Anita McAnear Honored for Lifetime Achievement

(March 24, 2006)

Washington, DC—The Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education (SITE) has named Anita McAnear the recipient of its prestigious Lifetime Achievement in Technology and Teacher Education award. McAnear is a longtime employee of the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE®).

McAnear is only the fifth person to receive the award, which is not awarded annually, but is reserved for recognition of those who have made a significant contribution in information technology and teacher education over the course of a lifetime. SITE presented McAnear with the award on Tuesday, March 22 during its 2006 Conference in Orlando, Fla.

“Anita has been present from the very beginnings of the information technology field, serving as a tireless advocate on behalf of teachers,” says Ian Gibson, SITE president. “We believe that the profession might be very different today if it were not for Anita’s cumulative contributions over the course of her career, and we’ve all benefited from her unique ability to bring together disparate groups of people for a common cause. It’s with great pleasure that we acknowledge and recognize the contributions she’s made in this area.”

McAnear began her career in 1974 as a teacher with Lincoln Junior High School in Cottage Grove, Ore. She joined ISTE in 1983 as associate editor in the organization’s books and courseware department, and went on to become the acquisitions editor for ISTE's flagship periodical, “Learning and Leading with Technology.” In addition, McAnear has served as the national program chair for ISTE’s National Educational Computing Conference for nearly 10 years.

McAnear has a bachelor’s degree in English from Rice University in Houston and a master’s degree in computer science education from the University of Oregon. She also earned standard and basic teaching certificates in advanced math and language arts from the University of Oregon.

“It has always been my passion to understand and advocate for the needs of teachers and students, and to articulate the vision of information technology,” says McAnear. “I'm incredibly honored to receive this award in recognition of my work.”

About the International Society for Technology in Education
The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) is the trusted source in education technology for professional development, knowledge generation, and advocacy. A nonprofit membership organization, ISTE provides leadership and service to improve teaching and learning by advancing the effective use of technology in PK-12 and teacher education. Home of the National Educational Technology Standards (NETS), the Center for Applied Research in Educational Technology (CARET), and the National Educational Computing Conference (NECC), ISTE represents more than 85,000 worldwide leaders and potential leaders in educational technology. We support our members with information, networking opportunities, and guidance as they face the challenge of integrating technology into schools.

Anita McAnear shares some of her highlights from over 20 NECCs in this fascinating interview.

Visit www.iste.org or call 1.800.336.5191 to learn more about ISTE.

ISTE® is the registered trademark of the International Society for Technology in Education.