AECT and ISTE organizations and frameworks

¶ … AECT and ISTE

The Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) and the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) share a common goal in that both organizations are dedicated to the improvement of learning and providing professional leadership in education - yet there are some significant differences that set them apart.

Core Membership

What differentiates the two organizations is their core membership. The AECT has a broad-based membership profile that comprises members from industry, government, education and the military, while the ISTE - whose efforts are mainly aimed at pre-college education and teacher preparation - has an extensive membership that is made up of teachers of all grades, administrators, computer coordinators, curriculum coordinators, teacher educators, and educational technology specialists;

By comparison, the AECT - through its application in training and educational environments - provides professional leadership in educational communications and technology; while the ISTE draws from a large member base in the teaching sector to advance its efforts towards pre-college education and teacher preparation.

Despite the fact that both organizations provide for the improvement of education through the appropriate use of computer-related technology and innovative teacher development, the fundamental differences in the respective membership categories directly impact on their strategic planning. The core emphasis of ISTE is focused on issues of curriculum development and new ideas of improving education. Described as the largest teacher-based, nonprofit organization in the educational technology field, the ISTE's official mission is "to promote appropriate uses of information technology to support and improve learning, teaching, and administration at the K12 levels and in teacher education." (NECC 2004)

Members are provided with information, networking opportunities, and guidance as they face the challenge of incorporating computers, the Internet, and other new technologies into the classroom. According to Steve Ross, editor of the Research section of Educational Technology Research and Development at the University of Kentucky, the impact of quality research in the field - both in training and school contexts - is clearly evident in areas such as cooperative learning, individualized instruction, and reading strategies. "In instructional technology, I particularly see a growing need for research on Internet uses and navigation, distance learning, and integrating computer-supported instruction into both classroom teaching and professional training," he says. (University of Kentucky)

On an international level, both AECT and ISTE meet their special-interest needs through a series of publications as well as running workshops, forums and symposia to put their message across. ISTE's Web site, www.iste.org, contains coverage of many topics relevant to the educational technology community, including information about White papers and diverse research studies and reports such as Professional Development and Student Achievement: Making the Link (2003), (presentation from NECC 2003),

Research on Technology in Education (2000),

Information Technology in Teacher Education (1999),

The Road Ahead Evaluation Report (1998),

The Road Ahead Background Papers (1997),

Education Technology Promotion Guide (1996),

Technology Literacy White Paper (1995),

National Information Infrastructure Requirements for Education & Training (1994) and Vision: TEST (Technology-Enriched Schools of Tomorrow) (1992).

Varied projects

Experts in the field of educational technology believe that the use of information technologies will greatly advance the effectiveness of current teaching methods, resulting in the next generation being profoundly technology-adept. However, teacher education institutions are yet to modify their programs sufficiently to achieve this potential. Consequently many teachers still enter the profession unable to make effective use of the tools at their disposal. (AECT Project)

The AECT's publications, TechTrends for Leaders in Education and Training, a bi-monthly for members; and Educational Technology Research and Development, a quarterly research publication, as well as a variety of other single-issue publications, books and videotapes are examples of the organization's attempt to inculcate the long-term potential of educational technology. AECT has nine divisions including Media Management, Interactive Systems and Computers, Instructional Development, Telecommunications, Industrial Training and Education, and Research and Theory.

The ISTE by comparison, while also distributing various publications to increase awareness of learning and leading with technology, also publishes quarterly special-interest newsletters for its members, as well as a wide range of books that focus on the effects of computers, software and other technologies on classroom teaching, curriculum and teacher education; and teacher-outreach programs on educational technology topics. The ISTE is the administrative house for the National Educational Computing Conference (NECC) and also sponsors an annual Telecommunications in Education Conference (Tel-Ed).

Making a calculated choice

Many organizations are making a bid for the lion's share of the educational and technology market. The creating and fostering of standards in this field is one of the areas that the ISTE is promoting.

The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), for example, has published a set of standards for students called the National Educational Technology Standards for Students (describes what students should know about technology and be able to do with technology) and standards for teachers, called the National Educational Technology Standards for Teachers (NETS•T). The NETS•T is an ISTE initiative funded in part through the U.S. Department of Education's Preparing Tomorrow's Teachers to Use Technology grant program. ISTE believes our educational system must "produce technology - capable kids" (G. Eugene Martin)

As a teacher or educationist one would be inclined towards ISE as an organization with a more practical educational proclivity.

ISTE views the role of the teacher as establishing the classroom environment and preparing the learning opportunities that facilitate students' use of technology to learn, communicate, and develop knowledge products. ISTE uses words and phrases such as the use of technology, professional development programs for current teachers and preparation programs for future teachers, the importance of preparing teachers with technology-rich experiences, technology supported learning opportunities, empowering students with the advantages technology can bring, and applying strategies to solve problems, using appropriate tools for learning, collaborating, and communicating, to name just a few." (Ibid)