SIGs find Opportunities for Leadership in ISTE/NECA Merger

The ISTE/NECA merger provides opportunities for all SIGs to expand membership and participation. As of September 2002, all ISTE members will be offered membership in one SIG at no additional charge. ISTE membership will increase by $7. This change in the membership fee structure has the potential to increase numbers in the SIGs, creating new opportunities for activities, publications, and NECC participation.

SIG members participated in the Birds-of-a-Feather roundtable meetings focused on strategies for increasing SIG participation in the new ISTE and future NECC events. Each SIG will have opportunities to contribute to the NECC 2003 program.

Promote SIGTE by sharing the website and opportunities for professional development at NECC with your colleagues and friends.

SIGTE: Making Progress in Times of Change

Led by Dale Niederhauser, current past-president, SIGTE participation at NECC 2002 provided quality professional development opportunities for teacher educators through workshops, concurrent sessions, a pre-conference symposium, a research paper award, research paper roundtables, and an informational kiosk. The annual business meeting showcased the research paper award and provided a forum for communicating changes in ISTE to SIG members. (Minutes from the meeting are available in web and pdf [PDF, 13 KB, 2 seconds, PDF instructions form here, and on the SIGTE listserv.)

The kiosk was designed to provide information about the SIG to NECC visitors and was staffed by SIGTE members throughout the conference. The kiosk gives SIGTE an opportunity for more visibility at NECC and a vehicle for sharing information about the organization with potential members.

The second annual SIGTE Pre-Conference Forum provided teacher educators with an opportunity to learn more about current relevant issues in the field while contributing to the SIG’s goals for the future. The Forum also provided valuable time for planning SIGTE initiatives at NECC 2003.

Don Knezek opened the Forum with welcoming remarks and an overview of the ISTE/NECA merger. Lavona Grow, acting director of PT3 grants in the Department of Education, shared the current status of PT3 grant funding as well as insights into other federal grant opportunities of interest to teacher educators.

Barbara Levin from the University of NC at Greensboro and Diane Judd from Valdosta State University presented MERLOT, a peer-reviewed online resource for higher education faculty. MERLOT provides organization, connection, and evaluation of teaching resources for a wide range of subjects in higher education, including teacher
education.

Networking, strategic planning, and outright socialization punctuated the Forum and gave attendees at chance to share ideas, catch up with colleagues, and make new friends. Include the SIGTE Pre-Conference Forum in your plans for NECC 2003 in Seattle:

Sunday, June 29, 2003, 2:00–6:00 p.m.