By the E4 Team
In mid-May, over 50 educators, researchers, district leaders, and policymakers gathered at Northwestern University for the E4 Center’s annual convening. The theme, “Navigating the Arena of (Mis)Information in K-12 Education and Beyond,” underscored an urgent imperative: how to equip young learners and educators with the critical tools they need to engage with information thoughtfully, ethically, and confidently.
Over two days of panel discussions, keynotes, and small group sessions, the convening provided space to examine misinformation’s impact on education and to reimagine classrooms as spaces where media literacy, data literacy, and ethical reasoning can flourish.
The Urgency of Being Human, Ethical, and Joyful in an AI-powered World: The Role of Education
The convening kicked off with a deeply personal keynote from Dr. Sepehr Vakil (Northwestern University) that explored how misinformation, censorship, and AI intersect with education at a critical moment in history. Drawing on his own experience with research suppression, Vakil cautioned that AI tools are not neutral. They reflect societal and political biases and can amplify inequity if left unchecked. He urged educators to approach AI with intention, calling on schools to integrate ethics and critical thinking into STEM education. He also encouraged attendees to interrogate how emerging technologies are taught and used, especially in under-resourced schools.
Yet Vakil’s message was also one of hope. He described education as a space to reclaim joy, humanity, and moral imagination, especially in the face of increasingly automated systems. Participants discussed the urgent need for schools to respond to AI’s rise and lead the conversation around its role in learning. As one attendee put it, “The train has left the station. We can’t pretend AI doesn’t exist.” For Vakil, that’s precisely why educators must step in to shape a future rooted in care, ethics, and democratic values.
QuantCrit: Disrupting the Status Quo of Data Interpretation
Dr. Wendy Castillo (Montclair State University) led a session on QuantCrit, a framework that places racial equity at the center of quantitative inquiry. Drawing on her recent book co-authored with Kamden Strunk, Castillo argued that traditional statistical approaches often obscure systemic inequalities.
Castillo explained that, in school, “most of us were taught statistics through a ‘traditional’ lens,” whereas this approach places “thinking about the centrality of racism at the center.”
Using accessible examples, she showed how data can perpetuate dominant narratives unless practitioners deliberately interrogate the choices behind the numbers. Attendees explored ways to “speak for the data” by rethinking how metrics are selected, interpreted, and communicated in education.
Making Sense of Media: Types, Genres and their Intentions through an Introduction to News Media Literacy
Media literacy expert Dr. Michael Spikes (Northwestern University) provided a practical framework for educators to help students discern journalism from propaganda, advertising, and raw information. He emphasized three foundational principles of journalism: verification, independence, and accountability.
Spikes reminded the audience that media literacy is not about skepticism for its own sake. He noted that media literacy is meant to help individuals reclaim their agency in a world where attention is the currency and misinformation thrives.
Participants explored the cognitive challenges media consumers face, including confirmation bias and cognitive dissonance, and reviewed real-world examples to understand how media instruction can help students develop both critical thinking and resilience.
“These days,” Spikes said, “it’s not so much that we seek out information. It seeks us.”
Framing the Challenge: Building a Culture of Critical Media Literacy
E4 Director Paul Goren moderated a panel on the evolving role of AI in schools. Featuring Sugeera Eckley (Oakland USD), John Higginson (Curriculum Associates), and Lorne Rodriguez (Chicago Public Schools), the session offered insights into how districts are engaging with AI on the ground.
Panelists reflected on how they use AI in their roles. Eckley viewed her role as providing educators with information and training on AI rather than prescribing how AI must be used, and Rodriguez highlighted the value of AI as a strategy to offload mundane tasks so that more time and energy can be devoted to strategic endeavors and critical thinking.
Higginson emphasized the importance of using AI to help educators, while noting that education is ultimately human-powered. He said, “At the end of the day, AI is just a tool.”
During the panel, attendees posed questions around student privacy, parental consent, bias in AI, and how panelists might be rethinking the purpose of education. Following this whole group conversation, breakout sessions allowed attendees to have deeper conversations with each panelist to dive deeper into the ethics, logistics, and pedagogy of AI use.
Telling Stories with Data for Critical Inquiry
Dr. Jennifer Khan (University of Miami) invited participants to rethink how data is taught and used in classrooms. She encouraged attendees to think of data not as cold, neutral numbers, but as powerful tools for storytelling and social inquiry. In her session, she emphasized that data always reflects human choices, from the models we build to the questions we ask. By connecting data to students’ lived experiences, educators can foster a deeper, more critical engagement with the world around them.
Participants reflected on their own relationships with data in a “data break” activity, exploring how everyday decisions are influenced by metrics and visuals. Khan encouraged educators to “unblackbox” the data structures that shape understanding and to help students build agency in interpreting, questioning, and communicating with data. Her session underscored that true data literacy involves more than interpretation. It’s about cultivating fairness, awareness, and ethical storytelling.
A Call to Action
The convening concluded with a collaborative reflection session, during which participants shared commitments to concrete next steps: integrating critical data literacy into lesson plans, forming cross-sector partnerships, and creating space for ethical dialogue in STEM classrooms.
One attendee captured the sentiment best: “This wasn’t just a conference. It was a call to action. We’re leaving with practical tools and renewed purpose to help students think critically and engage with the world in informed, intentional ways.”
Continuing the Conversation
We’re deeply grateful to all who joined us and contributed their perspectives, ideas, and energy. E4 continues to support connection and collaboration through our Learning Community and ongoing Virtual Brown Bag series.
“When we bring together educators, researchers, and community leaders who care deeply about the role of information in students’ lives, we lay the groundwork for meaningful change,” said Goren. “This convening reminded us that preparing students for today’s world isn’t just about content knowledge. It’s about fostering inquiry, interpretation, and the ability to navigate complexity.”