Category Archives: People

Alan Nong was a Cooney Center research intern from February 2014 to March 2015.   At the Cooney Center, I had the opportunity to work with some of the most amazing people as we investigated the issues facing modern Latino families and media use. From creating a Mission Impossible-style briefing video to site visits with the kids and their families, I knew the work we were doing was truly impactful. My time with the Cooney Center had played a major…

Lili Toutounas was in charge of keeping everything organized and running while she was at the Cooney Center. And while people have confused her for a stern British lady while on the phone, she’s not nearly as old as she claims below.   I like to say that I have spanned three decades of my life at Sesame Workshop.  It all started in 2010. I had just returned from living abroad for several years and was looking for a job…

Carly Shuler authored several reports, including D is for Digital, Pockets of Potential, and  Learning: Is there an app for that? during her time with the Joan Ganz Cooney Center from 2007-2012.   The Cooney Center didn’t just play a role in shaping my career—the term isn’t strong enough. The Cooney Center incubated my career. My company. The 50 people who work for Hoot, the 900 teachers in our teacher network, and the thousands of kids we work with. Our impact…

This summer, Oak Park Public librarians Anne Bensfield and Naomi Priddy hosted two workshops inspired by the Joan Ganz Cooney Center’s Digital Play for Global Citizens guide. As Multicultural Learning Librarian, Naomi manages the Multicultural Collection, a circulating collection of books and artifacts from around the world. Her goals are to create opportunities to explore different cultures, invite learners to reflect on their own identities and cultural lenses, and ultimately to build intercultural empathy.  Anne’s work as the Children’s Digital Learning…

The Joan Ganz Cooney Center mourns the passing of Peter G. Peterson, an extraordinary international business and civic leader who was a founder and long-time supporter of the Center. Pete and his wife Joan Ganz Cooney have left an indelible imprint on the world through their contributions. He will be greatly missed. Our thoughts and prayers are with Joan and her family during this time. Learn more about Pete’s legacy in the Washington Post and the New York Times.

Jason Yip was a Research Fellow here at the Joan Ganz Cooney Center in 2013-14. He is currently a Senior Fellow here as well as an assistant professor at the University of Washington. We asked him to share some highlights from his time here, as well as what he is doing now. Tell us a little bit about some of the activities you worked on while you were a Cooney Center Fellow. Sure, some of the highlights of my time…

How on earth do I describe a dream come true? How do I explain what brought me here, why I sought out this special place? I’ll start with a quote from Fred Rogers: Those of us in children’s television are chosen to be servants. We are chosen to help meet the deeper needs of those who watch and listen, day and night. What he said in 1999 still applies today, and to much more than just children’s television. According to…

The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) recently interviewed Michael Levine about his groundbreaking work in video games and learning, why games will become a common part of the workplace, and how his kids use video games to dominate their fantasy leagues. This was originally published in The ESA Newsletter and appears here with permission. Thanks for speaking with us, Michael. Could you introduce yourself and your work? Sure, my background is in child development research, philanthropy and public policy. I’ve worked…

We’re pleased to introduce our newest Cooney Center Fellow, Elisabeth McClure.  She has just joined us this month from Georgetown University, where she is completing her PhD in Human Development and Public Policy. Elisabeth’s graduate work was inspired by research about the video deficit effect, which finds that children under two years old learn better from live interaction with people than from video presentations. Her work on video chat with children under two years old included a family media usage…

We are proud to announce a brand new fellows program at the Joan Ganz Cooney Center. Unlike the Center’s traditional Fellowship, which is annually awarded to early-career investigators, the Cooney Center Senior Fellowship program honors individuals for their past contributions as well as ongoing collaborations with the Cooney Center. Drs. Vikki Katz, and Sarah Vaala, and Jason Yip—all of whom are no strangers to the Cooney Center and its mission—have been selected as inaugural Senior Fellows for the Spring 2015…