Thriving from the start: Early childhood research

How can parents of young children best foster healthy development? And what role does real-time, actionable data play in designing tools and policies that support families and caregivers?On this episode of School’s In, we welcome Professor Phil Fisher to discuss best practices for early childhood development and ways policymakers can help. We also touch on how the COVID-19 pandemic affected young children, their parents, and early childhood educators. Fisher covers several topics, including:(2:17) The RAPID Survey: Learning about the lives of parents and caregivers of young children(11:26) Using the data to make family-centered policy(18:18) Practices that nurture development: The FIND project for caregiver coaching(21:15) The dynamics of serve and return interactions(24:16) Possible uses of AI in scaling up the coaching tools(26:25) Key takeaways for parents and caregiversPhil Fisher is a professor at Stanford Graduate School of Education (GSE), where he studies early childhood learning. His research focuses on developing and evaluating scalable early childhood interventions in communities, and translating research  into policies and programs.He is also the director of the Stanford Center on Early Childhood at the Stanford Accelerator for Learning, and the lead investigator in the ongoing RAPID-EC project, a national survey on the well-being of households with young children. To learn more about his work, visit his profile.School’s In is your go-to podcast for cutting-edge insights and fresh perspectives on the future of learning. Hosted by Stanford Graduate School of Education (GSE) Dean Dan Schwartz and Senior Lecturer Denise Pope, each episode dives into the latest research, innovations, and real-world challenges shaping education today.Stanford GSE is at the forefront of education research and teacher preparation, dedicated to advancing equitable, accessible, and impactful learning experiences for all.Stay connected with the latest insights — subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Threads.