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Chapter 1 |
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On the Web! Activities |
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How can you find out more?
The Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) is a multifaceted professional organization that provides members with information and services relevant to educational technology. The goals of the AECT encompass "a continuous effort to actively promote the improvement in learning environments through the use of educational communications and technology." AECT members have access to a job center, meetings, the AECT-L (LISTSERV), and publications such as ETR & D (Educational Technology Research and Development) that covers topics of research and practice. These and other services and information banks are part of the AECT comprehensive membership plans or are available through subscription with reduced rates for members (http://www.aect.org/About/default.htm).
The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) was established to facilitate the effective use of technology in K - 12 education: "We provide our members with information, networking opportunities, and guidance as they face the challenge of incorporating computers, the Internet, and other new technologies into their schools." ISTE formulated the National Educational Technology Standards (NETS), disseminates current news of educational issues through ISTE-DC; publishes periodicals, journals, and books; presents workshops, forums, and symposia; and offers a wide variety of online resources covering K - 12 subject areas for teachers, lesson plans, job listings, and explications of governmental policies and legislation. The Learning and Leading with Technology magazine features articles by teachers describing methods of classroom instruction they have developed using technology to supplement learning goals and objectives. Each article carries the subject, audience, grade level, technology used, and the NETS standards addressed (http://www.iste.org).
The American Educational Research Association (AERA), with 22,000 members, is a professional organization that "is concerned with improving the educational process by encouraging scholarly inquiry related to education and by promoting the dissemination and practical application of research results." The AERA is interdisciplinary. It has twelve divisions, one of which is Teaching and Teacher Education. AERA maintains a divisional newsletter, a bulletin board, and an online publication (AERA.NET). It also publishes journals. At the annual meeting in Seattle 2001, sessions that dealt with educational technology were well represented by such presentations as a paper entitled "Evaluating the Impact of Educational Technology" (http://www.aera.net/).
The Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE) has been in existence since 1981. It strives to advance "the knowledge, theory, and quality of learning and teaching at all levels with instructional technology." By encouraging research on teaching with technology and making the research findings available to members, AACE seeks to give theoretical justification to instructional technology and to show how it can invigorate and expand curricula. AACE offers publications, conferences, societies and chapters, and interorganizational projects as means of encouraging the study and application of instructional technology (http://www.aace.org/about.htm).
The U.S. Distance Learning Association (USDLA) is, as the name suggests, an organization that aims "to promote the development and application of distance learning for education and training." From pre-K through higher education, home schooling, continuing education, corporate training, military and government training, and telemedicine, the USDLA promotes distance learning opportunities. It has been instrumental in forming governmental policies and regulations regarding distance education programs. The "What's New" site performs as a clearinghouse for innovative applications of distance learning offerings from a broad range of educational bases (http://www.usdla.org).
Activity
Visit the web sites for the organizations mentioned above or find others from the list below. After examining the benefits of membership, decide which organization you would prefer to join. Be prepared to share with your peers information about the organization and explain why you prefer it.
Want to know more? Check out these sites:
Google Educational Technology Organizations
http://www.educational-software-directory.net/organizations.html
http://www.educational-software-directory.net/organizations.html
Sources
Worth-Baker, M. 2002. Network neighbors. Creative Classroom (November/December), 17 (3), 66.
Developing skills to participate in instruction. 2003. LD OnLine Newsletter. [Office of Special Education Programs: U. S. Department of Education]. Retrieved May 28, 2003, from http://www.ldonline.org/ld_indepth/technology/opening_the_door_luke.html
Hawkins, E. 2003. Batch email. Retrieved July 1, 2003, from http://www.nea.org/helpfrom/growing/works4me/tech/techclas.html
Carlson, K. 2003. Weekly email newsletter. Retrieve July 1, 2003, from http://www.nea.org/helpfrom/growing/works4me/tech/techclas.html
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