FOR PRE-REGISTERED SESSIONS PLEASE USE THE PRE-REGISTRATION LINK IN THE SESSION DESCRIPTION. The pre-registration web page is https://www.pdtca.org/pre-registration.html Adding the session to your Sched schedule does not mean you are pre-registered. Pre-registration is now closed. The pre-registration page has an email link if you need to request to be removed from a session so someone on the waiting list can have your spot - top right of the page. For changes or signup come to the convention information desk at/after 1:00 pm on Thursday, Feb 23rd. Please kindly check Button 3. on the pre-registration page to see if a session has room for you as most of them are full.
SESSION EVALUATION: You do not need to create a profile and log in to see sessions in Sched. However, if you want to add yourself to a session or evaluate a session you must be logged in.
NOTE TO SPEAKERS: We had planned to have a Zoom help desk, but decided against it.
“On the two school days of your assigned teachers’ convention, you have a legal and professional responsibility to attend convention. If you are not able to make it safely to your assigned convention, however, your collective agreement may include impassable roads or inclement weather clauses that you can access. If your collective agreement does not include language specific to road conditions or weather, you may make use of the personal leave clauses of your agreement in most cases. Please be aware that using any of these types of leave may require you to pay substitute costs, forego a portion of your salary and benefits, or report to your school or another work location in your district. Refer to your collective agreement for more information. Should you require any additional information or if you need assistance interpreting your collective agreement, please contact Teacher Employment Services at 1-800-232-7208 or 780-447-9400.” This information is also found on the Frequently Asked Questions page on the ataconventions.ca website. If you have any further questions regarding this, please contact me by e-mail at Daniel.Maas@ata.ab.ca.
*****SESSION EVALUATIONS WILL CLOSE FRIDAY MARCH 3rd*****
War Propagandists, like magicians, target our Cognitive Biases with Sensory and Psychological Misdirection. For example; by playing on our False Consensus Bias propagandists convince us, falsely, that our leaders’ war aims align with our Idealistic and Humanitarian beliefs. Among other Biases examined are Framing (making decisions based on how information is presented rather than substance), Attribution (attributing character failings to the intentions and behaviors of out-groups while attributing good intentions or situational causes to in-group behaviors), Availability (basing truth on what comes to mind readily), and Illusory Superiority Bias (all countries present their war aims as morally superior). War propaganda misdirects us from the reality that wars, as this session will attempt to show are not Manichean struggles of good vs evil but are based on self-interest. Dozens of examples of Misdirection are exposed to produce astonishing OMG! MOMENTS. The psychology of propaganda should be an essential part of Science, Social Studies and Language Arts curricula.
