HGSE Admissions Blog

We asked students from the LDIT program to share about their pathways to HGSE. Here are their stories and experiences as innovative educators.

Tyler Hunt (she/her)

This time last year, I was simultaneously a: 5th grade teacher, STEM club sponsor, STEM research mentor to high school students, K-12 senior education policy fellow, active teacher’s union member, a curriculum developer, cooperating teacher to an amazing student teacher, and an active member of my local county NAACP education committee. This is not an attempt to humble brag, rather to underscore my aggressive pursuit of spaces where I could practice both STEM and justice. As an early career educator, it was hard for me to carve out a path in STEM because I didn’t have the certifications or specific degree. As a Black teacher, it was even more difficult to loudly stand for justice and equity. Having recently finished my first master’s degree in curriculum and instruction, I knew that I needed to become a student yet again at this seemingly obscure intersection of STEM, social justice, education policy, and AI, where I parked myself and my practice.

Full transparency, I searched online for a one-year master’s degree in hopes of doing online night classes. The Harvard Graduate School of Education was at the top of the search list, and after reading about the master’s in residency and the LDIT program, I knew this was the place I was searching for. The LDIT program allows me to practice intentional yet mindful designing of learning experiences that combine STEM and Black history. Further, my Identity, Power, and Justice in Education concentration coursework, colleagues, and experiences also encourages my pursuit to create liberatory spaces and curriculum rooted in scientific and self-discovery.

Each week the full LDIT cohort meets for a time of sharing, learning, and tinkering as part of our program core experience in which we are tasked with designing a learning experience and keeping a journal of this journey. My design journal for this course has been exciting, tedious, time-consuming but ultimately a space of radical authenticity and creative freedom! As an elementary teacher, I’m accustomed to presenting pretty and polished work . However, this design journal allows me space to have incomplete ideas, bookmarks to prototypes and weekly readings, inspirational songs and quotes, proof of my progress over time, and an intimate look at the messy yet beautiful process and practice of iteration. This journal has solidified my confidence as an educator, designer, and innovator in a tangible way that lets me know that LDIT and HGSE were the right choices for me at the right time.

Though I’m truly enjoying all my coursework, I do believe in having both formal and informal learning experiences to make my year here at HGSE both personally and professionally meaningful. I’m an intern at the Harvard EdPortal in the post-secondary department where I get a chance to work with local high school students about preparing for life after high school. This role also allows me to reimagine post-secondary pathways through the lens of STEM via curriculum and programming design and optimization. When I’m not in class you can catch me at a football game, science and cooking session at the Science Center, studying in one of the 28 libraries on and around campus, and joining talks and events on AI, art, gamified learning, Blackness, and education. My peers and mentors have truly made HGSE a welcoming and enriching environment.

Considering LDIT? Jump into design’s exciting realm, filled with wonder and questions like: “I am doing this right?”,  “Can you help with…?”, and “What if we tried…?. Embrace this amazing opportunity at HGSE to make a meaningful impact for teachers and students around the world. If I found my place here, you can too!

Sadaf Ashraf (she/her)

Coming from a non-educational background, I was skeptical about my acceptance into HGSE. I work in HGSE IT, and my interest in edtech developed when I started this job. Before this role, I have worked in the IT industry for over a decade at Deloitte and a couple of other organizations. After coming to HGSE, I felt like I belonged here.

HGSE gave me purpose and courage to do what I always wanted to do in life. I always wanted to help the community through education but didn’t know where to start and how to do it. HGSE gave me the right direction to align my long-term life goals with my career goals, and I decided to pursue a future in education by merging my technical background with it. Through HGSE, I believe I will bring change to the world, and this brings inner self-satisfaction. 

Currently, I’m working with Cambridge Assisted Living Homes to help the aging population learn technology. I am conducting workshops to help them overcome their fear of technology and build their confidence. These workshops are exclusively designed for the generation that didn’t grow up with technology. Even though I didn’t have any background and experience in learning design, HGSE’s foundations courses gave me enough skills to design a curriculum and workshop. This is the first time in my life teaching students. Foundations classes are well-designed to introduce educational theories and concepts to individuals from non-educational backgrounds with the knowledge and skills needed to teach students effectively. I chose LDIT because this program gives me the freedom to pick classes from other schools at Harvard and MIT.

This is my second master’s degree, and I would say coming into HGSE as a student is the best decision I have made for my career path. Though I was already part of Harvard community as a staff member, being a student at HGSE has been a completely new and inspiring journey. HGSE has many international students, and its faculty is amazing and extremely supportive. They make you feel at home when you attend their classes.

I would advise all the incoming students to arrive a few days before the welcome day to get familiar with the area. Attending the welcome day is an important opportunity to connect with faculty, the class cohort, and students in your program. One more piece of advice I have for all incoming students is to get involved in events as much as you can with the classes. Being at HGSE is an unforgettable experience that you will cherish for a lifetime.

Mudit Sharma (he/him)

My journey toward Harvard’s Learning Design, Innovation and Technology (LDIT) program is a culmination of diverse experiences that have shaped my passion for crafting Adult Learning experiences. It all began with my role as a Learning Designer at HONDA in India. There, I developed a deep appreciation for the impact of thoughtfully structured learning experiences and the potential of technology to enhance knowledge dissemination within a corporate setting.

The LDIT program at HGSE offered me the perfect opportunity to merge my background in strategic thinking and learning design with cutting-edge technology. The program’s emphasis on innovation, coupled with its commitment to integrating educational theory with practical application, made it an ideal fit for my career aspirations. I was drawn to the prospect of engaging with a community that is equally passionate about transforming learning experiences through technology and creativity.

A moment that reaffirmed my decision to join the LDIT program occurred during a class project focused on designing a learning solution tailored for real-world workplace settings. Collaborating with peers from diverse professional backgrounds, we developed a tool that was not only practical but also highly effective when piloted within a corporate environment. Witnessing the positive impact of our project was both validating and inspiring, highlighting the critical importance of creating learning experiences that are innovative, relevant, and transformative for adult learners in professional contexts.

Being part of the HGSE community has been incredibly rewarding. I’ve had the privilege of co-founding two student organizations, HGSE Creators and LADAL—Leading and Designing Adult Learning. These initiatives have become vibrant spaces for creativity and leadership development, fostering communities of Adult Learning where ideas can flourish and translate into meaningful educational practices. Engaging with peers through these platforms has enriched my understanding of the multifaceted nature of educational challenges and solutions.

Moreover, as a Research Assistant at the Learning Innovations Laboratory (LILA) within Project Zero, I’ve had the invaluable opportunity to delve into cutting-edge research on workplace learning, particularly within corporate settings. This experience has been instrumental in deepening my understanding of how organizations can cultivate environments that foster continuous learning and innovation.

For prospective HGSE applicants, especially those eyeing the LDIT program, my advice is to immerse yourself fully in this experience. Harvard offers a plethora of resources and opportunities for those willing to engage actively. Embrace diversity in thought and experience, as these differences often spark the most innovative ideas. Additionally, take advantage of the chance to lead and create, as these experiences can lay the groundwork for significant personal and professional growth.

Your journey at HGSE can be transformational, paving the way for new possibilities in the field of adult learning and designing. Approach it with an open mind and a willingness to create and lead. You’ll find that the skills and connections you forge here will be invaluable as you tackle the challenges of the future educational landscape.

Celia Forster (she/her)

While studying abroad in Abu Dhabi in the spring of 2023, I enrolled in an education course that happened to coincide with the first semester following ChatGPT’s release, which quickly became a hot topic in the education sector. With a background in interactive media and psychology, I had been exploring potential directions for my postgraduate path, from new media studies to China studies. One thing I knew for certain was that each course I took only led to more questions. As emerging technologies like virtual classrooms and generative AI began to disrupt classroom norms, I found myself increasingly fascinated by their role in higher education. Studying in such an international environment pushed me to question my own beliefs and consider how linguistic and cultural backgrounds shape learning experiences. This sparked an interest in the potential for technology as a tool for equity in global classrooms. The LDIT program’s embrace of these new technologies felt like the perfect space to pursue these questions, diving into both the theoretical and practical sides of this rapidly evolving conversation.

Since beginning the LDIT program, I have been able to reconnect with the very curiosity that shaped my motivation to apply to HGSE. One of my biggest concerns in selecting a master’s program was the thought of leaving China after four years of undergraduate study; I worried that the distance might impact my ability to stay engaged with the language and culture that shaped my research interests. What has been most affirming is the freedom and opportunity that HGSE and the LDIT track offer to continue exploring these interests, supported by faculty, peers, courses, and resources. In the core experience course, for example, I have spent the past few months designing an AI-powered application that provides real-time Mandarin support for international students in Chinese universities. This project has allowed me to re-engage with the language while critically considering what it means to design for foreign contexts, bringing me joy every day!

LDIT electives like AI and the Developing Child have given me the chance to engage with emerging research and connect with scholars in the field. I am thrilled to have recently joined Professor Ying Xu’s Learning Media Lab, where I can apply our class discussions to real studies on the topic of children’s trust in AI. For anyone considering HGSE and the LDIT program, it is natural to worry that your interests might be too niche. However, I have come to see that learning design is incredibly adaptable and can hold meaning in different ways for each of us. The LDIT cohort has shown me that, whatever your passion, you will find a way to build meaningfully around it within this community.