Sponsorship and registration are open for this March 3-6, 2024 event.

WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, UNITED STATES, November 8, 2023 /EINPresswire.com/ -- In 2024, the Innovations in Testing Conference proudly celebrates its 25th anniversary with the theme: "Better Together--Embrace change. Share solutions." For a quarter of a century, this conference has been at the forefront of the testing industry, a beacon for innovation, collaboration, and progress. This year's milestone event to be held March 3-6, 2024 at the Anaheim Marriott promises to be a defining moment as we unite to embrace the changes of today and be the solution for the future of testing.

2024 Conference Chair, Brodie Wise of Internet Testing Systems (ITS) says "I’m personally looking forward to hearing the insights and expertise that always accompany this conference, and I am excited to share what I know will be a memorable and impactful conference experience that will shape the future of our industry."

The 2024 Innovations in Testing Conference will open with a keynote session providing insight encouraging the industry to create assessments that are more culturally inclusive. The keynote speaker will be Dr. Sae Schatz, who formerly served as director of the Advanced Distributed Learning Initiative at the Office of the Secretary of Defense and is now the founder and CEO of The Knowledge Forge LLC. Sae (pronounced like “say”) works at the intersection of human cognition, technology, and data. She specializes in bridging the gap between scientific principles and applied human-centered design, and her unique approach to “strategic storytelling” (translating complex topics into memorable and quotable messages) has garnered numerous professional awards and seen her work translated into multiple languages.

In 2023, Sae launched the Knowledge Forge LLC, a boutique consultancy offering applied research and design, professional development, and strategic services in areas such as learning and development, digital and data literacy, and information overload. Her clients include NATO and partner-nation governments, academic institutions, and businesses. Recently, she’s delivered keynotes at the NATO Conference of Commandants and Danish Defense College, hosted a cross-sector Learning Science Seminar in collaboration with Sea Salt Learning, and published works in TD Magazine, Defense Dossier, and the Journal of Military Learning.

From 2015 to 2022, Sae served as the director of the Advanced Distributed Learning (ADL) Initiative, a U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) program for research, development, and policy stewardship. She also co-chaired the NATO Training Group (NTG) Individual Training and Educational Developments (IT&ED) task group. Under her leadership, the U.S. ADL Initiative sparked the community’s pursuit of the “future learning ecosystem,” in part with her popular book Modernizing Learning: Building the Future Learning Ecosystem. Her efforts were also formally recognized as “a pathfinder for enterprise data services” by then–DoD Chief Data Officer David L. Spirk.

Before joining the civil service, Sae worked as an applied human-systems scientist in both business and academia. From 2011 to 2014, she was the chief scientist at MESH Solutions (a defense contractor), where she led the U.S. Marine Corps’ Making Good Instructors Great project and the U.S. Joint Staff’s award-winning Blended Learning–Training effort. Prior to that, she held an assistant professorship with the University of Central Florida (UCF) Institute for Simulation and Training, and she was an instructor in the UCF Digital Media Department. Sae is a prolific writer and professional presenter as well as a graphic designer who often uses those skills to enhance books, presentations, and infographics.

Day two of the Conference will be kicked off with Fast-Pitch on the main stage. This stimulating session will offer attendees a chance to preview revolutionary, game changing technologies, products, and services being offered by some of the newest entrepreneurs and technology disruptors in the industry.

Closing the conference will be Janet S. Twyman, Ph.D., a renowned educator, researcher, and innovator in the field of learning sciences. She will provide an insightful overview of current and upcoming AI applications in testing. She’ll spotlight innovative uses that can broaden access, boost efficiency, and elevate measurement quality, while reminding us that we must remain vigilant regarding limitations and concerns, including biases lurking in data and algorithms, hurdles in explain-ability and transparency, and the vital need for human oversight. She’ll also tackle concerns about high-stakes usage, privacy, and cybersecurity vulnerabilities. She has dedicated her career to developing and implementing effective and evidence-based instructional practices that leverage the power of technology and a science of behavior. She has worked with diverse learners and settings, from preschoolers with intellectual disabilities to young adolescents with emotional and behavioral problems, from urban schools in New York City to rural schools in South Africa. She has also been involved in designing and disseminating web-based educational programs, such as Headsprout, that have reached thousands of students and teachers across the world.

She is currently the founder and Chief Learning Scientist at blast: A Learning Sciences Company, where she applies her expertise in instructional design, educational technology, and behavior analysis to create innovative and personalized learning solutions. She is also an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, where she conducts research on evidence-based innovations in education and the systems that support them. She is a former president and fellow of the Association for Behavior Analysis International and has received numerous awards and honors for her distinguished contributions to educational research and practice, such as the Wing Award for Evidence-Based Education and the Fred S. Keller Behavioral Education Award.

She is a passionate advocate for teaching and learning technologies that produce individual and system change and has spoken about new technologies for diverse learners and settings at the United Nations and other prestigious venues. She is also an avid horse lover and trainer and has adopted and trained two wild mustangs using behavior analytic procedures.

In addition to the slate of general sessions, the full program will offer a number of session formats, covering topics from across the industry. Registration and sponsorship are also open and can be accessed via the conference website.

Nena Hollis
Association of Test Publishers
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