Event Spotlight: ISfTE 2026

Two students from the Moyes School of Education, six current faculty and one Emeritus faculty represented our School and College at the International Society for Teacher Education (ISfTE) seminar at Adelaide University in Adelaide, Australia. You can learn more about Adelaide, Adelaide University and this year's seminar in the following ISfTE 2026 promotional video:

ISfTE seminar has a long history with Weber State University as many current and prior faculty members (have) served on the the Board of the organization or its journal (JISTE). David Byrd, who served as an Associate Editor for JISTE for several years, said that his favorite aspect of this seminar have always been "the interactions that lead to shared perspectives". Marilyn Taft, an Assistant Professor in Teacher Education, shared that her favorite things about being a member of ISfTE have been the visits to local schools, discussions with teacher educators from all over the world about ways to positively impact educational practices, as well as learning about a new country and local culture "in situ". This year they were joined by Gina Cook (Child and Family Studies), Katarina Anderson (TED), Sara Gailey (TED), Shirley Dawson (Emeritus), and Sheryl Rushton (TED).

Sheryl served on ISfTE Executive Board for 10 years, first as a Treasurer and then as a Secretary General. She said that her favorite thing about ISfTE has been "the opportunity to connect and collaborate with outstanding educators from around the world who share a passion for improving teaching and learning. Personally, I have truly enjoyed having the opportunity to help lead the society and work alongside such dedicated professionals. One of the greatest rewards has been the lasting friendships I have made with incredible educators across the globe. I am also thrilled to turn the reins over to very qualified leaders such as Dr. Katarina Anderson and Dr. Sara Gailey, and I look forward to seeing the society continue to grow and thrive under their leadership."

Marie Richards, a current M.Ed. student and a Information Literacy Coordinator at Weber State presented her work on her recently defended thesis proposal, called Web literacy at the intersection of civic literacy and information literacy. Marie really enjoyed the seminar and expressed being grateful to learn from scholars from around the world, visiting Adelaide University library and having an opportunity to immerse herself in the culture. 

Emily Woods, a licensed SPED teacher, graduated with an M.Ed. and an emphasis in Curriculum and Instruction in 2025. Her thesis Exploring the educational gap of research implementation examined the state core standards revision timelines or comparable documents with the purpose of enhancing the process of information dissemination. After attending ISfTE, Emma said: "As a first time attendee, it was a transformational experience to be around people from all over the world, to share and compare ideas. I was heard, listened to, asked and answered questions, participating in a way, where I never felt "less then" surrounded by people I considered more experienced... my favorite thing? The people, definitely the people. The people that this seminar invites and inspires are worth seeing again and again". 

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International Society for Teacher Education (ISfTE) is an independent organization of teacher educators. It is dedicated to the improvement of teacher education in all settings by fostering discussion, critical analysis, and dissemination of ideas from research and innovative practice in teacher education. Since 1981, the Society has met in different countries for an Annual Seminar lasting about five days, at which participants present papers for discussion in small groups, visit local schools, and learn from each other. The Seminars are based on a special format which encourages constructive dialogue on contemporary issues in teacher education and are accompanied by experiences which help participants to understand the educational environment of the host country. In 2027, the ISfTE annual seminar will be held in near Manila in the Philippines. If you are interested in attending the seminar in the future, reach out for more information.