Student Corner
Childhoods & Education in the Global South: A Research and Program Learning Practicum
Childhoods & Education in the Global South: A Research and Program Learning Practicum
In the Fall semester, GC-DWC Founding Director, Neil Boothby, taught Childhoods & Education in the Global South: A Research and Program Learning Practicum. The course sought to provide students with an evidence-based framework and skillset to implement whole child development education programs in low income contexts. Poverty is complex and as such child development and learning in the contexts of poverty requires a multifaceted approach to change the trajectories of children’s lives. The course exposed students to the science behind whole child development, and explored how the Global Center for the Development of the Whole Child collaborates with strategic partners to promote whole child development initiatives which address both a child’s educational needs and other aspects of their well-being. Students also worked closely with GC-DWC researchers involved with the Center’s intervention science initiatives in India, Haiti, and Guatemala.
Student Policy Briefs
Why is it critical to utilize a holistic, whole child development approach when investing in children growing up in poverty and other forms of adversity?
Students answered this question through policy briefs they created as a mid-term assignment, focused on the benefits of a whole child—school community approach for children in low-income settings. Policy briefs are a key tool to present research and recommendations to a non-specialized audience, serving as a vehicle for providing evidence-based policy advice to help readers make informed decisions.
