Engaging people in creative learning experiences

LLK

FAQ for Graduate Student Applicants

Is the Lifelong Kindergarten research group accepting new graduate students for Fall 2024?

No, the Lifelong Kindergarten group will not be accepting any new graduate students for Fall 2024.  

Are there other similar graduate programs that you would recommend? 

You may be interested in graduate programs with research groups led by Lifelong Kindergarten alumni, including:

What’s the best way to learn more about the Lifelong Kindergarten group?

To learn more about the research and work of the group, read through the project descriptions on the Lifelong Kindergarten website — and read Mitch Resnick’s book “Lifelong Kindergarten”. 

To learn more about the culture, spirit, and workings of the group, read the LLK Expectations Document.

What types of students is the Lifelong Kindergarten group looking for?

We look for applicants who are creative, curious, caring, and kind, with experience in developing new technologies; interest in studying how people learn; desire and ability to collaborate with a diverse community of people; commitment to improving the lives of children; dedication to a more just and equitable society. Our research projects draw on ideas from many different disciplines, including computer science, design, psychology, and education. We look for graduate students with expertise in at least one of these areas and interest to learn more about all of them. (Note: We are not accepting new students in Fall 2024.)

I am interested in creative uses of technology in education, but I do not have much experience in computer programming or technology development. Do I have a chance of being admitted as a graduate student?

It is an advantage, but not a requirement, to have experience in technology development. It is important to have enough technical background so you can participate actively in discussions about technology development and contribute knowledgeably to research projects in which young people are learning to program.

What information is most important to include in the application?

When we look at applications, we want to find out what types of projects you have worked on and what types of ideas you are interested in.

Do you require a portfolio? What should it include?

Lifelong Kindergarten does not require an explicit portfolio submission, but we are always interested to see examples of projects that you have worked on. The best way to share examples of your work is to include relevant URLs in your application.

What projects and themes will the Lifelong Kindergarten group be working on over the next few years?

We will continue to develop new technologies, activities, and communities to engage young people from diverse backgrounds in creative learning experiences. As part of these efforts, we will continue to extend, support, and study our Scratch programming language and online community, and we will develop new creative learning environments such as the OctoStudio mobile coding app. We will we will continue to engage with educators around the world, through initiatives such as the Brazilian Creative Learning Network and the Learning Creative Learning online course and community

What careers do Lifelong Kindergarten graduates usually pursue?

Lifelong Kindergarten alums have gone on to many different types of careers. Some have become professors at universities (in computer science, communications, or education departments), some have worked at large companies (including Google and Microsoft), while others have started their own companies.