By Ball State Communications—
MUNCIE, IN— Ball State University’s Teachers College has earned the 2026 Distinguished Educator Preparation Program Award from ISTE+ASCD, a national education organization formed by the International Society for Technology in Education and the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
The award recognizes educator preparation programs that are leading the transformation of teacher preparation by providing preservice teachers with opportunities to build their skills through technologically innovative practices while embracing collaboration, continuous professional learning, and equitable learning opportunities.
Ball State Teachers College was recognized for its coordinated, college-wide approach to preparing future educators to use technology in purposeful, ethical, and effective ways. The recognition reflects the college’s work to build faculty capacity, strengthen technology integration across educator preparation, and prepare graduates to meet the evolving needs of today’s schools and classrooms.
The award also aligns with Destination 2040: Our Flight Path, Ball State’s strategic plan, which was enhanced in 2025 with new strategic imperatives in purpose exploration, relationship-rich education, and the integration of artificial intelligence in teaching, research, and operations.
“This national recognition is a meaningful affirmation of the innovative and collaborative work happening across Teachers College,” said Dr. Katrina Bulkley, dean of Ball State Teachers College. “We are grateful to ISTE+ASCD for recognizing our faculty’s leadership and our shared commitment to preparing future educators who are ready to serve students in a rapidly changing world. This work also reflects Ball State’s strategic commitment to using emerging technologies in thoughtful, responsible ways that strengthen teaching, learning, and student success.”
ISTE+ASCD named Ball State Teachers College the 2026 winner of the Distinguished Educator Preparation Program Award at ISTELive 26 and the ASCD Annual Conference, held June 28-July 1 in Orlando, Fla. Representing Teachers College at the conference were Dr. Jon Clausen, professor of secondary education and educational technology; Dr. Penny Craig, teaching professor of special education; and Dr. Henry Yu, assistant professor of educational technology.
Ball State’s recognition follows its participation in ISTE+ASCD’s Alliance for Innovation in Teacher Education and its adoption of the organization’s AI for Tomorrow’s Teachers module. The college has used the module as part of a broader faculty-first approach, creating communities of practice in which faculty members learn together, discuss the role of emerging technologies in teaching and learning, and identify ways to incorporate responsible technology use into coursework and candidate preparation.
Through that approach, Teachers College faculty are developing a shared foundation for preparing future educators to make informed instructional decisions in technology-rich classrooms. The work emphasizes not only how digital tools can support tasks such as differentiation and lesson planning, but also how future teachers can evaluate technology-supported resources for accuracy, appropriateness, privacy, bias, and alignment with student learning needs.
“Preparing future teachers to use technology well requires more than introducing a new tool,” said Dr. Susan Tancock, associate dean for undergraduate and graduate studies and professor of elementary education at Ball State. “It requires faculty and candidates to think carefully about when, why, and how technology can support learning. We are grateful for this recognition because it reflects the intentional work of our faculty to engage these questions together and to help our candidates become thoughtful, critical, and ethical users of emerging technologies in their future classrooms.”
ISTE+ASCD’s award criteria include demonstrating innovative approaches to integrating technology in teacher preparation, showing clear evidence of impact on preservice teachers’ skills, fostering a collaborative culture of continuous professional learning, and supporting equitable learning opportunities through program design, implementation, and outcomes.
In recognizing Ball State, ISTE+ASCD noted that Teachers College is Indiana’s largest educator preparation provider and has been nationally accredited since 1954. The organization also highlighted the college’s combination of innovative programming and support services that prepare future-ready education professionals and leaders.
The ISTE+ASCD recognition adds to recent national and state honors for Ball State’s educator preparation programs. In June, Ball State’s elementary education, early childhood education, and special education teacher preparation programs earned top ratings in two Science of Reading reviews, including the highest overall rating of “Strong” from Teacher Prep Inspection-US and an A+ from the National Council on Teacher Quality for its undergraduate elementary teacher preparation program.
Together, the recognitions reflect Teachers College’s continued commitment to preparing educators who are equipped to improve student outcomes, strengthen schools, and lead with innovation.
For more information about Ball State Teachers College, visit bsu.edu/teacherscollege.
About Ball State
Founded in 1918 and located in Muncie, Ball State University is one of Indiana’s premier universities and an economic driver for the state. Ball State’s 20,000 students come from all over Indiana, the nation, and the world. The 790-acre campus is large enough to accommodate first-rate facilities and 19 NCAA Division I sports, but our welcoming campus is small enough to ensure the friendliness, personal attention, and access that are the hallmarks of the University. We Fly!
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