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Designing and Implementing a Technology Training Program

© Melissa Johnston

Once public schools make a commitment to put technology into the hands of teachers and students, a new challenge emerges in the form of training. If technology integration is the goal of schools, then a technology training program is imperative. Teachers must be trained in the use of technology before they can begin to integrate it into their daily routine. Technology integration is not easily defined and can be achieved at various levels depending on teacher experience and training. Integration should start small with a project and technology area where the teacher and students feel comfortable and confident.

Take for example one reading teacher who uses technology as an alternative to the standard book report. After students finish reading their book, they go to the computer lab as a class to work in Microsoft Power Point to create a book report. The teacher explains the required elements for their project, and then students design a presentation using the skills of summarization, main idea, characterization or any elements chosen by the teacher, in addition to technology skills necessary to develop their product. They are encouraged to search the Internet for information about the author, which might include a picture, interview, or even an audio reading from the book by the author. Students can also access reviews from students who've read the book, and they can even submit their own review. What has been created here is a constructive approach to education whereby students are taking information and using it at the higher levels of thinking - synthesis, analysis, and evaluation.

The assumption in this scenario is that both students and the teacher have received the training necessary to make the lesson plan possible. For this reason, a sound training program for teachers and computer literacy/application classes for students are essential.

There are many different approaches to tackling the training issue. Most often, districts hire a technology coordinator who works with an appointed committee in developing and initiating policy and procedures for technology use within the district. This committee works together writing grants, reviewing proposals, and designing training programs for both teachers and students.

Before any training takes place, the committee designs a training program outlining the goals and objectives for mastery and the amount of time in which the training will take place. The curriculum can be divided into distinct levels of competency providing teachers the necessary skills to work more efficiently and effectively. An incentive component should be added to encourage participation in the different levels of training.

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