DIVISION/COMMITTEE REPORT
Name of Division or Committee: Research & Theory
Summer Report
Date Submitted: 7/8/2015
Name and title of person submitting report: Jonathan McKeown, President R&T
Email: jmckeown@ut.edu
Phone number: 813-257-6306
Responses to the following items need to be entered on this form and sent as a .doc email
attachment to the AECT President and Executive Director. The Summer Report will be due
one month prior to Summer Leadership meeting (DUE: June 15) and the Fall Report is due
one month prior to the annual convention (DUE: September 30)
Mission
The mission of AECT is to provide international leadership by promoting scholarship and best practices in the
creation, use, and management of technologies for effective teaching and learning.
Vision
We seek to be the premier international organization in educational technology; the organization to which others refer
for research and best practices.
Outcomes
1. AECT is internationally recognized and valued by policy makers and stakeholders as experts in improvement in
teaching and learning.
2. AECT members are actively engaged professionals and leaders in the field and within the organization.
3. AECT is dynamic, sustainable, and responsive to change as an organization.
Identify Division outcomes/Committee charge(s) being addressed and the timeline for
implementation. Please relate your outcomes to the three main AECT outcomes listed
above (or to strategies in the current strategic plan):
The Research & Theory Division promotes the development and advancement of theory;
promotes, presents, and disseminates research and scholarship that encompasses multiple
perspectives; advocates the study of social and cultural issues in the field; supports, fosters,
and mentors emerging scholars.
Our division manages and executes the R&T conference program. As past years, we have been
able to create a strong and worthwhile program for the upcoming annual conference, directly
contributing to outcomes 1-3.
Specifically over the last six months, we:
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Have updated our division By-Laws to be consistent with changes voted on by the RTD
Board last several years. This includes updates to officers, featured research coordinator,
and the addition of the Professional Development Coordinator(s) as part of the board.
We have streamlined and clarified the Featured Research category for the AECT Annual
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Conference and continue to work on making the submission process for effective. The
featured research category is now currently sponsored by our division and highlighting the
work across all the divisions. Additional work will need to continue in this area to ensure
high quality proposals and papers are submitted in the future. One of the challenges is
getting authors to submit completed papers that can be appropriately evaluated.
We continue to promote division awards for service, outstanding journal article, and
outstanding book award for the AECT International Convention.
Plan and facilitate special invited sessions for faculty making an impact in the field for the
2015 AECT International Convention. The purpose is to (1) disseminate research and
scholarship that encompasses multiple perspectives, and (2) support emerging scholars.
Promote/co-chair D&D/RT awards luncheon at 2015 AECT International Convention.
Continue to coordinate and submit proposal for the NSF Early Career Symposium
Describe your progress in meeting your outcomes in terms of specific actions you have
taken or are taking
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Completed update of division By-laws to be ratified by the entire RTD
membership at the annual conference, then submitted to the AECT board.
We have finalized the R&T program for the annual conference, including
soliciting submissions, conducting peer-review, informing submitters of
acceptance/rejection, and creating sessions.
The awards committee is currently evaluating submissions to determine award
recipients.
We are in the process of finalizing the promotion/co-chairing of the D&D/RT
awards luncheon.
Describe special activities the Division/Committee has undertaken or is planning and talk
about how they address the three AECT outcomes (or strategies in the current strategic
plan):
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During the past year we have continued our professional development webinar
series to promote and discuss emerging issues in the field. The RTD board elected
two professional development coordinators (Fei Gao and Wei Wang) to develop these
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opportunities for all members of AECT.
Our proposal for the NSF Early Career Symposium was drafted and submitted to NSF.
As of this report we are still waiting for award notification.
Both activities directly supports AECT outcomes 1, 2, and 3.
What is needed from AECT to support Division/Committee plans?
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Input and guidance on changes to the Featured Research Category
Summer Report: What is the proposed budget for this year? Please attach the proposed
division budget
Budget requests include the following:
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$525 for award plaques and president gavel
$150 for marketing materials and convention giveaways.