Conference Roundup
The Alliance is building a field for Decision Education. Like any large-scale movement, we are focusing on making connections with different groups who are interested in preparing students for the future. We work with educators, parents and caregivers, students, funders, academic and business leaders, researchers, policymakers, and more.
As part of this goal, staff members from our education, research, and public policy teams attended several conferences this fall in order to share updates about Decision Education and network with ally organizations.
Florida Council on Economic Education Executive Director, Suzanne Costanaza (left), and Alliance Director of Public Policy, Mary Call-Blanusa (right), at ExcellinEd’s National Summit on Education
Many of the valuable real-world skills and dispositions found in the teaching of media literacy are also captured through Decision Education. Given the overlap between Decision Education and media literacy, our staff participated in the National Association of Media Literacy Education (NAMLE)’s Media Literacy Leadership Summit on September 30 in Los Angeles, California. They explored how media literacy and Decision Education can work together to empower students to be better decision makers.
The following month, Alliance staff attended NAMLE’s final event of the year—Media Literacy Week, “The Future is Here: Artificial Intelligence, Journalism and the Growing Need for Media Literacy ” on October 27 in New York City, New York. We know that navigating AI and evaluating sources makes for better decision-making. Decision Education supports students in developing the skills & dispositions to navigate information from the media, think through the validity of sources, be mindful of confirmation bias, and more.
Staff from our education team participated in the National College Attainment Network (NCAN) 2023 National Conference, which focused on the theme “Uniting for Equity,” in Dallas, Texas, from October 16–18. The conference brought together thousands of postsecondary access and success practitioners, leaders, and advocates for a wealth of networking, learning, and knowledge-sharing.
Alliance Research Senior Associate, Madeline Anderson (left), and Alliance Research Associate, Hannah Diamond (right), at SJDM’s annual meeting
At ExcelinEd’s annual National Summit on Education in Atlanta, Georgia, from November 15–17, our Director of Public Policy, Mary Call-Blanusa, connected with state legislators, educators, and other national education nonprofits. We’re excited to continue developing relationships with policymakers, state education chiefs, and advocates dedicated to transforming education.
Most recently, our research team presented the Decision Education Research Agenda: Teaching Decision-Making and Evaluating the Results at the Annual Meeting of the Society for Judgment and Decision Making in San Francisco, California, from November 17–20. We are thrilled to continue supporting new research.
Making Decision Education a part of every student’s learning experience requires time and concerted effort. Together, we are committed to generating demand and providing support and structure for implementing Decision Education into every student’s learning experience.
Pictured in our header are Alliance Education Senior Manager, Abby Sheffer (left), and Alliance Director of Public Policy, Mary Call-Blanusa (right), at NAMLE’s Media Literacy Week with NAMLE Deputy Director, Donnell Probst (middle left), and NAMLE Executive Director, Michelle Ciulla Lipkin (middle right)
