EDTC Program Aligns with National Standards
Approximately half of the candidates who enroll in the EDTC program are K-12 teachers. The other half consists of candidates who aspire to educational technology careers in higher education, government, and industry. In order to accommodate the needs of both constituencies, the EDTC program has two rubrics for each performance. One rubric is based on the AECT-SMETS standards, and the other follows the ISTE-TF standards. Both AECT and ISTE are recognized as specialized professional associations (SPAs) by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), which is the agency that accredits the teacher education programs at the University of Delaware and other leading schools of education.
AECT-SMETS Standards
AECT stands for Association for Educational Communications and Technology. The AECT was founded in 1923. It has a rich history that is documented at the association's AECT History page. The AECT maintains a knowledge base of educational technology. Readings from this knowledge base are incorporated throughout the courses in the EDTC program.
SMETS stands for School Media and Educational Technology Specialist. The SMETS standards are defined in the NCATE document that is downloadable from the AECT Web site.
A quick way to review the AECT-SMETS Standards is to review the EDTC alignment matrix for AECT-SMETS. This matrix depicts graphically the manner in which the EDTC program embodies the AECT-SMETS standards. More detailed information is provided in the EDTC rubrics, which list the specific performances required of EDTC candidates for each AECT-SMETS standard.
ISTE-TF Standards
ISTE stands for International Society for Technology in Education. It is a major non-profit association that is working to advance the effective use of technology in K-12 education and teacher education. ISTE maintains a knowledge base of educational technology that is incorporated throughout the courses in the EDTC program.
TF stands for Technology Facilitation. It is an endorsement program designed for K-12 teachers who have a teaching certificate. ISTE developed the TF endorsement for use in the NCATE accreditation process.
A quick way to review the ISTE-TF Standards is to review the EDTC alignment matrix for ISTE-TF . This matrix depicts graphically the manner in which the EDTC program supports the ISTE-TF standards. More detailed information is provided in the EDTC rubrics, which list the specific performances required of EDTC candidates for each ISTE-TF standard.