‘Visionary’ dean of Stanford Graduate School of Education Dan Schwartz steps down

On Sept. 1, Dan Schwartz will resign as dean of Stanford’s Graduate School of Education (GSE), having served for 11 years. During his time, Schwartz created the Stanford Accelerator for Learning, co-hosted GSE’s “School’s In” podcast and oversaw the opening of new GSE spaces on campus, among other accomplishments. 

“He has championed the GSE in a way that has made us much more visible on campus – and has brought faculty together… to tackle challenging problems,” wrote Denise Pope ’88, senior lecturer at the GSE and co-host of “School’s In,” in an email to The Daily. 

According to Schwartz, his decision was a natural one after having served as dean for so long. “I believe in term limits. I should have stepped down after two five-year terms,” he wrote in an email to The Daily. “But who doesn’t want to stick around for one extra year to open the most beautiful school of education in the world at the center of the greatest university in the world?” 

Schwartz will transition back into his role as a researcher and professor while continuing to oversee the Stanford Accelerator for Learning. His future research will build on his past work on bridging human cognition with educational technology, with a focus on the usage of AI in education, an area that boomed during his time as dean.

“The exciting work of the Stanford Accelerator for Learning charts exciting new avenues of research,” Provost Jenny Martinez wrote in an email to The Daily. “It’s been a pleasure to work with him in this role, and I know he will continue to contribute in important ways to Stanford’s overall mission in the coming years.”

Beyond the Stanford Accelerator for Learning, another highlight of Schwartz’s work as dean was co-hosting “School’s In,” which covers recent research in education and offers insight for parents, educators and students alike. 

Pope recalled how her fondest memories of Schwartz are connected to the project. “The podcast allows students and alumni and faculty and staff members to get to know Dan in a more personal way,” she wrote. “Dan never fails to make me laugh and to help me think in new ways about the topics we cover.”

Though the exact future of the podcast has yet to be determined, Pope affirmed that there is more content with her and Schwartz to come for students to tune in to. 

In an email to The Daily, Schwartz expressed eagerness to re-focus on life as an academic and educator. “Students are making amazing apps. Faculty are working to figure out how to enhance thinking in their disciplines,” he wrote. “I can’t wait to catch up and get back into the game.”

The post ‘Visionary’ dean of Stanford Graduate School of Education Dan Schwartz steps down appeared first on The Stanford Daily.