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Becoming a Technologically Literate Teacher

© Melissa Johnston

There is no doubt that technology impacts education, but that impact is affected more by how the teacher and student use technology in the classroom than the technology itself. The classroom can be equipped with the latest hardware and software, but unless the teacher and student use it effectively and regularly, the benefits will not be realized. The National Council of Accreditation of Teacher Education supports that technology integration must become an integral part of the curriculum, and that teachers hold the key to success of technology use in the classroom.

According to an article in Standpoint, a newsletter of the International Technology Education Association, "Technological literacy is much more than knowledge of computers and their application. It involves a vision where each citizen has a level and ability to use, manage, and understand technology." We can't assume that most teachers will just learn technology by immersion. Technology applications have become increasingly complex so it is necessary for teachers to obtain a basic understanding of technology and how it can be used in the classroom.

In addition to training programs offered by school districts, teachers must become technologically literate and take the initiative to practice and maintain a level of proficiency once the initial training is completed. The advantages of using technology in the classroom by far outweigh the cost and time involved in becoming tech literate.

Teachers are just a click away from the most comprehensive offering of information on using technology in the classroom including a gamut of tutorials and self-help manuals which may also be found in print. Many of these resources are written and designed specifically with teachers in mind. Browse your local library or bookstore for titles on using computers and different software programs as well as integrating technology into the classroom.

I'm including just a few of the online tutorial sites here in this article with a quick review of what is offered. These are some of the best I've found so far, and I hope they provide you some help.

AT&T LEARNING NETWORK http://www.att.com/edresources/index.html

At AT&T's site, teachers can access a variety of information on technology and education. Some of the links here include classroom management, funding and grants, acceptable use policies, and virtual classes offering degrees and certificates. Check out the Internet 101 tutorial!

MICROSOFT IN EDUCATION http://www.microsoft.com/education/tutor...

Microsoft has its own special section dedicated to technology and education appropriately titled, "Microsoft in Education." Here you can take advantage of online tutorials for many of the Microsoft products including Word, Excel, Power Point, Access, and Front Page 2000 and a few others. You will need to download the tutorials, which in this author's experience, can prove to be slow at times, but the benefits are well worth the wait.

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