On Friday, June 12, Penn Hill Group Principal Danica Petroshius participated in panel at the Digital Media and Learning Conference in Los Angeles, California, under the conference theme of “Equity by Design.” Other participants included Cathy Casserly, a Fellow at the Aspen Institute Communications & Society Program; Steve Bowen, the Director of Innovation at Council of Chief State School Officers; Jennie Magiera, the Digital-Learning Coordinator at Academy for Urban School Leadership; and Arthi Krishnaswami, the Founder and CEO of Ryecatcher.

Panelists discussed how student data privacy policies at all levels can help or hinder progress toward the goals of creating opportunities for youth to learn anytime, anyplace and at any pace, using resources in- and out-of-school as well as online. They discussed how privacy policies can affect the creation of “trusted learning environments,” which exist when youth and their learning support networks have confidence in using technology to engage in learning, especially when it involves students’ data. Audience members asked questions and gained insight about how they can become advocates for policies that support (rather than impede) the creation of and equitable access to trusted learning environments.