Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
office productivity tools. The second semester begins the infusion process of technology
into the curriculum. The students experience it in all of their education classes and receive
opportunities to use instructional technology tools to construct lessons. It must be noted
that the expectation level and practice of technology infused into the curriculum begins in
the freshman year. This practice grants each student ample opportunity to grow to their
maximum potential. It also ensures that the preservice teacher is ready and skilled to become
a leading teacher to the nation's students. Willis (2001) called for a change in the teacher
preparation program. Teachers must transform from the givers of knowledge to the teacher/
learner as a facilitator or a guide. The education students at Duquesne University will be
empowered with the knowledge and skills to provide quality education as content specialists,
curriculum designers, and leading teachers to America's students, so they can be better
prepared to become a competent and expert workforce and citizenry. This workforce will be
poised to lead the global community.
FUTURE TRENDS
The future hopefully holds an opportunity for preservice teachers to break the mold of
the past. The role of a guide and a facilitator is a noble one. Preservice teachers need to receive
their instruction in the same facilitative role as they are expected to model to their students.
The faculty at preservice institutions needs to infuse the technology into the curriculum so
that increased levels of communication and collaboration are commonplace. Department
chairs and school deans need to continue the excellent level of support that some universities
already receive. Preservice teachers need the opportunity to practice the infused technology
and to eventually change the landscape to create a different picture of the use of that
technology. After all, the technology will rapidly change over the next 40 years. Each
practicing teacher must not only be able to adapt to any new changes, but hopefully, as
leading teachers, they will champion the change. They should not change just for the sake
of change but to be leading teachers of change, because it helps learners synthesize new
information, collaborate with their peers, and communicate in a more efficient way.
CONCLUSION
In this chapter, the features of a leading teacher program that has foundations in the
national and international standards for instructional technology were explored. A strong
commitment from the department chair, the dean of the school of education, and upper
administration provided the equipment, support, and expectations to transform the school
into a home of the nation's leading teachers. The preservice teacher enters the program with
technology skills to communicate and complete assignments and quickly acquires and
increases the skill set in information technology so that he or she can obtain sufficient data,
synthesize that data into useful information, create interactive visual presentations, and
create exciting virtual tours (Tomei, 2001). Finally, the leading teacher must be aware of the
rapid advancements and changes in technology and how those changes affect the learning
process. The teacher must know how to adapt to the changes and to infuse the new
technology into the curriculum of the future.
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