What is Decision Education? – Featuring the Alliance for Decision Education

What is Decision Education? – Featuring the Alliance for Decision Education

Author: Jeffrey Bradbury - TeacherCast Educational Network August 20, 2026 Duration: 25:26
Welcome to Digital Learning Today. In this episode, Jeff Bradbury explores the strategic systems that shape the future of education, focusing on Instructional Coaching, Artificial Intelligence, Professional Learning, and the latest Educational Technology Trends. In this episode, Jeffrey Bradbury interviews Adriana Massara from the Alliance for Decision Education about integrating decision-making skills into K-12 education. They discuss what decision education is, how it can be embedded into existing curricula, and its importance in developing lifelong skills for students.

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In This Episode …

  • What decision education is and its importance
  • How decision skills can be integrated into existing curricula
  • The role of decision education in critical thinking and metacognition
  • Strategies for teachers to encourage decision-making and questioning
  • The impact of AI on decision-making skills and education
  • Long-term vision for decision education in K-12 schools

Chapters:

  • 00:00 Introduction to Decision Education
  • 00:26 Engagement and Resources for Educators
  • 03:32 Understanding Decision Education
  • 06:34 Integrating Decision Education in Classrooms
  • 09:21 The Role of Critical Thinking
  • 12:33 Implementing Decision Education at a School Level
  • 15:15 Artificial Intelligence and Decision Making
  • 18:31 Overcoming Teacher Overwhelm
  • 21:12 The Future of Decision Education
  • 24:22 Conclusion and Resources

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:


About our Guest: Adriana Massara

Adriana’s passion for education comes from a long line of teachers in her family. She joined Teach for America after graduating from college and taught elementary school. During her tenure, Adriana became a school leader and lead math curriculum planner. In those roles, she managed grade-level teams and teacher training. Adriana was also a Leadership for Educational Equity Fellow, where she worked for the Office of Equity and Access at the New York City Department of Education. Adriana joined the Alliance for Decision Education in 2015 as the Partnership and Training Manager. In that role, she oversaw school implementation of Decision Education and supported teachers’ practices with training and in-classroom coaching. As the Director of Community and Partnerships, Adriana managed the Alliance’s network of individual and organizational partnerships, including the Advisory and Ambassador Councils. She is now the Deputy Executive Director and Chief Strategy Officer of the Alliance. Adriana received her Master’s degree in Education from the University of Hawaii, and graduated with a B.A. in Consumer Psychology and Communications from the University of Pennsylvania.

About The Alliance for Decision Education

The Alliance for Decision Education is a national nonprofit and field builder working to establish and integrate Decision Education into K–12 school systems nationwide. Our mission is to improve lives by empowering students with the essential skills and dispositions needed to make better decisions. Drawn from the sciences and humanities, Decision Education is an interdisciplinary approach that focuses on teaching students how to think, rather than what to think. Through this framework, students learn to evaluate risk, resist cognitive biases, utilize decision frameworks, and practice open-mindedness—essential tools for navigating today's complex digital landscape. By partnering with educators, families, policymakers, and community leaders, the Alliance is building a movement to ensure every student develops these durable life skills.

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Hosted by Jeff Bradbury of the TeacherCast Educational Network, Digital Learning Today is a conversation for educators who think strategically about the long game. This podcast moves beyond quick tech fixes to examine the underlying frameworks and leadership philosophies required for meaningful, lasting improvement in schools. It’s designed for those in the driver’s seat of change-principals, district administrators, and instructional coaches-who understand that real transformation is about systems, not just software. Listeners will find practical discussions on implementing digital learning initiatives effectively, crafting and executing school improvement plans that stick, and the nuanced work of fostering a collaborative, innovative culture among staff and students. The dialogue naturally bridges educational theory with the realities of school business and management, offering a grounded perspective on steering institutions forward. By focusing on sustainable models and big-picture ideas, each episode provides a space to reflect on the core structures that define modern education, making this podcast a resource for anyone committed to thoughtful, systemic growth in their learning community.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

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