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ISTE on World Stage for International Standards Release in Egypt

The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) today launched the international Information and Communication Technology Competency Standards for Teachers (ICT-CST).

ISTE CEO Don Knezek brought greetings from the association's 30^th annual conference and exposition, held June 28-July 1 in Washington, DC, while UNESCO director general Koïchiro Matsuura unveiled the standards at a ceremony in Cairo, Egypt. 

"I only regret the obligations associated with the 20,000 education leaders and policy-makers in attendance at our National Education Computing Conference in Washington, D.C., prevent my being with you in person," said Knezek in his taped remarks.  "I'm extremely proud to be a part of this event and the ongoing work of the partnership as we move forward with this important ICT Competency Framework for Teachers and what it will mean for students and for the economic good of nations around the globe."

The ICT-CST were developed under UNESCO leadership in cooperation with ISTE, the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and StateUniversity(Virginia Tech), and corporate partners Cisco, Intel and Microsoft. Competency standards for teachers are designed to help educational policy-makers and curriculum developers identify the skills teachers need to harness technology in the service of education. ISTE's contributions and those of the other partners are being recognized at the launch of the standards in Cairo.

The goal of the ICT-CST is to provide guidance on how to improve teachers' practice through ICT and give a new dimension to their skills, regardless of where their classrooms are located - resulting in better education and highly skilled students.

About ISTE

The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) is the premier membership association for educators and education leaders engaged in improving teaching and learning by advancing the effective use of technology in PK-12 and teacher education.

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