The Education & Human Development theme (EHD) was one of the five original themes of Bass Connections. The theme was sunset in 2022 and replaced by the Race & Society theme.

EHD was led by the Social Science Research Institute and supported 121 project teams over nine years (2013-2022). Learn more about this theme by exploring its impact on the Duke community and beyond.

Theme Description

Achieving positive life outcomes depends on a complex, interconnected set of experiences and circumstances including the resources of the community, social and family supports, health and education as well as cultural and historical factors. Bass Connections in Education & Human Development engages students and faculty in interdisciplinary research that explores that full range of factors contributing to valued life outcomes across the lifespan, including health, social and familial connections, happiness, income and employment.

Being situated in the American South, we also recognize that history continues to impact the life experiences of children born here, particularly those living in rural areas, minority households and low socioeconomic status households. We encourage a broad exploration of the factors that contribute to human development, with a focus on our local community but also extending beyond and engaging with our interconnected world.

Project Teams

2013-2014

  • Charter Schools, Diversity & Noncognitive Assessment (2013-2014)
  • Coursera & the Future of Free Massive Open Online Courses (2013-2014)
  • Difficult Early Childhoods & Educational Paths toward Adulthood (2013-2014)
  • Education & the Changing Brain (2013-2014)
  • Education, Poverty & Economic Inequality in Rural Appalachia (2013-2014)
  • Information, Child Mental Health & Society (2013-2014)
  • Interventions to Increase Healthy Eating on College Campuses (2013-2014)
  • Math before Symbols: Games to Increase School Readiness in Preschoolers (2013-2014)
  • North Carolina in the Global Economy: The Workforce Development Challenge (2013-2014)
  • Project Bright IDEA: Finding Talent & Giftedness in Children of Diverse Backgrounds (2013-2014)
  • Racial & Educational Inequality as a Consequence of Family Structure: Learning from Shotgun Marriages (2013-2014)
  • School Dropout, Disconnected Youth & the Middle Years (2013-2014)
  • Where Are the Real 'Slums' in Bangalore? (2013-2014)

2014-2015

  • An Innovative App to Enhance Course Performance (2014-2015)
  • Coursera & the Future of Free Massive Open Online Courses (2014-2015)
  • Creating Online Education for K-12 Teachers of the Probability & Statistics Common Core (2014-2015)
  • Difficult Early Childhoods & Educational Paths toward Adulthood (2014-2015)
  • Disconnected Youth & School Dropout Prevention (2014-2015)
  • Distance-based, Executive-style Degree Completion Program for Ghanaian Nurse Anesthetists (2014-2015)
  • Education & Rural Entrepreneurship in Appalachia (2014-2015)
  • Education & the Changing Brain (2014-2015)
  • Information, Child Mental Health & Society (2014-2015)
  • Mindfulness in Education & Human Development (2014-2015)
  • North Carolina Competitiveness: The Workforce Development Challenge (2014-2015)
  • Nutrition & Cognition (2014-2015)
  • Project Bright IDEA: Finding Talent & Giftedness in Children of Diverse Backgrounds (2014-2015)
  • Racial & Educational Inequality as a Consequence of Family Structure: Learning from Shotgun Marriages (2014-2015)
  • Toward Better ESL (English as a Second Language) Instruction (2014-2015)
  • Voices Together: Music Therapy & Autism in Elementary Schools (2014-2015)
  • Where Are the Real 'Slums' in Bangalore? (2014-2015)

2015-2016

  • A Course Performance Mapping App (2015-2016)
  • Citizenship Lab: Civic Participation of Refugee Youth in Durham (2015-2016)
  • Coursera & the Future of MOOCs (2015-2016)
  • Individual & Household Responses to the October 2015 Floods in South Carolina (2015-2016)
  • Mindfulness in Education & Human Development (2015-2016)
  • North Carolina Competitiveness: The Workforce Development Challenge (2015-2016)
  • Nutrition & Cognition (2015-2016)
  • Promoting Academic Success for Latino English Learners in Elementary School (2015-2016)
  • Responding to the Educational & Psychological Needs of Children & Families in Durham's Transitional Housing (2015-2016)
  • STEM for All (2015-2016)
  • Studying the Real 'Slums' in Bangalore (2015-2016)
  • Voices Together: Music Therapy & Autism in Elementary Schools (2015-2016)

2016-2017

  • Art, Vision & the Brain: Autism & Face Processing (2016-2017)
  • Broadening Participation in Online STEM Education (2016-2017)
  • Exercise & Mental Health (2016-2017)
  • Mindfulness in Human Development (2016-2017)
  • NC Medicaid Reform Advisory Team (2016-2017)
  • School Dropout Prevention in the Durham Public Schools: Development, Implementation & Evaluation of Effective Strategies (2016-2017)
  • Schooling & Parenting: Implications for Students' Academic Identity (2016-2017)
  • STEM for All (2016-2017)
  • Studying the Real 'Slums' in Bangalore, Patna & Jaipur (2016-2017)
  • The 21st Century Student: Open Knowledge & Education Innovation (2016-2017)
  • The Cost of Opportunity? Higher Education in the Baixada Fluminense (2016-2017)
  • The Role of Catholic Campus Religious Ministries in the Formation of Young Adults: Psychological, Social & Organizational Factors (2016-2017)
  • Translating Neuroscience into Education: A Neuroscience-based Health Curriculum for North Carolina Ninth Grade Students (2016-2017)
  • Voices Together: Music Therapy & Autism in Elementary Schools (2016-2017)
  • Where Does the Money Go? Federal Spending on American Children (2016-2017)

2017-2018

  • Addressing Global Health Needs among Refugee Children & Families in Durham County (2017-2018)
  • Contextual Influences on Children's Identity Development (2017-2018)
  • Digital Durham: Past, Present, Future (2017-2018)
  • El Sistema USA & Duke: Advancing the Power of Music for Human Development (2017-2018)
  • Exercise & Mental Health (2017-2018)
  • Growth Mindset in Bangladesh: Evaluation of an Intervention to Increase Learning in Schools (2017-2018)
  • High School Dropouts' Perspectives: Implications for Dropout Prevention Practices & Policies (2017-2018)
  • How to Ask Questions (2017-2018)
  • Making Young Voters: Policy Reforms to Increase Youth Turnout (2017-2018)
  • Mindfulness in Human Development (2017-2018)
  • OSPRI Lab: Open Source Education Technology (2017-2018)
  • STEM for All (2017-2018)
  • The Cost of Opportunity? Higher Education in the Baixada Fluminense (2017-2018)
  • The Role of Catholic Campus Religious Ministries in the Formation of Young Adults (2017-2018)
  • Understanding the Effect of Music Therapy for Students with Autism: Analysis of Voices Together Data (2017-2018)
  • Visualizing Social Mobility in the Developing World (2017-2018)

2018-2019

  • Exercise & Mental Health (2018-2019)
  • How to Cure Political Polarization by Asking Questions (2018-2019)
  • Making Young Voters: Policy Reforms to Increase Youth Turnout (2018-2019)
  • Mindfulness in Human Development (2018-2019)
  • Music for Social Change: Research in Practice with Kidznotes & El Sistema USA (2018-2019)
  • Open Source Pedagogy, Research + Innovation (OSPRI) Lab (2018-2019)
  • Problem-based Learning to Improve Girls' Math Identity (2018-2019)
  • Project Vox (2018-2019)
  • The Cost of Opportunity: Access to Higher Education in Brazil (2018-2019)
  • Virtual Avatar Coaches: Improving Mental Health Treatment for College Students with Accessible Peer Support (2018-2019)
  • Wired for Learning: Supporting Thinking Skills in the K-2 Classroom (2018-2019)

2019-2020

  • Collaborative Learning in STEM: Impacts on Student Motivation, Retention & Self-efficacy (2019-2020)
  • Developing the Political Citizen: Uncovering the Origins of Political Attitudes & Opinions (2019-2020)
  • Ignite: Empowering Students through STEM Curricula Integrating the Sustainable Development Goals (2019-2020)
  • Mindfulness in Human Development (2019-2020)
  • NC Early Childhood Action Plan: Achieving Goals with Innovative, Evidence-based Policy Solutions (2019-2020)
  • OSPRI Lab: CSbyUs (2019-2020)
  • Scholar Academy for Latinxs United for Diversity (SALUD): Mentorship & Leadership Program Model (2019-2020)
  • Spatial Reasoning & Problem-based Learning to Improve Girls' Math Identity (2019-2020)
  • University-assisted Community Schools (2019-2020)
  • Using Behavioral Science to Understand Why Some Durham Families Choose Non-public School Options (2019-2020)
  • Virtual Avatar Coaches: Improving Mental Health Treatment for College Students with Accessible Peer Support (2019-2020)
  • Youth, Music & Social Change: Building the Evidence Base with Kidznotes & El Sistema USA (2019-2020)

2020-2021

  • Defining Social Change through Music with El Sistema USA (2020-2021)
  • Developing Best Practices for Trauma-informed Teaching & Learning (2020-2021)
  • Expanding Latinx Representation in Health & STEM Careers: Evaluation of SALUD (2020-2021)
  • Healthcare Provider Education to Reduce Epilepsy Care Disparities in Uganda (2020-2021)
  • Impacts of Collaborative Learning in STEM (2020-2021)
  • Improving Girls’ Math Identity through Problem-solving & Mentorship (2020-2021)
  • Mindfulness in Human Development (2020-2021)
  • North Carolina Early Childhood Action Plan: Evidence-based Policy Solutions (2020-2021)
  • Peer Coaches: Improving Mental Health Treatment for College Students (2020-2021)
  • Social Network Dynamics & Social Development among Preschoolers (2020-2021)
  • Strengthening Partnerships between Durham Public Schools & Local Universities (2020-2021)

2021-2022

  • Assessing & Improving Girls' & Women's Math Identity (2021-2022)
  • Celebrating Latinx Culture with a Spanish Reading Program (2021-2022)
  • COVID-19 & Household Well-being in Developing Countries (2021-2022)
  • Developing Best Practices for Trauma-informed Teaching & Learning (2021-2022)
  • DukeLine: Peer Mental Health Support for Graduate Students (2021-2022)
  • Empowering Youth Civic Action on Plastic Pollution (2021-2022)
  • Justice Reform Efforts & Effects on Self-sufficiency (2021-2022)
  • Movement through Racial Healing & Justice (2021-2022)
  • North Carolina Early Childhood Action Plan: Evidence-based Policy Solutions (2021-2022)
  • Social Network Dynamics & Social Development among Preschoolers (2021-2022)
  • Strengthening Partnerships between Durham Public Schools & Local Universities (2021-2022)
  • Wired for Learning: Enhanced Pedagogy for K-2 Teachers (2021-2022)