backgrounds, and sectors, each group (comprised of one researcher, one social entrepreneur, one entertainment expert, one journalist, and one education leader) coalesced around an idea from the learning sciences that has the potential to improve the educational experiences of children around the world.

The Science of Joy Group will be developing a music video and accompanying resources that encourage caregivers of young children to identify, create, and share joyful everyday moments. Their project is centered in research demonstrating how joyful interactions can improve children’s engagement and understanding, support children’s mental health, increase creativity, and strengthen relationships.

The Dandelions Group will be designing a toolkit of games and playful activities that will help migrant children share their cultural identities and build more inclusive, welcoming classroom communities. The games will be co-created with migrant children ages 7-11 years old, and will be grounded in research emphasizing that safety in identity and a supportive environment are essential factors in children’s learning, and that games are a proven way to strengthen migrant children’s sense of identity and self-esteem.

The Building Belonging Project group will be creating a suite of activities and short accompanying videos designed to help middle school teachers promote their students’ sense of belonging. Their project is grounded in research showing that a sense of belonging originates from lived experiences and can be built, and that social relationships are intertwined with adolescents’ learning and motivation.

These projects, still early in their development, are the result of 15 open-minded, talented, mid-career experts doing the challenging but necessary work of cross-sector collaboration. We encourage you to stay engaged with their work with LSX and beyond by subscribing to our newsletter The Exchange. Stay tuned for details about the LSX Summit in September 2024, hosted online and in person at New America’s office in Washington, DC, where you’ll have the opportunity to see these innovative ideas come to life and learn about the collaboration and brilliant individuals behind them.