Building Belonging: Online Conversation Space for School Leaders - Sept 2024

Joseph Kahne is the Ted and Jo Dutton Presidential Professor for Education Policy and Politics and Director of the Civic Engagement Research Group (CERG) at the University of California, Riverside. Professor Kahne's research focuses on the influence of school practices and digital media on youth civic and political development. For example, with funding from the Institute of Educational Sciences (IES), and in partnership with scholars from Ohio State, Brown, and UCR, CERG has launched and is studying the impact of Connecting Classrooms to Congress (CC2C). CC2C is a social studies curricular unit that enables students to learn and deliberate about a controversial societal issue and then participate in an online townhall with their Member of Congress. In addition, Kahne and CERG are currently engaged in related studies of efforts to promote youth voice, lived civics, and a broad vision of social studies reform tied to the Educating for American Democracy Roadmap. This work takes place through partnerships with reformers and school districts in CA, IL, NM, OK, FL, and CO. We are also examining ways the political contexts of school districts shape possibilities for educational reform and the varied ways educators respond. He can be reached at [email protected]  and his work is available at https://www.civicsurvey.org/

Frank Stebbins is a Senior Program Associate, School and District Lead at Facing History. Frank facilitates professional development, and is a member of teams focusing on school-wide program development, Holocaust and Genocide scholarship, and Teaching for Equity and Justice. Before joining the Facing History team, he was a New Jersey educator for 17 years.