ABERDEEN, S.D. – Dr. Christian Pirlet, assistant professor of educational technology at Northern State University, presented at the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) annual conference in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 5.

Pirlet’s presentation, “Building Economic Citizens: Critical Thinking and Decision-Making for Stronger Democracy,” focused on using reality television to teach economic decision making. Session participants received examples of how classroom teachers can use reality television to demonstrate the decision making and critical thinking as an intersection for civic and economic education. Participants viewed clips and discussed economic and civic aspects presented on. Participants left with hands on examples, lesson plans, and resources for using reality television to teach economic decision making.

The show used in the session was “The Colony” (2009), a 10-week-long controlled experiment that placed ten volunteers with diverse skill sets in a simulated post-apocalyptic environment (an abandoned downtown Los Angeles warehouse) following a catastrophic epidemic. The “colonists” focus on securing the basic necessities, purifying water, establishing power, fortifying their shelter against “marauders,” and trading with other “survivors.”

While also at the conference, Pirlet served as a representative of the International Assembly of the NCSS to the NCSS House of Delegates. A decision-making assembly of the NCSS.

“I am so proud to represent Northern State University and South Dakota social studies on the national and international level. It is amazing how much of an impact our university's community can have on those around us.”

For more information, contact Dr. Christian Pirlet at 605-626-7687 or christian.pirlet@northern.edu.