Training Teachers to use technology in the classroom

According to the article, lack of teacher training is the major obstacle that needs to be overcome for effective technology use in the classroom. Sadly, research shows that most school districts spend less than 15 percent of their technology budgets on teacher training and development. Although curriculum taught in the classroom includes requires children become proficient in technology in a fast growing global world. Teachers struggle with teaching technology due to the fact that they are not properly trained in it themselves.
With both lack of time and training teachers are finding themselves in quite the quagmire as they search for education for technology. Many teachers feel the need to be trained off site so that they will not have the diversion of their students to contend with. Lack of funding and the teachers inability to motivate themselves to do the training outside of the normal work day are other factors that contribute to lack of training.
Many programs to support educators are flexible and are offered on-line. It seems that teachers need to understand that professional development does not stop when the school day ends.
The most effective way for teachers to learn technology is through collaborative learning that is non-threatening. In a collaborative learning environment adults can help support each other with their various levels of knowledge. This training must be ongoing and teachers need to be aware that this is an expectation of their jobs today. School districts also must jump on the bandwagon and provide support and training for this to be a win, win, situation for both the teachers and the students.
I recommend this website, as it is both insightful and interesting to me as I pursue my education degree. It certainly lays out that technolgy is moving forward and that educators must move with forward for the sake of our future.
http://www.nsdc.org/library/publications/jsd/brand191.cfm

From Clifford Stoll, High Tech Heretic, ©1999 371.334STO

The article that I read about the PowerPoint taking the place of the the lecture slides of the past intrigued me. Since I am an older student, the PowerPoint was a new concept too me. I have seen many many PowerPoints in the last year. The ones that are generated by students have been really quite amazing. The ones that are part of instruction and lecture have some merit, but after awhile it can become boring and painful to try and get through slide after slide.
It was interesting how the article discussed the younger generation using the PowerPoint presentation to get out of doing research and hard work to put together a PowerPoint to slack off.
Because the younger generation know the computer techniques, it often is not hard work for students at all.
Once again, it is essential that there is some balance in how much technology is too much. It is clear that instructors need to set clear expectations for their students of what is acceptable. Nothing takes the place of good old fashioned content knowledge. Today, it is evident that technology is just another way that learning can be demonstrated and shared in the classroom.