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For Immediate Release
ISTE and Certiport Form Strategic Alliance to Provide Assessment of NETS Core Competencies
EUGENE, OR (June 10, 2003) — The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) and Certiport,
have formed a strategic alliance to provide assessment tools for ISTE's widely adopted National Educational Technology
Standards (NETS). Initially, the partners will focus on assessment of teacher competencies using ISTE's NETS for Teachers
(NETS*T) and Certiport's Internet and Computing Core Certification (IC³) program for basic computing and Internet knowledge
and skills.
The ISTE NETS Project has enabled K-20 stakeholders to develop consensus standards -- and the essential conditions that
support successful achievement of those standards -- for educational uses of technology. The underlying goal of the project
is to improve teaching, learning, and school leadership through application of NETS for Teachers, NETS for Students (NETS*S),
and NETS for Administrators (NETS*A).
Certiport's IC³ training and certification program focuses on assessment of competencies in three areas: Computing
Fundamentals (hardware, software, and operating systems), Key Applications (common program functions, word processing
and spreadsheets), and Living Online (networks and the Internet, e-mail, using the Internet, and the effects of computing
and the Internet on society).
According to David Saedi, president and CEO of Certiport, the new partnership is a natural for his organization. “NETS
establishes standards for competency in educational technology and IC³ prepares teachers and students for NETS. IC³ is the
only performance-based, global certification program in support of NETS on the market today. We are honored to be working
with ISTE to further align IC³ with NETS and anticipate announcing the results of strategic initiatives currently underway
within the next several months.”
ISTE's CEO, Don Knezek, also sees the alliance as a good fit for both organizations. "We're absolutely committed to
making available through partnerships a full and effective range of assessment tools to complete the promise of NETS.
And Certiport's IC³ program is already being used at hundreds of sites around the world to assess computing competencies.
It's a working product and is deliverable online through Certiport’s extensive testing and data management systems. With
Certiport's IC³ we've got a running start."
Initial prototyping of the IC³ alignment with NETS will be handled in part by college of education programs that are
recipients of NETS Distinguished Achievement Awards. "These are proven experts in putting NETS into practice," says Saedi,
"so they'll be invaluable in advising us as we evolve Certiport products."
About ISTE
The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), a membership organization, provides leadership and
service to improve teaching and learning by advancing the effective use of technology in education. ISTE members include
teachers, technology coordinators, library media specialists, teacher educators and administrators as well as representatives
from key corporate, governmental, and policy organizations. 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 meets its mission through knowledge generation, professional development and advocacy.
For additional information on ISTE's publications, projects, and activities, visit http://www.iste.org/. For information
about purchase orders and special member and bulk discounts, call 1.800.336.5191.
About Certiport
Certiport is the leading provider of global, performance-based certification programs and services designed to enable
individual success and lifetime advancement. Certiport is a pioneer in technology-based testing, data management systems,
and developing certification programs, including IC³, through intensive research and professional validation processes.
More information is available at www.certiport.com
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