Who We Are
The Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) is a professional association of instructional designers, educators and business professionals who provide leadership in the area of Educational Technology research and application in order to sustain a continuous effort to enrich teaching and learning within the United States and across the world. Seizing opportunities to raise awareness and leverage technology, our members may be found internationally in colleges and universities, in the Armed Forces and industry, in museums, libraries, and hospitals, and in the many places where educational change is underway. Our research and scholarly activity contribute to the knowledge base in the field of Learning within the focus of Educational Technology and Curriculum Development. We are on the cutting edge of new developments and innovations in research and application of these areas, and we very much enjoy partnering with like-minded people, organizations, and institutions trying to make a better place for their students and citizens.
What We Do
AECT is the premier organization for those actively involved in the design of instruction and a systematic approach to learning with technology at the forefront. We provide an international forum for the exchange and dissemination of ideas for our members and for target audiences. We are the national and international voice for improvement of instruction and the most recognized association of information concerning a wide range of instructional and educational technology topics. We have members from all 50 states and internationally all passionate about finding better ways to help people learn. Applications for our research have been used all over the world, including within countries seeking to provide rapid medical care to civilians through modern advanced training paradigms and information triage systems utilizing Artificial Intelligence, as well as within businesses seeking to harness the best instructional design methodologies and tools to achieve higher productivity outcomes for their products serving clients.
Since 1923, AECT has been the professional home and intellectual family for this field of interest and has continuously maintained a central position in the field, promoting high standards, in both scholarship and practice with eleven Divisions and a Graduate Student Assembly that represent the breadth and depth of the field. We produce two bimonthly globally renown journals in partnership with Springer Nature, Educational Technology Research & Development and TechTrends and are the home to many other open-source journals and a host of publications centered on our field.
Our Mission
Leading the global study and application of new technologies for learning.
Our Vision
We seek to be the premier international organization in educational technology, the organization to which others refer for research and best practices.
Our Values
1. Leadership
Our work is intended to communicate intellectual leadership among the disciplines associated with educational communications and technology.
2. Collaboration
We work with other individuals and organizations that share our vision, values and goals. Yet, we cherish our collective identity as well as a wide range of diversity encumbered within the individuals that constitute the AECT membership.
3. Professional Standards
We are committed to excellence. High quality artifacts, ethical conduct, and social consciousness are essential components of our scholarly community.
4. Sustainability
Our actions are dedicated to maintaining a level of service and rate of growth commensurate with the desires of our membership over time.
5. Financial Stability
We are responsible stewards of AECTs resources and finances.