Education advisory board appoints UF ed-tech professor

August 1, 2005

Kara Dawson, a University of Florida specialist in the uses of technology in teacher education, has been named to a state advisory board on instructional technology to the Florida Department of Education.

Dawson, an associate professor of education technology at the UF College of Education’s School of Teaching and Learning, is one of the first university-level experts in education technology to join the board, which advises the state’s office of instructional technology on educational technology matters relating to Florida school districts, schools and the classroom.

She joins newly appointed board members from the universities of South Florida, North Florida and Central Florida, and the Florida Center for Interactive Media.

Dawson said Kate Kemker, Florida’s new director of instructional technology, was instrumental in adding university educators to the panel and expanding its focus from K-12 to K-20 grade levels.

“Collaboration between the public schools and state university educators can improve the uses of technology in Florida schools and in our teacher preparation programs. The partnership ultimately fosters a higher level of student learning,“ Dawson said.

At UF, Dawson heads the education technology program and is co-coordinator of the college’s advanced Education Specialist (Ed.S.) and master’s online programs in education technology. The Ed.S. program will debut this fall.

Dawson’s teaching and research interests focus on innovative ways to prepare teachers to use technology and on overcoming constraints to technology use in K-12 schools. Many of her activities involve collaboration with teacher educators in other disciplines and with school teachers, curriculum developers, administrators and other educational technology specialists.