Teacher Training: Math, Science and Technology (sampler)
The Teaching Teleapprenticeship Project at the University of Illinois involves education students as mediators of network activity with folks outside of education...
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The Teaching Teleapprenticeship Project at the University of Illinois involves education students as mediators of network activity with folks outside of education.
Education Development Center provides a number of resources for teacher education and advancement.
The Math Forum at Drexel includes a very comprehensive teacher education component for the intersection of math and technology. Standards, journals, interdisciplinary ideas, topics in school reform, links to allied associations, articles for parents and even employment are examples of the contents.
Te-mat, sponsored by NSF, contains an A-Z digest of materials for math and science pre- and in-service professional development. Keywords and a very simple conceptual framework can help in the search but for teachers of teachers it may be fruitful to scan the list. Pretty good criteria have been applied for the inclusion of the summaries in the materials index. In spite of the limited classificatory structure (i.e. topic and grade mostly, the selections are tops.
GAMT provides a gateway for linking math teachers at successive levels towards better understanding of advanced concepts. All too often teachers at high school have limited opportunities to interact with teachers at community and four year colleges. Consequently, articulation of concept development rarely occurs.
Similarly, EDC has developed the ATLAS Communities project which stretches further and links teachers at the elementary, middle and high school level. Discussion groups and case studies illustrate the process.
ISTE, the International Society for Technology in Education, has developed matrices for implementing skills, standards, and activities into both teacher education methods courses and field experiences. Rather than isolating the uses of new technology in one methods course ISTE's approach is to integrate such skills across the board in teacher education. Review "Curriculum Guidelines for Accreditation of Educational Computing and Technology Programs--A Folio Preparation Manual", Third Edition, ISTE1998. Performance Profiles allows for phase-in of technology competencies.
Beginning Teachers' Tool Box provides books and resources, especially appropriate for beginning teachers.
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Many state legislatures have added a technology requirement to their teaching credential process during the last few years and are just beginning to develop courseware and a practicum. Districts, too, are extending credits towards salary and position schedules for technology workshops. Check out the progress in your state and local credentialing bodies.
Another jumpstation would be the University of Illinois. Its huge resources have stimulated creation of this era's technology tools, such as the Netscape browser, as well as a strong teacher training program.
Across this spectrum pre-service teachers are usually limited to one level and, even when they begin to teach, lack the time to look up and down the road. Telecommunications can help facilitate such vital coordination.
For wonderful resources in other subject or inter-disciplinary topics please see Affinity Groups.
