ETIPS

The Educational Theory into Practice Software originated with a Catalyst Grant from the U.S. Department of Education's Preparing Tomorrow's Teachers to Use Technology (PT3) program. In 2001 the project began creating cases embodying the Educational Technology Integration and Implementation Principles (eTIPs), cases then used in methods, foundations, and technology courses by test-bed members from thirteen higher education institutions across the United States. These results led to further improvements in our cases and methods of instruction.

In 2003 we redefined ETIPS to stand for Educational Theory into Practice Software as we developed a new software application for case methods of instruction. In 2004 the cases were expanded beyond the topic of technology integration to include digital equity cases that are built around a framework developed by the Digital Equity Network.

Designed to complement and enhance teacher preparation programs, ETIPS cases offer educators a rich set of resources for integration into a wide variety of education courses. These cases allow students multiple and varied opportunities to practice making decisions guided by theoretical principles and thereby improve their critical thinking and instructional decision-making skills.

Within an online learning environment, ETIPS cases offer complete sets of multimedia materials incorporating a suite of innovative automated assessment tools. The cases appear to students as virtual school web sites, each accompanied by a case introduction and key challenges, supporting handouts, and a rubric and response page for submitting and receiving feedback on assigned short essays. Instructors are also given a number of convenient assessment and class management tools to track student learning individually and as a group.

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