Cator To Be Named New Ed Tech Director at Department of Education

Apple's Karen Cator is being named director of education technology at the United States Department of Education. The announcement is being made formally Nov. 3 at the 2009 Leadership Summit and Ed Forum, hosted by the State Educational Technology Directors Association (SETDA) in Washington, DC.

Cator has most recently served as director of education leadership and advocacy at Apple and was chair of the Partnership for 21st Century Skills from September 2006 to September 2007. (The Partnership for 21st Century Skills is an advocacy group focused on integrating 21st century skills into the curriculum in K-12 education.)

The Office of Educational Technology (OET) at ED helps implement research projects, develop policies, and organize summit meetings.

"We are very excited to hear about Karen Cator's appointment," said Mary Ann Wolf, SETDA's executive director. "SETDA has enjoyed working with Karen in the past and look forward to her continued leadership in education. Karen has in-depth knowledge and first-hand experience on the potential of technology to transform teaching and learning. She understands that we need to meet and engage kids where they are, addressing various learning styles and individualizing instruction. We welcome the opportunity to work with Karen to improve education for all kids."

The formal announcement of Cator's appointment will be made tomorrow by Jim Shelton, assistant deputy secretary for innovation and improvement for the U.S. Department of Education, at the SETDA Leadership Forum. Further information about that event can be found here.

About the Author

David Nagel is the former editorial director of 1105 Media's Education Group and editor-in-chief of THE Journal, STEAM Universe, and Spaces4Learning. A 30-year publishing veteran, Nagel has led or contributed to dozens of technology, art, marketing, media, and business publications.

He can be reached at [email protected]. You can also connect with him on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidrnagel/ .


Featured

  • students using digital devices, surrounded by abstract AI motifs and soft geometric design

    Ed Tech Startup Kira Launches AI-Native Learning Platform

    A new K-12 learning platform aims to bring personalized education to every student. Kira, one of the latest ed tech ventures from Andrew Ng, former director of Stanford's AI Lab and co-founder of Coursera and DeepLearning.AI, "integrates artificial intelligence directly into every educational workflow — from lesson planning and instruction to grading, intervention, and reporting," according to a news announcement.

  • toolbox featuring a circuit-like AI symbol and containing a screwdriver, wrench, and hammer

    Microsoft Launches AI Tools for Educators

    Microsoft has introduced a variety of AI tools aimed at helping educators develop personalized learning experiences for their students, create content more efficiently, and increase student engagement.

  • laptop displaying a red padlock icon sits on a wooden desk with a digital network interface background

    Reports Point to Domain Controllers as Prime Ransomware Targets

    A recent report from Microsoft reinforces warns of the critical role Active Directory (AD) domain controllers play in large-scale ransomware attacks, aligning with U.S. government advisories on the persistent threat of AD compromise.

  • Two hands shaking in the center with subtle technology icons, graphs, binary code, and a padlock in the dark blue background

    Two Areas for K-12 Schools to Assess for When to Work with a Managed Services Provider

    The complexity of today’s IT network infrastructure and increased cybersecurity risk are quickly moving beyond many school districts’ ability to manage on their own. But a new technology model, a partnership with a managed services provider, offers a way forward for schools to overcome these challenges.