Established in 1999, the Consortium for Outstanding Achievement in Teaching with Technology (COATT) is a coalition including 26 of Michigan's teacher education colleges and universities in partnership with K-12 schools and professional educational organizations.

Background and History
COATT's purpose is to encourage excellence in teaching with technology.

COATT activities include an awards program to recognize outstanding technology-using teachers, professional development programs, and outreach around eductional technology standards for teachers and students. The organization grew out of initial meetings of educators in the state organized by U.S. Senator Carl Levin in 1998 to help the state focus on improving its status in using educational technology in schools when a national poll ranked Michigan in the bottom quarter for teacher training in this area. Under Senator Levin's leadership, an initial group of teacher educators met resulting in the formation of COATT.

The MCOATT Award Program

A cornerstone of COATT work is the Michigan Certificate for Outstanding Achievement in Teaching with Technology (MCOATT) with versions of the recognition for student teachers and practicing teachers. The award has been designed as a way to promote implementation of educational technology standards in Michigan's K-12 schools and in teacher preparation program with an emphasis on using technology to improve student learning. Modeled in many ways after professional teacher board certification program, the goal is to give teachers both a goal to achieve and recognition for high performance that will have credibility with peers and administrators. To receive the MCOATT award, student teachers or practicing teachers submit an electronic portfolio that demonstrates achievement of the COATT criteria, which are based on national and state educational technology standards. The award is granted based upon reviews by an expert panel of faculty and staff from COATT member institutions. As of early 2004, over 90 Michigan teachers and student teachers had been recognized with the MCOATT. As of 2004, tej MCOATT program includes a team award and an award for first year teachers.

Grant Activities

In 2001, COATT received a Preparing Tomorrow's Teachers (PT3) catalyst grant, Developing an Ecology for Preparing Tomorrow's Teachers for Technology, to help strengthen and institutionalize the statewide initiative aimed at encouraging future teachers to strive for excellence in using technology for teaching and learning. Through work with the Michigan Department of Education under this grant, COATT has worked to revise the state's standards on educational technology for entry-level teachers, developed workshops and online training materials on electronic portfolios, and held professional development activities for teacher educators and mentor teachers to improve the environment for educating new teachers in the state.