The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley to Receive the 2024 AACTE Best Practice Award for the Innovative Use of Technology
AACTE (American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education) today announced that The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) is the recipient of its 2024 Best Practice Award for the Innovative Use of Technology for its College of Education and P16 Integration (CEP) Empowered Educator (E2) Program for 21st Century Teaching.
The award, overseen by AACTE’s Committee on Innovation and Technology, recognizes an innovative use of educational technologies in a school, college or department of education and highlights initiatives that creatively infuse technology into the curriculum, transcending conventional teaching methods and bringing about transformative changes in educational practices. UTRGV CEP’s Leticia De Leon, Ed.D., Rene Corbeil, Ed.D., and Maria Elena Corbeil, Ed.D., will be presented with the award during AACTE’s 2024 Annual Meeting Feb. 16–18, 2024, in Aurora/Denver, Colo.
“It is my pleasure to present the Best Practice Award for the Innovative Use of Technology to UTRGV,” said Lynn M. Gangone, AACTE president and CEO. “Their program’s unwavering commitment to fostering highly qualified educators through the strategic use of technology and the integration of innovative practices is helping to modernize educator preparation.”
CEP is dedicated to cultivating highly qualified, culturally responsive, and innovative educators through rigorous programs, a commitment to continuous improvement, and technology integration in its pedagogy courses. At the forefront of data utilization for program enhancement, CEP actively engages in the Teacher Preparation Data Model and utilizes cutting-edge mixed reality simulations, providing candidates with early opportunities to refine their skills.
“We are fortunate to have this cutting-edge program to integrate digital pedagogy in teacher preparation,” said Alma Rodriguez, Ed.D., dean of the College of Education and P-16 Integration at UTRGV. “The quality of the program is unparalleled. I am proud of Dr. De Leon and Drs. Corbeil for this well-deserved award.”
About AACTE
Established in 1948, AACTE is the leading voice in educator preparation. AACTE’s member institutions and programs prepare the greatest number of professional educators in the United States and its territories, including teachers, counselors, administrators, and college faculty. These professional educators are prepared for careers in PK-12 classrooms, colleges and universities, state and governmental agencies, policy institutes, and non-profit organizations. The AACTE alliance of colleges and universities and educator preparation programs collaborates with members and partners to advance the field of education by prioritizing diversity, equity, and inclusion, and engaging in research-based inquiry, advocacy, and innovative practice. Learn more at aacte.org.
Tags: Awards
