Since 2021 PLATO has hosted free webinars on a broad range of topics, attracting participants from around the world. We host 2-3 webinars each year.

All PLATO webinars are free and open to the public.

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The History and Future of Education
Tuesday, September 29, 7-8:30pm ET

To mark PLATO’s 30th anniversary, we have launched a yearlong initiative for the 2026–2027 academic year to examine the purposes of education. This opening event will feature four nationally known scholars of education, who will examine the history and future of public education, including the tensions in our understanding of the purposes of education, the rise of credentialing over learning and the decline of the liberal arts, the distinction between public and private education, alternatives to schooling that have emerged over the years, and the possibilities for radical transformation that the rise of AI has the potential to foster.

PANEL:

Dr. Jaime Grinberg is Professor of Educational Foundations at Montclair State University. He directed the New Jersey Network for Educational Renewal and chaired the Committee on Standards for the Council of Learned Societies in Education. His Ph.D. is from Michigan State University. Originally from Argentina, he has lectured in many countries, including Uruguay, Israel, Mexico, and Argentina. Grinberg has published numerous books, papers, and chapters. He often comments on Spanish-language TV and radio and has taught globally, including as a Visiting Professor at Kibbutzim College in Israel. He is the co-editor of the academic journal Inquiry: Critical Thinking Across the Disciplines.

Dr. David Labaree is Lee L. Jacks Professor (emeritus) at the Stanford University Graduate School of Education. His research focuses on the historical sociology of American schooling, exploring issues such as the evolution of U.S. systems of schooling and higher education, the contradictions that drive the dynamics of these systems, and the rise of credentialism. The author of nine books, his most recent is The Emergent Genius of American Higher Education. He blogs at https://davidlabaree.com.

Dr. Meira Levinson is Chen Family Educational Foundations Professor at Stanford University. She is currently working to start a global field of educational ethics that is philosophically rigorous, disciplinarily and experientially inclusive, and both relevant to and informed by educational policy and practice. In doing so, she draws upon scholarship from multiple disciplines as well as her eight years of experience teaching middle school humanities, civics, history, and English in the Atlanta and Boston Public Schools.

Dr. William J. Reese is the Carl F. Kaestle W.A.R.F. and Vilas Research Professor of Educational Policy Studies and History at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, a member of the National Academy of Education, and a Fellow of the American Educational Research Association. He’s published books on various aspects of the history of American education, and is the author of The Calculating Boy: Zerah Colburn, America’s First Child Celebrity (Johns Hopkins University Press, spring 2027).

Being Yourself Inside Modern Day Absurdity
On February 24, 2026, PLATO hosted a webinar exploring Gen Z’s perspective on being authentic during a time of manufactured, curated, and unrealistic portrayals of oneself on social media. The discussion centered on being and becoming authentic during a time when self-portrayals, especially on social media platforms and for youth, are often curated, manufactured, or simply unrealistic. Panelists, who were all Gen Z members, shared their perspectives on various questions that stem from this core issue. Viewing existentialism as a practical philosophy, they hoped to examine how factors like algorithmic validation and digitality impact authenticity in their lives, drawing on their personal stories and diverse backgrounds.
View the recording here.

 

Civil Dialogue and Citizenship
On October 16, 2025, PLATO hosted a panel discussion featuring high school and middle school panelists exploring democracy’s promise and limits, with panelists Sarthak Dhole from Jayshree Periwal International School, Luciano Falzone from Nova High School, Justin Jho from Shady Side Academy, Matthew Santos from Dwight-Englewood School, Reisha Yavagal from Ransom Everglades High School, and moderator Sid Swamithan a homeschooled senior. This webinar was co-sponsored by the American Philosophical Association.
View the recording here.

 

The Purpose of University Today: Student Perspectives
On April 10, 2025, PLATO hosted a panel discussion organized by our Graduate/Undergraduate Consortium, with moderators Erica Bigelow and Melissa Diamond, graduate students at the University of Washington, and undergraduate student panelists Zoë Henry from SUNY New Paltz; Ryan Jung from Harvard University; Ahsen Kadi from The University of Texas at Austin; and Yunah Kwon from Columbia University. The webinar was co-sponsored by the American Philosophical Association.
View the recording here.

 

Gen Z’s Perspectives on Cancel Culture
On February 11, 2025, PLATO hosted a panel discussion organized by our Student Advisory Council, with moderator Kevin Zhang from BASIS International School Park Lane Harbour China, and high school student panelists Mark Burenko from Northgate High School, Walnut Creek CA; Rania Lwin Karim from Godolphin and Latymer school, London UK; Miller (Lang) Ming from Northfield Mount Hermon, Gill MA; and Mina Serdoud from Oakwood Friends School in Poughkeepsie, NY.
View the recording here.

 

Starting a K-12 Philosophy Program
On November 20, 2024, PLATO hosted a panel discussion with Amy Reed-Sandoval, Associate Professor of Philosophy at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas; Claire Katz, Professor and Associate Provost for Faculty Advocacy at Texas A&M University; Karen S. Emmerman, PLATO’s Education Director; Nick Smith, Professor of Philosophy at the University of New Hampshire; and Marcello Fiocco, Professor of Philosophy at the University of California, Irvine.
View the recording here.

 

Philosophy for Children and the Challenges/Opportunities of AI
On March 21, 2024, PLATO hosted a panel discussion with Cassie Finley, PhD candidate in philosophy at the University of Iowa; Chloe Chun, member of PLATO’s Student Advisory Council and a student at Xavier College Preparatory in Arizona; Jared Moore, PhD student at Stanford University’s Department of Computer Science; and Erica Bigelow, PLATO facilitator and Ph.D. student in philosophy at the University of Washington.
View the recording here and download slides from Chloe’s presentation here.

 

Classroom Management and Inquiry
On October 25, 2023, PLATO hosted a panel discussion with Allison Cohen, Teacher, Langley High School, Virginia; Holly Doyle, Teacher, Kent Place School, New Jersey; and Sylvie Kovnat, Teacher, John Muir Elementary School, Seattle.
View the recording here.

 

Philosophy Using Picture Books
On May 3, 2023, PLATO hosted a panel discussion with Senem Saner, Director, Philosophy for Children Program at California State University, Bakersfield; Wendy Turgeon, Professor and Chair, Philosophy, St. Joseph’s College; and Thomas Wartenberg, Professor Emeritus of Philosophy, Mount Holyoke College.
View the recording here.

 

What’s Best For You? Different P4C Approaches
On March 21, 2023, PLATO hosted a panel discussion with Claire Cassidy, Professor of Education at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland; Maughn Rollins Gregory, Professor of Educational Foundations at Montclair State University; Jana Mohr Lone, Executive Director of PLATO and Affiliate Associate Professor of Philosophy at the University of Washington; and Roger Sutcliffe was a founding member and Past Chair and Past President of SAPERE (Society for the Advancement of Philosophical Enquiry and Reflection in Education).
View the recording here.

 

Gen Z Perspectives on Technology and Privacy (with PLATO Partner Organization American Philosophical Association)
On February 13, 2023, the APA hosted members of the PLATO student advisory committee: Madeline Fox, David Gibson, George Jabren, Gayathri Kaimal, Yunah Kwan, and Kishi Oyagi to discuss technology and privacy.
View the recording here.

 

What Makes a Question a Good Question? (with PLATO Partner Organization Right Question Institute)
On January 30, 2023, PLATO hosted Katy Connolly, Right Question Institute; Karen Emmerman, PLATO; Johnny Walker, Right Question Institute; and Lani Watson, University of Oxford discussed developing good philosophical questions in the classroom. View the recording here.

 

Philosophical Thinking: What Adults Can Learn From Kids
On November 7, 2022, PLATO hosted Alison Gopnik, UC Berkeley; Scott Hershovitz, University of Michigan; and Jana Mohr Lone, PLATO and University of Washington. They discussed what adults can learn from having philosophical dialogues with kids. View the recording here.

 

Philosophy and Children’s Literature
On October 25, 2022, PLATO and the Prindle Institute for Ethics collaborated on an interactive webinar for librarians about ways librarians can use children’s literature to open up a philosophical dialogue with young library patrons. View the recording here.

 

Administrative Support for Bringing Philosophy into Schools
On October 12, 2022, PLATO hosted a panel of four administrators and educators from around the country who discussed ways to develop support for philosophy in classrooms from administrators. View the recording here.

 

The Joys and Challenges of Philosophy in Middle School
On April 21, 2022, PLATO hosted a panel of five educators from around the country who discussed their experiences bringing philosophy into middle school classrooms, including success stories, innovative prompts, and some of the challenges they have faced. View the recording here.

 

Splendor of Gender? Gen Z’s Perspectives on Changing the Meaning of Gender
On February 17, 2022, in collaboration with the American Philosophical Association (APA), PLATO co-hosted a panel discussion on Splendor of Gender? Gen Z’s Perspectives on Changing the Meaning of Gender. The panel featured six high school students from around the country, all of whom are members of PLATO’s Student Advisory Council. The students offered new perspectives on how gender has changed as a lived experience for their generation. View the recording here.

 

Public Philosophy, Education, and Social Justice
On February 10, 2022, in collaboration with the Public Philosophy Network (PPN) and the Kegley Institute of Ethics, PLATO co-hosted a panel discussion on Public Philosophy, Education, and Social Justice. The event featured an in-depth panel discussion of cultivating impactful and innovative philosophy programming, with a focus on advancing social justice. View the recording here.

 

Engaging Younger Philosophers: Philosophy in Pre-College Settings
On November 20, 2021, PLATO co-hosted a webinar with the APA Committee on Pre-College Instruction on Philosophy on Engaging Younger Philosophers: Philosophy in Pre-College Settings with panelists Erik Kenyon, Stephen Kekoa Miller, Sarah Vitale, and Jonathan Wurtz. The webinar focused on the panelists’ recent work doing philosophy outside of traditional academic settings. APA members can view the recording here.

 

Teaching High School Philosophy
On October 25, 2021, PLATO hosted a panel discussion with five high school teachers from across the United States about successfully incorporating philosophy in high schools. View the recording here.

 

Why Kids Are Good for Philosophy
On June 15, 2021, PLATO hosted a virtual panel discussion on Why Kids Are Good For Philosophy. The recording can be viewed here.

 

Meet the Authors
On May 4, 2021, PLATO hosted a Meet the Authors event, where authors discussed the central themes from their books, published as part of the Big Ideas for Young Thinkers series. The recording can be viewed here.