The ISTE pledge: Committing to digital equity and transformation

Last summer the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) and the U.S. Department of Education launched an initiative called the Digital Equity and Transformation Pledge. This Pledge calls for educator preparation programs (EPPs) to prepare new teachers who have the digital skills and expertise to use technology to increase equity and impact of learning. Other organizations supporting and collaborating with this initiative include the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP), American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE), Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education (SITE), and the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). To date, over 60 higher education institutions have signed the Pledge (see https://www.iste.org/EPP-pledge).

This initiative encourages EPPs to use the ISTE Standards to help guide their work as they promote high quality teaching and learning with technology. By signing the Pledge an EPP agrees to expand and scale digital equity and transformation in teacher education by committing to these guiding principles (ISTE, 2023):

1. Prepare teachers to thrive in digital learning environments.

2. Prepare teachers to use technology to pursue ongoing professional learning.

3. Prepare teachers to apply frameworks to accelerate transformative digital learning.

4. Equip all faculty to continuously improve expertise in technology for learning.

5. Collaborative with school leaders to identify shared digital teaching competencies.

After signing the Pledge, institutions join the Digital Equity and Transformation Network. ISTE and the U.S. Department of Education facilitate meetings (like webinars, professional learning opportunities) for EPPs in this network to begin collaborative discussions to identify strategies, challenges, and opportunities around digital equity and transformation in their programs. For some EPPs, it might be a first step toward continuous improvement in updating curriculum, providing faculty professional learning, and preparing teacher candidates who have a broad range of experiences with online and blended learning. Access more information about this initiative at https://www.iste.org/EPP-pledge.

JDLTE strives to provide its readers with research that addresses issues and fills gaps in the literature around digital technologies and teacher education. The four articles in this issue share insights that align with the principles of the Pledge. The article, Perspectives of Educational Technology Teacher Educators: Mavericks, Champions, or Change Agents?, is an interesting investigation into educational technology faculty perspectives on technology infusion efforts within their educator preparation programs. The study uses a Q methodology research design and provides significant insight on technology value, confidence, program design, and leadership support. This article provides additional insight into addressing the challenges educational technology faculty face when trying to facilitate change around program-deep and program-wide curriculum experiences in teacher preparation.

The article titled, Technology Acceptance of a Mobile Portfolio App for Teacher Education: Pre-service Teachers Views on Multimedia-based Note-taking and Mentoring in Internships, documents preservice teachers’ use of a mobile portfolio app for note-taking, reflection, and discussion. The study focuses on reflection on teaching practice as being a core component while preparing teachers. The results from this study demonstrate how different mobile apps’ functionalities and uses might impact technology acceptance, especially with preservice teachers during teaching internships.

The next article, It’s All Relative: Changes in Teachers’ Knowledge and Instruction During COVID-19, explored how teaching remotely impacted teachers’ TPACK and how those teachers facilitated remote instruction during the pandemic. Using a convergent parallel mixed method approach, the authors studied 167 inservice teachers who transitioned quickly to fully remote teaching and learning. These teachers, like many others, were not prepared for this remote context and thus, the teachers reported a decrease in their TPACK scores. This is a good reminder that as instructional contexts change, we need to make sure teachers have the necessary skills and knowledge to teach in the new setting.

And finally, the study titled, Assistive Technology Training within an Educational Technology Course: Perceptions of Preservice Special Education Teachers, investigated preservice special education teachers’ perceptions about their assistive technology knowledge and skills. An educational technology course was designed specifically to focus on how to apply assistive technology in teaching students with disabilities. Findings indicate an increased awareness of how technology might be used to meet students’ special needs and the potential benefits of specific technology tools in the special education context. We hope you enjoy this issue that continues to promote digital learning in teacher education.

Denise A. Schmidt-Crawford Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
[email protected]
Denise L. LindstromWest Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA

Ann D. Thompson Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA