title: Improved learning in U.S. history and decision competence with decision-focused curriculum.
abstract: Decision making is rarely taught in high school, even though improved decision skills could benefit young people facing life-shaping decisions. While decision competence has been shown to correlate with better life outcomes, few interventions designed to improve decision skills have been evaluated with rigorous quantitative measures. A randomized study showed that integrating decision making into U.S. history instruction improved students' history knowledge and decision-making competence, compared to traditional history instruction. Thus, integrating decision training enhanced academic performance and improved an important, general life skill associated with improved life outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Administration, Springfield School District, Springfield, OR, USA.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jacobson
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Parker
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Spetzler
authors.forename: Wandi
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Bruine de Bruin
authors.forename: Keith
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hollenbeck
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Heckerman
authors.forename: Baruch
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Fischhoff
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D003479:Curriculum; D003657:Decision Making; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D011340:Problem Solving; D018794:Problem-Based Learning; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods*; D014481:United States