Creating Connections

Instructional Design and Technology Students Receive Grant to Attend the 2022 AECT International Conference

by Laurel Owens

in future careers and qualify me to serve others well in leadership positions.”

The HRD program trains students to perform coaching, training and development, strategic planning, leadership, and performance improvement services, which will equip them for careers in various industries. Because these skills are highly desirable in today’s job market, HRD graduates can advance in their fields. They will go on to work for corporations, nonprofit agencies, financial institutions, government, healthcare, P-16 education, and beyond.

Any student with a bachelor’s degree can pursue the 30-credit human resource development master’s program. Students can be enrolled part-time or full-time and start in the spring, summer, or fall semesters. On average, 50 students enroll each semester, with 5-10% of these students being out-of-state. Scholarship opportunities are also available for in-state and out-of-state students. In addition, all graduate applications within the College of Education, including the HRD program, are free for students who apply in the 2022-2023 season.

To learn more about the fully online HRD program, please visit isu.edu/olp

Thanks to a grant provided by the Idaho State University College of Education’s Dean’s Excellence Fund, nineteen graduate students from the ISU Instructional Design and Technology (IDT) program attended the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) International Conference alongside their professors in Las Vegas, Nevada in October 2022. Students had the opportunity to attend free of charge to network with leaders in the field, present their research, and learn about career opportunities.

AECT is a major international academic organization dedicated to helping instructional designers and professionals collaborate and share their passion for building better learning systems. By participating in conferences such as AECT, students gain the experience and connections needed to be international advocates and agents of change in their field.

Dr. John Curry, Associate Professor and Chair of the Organizational Learning and Performance Department was the AECT 2022

Convention Planning Committee Co-Chair. When asked about his role, Curry said, “My major professor always taught me that one of our responsibilities as professionals is always to be part of the academic conversation. Dr. David Coffland, my program colleague, and I are committed to that idea. Helping our students attend AECT, familiarizing them with the conference experience, demystifying the process of presenting your research, and what it takes to be part of the academic conversation, is invaluable.”

Curry and Coffland are active in the AECT organization and gave two presentations with graduate students during the conference. Curry has also served two terms on the AECT Board of Directors and is a three-time winner of the AECT President Award for his leadership and service to the field of instructional design and technology. In 2021, Curry was also honored by AECT’s Division of Emerging Learning Technologies (DELT) for his extraordinary commitment, leadership, and service to the organization by creating the DELT John Curry Distinguished Service Award.