Page Text: Learn more about our legacy
The Joan Ganz Cooney Center is an independent research and innovation lab that focuses on the challenges of educating children in a rapidly changing media landscape. We conduct original research on emerging education technologies and collaborate with educators and media producers to put this research into action. The Center also aims to inform the national conversation on media and education by working with policymakers and investors. Our programs address the literacies that all young students need to succeed in the 21st century, including reading, writing, science and math, and mastery of communications technologies. We are particularly interested in how children – especially those who are struggling – learn across both formal and informal environments and interact with media together with teachers, family members, and their peers.
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Our Mission
The Joan Ganz Cooney Center is an independent research and innovation lab that focuses on the challenges of educating children in a rapidly changing media landscape. We conduct original research on emerging education technologies and collaborate with educators and media producers to put this research into action.
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Joan Ganz Cooney
In 1966, Joan Ganz Cooney and her colleagues charted new territory by harnessing the power of television to educate underserved preschoolers. Their efforts led to the creation of Sesame Street, now the single largest informal educator in the world, reaching some 100 million children and families in more than 140 countries. Four decades after the […]
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Our People
The Cooney Center is supported by a team of founders, staff, fellows, and advisors. While our collective expertise ranges from developmental psychology and digital media research to media production, we all share a common vision.
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Our Sponsors
The Cooney Center relies on the generosity of corporate and philanthropic sponsors who are committed to helping children reach their fullest potential through digital media.
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Our Partners
The Cooney Center engages in a broad array of partnerships that range from high-profile corporate sponsorships to research partnerships and joint prototype development. We also catalyze partnerships between key sectors by matching shared goals and through multidisciplinary convenings.