Educating for Democracy in a Digital Age

Tuesday, March 29, 2011, 9:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.

All events except lunch will be held at

Georgetown University Law Center

McDonough Hall - Hart Auditorium

600 New Jersey Avenue, NW

Washington, D.C.  20001

Lunch will be held at

Georgetown University Law Center

Gewirz Student Center - 12th Floor

120 F Street, NW

Washington, D.C. 20001

9:00 - 9:10 a.m.

Welcoming Remarks

William M. Treanor, Dean, Georgetown University Law Center

Walter Isaacson, President, The Aspen Institute

Robert Gallucci, President, The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation

9:10 - 9:30 a.m.

Opening Remarks

Sandra Day O'Connor, Associate Justice, Retired, U.S. Supreme Court

9:30 - 9:40 a.m.

Introduction of Panel 1

Lee Hamilton, former Member of the U.S. House of Representatives

9:40 - 10:50 a.m.

Panel 1: What is Civic Literacy?

Ray Suarez, Senior Correspondent, PBS NewsHour (Moderator)

Howard Gardner, Professor, Harvard Graduate School of Education

Diana Hess, Professor, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Education

Craig Watkins, Professor of Radio-TV-Film, University of Texas at Austin

Jay Winik, Historian and Author of April 1865 and The Great Upheaval

11:05 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.

Panel 2: Innovative Civic Programs for Today's Youth

Evan Thomas, Professor of Journalism, Princeton University and Author of The War Lovers (Moderator)

Nijmie Zakkiyyah Dzurinko, Executive Director, Philadelphia Student Union

Nichole Pinkard, Visiting Professor, College of Computing and Digital Media, DePaul University

Andrew Slack, Executive Director, The Harry Potter Alliance

Abby Taylor, Executive Director, iCivics Inc.

12:25 -1:55 p.m.

Luncheon

Introduction by Robert Gallucci, President, The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation

Lunchtime Discussion: Stories from students

2:05 - 2:20 p.m.

Report from Joe Kahne, Director, Civic Engagement Research Group at Mills College

2:20 - 3:30 p.m.

Panel 3: Policy Objectives to Improve Civic Education and Participation

John Heilemann, Journalist, New York magazine and Author of Game Change (Moderator)

Eric Liu, former Deputy Domestic Policy Director and Author of Guiding Lights: Mentor - and Find Life's Purpose

Bonnie Reiss, former California Secretary of Education

Sonal Shah, Director, White House Office of Social Innovation and Civic Participation (invited)

3:30 - 3:50 p.m.

Keynote Remarks

Arne Duncan, U.S. Secretary of Education

3:50 - 4:15 p.m.

Presentation of the Wilkey Award

5:00 - 5:30 p.m.

Closing Remarks

Sandra Day O'Connor, Associate Justice, Retired, U.S. Supreme Court

Participants will address effective strategies to promote civic learning and participation among today’s youth. They will focus on new ways to engage American students in the political process and to foster in them a deeper understanding and appreciation for our nation's history.  Focus will be on recent innovations and new technology designed to inspire students to become active and informed citizens.

Justice O'Connor will present the first Malcolm Wilkey Prize to four D.C. area middle school students who created projects about their civic heroes.  The late Judge Wilkey served on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.

This conference is sponsored by Georgetown Law, The Aspen Institute, and iCivics and supported by The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.

A web cast will be available at http://www.law.georgetown.edu/webcast/.

Media interested in attending should e-mail mediarelations@law.georgetown.edu.