Director of Information and Communications Systems, 1987-1995
Director of Statewide Technology Initiatives, 1996-1998
Director of Online Learning, 1998-2004
Principal Investigator, 21st Century Information Fluency Grant, 2004-2006
Nominator’s Statement (Excerpt)
“David is a national and international ICT leader. To have his name, expertise, reputation and intellectual clout formally connected to IMSA would give us a greater voice at the table of policy discussion and policy implementation in the area of innovation and technology standards. David is a superb writer, an excellent presenter, a powerful and passionate advocate for and supporter of IMSA. He has always worked selflessly and tirelessly to position the Academy and not himself. Despite the fact that 21CIF was his creation and his “baby,” he gave his intellectual capital to the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy—no strings attached. David Barr has continued to demonstrate “exemplary professional competence” and has continued to advance and position IMSA in significant ways. He remains very eager and willing to do so, and his most recent involvement as a lead in the Innovation Talent Project is a prime example.”
Some of Dr. Barr’s accomplishments include:
- As Director of Information and Communication Systems, Dr. Barr developed and implemented an integrated information and communications system to support the Academy’s academic programs and developed and promoted innovative applications in technology in other Illinois schools.
- While Director of Statewide Partnerships he served as a member of the Illinois Century Network’s Engineering Task Force, the Online Initiatives Council and the Illinois Board of Higher Education’s Educational Technology Advisory Council, and worked with Waubonsee Community College to develop a video network that broadcast classes to other schools as a proto-type of a statewide system.
- As Director of Online Learning he served on the statewide committee that established the Illinois Virtual High School that was administered in its early years by IMSA. With funding from a grant from the Department of Education, he developed and implemented IMSA’s 21st Century Information Fluency Project (21CIF) which trained teachers and students throughout the state.
- During this time he was also a contributing author for the National Educational Technology Standards for Students (1998 & 2007); National Educational Technology Standards for Teachers (2001 and 2008); National Technology Standards for Administrators (2009) and the UNESCO ICT Competency Standards for Teachers (2007).
In retirement, Dr. Barr continues his commitment to education working as an educational technology consultant to educational, corporate and government organizations. He has worked with the IMSA team on the statewide IMSA-DCEO and NGA Illinois Innovation Talent Project and served on the Steering Committee of an NSF Grant that developed plans for integrating Computational Thinking into K-12 education, including IMSA faculty and staff in the development process. He is currently a member of the Technical Working Group of the International Society of Education developing new versions of Educational Technology Standards for Student (2015) and Educational Technology Standards for Teacher (2016). His publications include “The Role of Technology in Educational Reform”, (Journal for the Education of the Gifted, Oct. 1990) and “Computational Thinking: A Digital Age Skill for Everyone.” (Leading and Learning, March 2011).
