WASHINGTON, D.C. – The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), a nonprofit focusing on accelerating innovation in education, announced the first cohort of fellows for its AI Exploration for Educator Preparation Programs (EPPs).

The AI Explorations for EPPs Fellowship marks the first of its kind in higher education offerings. This year's recipients were selected to participate in an eight-month learning and development opportunity. The fellowship aims to enhance EPP faculty and staff understanding of best practices on artificial intelligence (AI) in education, its implications on instruction, and strategies for preparing preservice educators to teach with and about AI.

“This creation of this program reflects ISTE’s commitment to support teacher education faculty in preparing future teachers to thrive in today’s digital learning environments,” said Richard Culatta, CEO of ISTE/ASCD. “We are thrilled to announce this year’s group of talented faculty fellows and look forward to working with them to model effective practices for other EPP programs.”

A list of this year's awarded fellows, their titles, and respective institutions, can be found below.

• Dr. Amy Eguchi, associate teaching professor, University of California San Diego
• Dr. Elizabeth Langran, professor of education, Marymount University
• Dr. J. Camille Dempsey, associate professor and coordinator for the M.Ed. program in educational technology and online learning, Pennsylvania Western University
• Dr. Lucretia M. Fraga, associate professor, University of the Incarnate Word
• Dr. Nicol R. Howard, interim dean, School of Education, University of Redlands
• Dr. Stacy George, asst. professor, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
• Dr. Stein Brunvand, associate dean, College of Education, Health & Human Services, University of Michigan-Dearborn

Since March 2023, the fellows have learned from leaders in the field, experimented with cutting-edge resources and research in AI, and have begun developing instructional materials that EPP faculty nationally and internationally can use to educate others. Alongside recognition, the fellows initial work will be presented at this year's ISTELive 2023 Conference in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on Tuesday, June 27 from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the Pennsylvania Convention Center (room 120A). The session, “Critical Strategies That Prepare Teachers to Teach With and About Artificial Intelligence,” will be recorded.

For more than six years, ISTE has developed a professional learning program, funded by General Motors, to support powerful professional learning for educators in student-driven AI explorations. Since the onset of the collaboration, the ISTE AI Explorations program has gone on to serve over 2,000 educators and education leaders in the US and in US international schools around the world.

About ISTE

The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) is a nonprofit organization that works with the global education community to accelerate innovation in education through the smart use of technology. ISTE sets a bold vision for education transformation through the ISTE Standards, a framework for rethinking education and creating innovative learning experiences. ISTE hosts ISTELive, one of the world’s most influential education events, and offers a wealth of professional learning opportunities focused on technology in education. For more information or to become an ISTE member, visit iste.org.

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