Dr. Eric Soto Shed

Biography

Eric Soto-Shed is a lecturer at Harvard Graduate School of Education with a focus on education degrees, particularly in learning design and instruction. He is dedicated to promoting inquiry and equity in education, especially within K-12 history, civics, and social studies classrooms. As a co-leader of the Civics Thinking Project, he emphasizes the creation of innovative, research-based civics assessments and curriculum. Soto-Shed co-chairs HGSE’s foundations course, ‘People Learn’, and teaches courses on curriculum design and instructional methods related to history and civic education. His consulting work with school districts aims to enhance social studies curriculum development and implementation. Soto-Shed has conducted professional development workshops for educators at all levels, focusing on historical inquiry and teaching controversial issues, making learning accessible to all students. Throughout his 25-year career in education, he has consistently advocated for teachers and students, having served as the founding director of Harvard's teacher residency program, and holding positions at Brown University, Stanford, and NYU. His work is deeply influenced by his 8-year tenure as a social studies teacher in New York City, driven by a commitment to supporting youth from underserved communities.

Research Interests