Start Coaching Students: A Harvard-Led Educator Course

As classrooms continue to evolve in an increasingly digital world, educators are being asked to support students in ways that go far beyond academics. From social media and gaming to online communication and media consumption, students’ digital lives are deeply intertwined with their learning, relationships, and well-being.

To help educators meet this challenge with clarity and confidence, Epic is highlighting a new professional learning opportunity developed by the Center for Digital Thriving, based at Project Zero at the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

The result is a research-based, practical course designed to help educators rethink how they guide students’ digital lives—not as rule enforcers, but as coaches.

While this program is designed for educators, it also offers valuable insight for parents who want to better understand how schools are supporting students’ digital well-being, media literacy, and responsible technology use—both in and beyond the classroom.

Helping Educators Lead with Confidence in a Digital World

The course, From “Referee” to “Coach” — and Other Game-Changing Mindshifts for Teaching Digital Well-being, Digital Citizenship, & Media Literacy, is designed for classroom teachers, school counselors, instructional leaders, and administrators across grade levels.

Led by Carrie James and Emily Weinstein, the course draws on more than a decade of research into how young people experience technology today. James and Weinstein are also the authors of Behind Their Screens, a widely referenced book examining what teens face online—and what adults often miss.

Rather than focusing on control, monitoring, or restriction, the course introduces core mindset shifts that help educators better understand students’ real digital experiences, support student agency and reflection, and teach digital citizenship and media literacy in more human and effective ways.

A Practical, Research-Backed Learning Experience

This professional learning experience offers up to eight hours of content and is intentionally designed to be immediately applicable in real educational settings.

Educators gain new perspectives on how students navigate social media, gaming, and online communities, along with concrete strategies for teaching digital well-being and media literacy. The course also includes reflection activities that support both student growth and adult digital habits.

All guidance is grounded in research while remaining practical, accessible, and usable in everyday classroom, counseling, and school community contexts.

Flexible, Self-Paced Professional Development

Recognizing the demands of busy school schedules, the course is fully online, self-paced, and asynchronous. Participants can complete the experience at their own pace anytime between now and June 30, 2026.

This flexible structure allows educators to engage deeply with the content while fitting professional learning into already full calendars.

Key Course Components

Participants receive access to a comprehensive set of learning tools, including rich, conversational video lessons, a downloadable course pack, interactive activities for educators and students, shareable teaching resources, and recommended classroom activities and lesson plans. The course also provides access to an exclusive Center for Digital Thriving educator community, allowing participants to continue learning and connecting beyond the course itself.

Together, these components are designed to support not just understanding, but real implementation in schools and classrooms.

A Shared Commitment to Helping Students Thrive

Epic’s mission has long focused on helping children grow as confident readers and learners. This collaboration reflects a shared belief that when educators feel supported with research-based, practical tools, students benefit academically, socially, and emotionally.

“Our team is thrilled to be collaborating with Epic to make this course accessible to educators who are on the frontlines of supporting youth to have agency—and to thrive—in a world of ever-changing technologies,” said Carrie James, Co-Founder and Co-Director of the Center for Digital Thriving.

Epic leaders echo this commitment to thoughtful partnerships that connect educators with meaningful, real-world resources that support both teaching and student well-being.

Course Details at a Glance

The course From “Referee” to “Coach” — and Other Game-Changing Mindshifts is a self-paced, asynchronous professional learning experience offering up to eight hours of content. It is available now through June 30, 2026 and is designed for teachers, counselors, and administrators.

Educators can use the code EPIC25 to receive 25% off the registration fee.

How Parents Can Use This Resource

Parents can use this overview to:

• Understand how educators are approaching digital well-being in schools
• Align home expectations with classroom guidance
• Start more productive conversations with children about technology and media
• Ask informed questions during school meetings or parent–teacher conferences

This converts an educator program into a parent empowerment tool, not a sales pitch.

About Think Academy

Think Academy, part of TAL Education Group, helps K–12 students succeed in school today by building strong math foundations and critical thinking skills. At the same time, we focus on the bigger picture—developing learning ability, curiosity, and healthy study habits that inspire a lifelong love of learning. With expert teachers, proven methods, and innovative AI tools, we support every child’s journey from classroom confidence to long-term growth.

Check our math programs:

• Early Childhood — PreK
• Lower Elementary — Grades K–2
• Upper Elementary — Grades 3–5
• Middle School — Advanced math topics, including Algebra 1, Algebra 2, and Geometry

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