🚀 go-pugleaf

Gary, Jenny, and others..
My statement regarding getting our message beyond our own conference was
aimed at establishing a broader recognition of AECT in the education research
market.. Just yesterday I was called by Yvonne Carter, a recently 'retired'
member of the USDOE. She is working on the USDOE LANCE report and called me
as one who she thought had written on research in school library media
centers and the effect on children learning via resource based instruction.
It was Dr. Brenda White she wanted, but I took the opportunity to steer her
beyond the American Library Association where she was calling to AECT and the
research I recognize of people including Elaine Didier (who was at ALA Miami
) and Ed Cafferello (Northern Colorado). and the AECT office across the
street in Washington DC.
  My specific examples are to focus to AECT membership in particular
RESEARCH, that the discussion on who and how many presentations are slotted
is not what has made AECT conferences a must for me. I have planned and
attended (even with family members) for over 20 years.. at my own expense, on
vacation leave time, (the wealthy state of Connecticut pays well, but allows
no professional growth opportunities out of state). My job description and
evaluation process require professional involvement and I have gone through
IRS and internal audits. But the advance of AECT in my humble opinion is the
sharing of information across the borders of New England.to the South and
West and Canada.. and globally. The AECT-L is a tremendous step in opening up
communications where travel and information is sought by those beyond our own
membership and university classroom walls .. and somebody had better applaud
Rusty for his initiatives ..in opening this channel as a model.
  Whether we have 2 or 5 presentations on each program of high quality or of
interest to a divisional membership of 50, blindly selected or recognized
from the name of Kurt and Don or Kent or Lynn.. I do not wish to debate at
length here (as I tend to do).
    I do want Yvonne Carter, a lifelong AECT member (do we do honorary
memberships to keep our experienced members participating??), and others in
need of research on education topics to learn from AECT membership that we
travel and participate in more than one leadership organization with changing
and growing directions.
   So I say, include poster sessions as Jenny suggested.. present in
California twice this year, and Baltimore at NECC next June, and elsewhere..
but do so as AECT members, with professional quality and vision. PS. I do
hope the Change division newsletter is used as a model.. I have already
forwarded it with AECT logo to multimedia section request on Compuserve from
a student researching changing educational technology.. also to others via
America OnLine. The requests for information are far beyond our classroom
walls.. and AECT-L membership...
  And I will expect the Research Representative to the Board of AECT to
continue this discussion in Springfield next month..

Charlie White.. Soon to be voting.. but always seeking information .. and
listening .. and researching in my own manner..