Paul Resta Honored by UNESCO for Service to Global Technology Award November 29, 2012

Dr. Paul Resta is honored by Dr. Majed Bin Ali Al Noaimi, Minister of Education, Bahrain, and Madame Irina Bokova, Director General of UNESCO, at the recent awards ceremony for the UNESCO-King Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa Prize for the Use of Information and Communication Technologies in Education.

Paul E. Resta, Director of the Learning Technology Center and Professor of Learning Technologies in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, was honored during the awards ceremony for the UNESCO-King Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa Prize for the Use of Information and Communication Technologies in Education held at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris on November 20. Irina Bokova, Director General of UNESCO, praised Dr. Resta for his leadership, contributions, and service as President of the prize’s International Jury since its founding in 2006.

The prize, funded by the Kingdom of Bahrain, rewards non-governmental projects that use information and communication technologies to enhance learning and teaching. Mme. Bokova said the quality of the prize’s nominees and its stature and importance around the world has grown steadily during Dr. Resta’s leadership of the International Jury. The jury assesses the nominated projects and makes recommendations for each year’s two laureates who share equally a $50,000 award.

Dr. Resta said he was honored to have had the opportunity to serve. “The distinguished Laureates of this prize over the past six years have provided a wealth of innovative models and best practices in the use of technology to enhance teaching, learning, and educational performance. They have inspired many around the world to adapt or adopt these innovations to address the needs of their countries,” said Dr. Resta.

According to the World Bank, the UNESCO-King Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa Prize is now the highest profile international award of its kind. It has helped draw attention to important projects being done in the use of technologies in education around the world that have often gone largely unpublicized outside the host countries. Says Dr. Resta, “With the explosion of innovation and technology around the world, it is clear that technology will play an even greater role in helping education meet the challenges of creating a World Information Society. Because of this, it will be very important, both now and in the future, to recognize the most outstanding models and best practices in the use of ICT in education to share with and inspire others.”

Dr. Resta has worked on several UNESCO projects that focus on technology use in education. He is currently editor of the UNESCO document Teacher Development in an E-Learning Age: A Policy and Planning Guide, and was also editor of Information and Communication Technologies in Teacher Education: A Planning Guide, published by UNESCO in 2002 and translated into five languages. His work in the College of Education focuses on Web-based learning environments, computer-supported collaborative learning, infusion of technology into teacher education, and planning and policy issues surrounding the use of information and communication technologies in teacher education.

—Laurie Caldwell, LTC Communications Coordinator

Related Sites:

• The UNESCO Prize on ICT Use in Education
• About Dr. Resta