 Dr. Janet S. Twyman is the Vice-President of Instructional Development at Headsprout, where she is a major contributor to the development of Headsprout’s Generative Learning Technology and the effort to build that technology into highly effective educational programs. Dr. Twyman developed the research methods and systems that led to Headsprout’s ground breaking scientific formative evaluation model of program development, coordinating all elements of instructional design, scripting, graphic creation, animation, sound engineering, story development and writing, software engineering, and usability testing within the research model. She earned her Ph.D. from Columbia University Teachers College and holds certification as an elementary and special education teacher and as a principal/school administrator. Formerly the Executive Director of the Fred S. Keller School and an adjunct associate professor at Columbia University Teachers College, Dr. Twyman has been a long-time advocate and investigator of research-based instruction and systems design. While at the Keller School and Columbia University, she conducted research and taught courses focusing on effective instruction, technology and education, teacher development, and systems approaches to effective education. She has published and presented widely on verbal behavior, instructional design, systems approaches, and on topics of broader conceptual interest. She serves on the board of numerous organizations and has served ABA as a member, Chair of the Graduate Program Accreditation Processes, Applied Representative, and, most recently, as President. |
| Abstract: Earth went from the beginning of human history until the 1800s A.D. before its population reached one billion. A mere 200 years later the world population has expanded to over 6 billion. As the global human population explodes to nearly 9 billion by 2050, the social and environmental impact will be vastand by some predictions, dire. What does this have to do with us? One common trait shared by each of the 9 billion people is that they will behave. They will act upon the world and change it, and also be changed by their actions. Who better to help understand and influence that change than behavior analysts? Our robust science, founded on basic principles and equipped with the knowledge of how to predict and control behavior, is critical in addressing the contingencies that operate in relationships, organizations, communities, societies, and in the world. Our findings and influence are already evident in remarkably varied and diverse domains across the globe and this conference will accentuate that considerable work. |